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12/30/2024
 
 
 
 
 
By:Tom Beckett
Dates:1/1/1978 - 12/31/1996
Album Info:CNW operations, including commuters, prior to UP takeover.
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Done here
Title:  Done here
Description:  This westbound train rolls away from Park Ridge, having dropped its passengers, who are now on their way home for the evening.
Photo Date:  8/15/1978  Upload Date: 11/18/2016 4:07:41 AM
Location:  Park Ridge, IL
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  RollingStock,Station,Passenger,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  203   Comments: 0
Against the grain
Title:  Against the grain
Description:  This inbound train rolls into Northwestern Station into the teeth of the afternoon rush, having run the gauntlet of outbound trains. An E unit waits on the adjacent track.
Photo Date:  8/15/1978  Upload Date: 11/18/2016 4:11:24 AM
Location:  Chicago, IL
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  RollingStock,Station,Passenger,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  195   Comments: 0
Rolling out with an F
Title:  Rolling out with an F
Description:  An F 7 leads this suburban train out of Northwestern Station. Seeing E and F units here was an everyday event in this time period.
Photo Date:  8/15/1978  Upload Date: 11/18/2016 4:47:00 AM
Location:  Chicago, IL
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Station,Passenger,Action
Locomotives:  CNW 424(F7A)
Views:  263   Comments: 1
Whatever works
Title:  Whatever works
Description:  As the railroads got out of the passenger business through the 1960s, many passenger diesels became available. UP had a sizeable fleet of E units, both As and Bs. Seeing a bargain, the Northwestern acquired a group of E8Bs, and under the supervision of Chief Mechanical Officer M H Crandall, rebuilt them with cabs and put them into Chicago commuter service. Heres the first one, at Northwestern Station, waiting to back onto an outbound train.
Photo Date:  8/15/1978  Upload Date: 11/16/2016 4:19:04 AM
Location:  Chicago, IL
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Roster,Station
Locomotives:  CNW 501(E9BA)
Views:  365   Comments: 1
Rolling in
Title:  Rolling in
Description:  A westbound commuter train roll into Park Ridge behind one of those hard to identify E units. This was my first trip to Chicago, and early in my railfan photo career. I was still working with a 110 instamatic most of the time(hey, ya gotta start somewhere) and some of the shots are not exactly worthy of JJ Young, but still some interesting stuff that is outweighed by the so so technical quality.
Photo Date:  8/15/1978  Upload Date: 11/19/2016 2:16:59 AM
Location:  Park Ridge, IL
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Station,Passenger,Action
Locomotives:  CNW 5025A(E8A)
Views:  157   Comments: 0
Waiting for the next train
Title:  Waiting for the next train
Description:  CNW would use open tracks to hold outbound power. When the terminal switcher shoved the trains in, the waiting power would move to the correct track and couple on as the train loaded. This E unit is awaiting its turn to head to the suburbs.
Photo Date:  8/15/1978  Upload Date: 11/18/2016 4:50:09 AM
Location:  Chicago, IL
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Roster,Station,Passenger
Locomotives:  CNW 513(E8A)
Views:  275   Comments: 1
Looks like a 400
Title:  Looks like a 400
Description:  Looking for all the world like the Flambeau 400, with an E 8 and bilevels, its really just another run out to Elmhurst.
Photo Date:  8/15/1978  Upload Date: 11/18/2016 4:55:43 AM
Location:  Chicago, IL
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Station,Passenger,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  129   Comments: 1
Nose of a 400
Title:  Nose of a 400
Description:  But its just another commuter train out to Kenosha. After the long haul trains stopped, the CNW just put the E8s to work on the commuter runs, but from this angle they still looked like they were headed to Minneapolis, or Omaha, or Green Bay. As much as I liked the Northwestern's E's, they did have one drawback, which was the lack of number boards on the nose. Aside from preventing me from seeing the unit number(I didn't take good notes in those days, if I took any at all), it must have been an operating headache for the crews if they had a meet, or some other circumstance where it was important to read the engine number.
Photo Date:  8/15/1978  Upload Date: 11/16/2016 4:32:06 AM
Location:  Chicago, IL
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Station,Passenger,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  149   Comments: 0
View from the street
Title:  View from the street
Description:  An outbound commuter train seen from street level just north of the station.
