The trucks on the ICG's ex-GM&O GP-30's and GP-35's were from Alco FA/FB trade-in's. The Alco four-wheel swing bolster trucks with the special Alco lever pin and retainer at the pull rods were rebuilt at EMD, which also rebuilt the GE Model 752 traction motors to their (GE's) specifications. The original GE 74:18 gear ratio was retained due to the large center distance between the 752 armature shaft and axle. This gear ratio provided a maximum speed of 71 mph. All units were equipped with dynamic brakes. The GM&O obtained a total of 48 GP-35's from EMD in 1964-65.

South of Venice, Illinois, the GM&O was what might be called a 'drag railroad', with trains run at or near full tonnage. Between Venice and the Ohio River, the tonnage rating in both directions was set by a hill called Alto Pass. Although Alto Pass was not very high or long, it was steep, and included a number of curves. The railroad expected to hang everything but the kitchen sink behind the new GP-30's and GP-35's and crawl up Alto Pass. During the years 1963, 1964, and 1965, the railroad and EMD conducted many wheel slip tests in drag freight service on the hill. The somewhat different electrical characteristics of the 752 traction motor and the ride response of the AAR Type B trucks required a number of modifications to the wheel slip systems in order to obtain maximum tonnage over Alto Pass. Trotting along side of the lead GP-30 of a four unit consist climbing Alto Pass, moving under five miles per hour in 8th throttle, in order to watch the slipping lead axle is not recommended practice, but it was done in the interest of 'science'. Alto Pass has been abandon now in favor of the more gentle grades on the old passenger main line of the Illinois Central just a few miles to the east.

Briefly, GP35 834 was the second of three GP35's (858, 834, 859) dispatched on Train 258 (91 cars plus caboose), following Train 254 (units 862, 849, 1751, 98 cars plus caboose). Train 254 departed Boone Yard late and had switching to do en-route. Train 254's conductor advised the dispatcher of delays as setouts progressed, and the dispatcher ordered Train 254 to cross to the westward main to clear the way for Train 258 to pass. The crossover at Lowden was a trailing point arrangement to the direction of travel and Train 254 was ordered to back through the crossover. As Train 254 was lining up for the crossover, Train 258 was dealing with mechanical issues. The Automatic Train Control system on GP35 858 (Train 258's lead unit) had been acting erratic and when it arrived at Boone Yard around 6:30 PM, a mechanic examined the ATC system, reset the motor generator to the required 75 volts (it had been producing 30 volts resulting intermittent red over yellow displays and automatic brake applications), and he also restored the cutout cock of the brake-valve actuator to cut-in position. Train 258 departed Boone Yard three and a half hours late, and the ATC system again began giving false red over yellow displays and actuating the brakes and the PC switch, which dropped the units to idle. Train speed dropped to 12 mph as the engineer struggled to regain control. Unable to increase speed, he sent the brakeman back to check on the trailing units, where it was discovered the ground relays had tripped on both units. The brakeman reset the ground relays, power was restored, but by that time, the train had come upon another ATC relay point near Nevada, the ATC system gave the false red over yellow display and made an automatic brake application. The engineer then moved the ATC cutout cock to cutout position, and although the ATC system continued to give false red over yellow displays, it could no longer automatically apply the brakes. At 9:37 PM, Train 258 was moving at about 60 mph and approaching Lowden, 20 mph faster than the rules allowed, which restricted the speed to a maximum of 40 mph when any part of the ATC was disabled. The engineer of Train 258 looked back to inspect his train as it entered a curve. Meanwhile Train 254 was preparing to back through the crossover, with the conductor on the caboose and the flagman lining the crossover switches. As Train 258 rounded the curve into Lowden, it became apparent to all that a wreck was imminent, Train 254's rear end crew headed for safety, and Train 258 went into emergency brake application, striking Train 254 at about 30 mph. The caboose and last three cars of Train 254 were destroyed, the lead locomotive of Train 258 overturned, the second (GP35 834) and third units remained upright but at right angles to the track, and the first 17 cars of Train 258 were derailed. There were no human fatalities, but all three locomotives were heavily damaged, ultimately retired and traded back to EMD. The cause was determined to be the failure of the conductor and flagman to provide protection against following trains and the failure of the engineer of Train 258 to operate his train at a restricted speed with part of the ATC disabled.