| Amtrak E8 439 without a pilot and an unidentified E unit with icicle breakers at about 18th Street in Chicago, Illinois on an unknown day in March 1981, Kodachrome by Chuck Zeiler. According to the book, Amtrak By The Numbers, number 439 was built in February 1952 (c/n 15712) as RF&P E8 1007, became AMTK 216, was rebuilt in April 1974 to E8A-R 439 and officially retired in July 1981, although it looks retired here. The locomotives were parked on leads to Dearborn Street Station, closed in 1971. Santa Fe's Super Chief and other passenger trains once used these rails. The rails rising in the background were the IC (ICG on this photo date) rails ascending to meet the ICG's Saint Charles Air Line on the bridge in the background. I don't know the purpose of the tower building seen on the right. |