Photo Date:  8/15/1978  Upload Date: 11/18/2016 5:01:32 AM
Location:  Chicago, IL
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Passenger,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  148   Comments: 0
Baldwin by a nose
Title:  Baldwin by a nose
Description:  The only live Baldwin I ever saw on a class 1 was the terminal switcher at Northwestern Station, seen here from the Lake Street L as it worked the train shed.
Photo Date:  8/15/1978  Upload Date: 11/18/2016 5:20:21 AM
Location:  Chicago, IL
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Station,Passenger,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  149   Comments: 0
CNW 425
Title:  CNW 425
Description:  C&NW 425 at Northwestern Station. I would see it again several years later, in a second act-working out of Hoboken on the ex EL commuter trains.
Photo Date:  8/15/1978  Upload Date: 2/14/2011 11:12:02 PM
Location:  Chicago, IL
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Station,Passenger
Locomotives:  CNW 425(F7A)
Views:  548   Comments: 0
Northwestern Station
Title:  Northwestern Station
Description:  More properly known as Madison St Depot on the railroad, was the Chicago terminus of passenger operations, which by this time had been reduced to commuter trains out to Geneva, Harvard, and Kenosha. It was an attractive station.
Photo Date:  8/15/1978  Upload Date: 11/19/2016 2:33:56 AM
Location:  Chicago, IL
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Station,Passenger
Locomotives: 
Views:  114   Comments: 0
From the L
Title:  From the L
Description:  I spent some time riding L trains while I was in Chicago, and saw some trains in the process. One was this CNW transfer I caught on the B&OCT while riding the Congress-Milwaukee train. Ill take a pair of GP 30s any time.
Photo Date:  8/16/1978  Upload Date: 11/16/2016 4:25:43 AM
Location:  Chicago, IL
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Action
Locomotives:  CNW 823(GP30) CNW 812(GP30)
Views:  475   Comments: 0
Presidential accomodations
Title:  Presidential accomodations
Description:  A friend and I were driving west in 1982, making a stop in Chicago. One of the places we saw was the CNW California Av yard, which maintained the roads commuter train equipment. It also looked after the executive train, some of which we see here, including a couple of observation cars.
Photo Date:  8/15/1982  Upload Date: 3/3/2013 2:48:12 AM
Location:  Chicago, IL
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Roster,Yard,Passenger
Locomotives: 
Views:  621   Comments: 0
Dead line
Title:  Dead line
Description:  There were a number of Es and Fs in the California Av yard deadline, including F 7 412, seen here.
Photo Date:  8/15/1982  Upload Date: 5/26/2014 4:16:00 AM
Location:  Chicago, IL
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Roster,Yard
Locomotives:  CNW 412(F7A)
Views:  295   Comments: 0
Commuter power
Title:  Commuter power
Description:  California Av yard had a long line of power. Some or all of these units may have been out of service by this time as the F40s had started to take over the CNW commuter trains by this point
Photo Date:  8/15/1982  Upload Date: 3/3/2013 2:51:25 AM
Location:  Chicago, IL
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Roster,Yard
Locomotives:  CNW 412(F7A) CNW 5024B(E8A)
Views:  469   Comments: 0
Surprise
Title:  Surprise
Description:  I never expected to see this. CNW RDC, looks like has an RPO apartment too. Now it's a track inspection car.
Photo Date:  8/15/1982  Upload Date: 3/3/2013 2:54:29 AM
Location:  Chicago, IL
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Roster,Yard,Passenger
Locomotives:  CNW 430(RDC3) CNW 4324(GP9R) CNW 4110(GP7R)
Views:  927   Comments: 1
Passenger power
Title:  Passenger power
Description:  I doubt at the date of this photo in 1982 this unit still saw any passenger action. The CNW had gone HEP long before when they equipped their commuter trains with bi levels. This rebuilt GP 9 still has its commuter lighting compartment, a reminder of its earlier life.
Photo Date:  8/15/1982  Upload Date: 3/3/2013 2:57:09 AM
Location:  Chicago, IL
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Roster,Yard
Locomotives:  CNW 4324(GP9R)
Views:  546   Comments: 0
E units
Title:  E units
Description:  Found some E units in what appeared to be the dead line at California Av.
