The Flickr Eastunion Image Generatr

Another sharp looking EMD ready for covered wagon feature on Sunday is Iowa Pacific 515. It's fortunate that this E8 survived the wreck of the Iowa Pacific and joined the collection. 515 and 6847 were once stablemates at the C&NW, from the time 6847 was delivered in 1974 until the 515 changed ownership to the Regional Transportation Authority in 1980, where it continued in commuter service. August 10, 2024.

Chicago & Illinois Midland #30 is an interesting RS1325 but I wasn't really happy with the few photos of it I got. It did however provide the power for the caboose train I rode. Here is a clip as we backed into the yard at East Union and past the coach train with SP 1518, as seen from the Milwaukee bay window caboose. It was a fun trip at decent speeds. Also on the caboose trip were the UP version seen here, along with CGW and CB&Q examples. August 10, 2024.

There are some locomotives in the collection that I don't have any history with, yet the familiarity is palpable. As built objects, survivors have that unmistakable resemblance to others built on the same order. While I'm not a steam fanatic, luck and circumstances mean I've likey shot more action shots of Milwaukee Road 261 than any other. So it was worth taking a moment to stop by sibling 265 living out an alternate history, preserved and resting under cover, but not the center of attention like its one-time stablemate. August 10, 2024.

I barely caught the tail end of cowl units in service on the Santa Fe. I did however, see a bit of AT&SF 91, after it left to become Wisconsin Central 6652. On WC it was one of a kind, always carrying a little extra cache with its pedigree of once leading Santa Fe's premier trains. Despite sibling 91's longer working career there is no way to visit it anymore, after CN retired 6652 it left the roster and was scrapped in 2005. August 10, 2024.

In addition to restored and unrestored locomotives are those in progress. The two Milwaukee Road E9s look to be at a similar stage of restoration, externally at least. Both have seen a lot of attention to remove rust and clean up of the outer shell. 37A holds down a spot in Display Barn 9, quiet, in contrast to all the activity outside.
August 10, 2024.

Grandeur in styling and paintschemes isn't limited to larger power and streamliners when it comes to the CB&Q roster. SW7 #9255 is no less impressive in its restored livery. The switcher is 10 years newer than the 9911A and 9 years older than the SD24 504. I've always been a fan of underdog workhorse switchers even when they don't bring this much flash. August 10, 2024.

A "short-legged" switcher wouldn't have gotten the call to pull a Zephyr, but whether it was switching stainless cars in a terminal, working a side track as they flashed past, or tending to a branchline, it was worth boasting about the flagships. Some said Way of the Zephyrs, others Everywhere West, but in either case the Q sure had a way with words. If those enticements don't give you the urge to climb aboard to be whisked across the prairies to the plains and beyond for beauty and adventure, check your pulse.
August 10, 2024.

A rolling roster as the 5383 backs away from the station on its way out onto the mainline running west. Not a strain, especially compared to all the times it fought its way up Crawford Hill with coal loads on the drawbar, but even with a light chuff it sounds great.
August 10, 2024.

Yet another locomotive that has me questioning if I belong in the museum with it. I did photograph this one in service hauling coal in Minneapolis for BN. Looking good after 50 years, 20 in service for BN and 30 here at IRM. I've also spent years photographing and occasionally riding in the U30Cs of the Lake Superior & Ishpeming. LS&I kept the cascade green, even repainting some to look this fresh for a time albeit with an LS&I logo on the cab. Its assignment for the afternoon were the short trips for folks who had paid to try their hand at running a locomotive. The sights, sounds, and chugs brought back a lot of pleasant memories. August 10, 2024.

The fully restored diesels are really impressive. There's nothing like having all the details in place including the Mars light. I've seen plenty of former CB&Q high hoods with the headlight in the original location providing evidence of its heritage, but the Mars light gone and plated over. Seeing it all in as-delivered configuration is whole different level of cool. August 10, 2024.

