CB&Q SD24 509         
Chicago Burlington & Quincy Railroad SD24 509 eastbound at the west end of the Hinckley ( Illinois ) manual siding, the gravel road is South View Street, on an unknown day in June 1963, photograph by Chuck Zeiler. I'm not certain about either the date or the location ( location inofomation from Bob Campbell ). For sure it was the summer of 1963. The SD24 was eastbound on the Aurora - Savanna subdivision, and I was standing on the short end of GP7 241 on the head end of the westbound Oregon Way Freight. The Oregon Way Freight was perhaps the last mixed train service in Illinois on the CB&Q. In place of the usual waycar (caboose) was a 40 foot combine mail/coach. There was no mail carried on the way freight, although the combine had been built for that service.

I would purchase a round trip ticket in Aurora, and the ticket agent would direct me to the platform for the arriving Train # 21, the Morning Zephyr. I would tell the agent that I wanted to ride the Oregon Way Freight. That would usually get a peculiar look from the agent, and I would be directed to the platform next the the freight by-pass track. The arriving way freight usually had to be notified that it had a passenger, so rare was that instance. The presence of a passenger was an annoyance to the rear end crew, and a railfan was particularly annoying, but the crew had made accommodations for that event, and a wood slat was installed for each mail compartment door, and I was allowed to hang out the door for the trip. If I was too annoying, I was banished to the head end for the head end crew to watch over me, resulting in a cab ride and this photo. I recall one instance of a lone passenger being picked up at some rural location. The way freight came to a halt with the coach steps over a rural crossing. The conductor got off the train and helped a little old lady board. When we got under way, she paid her fare with fresh eggs and a ham sandwich for each of us, including me. The train stopped again at another rural crossing several miles further west, and the little old lady got off and ambled down to a nearby farmhouse.

Date: 6/1/1963 Location: Hinckley, IL Views: 756 Collection Of:   Chuck Zeiler
Locomotives: CBQ 509(SD24)    Author:  Chuck Zeiler
CB&Q SD24 509
Picture Categories: Roster,Action This picture is part of album:  CB&Q Freight Diesels
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User Comments
Name Type Comments Date
Gregg Bartley General Great story. 3/10/2014 2:20:07 PM
Bob Campbell General 99.9% sure this is the west end of Sugar Grove, Chuck. Great photo & story! 4/1/2018 6:05:51 PM
Chuck Zeiler General Thanks Bob, Ill fix the location. 4/1/2018 6:15:06 PM
Bob Campbell General Chuck - I need to correct my "correction"; the location is the west end of the Hinckley manual siding (I missed the switch stand); the gravel road is South View St. 12/19/2018 12:21:19 AM
Chuck Zeiler General Thanks again Bob, fixed. 12/19/2018 12:21:51 PM

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