Photo Date:  8/15/1982  Upload Date: 3/3/2013 3:00:41 AM
Location:  Chicago, IL
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Roster,Yard
Locomotives:  CNW 5024B(E8A) CNW 5031A(E8A)
Views:  468   Comments: 0
Light power past the yard
Title:  Light power past the yard
Description:  A power set off a run through train passed the yard while we were there. Its typical of the era. The GP50s were new at the time.
Photo Date:  8/15/1982  Upload Date: 3/3/2013 3:07:45 AM
Location:  Chicago, IL
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Yard,Action
Locomotives:  UP 2501(C30-7) CNW 5058(GP50) CNW 5076(GP50)
Views:  412   Comments: 0
CNW 416
Title:  CNW 416
Description:  A veteran CNW F unit readies for a trip to the suburbs. These old warriors would soon be replaced by new F40s, some of which were already in service by this time. Note the dwarf signal next to the engine.
Photo Date:  8/25/1982  Upload Date: 3/11/2013 12:34:17 AM
Location:  Chicago, IL
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Station,Passenger,Action
Locomotives:  CNW 416(F7A)
Views:  391   Comments: 1
E8 second life
Title:  E8 second life
Description:  Several rebuilt UP E8Bs got a second life in commuter service on the CNW. They had 8 of them, here one is ready to head out to the suburbs.
Photo Date:  8/25/1982  Upload Date: 3/11/2013 12:37:07 AM
Location:  Chicago, IL
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Station,Signal,Passenger,Action
Locomotives:  CNW 502(E9BA)
Views:  482   Comments: 1
Peek a boo
Title:  Peek a boo
Description:  A soon to be retired E8 pokes its nose out of the train shed at Northwestern Station
Photo Date:  8/25/1982  Upload Date: 3/11/2013 12:44:15 AM
Location:  Chicago, IL
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Station,Passenger
Locomotives:  CNW 5025A(E8A)
Views:  196   Comments: 1
View from a gallery car
Title:  View from a gallery car
Description:  My train pulls out of Northwestern Station, around the big curve and onto the main as it heads for Evanston. The signal bridge is a classic, all semaphores.
Photo Date:  8/25/1982  Upload Date: 3/27/2013 1:20:48 AM
Location:  Chicago, IL
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Station,Signal,Passenger,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  123   Comments: 1
in the shadows
Title:  in the shadows
Description:  A new F 40 sits back in the shadow of the Northwestern Station train shed as it waits for departure time.
Photo Date:  8/25/1982  Upload Date: 3/11/2013 12:46:31 AM
Location:  Chicago, IL
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Station,Passenger
Locomotives:  RTA 131(F40PH) RTA 146(F40PH)
Views:  328   Comments: 0
Commuters and L trains
Title:  Commuters and L trains
Description:  An RTA F 40 waits for departure time as a Lake St L train passes overhead
Photo Date:  8/25/1982  Upload Date: 3/11/2013 12:49:56 AM
Location:  Chicago, IL
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Station,Passenger,Action
Locomotives:  RTA 133(F40PH) CTA 2456(Electric M.U.)
Views:  405   Comments: 0
Waiting his turn
Title:  Waiting his turn
Description:  F 40 133 waits as 131 rolls out of the station.
Photo Date:  8/25/1982  Upload Date: 3/11/2013 1:02:32 AM
Location:  Chicago, IL
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Station,Passenger,Action
Locomotives:  RTA 133(F40PH) RTA 123(F40PH)
Views:  346   Comments: 0
146
Title:  146
Description:  New F 40 164 ready to go
Photo Date:  8/25/1982  Upload Date: 3/11/2013 1:04:38 AM
Location:  Chicago, IL
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Station,Signal,Passenger
Locomotives:  RTA 146(F40PH)
Views:  196   Comments: 0
Switching cars into position
Title:  Switching cars into position
Description:  CNW assigned a switcher to Northwestern Station to position equipment. By 1982 it was an EMD; in previous years an S 12 did the honors.
Photo Date:  8/26/1982  Upload Date: 3/18/2013 12:58:24 AM
Location:  Chicago, IL
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Station,Passenger,Action
Locomotives:  CNW 1219(SW1200)
Views:  475   Comments: 0
Old and battered
Title:  Old and battered
Description:  An old, unrenumbered E unit leads a commuter train out of Northwestern Station.
