This is Rock Island's version of EMD's BL2. BL stood for "branch line" because the unit was lighter than an F-unit and much easier to work with (i.e., steps on all corners). In a sense they were a transition to Geeps. Here 17 year old number 425 is filling out its life in commuter service with a northbound morning rush hour train at Englewood Union Station on the south side of Chicago. Those are PRR tracks it is about to cross. |