1970's era Santa Fe local freight passes by.

1970's era Santa Fe local freight passes by., a photo by Eddie from Chicago on Flickr.

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

I have been in to H.O Scale Model Railroading as a hobby since 1986. I grew up in Chicago Illinois during the 1960's, 70's and 80's...and I prefer to model the trains and color schemes I grew up with during this period.

Using popular and inexpensive Athearn rolling stock, I operated this representation of an Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad local way freight on the club layout. Although cabooses mostly did ride on the rear of most freight trains, I can recall seeing them a number of times actually riding up front coupled behind the locomotive in daily service back in the 1970's and early 1980's in Chicago.

Out of view behind the Milwaukee Road 40 foot rib side boxcar to the left, are a blue mid 1970's era Rock Island box car, and a bright yellow Chicago & NorthWestern Railroad 54 foot covered grain hopper, thus making this a mid 1970's era Santa Fe freight train.

The locomotive is an Athearn EMD GP 35, painted in the 1960's era Santa Fe blue with yellow ends and frame color scheme, which was used from 1960 to 1972. Although the Santa Fe had switched to the popular blue and yellow "Yellow Bonnet" color scheme begining in 1972, several worked through the 1970's wearing the 1960's factory paint until at least 1978.