Photo Date:  8/26/1982  Upload Date: 3/18/2013 1:00:54 AM
Location:  Chicago, IL
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Station,Passenger,Action
Locomotives:  CNW 5026A(E8A)
Views:  400   Comments: 0
E 8
Title:  E 8
Description:  E 8 509 leads a train out of Northwestern Station on a Thursday rush hour.
Photo Date:  8/26/1982  Upload Date: 3/18/2013 12:54:34 AM
Location:  Chicago, IL
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Station,Passenger,Action
Locomotives:  CNW 509(E8A)
Views:  536   Comments: 0
Deep in the shadows
Title:  Deep in the shadows
Description:  An E unit leads a short train way back in the shadows of Northwestern Station.
Photo Date:  8/26/1982  Upload Date: 3/18/2013 1:02:22 AM
Location:  Chicago, IL
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Station,Passenger,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  128   Comments: 0
Parlor cars
Title:  Parlor cars
Description:  This train left Northwestern Station behind an F40, with a pair of single level cars head out. Im not aware of any parlor service at the time, so assuming these were subscription cars.
Photo Date:  8/26/1982  Upload Date: 3/18/2013 1:05:05 AM
Location:  Chicago, IL
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Station,Passenger,Action
Locomotives:  RTA 149(F40PH)
Views:  330   Comments: 0
Away from home
Title:  Away from home
Description:  For years before UP merged CNW, they pooled power, dating back to streamliner days. In the modern era, the pool was on freights, most often pig trains. Sometimes UP would commandeer a unit for something else. Im not sure if thats what happened here, or this was a bad order unit that got set out-GP50s were high priority power in those days. Either way, this one looks lost and forlorn on a rainy siding in Central City.
Photo Date:  10/9/1984  Upload Date: 7/10/2014 1:54:32 AM
Location:  Central City, NE
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Roster,Yard
Locomotives: 
Views:  347   Comments: 0
CNW classic
Title:  CNW classic
Description:  CNW 4114 switches at Clinton Iowa. These units would last into the 1990s.
Photo Date:  10/10/1984  Upload Date: 1/8/2012 3:32:51 AM
Location:  Clinton, IA
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Yard,Action
Locomotives:  CNW 4114(GP7R)
Views:  310   Comments: 0
Switching power
Title:  Switching power
Description:  By the 1980s, end cab switchers were getting rare. To fill the low horsepower gap, EMD developed the GP15-1, which was kind of reinventing the RS 1 with a bit more horsepower. They were well suited for their intended purpose, and EMD sold them, to among others, CNW, CR, MP, Chessie. Heres one of CNWs at Clinton.
Photo Date:  10/10/1984  Upload Date: 7/11/2014 3:46:50 AM
Location:  Clinton, IA
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Yard,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  332   Comments: 2
CNW 5056
Title:  CNW 5056
Description:  Westbound pigs at Wheatland Iowa
Photo Date:  10/10/1984  Upload Date: 2/26/2011 3:18:00 AM
Location:  Wheatland, IA
Author:  Tom$Beckett
Categories:  Action
Locomotives:  CNW 5056(GP50) CNW 929(SD40) UP 3083(SD40)
Views:  1158   Comments: 0
Westbound on the Northwestern
Title:  Westbound on the Northwestern
Description:  This pair of SDs will roll to the UP at Fremont Neb. Trailing unit 926 is a former CGW unit.
Photo Date:  10/11/1984  Upload Date: 8/20/2011 3:33:05 AM
Location:  Clinton, IA
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Action
Locomotives:  CNW 6849(SD40-2) CNW 926(SD40)
Views:  690   Comments: 1
Empty coal
Title:  Empty coal
Description:  Before the era of monster GEs and SD 70s. standard power on coal trains was SD40 and U30s. Here a pair of SD 40-2s heads back to Wyoming for another load of black diamonds.
Photo Date:  10/11/1984  Upload Date: 8/20/2011 3:39:13 AM
Location:  Wheatland, IA
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Action
Locomotives:  CNW 6854(SD40-2) UP 3647(SD40-2)
Views:  526   Comments: 0
Different local power
Title:  Different local power
Description:  CNW was one of a few buyers of the GP15-1, among them, Chessie, Conrail and MP. One of theirs is paired with a classic, a GP 7 here at Shakopee.
