Chicago Burlington & Quincy Railroad E8 9976 westbound at Naperville, Illinois on June 7, 1965, Kodachrome by Chuck Zeiler. This locomotive was built in September 1953 (c/n 18318) on EMD Order 2059A for eight E8's (#'s 9970-9977), became BN 9976 sometime after the March 2, 1970 merger. It was sold to the West Suburban Mass Transit District on April 1, 1977, and was rebuilt by Morrison Knudsen in Boise, Idaho, swapping out it's twin 12-cylinder Model 567B prime movers for 645E's and changing out it's twin steam generators for Detroit Diesel powered HEP units. It appears this unit went on to a brief career as MARC 68, and now resides at the Illinois Railway Museum, Union, Illinois. In the background is Train #11, the Nebraska Zephyr. Assuming everyone is on time, 9976 is on Train #109, due in Naperville at 11:32AM, #11 is due at Aurora at 11:37AM. |