Early 1970's era Illinois Central Gulf Railroad caboose hop. December 2011.

Early 1970's era Illinois Central Gulf Railroad caboose hop. December 2011., a photo by Eddie from Chicago on Flickr.

One of My favorite Chicago railroad memories as a kid growing up on the near southwest side of Chicago back in the early 1970's, were seeing the trains of the former Illinois Central Gulf Railroad.

The Illinois Central Gulf Railroad, was created from the August 10th 1972 merger of the Gulf, Mobile & Ohio Railroad....and the Illinois Central Railroad.

For many years after the merger, one could find locomotives, cabooses and other equipment from the two predecessor railroads, that were still rolling around in their original color schemes.

My Life Like Proto 2000 EMD SW 7 shown here, wears the pre 1967 Illinois Central colors with the famous I.C Green Diamond logo. The caboose coupled behind, wears the post 1967 Illinois Central orange color scheme, with post 1972 markings for the Illinois Central Gulf.

I used to see these combinations on the southwest side of Chicago before I ever owned a camera, and wished I could have been lineside photographing them back then.

Sometimes You would see former Illinois Central locomotives with G,M & O cabooses, or many times even vice versa. I recall that it was a colorful if not very weather beaten in the long run era.

Thanks.
Eddie K.