Photo Date:  6/23/1987  Upload Date: 5/9/2015 2:35:37 AM
Location:  Valley Park, MN
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Roster,Yard
Locomotives:  CNW 4404(GP15-1)
Views:  515   Comments: 0
Putting it on
Title:  Putting it on
Description:  A 6 axle yard engine puts the caboose on a westbound auto rack train at the Mankato yard.
Photo Date:  6/23/1987  Upload Date: 5/11/2015 4:05:45 AM
Location:  Mankato, MN
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Yard,Action
Locomotives:  CNW 6638(SD18M)
Views:  322   Comments: 0
Great local power
Title:  Great local power
Description:  This first generation six axle unit was working the Mankato yard. Oh, the sound of a 567!!!
Photo Date:  6/23/1987  Upload Date: 5/11/2015 4:11:21 AM
Location:  Mankato, MN
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Yard,Action
Locomotives:  CNW 6638(SD18M)
Views:  298   Comments: 0
Smoking it up
Title:  Smoking it up
Description:  Lead SD 50 7016 on this Wisconsin bound coal train is apparently having turbo issues, as it is smoking like a C 628, rolling under the Minn 25 overpass at Belle Plaine
Photo Date:  6/23/1987  Upload Date: 5/9/2015 3:21:49 AM
Location:  Belle Plaine, MN
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Scenic,Action
Locomotives:  CNW 7016(SD50) CNW 8038(SD60) UP 2497(C30-7)
Views:  552   Comments: 0
Coal to Wisconsin
Title:  Coal to Wisconsin
Description:  An eastbound coal train for Wisconsin Electric Power rolls through Shakopee as it approaches the Twin Cities.
Photo Date:  6/23/1987  Upload Date: 5/9/2015 3:18:41 AM
Location:  Valley Park, MN
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Action
Locomotives:  CNW 7016(SD50) CNW 8038(SD60) UP 2497(C30-7)
Views:  389   Comments: 0
Cornfield scene
Title:  Cornfield scene
Description:  Iowa gets the fame for being the corn state, but Minnesota grows a lot of it too. We see a Wisconsin bound coal train across a sea of corn behind a pair of the home roads finest, and a UP unit.
Photo Date:  6/23/1987  Upload Date: 5/15/2015 3:58:55 AM
Location:  Belle Plaine, MN
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Scenic,Action
Locomotives:  CNW 7016(SD50) CNW 8038(SD60) UP 2497(C30-7)
Views:  372   Comments: 0
Off to the power plant
Title:  Off to the power plant
Description:  A westbound coal train starts out of Mankato yard for the Twin Cities.
Photo Date:  6/23/1987  Upload Date: 5/11/2015 4:10:04 AM
Location:  Mankato, MN
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Yard,Action
Locomotives:  CNW 7016(SD50) CNW 8038(SD60) UP 2497(C30-7)
Views:  449   Comments: 0
Back to the mines
Title:  Back to the mines
Description:  An empty coal train starts out of Mankato yard headed for the coal mines in Wyoming for more black diamonds. The power set, an SD 50/60 combination, seemed to be standard.
Photo Date:  6/23/1987  Upload Date: 5/11/2015 4:13:51 AM
Location:  Mankato, MN
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Yard,Action
Locomotives:  CNW 7034(SD50)
Views:  607   Comments: 2
GP 7s
Title:  GP 7s
Description:  This pair of GP 7s was working its way back home after taking a transfer across town. Still a lot of these running in the late 80s.
Photo Date:  6/23/1987  Upload Date: 5/15/2015 4:03:32 AM
Location:  Saint Paul, MN
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  93   Comments: 0
Local with classic power
Title:  Local with classic power
Description:  A GP 7 rolls a short freight in the Midway area of Minneapolis.
Photo Date:  6/24/1987  Upload Date: 5/11/2015 3:59:40 AM
Location:  Minneapolis, MN
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Yard,Action
Locomotives:  CNW 4439(GP7)
Views:  230   Comments: 0
High and wide
Title:  High and wide
Description:  This dimensional train was pulling up at East Minneapolis behind a GP 40.
Photo Date:  6/24/1987  Upload Date: 5/16/2015 4:26:31 AM
Location:  Minneapolis, MN
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Yard,Action
Locomotives:  CNW 5505(GP40)
Views:  503   Comments: 0


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