Forums

[Anonymous]

Hello on 9/23/04 i saw the F40CS leaving Chicago on the ic at Flossmoor IL there was 12 of with cn 5931 up c40 two ic sd70 and a gtw gp and then the f40c

[eolafan]

QUOTE: Originally posted by METRA613

Hello on 9/23/04 i saw the F40CS leaving Chicago on the ic at Flossmoor IL there was 12 of with cn 5931 up c40 two ic sd70 and a gtw gp and then the f40c

Sure do hope someone got pictures of this move, it was rail history.

[Allen Jenkins]

I liked the idea of the F40C. What a concept. acj.

[Anonymous]

I just happened to notice this topic while surfing the forums.

As you probably know only a total of fifteen F40C's were ever built and all saw service on the METRA. The 12 which you saw (and probably the other units as well) were headed to VMV at Paducah for rebuilding. METRA has kept, and I believing is still running, two F40C's and maybe also a third unit.

The 12 F40C rebuilds will become Helm engines and will be leased to the Kansas City Southern to ease a motive power shortage. They will run on the KCS at least until late 2005 when the thirty SD70ACE's that the KCS currently has on order begin to be delivered by EMD.

I am not familiar with the F40C but assume it is a 6 axle locomotive with a control cab. Perhaps some of you who are familiar with them from their METRA days will confirm or correct this. I understand the KCS will MU them exclusively as the middle unit of a 3-engine lash up. This suggests that the cab controls will be inoperative (or removed) much like the B unit in an early F series 3 unit A-B-A.

I live in Shreveport, LA which is the operational hub of the KCS System and home of its major locomotive and car shops so I expect to see the rebuilt F40C's any day now. I'll give you a report when I first see one of them in train service.

Incidentally I lived on Sterling Ave. in Flossmoor (with the IC's 6-track main just across the street from our house) until 1948 when I was 16 years old and we moved to Homewood. Lived in Homewood until 1959 (with a stint out in the Army during the Korean "police action") at 17727 Highland Ave. overlooking the IC's Markham Yard roundhouse about 3- blocks away. One of my greatest memories was during WWII when a derailment at Matteson closed all four of the freight and through passenger tracks. All trains were rerouted over the two electrified IC suburban tracks between Matteson and Homewood. I spent all day on the IC's hi-level commuter platform at Flossmoor. It was awesome to have a continuous parade of both passenger and freight steam trains passing the wooden platform and clearing it at most by 3 inches. As I stood on that platform I could literally feel the heat from the engines as they passed by at reduced speeds of probably no more than 15 mph.

[ndbprr]

I moved to 175th and Governors Highway in 1977 and the only significant wreck in tmy time was when a southbound freight was waiting to come out of the north end of Woodcrest in Harvey and the engineer radioed to the switchman to throw the switch when the passenger cleared. he mistook a commuter for Amtrak heading north out of Homewood and threw the switch right in the face of the P30CH doing at least 50 mph at that point. This took place right accross the street from the YMCA in Harvey. The IC crew was killed as the P30 overroad the frame of the lead unit and stripped it of everything above the frame. The Amtrak train was coming from Carbondale at the time. Traffic has declined considerably over the years. Light engine moves and freight was unbelievable when I first moved there. My office was right accross the street from the old Van Drunen Ford body shop on Harwood (now Aurelios Pizza) about two blocks south of Ridge and I was on the second story with a clear view. Now about the most exciting thing is to check out the junk that WC and CN send to Homeowood for scrapping. Once CN took over nearly all the IC SD60's went north and the most unbelievable parade of oddballs you ever saw frequent the area now.

[Anonymous]

I saw the F40c waiting for my wife at the Homewood station.....My favorite though is the Rock Island Aerotrain rumbling through Tinley Park in 1962....

[ndbprr]

I saw the only Alco C415 I ever saw about 1978 on the Rock Island while on I-57 between 103d and Halsted sts. I am tld they were maroon or dark red. This one had weathered to a tan color.

[eolafan]

I would sure love to see two or more F40C's hauling freight, wouldn't you?

[espeefoamer]

I would like to see IRM get hold of one of these[:D]!