In normal circumstances I'm trying to add something to a train photo, context, scenery, workers, weather, etc. This was a day of shaking things up but sometimes the subject is so pleasing on its own it warrants a non-embellished meat and potatoes capture. Such is the case with CB&Q 504. I've long admired all the photos I've seen of CB&Q Chinese Red back in its glory days but never seen an example firsthand. This SD24 is just dazzling, it doesn't need any pyrotechnics from me as it pulls away from the depot with another CB&Q classic, the Nebraska Zephyr trainset. August 10, 2024.

With the power switching out on three trains multiple times over the course of a day it makes for a lot of crew changes. That's what's happening in this scene. The road engineer has offloaded his grip after the last trip with C&NW 6847 and turned it over to the hostling crew to be set aside. Now the SP 1518 will power the coach train. The hostler's attention is focused out the door back to the train as the connection is made to the coaches. Meanwhile, a trainman on the front steps compares notes with road engineer as he stands by for them to turn over the right-hand seat.

As I mentioned earlier, 1518 is the first of 17,000+ SD series EMD locomotives, built as the SD7 demonstrator. It was sold to the SP and had a long life of revenue service, over 50 years, extending into the UP era. It's been in preservation for over 20 years now. 1518 is in pretty rough shape cosmetically but I don't entirely mind the fading and rust. To me the weathering attests to the harsh climates the SP served and some of the lean years on the SP towards the end of their run. An air of believability is added, you can almost imagine the conversation starting off with something like "What do you make of the news? Sounds like they're selling the whole ball of wax to Union Pacific." August 10, 2024.

Another peek into the barns. With a lot of equipment moved outside for the weekend it opened up some views of neat stuff left inside. The imposing profile of the South Shore line "Little Joe" is one such piece. A giant among giants. August 10, 2024.

Along with passenger car displays are some great freight car exhibits. I was really impressed with the restored boxcar built specifically for automobile hauling. Not only is the car neat, but when you look in the open door there are two automobiles inside. One car is this Ford Model A, representative of when the car entered service in 1930 and a Studebaker from the 1950s, when the car was last used for specific lading. August 10, 2024.

Another old friend was WC 7525. The burly SD45 would handle two trips on the Nebraska Zephyr trainset. I can't say I foresaw this unit working a stainless steel streamliner when it was in my backyard a couple decades ago. The years are starting to show as the clearcoat goes to pot on the maroon but the 20 cylinder beast still sounds great even if the Budds on the drawbar provided only token resistance. August 10, 2024.

It's pretty remarkable that both the first GP model and the first SD are in the IRM collection, are both in operating condition, and would both pull trains this day. Considering the dominance of those two lines of EMDs over the last 70+ years it's hard to overstate their significance. What I find even more wild than the proximity in preservation of these two is that they have the same road number, 1518.

Its duties done for the day, CNW 1518 is hostled onto the mainline where it will join a growing line of hood units tucked out of the way. August 10, 2024.

CNW 1518 looks great in its 1950s and '60s scheme and number complete with the classic slogan promoting the 400 on the flank. August 10, 2024.

This fine example of a restored home-built Milwaukee Road ribside caboose brings up the rear of the caboose train as it gains speed on the mainline. August 10, 2024.

Not all the diesels at IRM are operational, or even complete. A look behind the shop reveals the nose of a CN F-unit sans anything else. A bit of cursory research reveals that this F7 ended up at National Railway Equipment in Silvis, IL. It was intact when it reached NRE, by the time it came to Union it had been reduced to what you see here. Not sure what the plan is but an F-unit is a terrible thing to waste even if it's just the front. August 10, 2024.

The next change out saw Illinois Terminal 1605 come off the ready tracks to replace the CNW 4160 on the caboose train. The bright colors of the IT were a bit more exotic to my eye as I haven't lensed them before, including the NS heritage unit which has revived them in recent times. August 10, 2024.