Just a handful of shots from July 1984 with a meet of MILW trains at Scheff, IN. I'm thinking that the MILW had trackage rights on CR (NYC) over this segment, as part of the MILW's Chicago Terre Haute & Southeastern. I don't know much about the operation, but with both coal and merchandise evident, this route might have been a good source of tonnage for the Milwaukee.
To get trackage rights, did they just walk up to a guy from the other railroad and ask, "Hey, can I use your tracks? Doug
Continuing our random Indiana railfanning, from April 1984 are two pint-sized Amtrak switchers and an SW-1 as found at their Beech Grove Shops.
They certainly are! The Amtrak scheme actually looked pretty striking on those little switchers. Doug
Located on the MILW main about 35 miles north of Chicago is Rondout, IL where a crossing with the EJ&E can be found. The Milwaukee's main was, and remains a fast railroad. The yellow sign attached to the signal at the right in the bottom photo grants freight trains 50 mph and passenger trains 70. Long ago in the days of steam, a sign 20 miles north near the IL/WI state line advised engineers to "Reduce Speed To 90". These slides were taken in July of 1984.
As I understand it, the dual heads indicate the various speed routes ahead. Upper head is the high speed route. Lower head is the slow speed route. If there's a third head, the middle one is the medium speed head. The color means at least the block after the next block is clear. I'm by no means a signalman with the appropriate expertise, but I typically see one color over the other, unless it's all red. I don't typically see green over green. I don't know what that means.
I can't help but notice that the MILW/EJ&E interchange yard in the background is full of cars. This was an important interchange between the two roads. Today this end of the EJ&E (now CN) has little traffic and I'll guess that interchange is a distant memory here.
This October 1990 scene at Gosport, IN at the former Monon/PRR crossing brings back a somewhat amusing memory. A very nice trainman conversed with my wife and I while he set up the signals for his train's move across the former PRR. I thought this composition might have merit, so set up for a shot. Suddenly the train's headlight went dark, which ruined my shot. I asked the trainman why the Engineer had turned off the headlight, and he calmly replied, "Because he's an as****e" which indeed seemed true. 30 years later, here is the Engineer's legacy on film.
While the trainman had the signal bungalow open, I looked at the controls he used to set up and protect his route. Neat to see that these fallen flags were still flying.
With a background of Indiana limestone on the former Monon near Harrodsburg in October 1990 was Santa Fe GE C30-7 8130.
Cool pic! I remember when all those old Santa Fe C30-7's were roaming the CSX. It was a fun time to be railfanning on the CSX. Thanks for the memories Hardcoaler
"Golden Hour Rustbucket" A rather abused gondola rests in the former Soo Line yard in Minot, ND. Closer inspection reveals its true heritage, as it basks in the last light of day.