One of My all time favorite railroads I had grown up with on the near southwest side of Chicago during the 1970's, was the former Illinois Central Gulf Railroad.

The Illinois Central Gulf was created from the August 10th, 1972 merger of the Gulf, Mobile & Ohio - and the Illinois Central railroads. This railroad was a favorite for several reasons, one of them being the "Rainbow" of color schemes from both railroads, that the ICG somehow didn't get around to painting over quickly during the 1970's and 80's era.

I found this photograph at My Link page Fallen Flags.Org, located to the right of Your computer screen at http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/

Railfan Dan Bohannon photographed a now weather beaten ex Illinois Central EMD GP 35 diesel electric locomotive # 2501 at Venice Illinois during the early 1980's.

Engine # 2501, is wearing the former Illinois Central's 1967 orange and white "New Image" paint scheme, wich apparently did not weather well in the long run. The EMD SW Series yard switcher coupled behind it on the ready track, is still wearing the Illinois Central's pre 1967 black and white color scheme.

I could recall through out the 1970's and 80's era, that ICG freight trains would sometimes feature former gulf, mobile & Ohio locomotives wearing weathered 1960's era factory delivered paint schemes, coupled to any number of Illinois Central color combinations from pre and post 1967 times.

Sometimes a former Gulf, Mobile & Ohio caboose in factory paint would appear at the end of ICG freights.

Thanks.
Eddie K.