Wednesday, August 07, 2013

Chicago commuter train locomotives in H.O Scale. The Oak Park Society of Model Engineers,H.O Scale Model Railroad Club. Oak Park Illinois. May 2013.

I took this photograph during one of my many visits to the Oak Park Society of Model Engineers,H.O Scale Model Railroad Club in Oak Park Illinois.

These models of Chicago area commuter train locomotives, help to recreate a scene from the 1978 to 1980 era in the windy city.

The train to the right, is a Chicago & NorthWestern Railroad commuter train complete with a classic EMD F 7 cab unit diesel up front. These train with their yellow and green color scheme, were an everyday sight in the greater Chicagoland area until 1983, when the C & N,W EMD F units were retired, and the commuter cars repainted in to the light gray, brown and orange RTA color scheme used on the C & N,W routes.

The train on the left, is a commuter train from the former Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad, which provided commuter rail service from Chicago to Joliet Illinois. The locomotive is a 1978 era EMD F 40PH locomotive wearing Chicago's original RTA color scheme.

The Rock Island and the C & N,W began utilizing the "New" RTA EMD F 40 PH diesel electric locomotives beginning in 1978, to replace the aging EMD E and F unit passenger diesel locomotives dating from the 1950's era on Chicago commuter trains.

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