An early 1970's era Illinois Central Gulf local freight crossing the Missisippi River lift bridge.

An early 1970's era Illinois Central Gulf local freight crossing the Missisippi River lift bridge., a photo by Eddie from Chicago on Flickr.

I took this photograph recently, at the Oak Park Society of Model Engineers, H.O Scale Model Railroad Club.

In a scene from my own childhood growing up in Chicago during the early 1970's, an early 1970's post 1972 merger era train from the Illinois Central Gulf with a black and white Illinois Central EMD SW 9 yard switcher up front, pulls a switching local train on the club layout.

The early ICG trains after the August 10th 1972 merger of the Illinois Central and the Gulf, Mobile & Ohio Railroads, often featured a variety of mixed color schemes. Sometimes one could find former G,M & O Alco or EMD engines, mixed with former Illinois Central equipment. Sometimes these trains would have Illinois Central engines with G,M & O cabooses bringing up the rear.