Uploaded October 2020 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
CSX GP38-2's #2506 (ex-SCL #506) and #2714 (ex-SCL #6063) lead a southbound manifest freight at Butler Street Interlocking in Hamilton, Ohio in July 2002.
The flashing yellow light on the side of #2506 indicated that it's Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) is malfunctioning. CSX installed APU's on many locomotives between 2002 and about 2006 in an effort to reduce locomotive emissions and fuel consumption at idle. The purpose of the APU was to maintain the optimal temperature of the locomotive coolant and other liquids and also to maintain power to the electrical systems without running the prime mover.
A defective APU would only impact a locomotive at idle or restart, not in road service.
Ultimately, CSX concluded that installation and maintenance costs on the APU's were too high to offset the savings in fuel and emissions and the program was canceled.
**Originally captured on 8mm videotape**
CSX GP38-2's #2506 (ex-SCL #506) and #2714 (ex-SCL #6063) lead a southbound manifest freight at Butler Street Interlocking in Hamilton, Ohio in July 2002.
The flashing yellow light on the side of #2506 indicated that it's Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) is malfunctioning. CSX installed APU's on many locomotives between 2002 and about 2006 in an effort to reduce locomotive emissions and fuel consumption at idle. The purpose of the APU was to maintain the optimal temperature of the locomotive coolant and other liquids and also to maintain power to the electrical systems without running the prime mover.
A defective APU would only impact a locomotive at idle or restart, not in road service.
Ultimately, CSX concluded that installation and maintenance costs on the APU's were too high to offset the savings in fuel and emissions and the program was canceled.
**Originally captured on 8mm videotape**
![A Day @ Dearborn Station, Chicago - 1959 [Classic Home Movies]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/xTtWjCWTnEs/mqdefault.jpg "A Day @ Dearborn Station, Chicago - 1959 [Classic Home Movies]
A Day at Dearborn Station, Chicago - 1959
Home movies from an anonymous railfan.
Here is the lineup:
00:52 Shortly after sunrise, a Grand Trunk Western passenger train approaches Dearborn Station led by a pair of GP9’s while a Chcago & Western Indiana ALCO RS-1 waits to complete a switching move.
While GP9’s are generally considered freight locomotives, they were actually “General Purpose” locomotives and many railroads had their GP7’s and GP9’s equipped with steam generators for passenger operations, particularly those like GTW and N&W who were late holdouts for steam power.
The C&WI was a terminal railroad which owned Dearborn Station (aka Polk Street Station) and the associated yards. The C&WI was, in turn, owner jointly by the railroads that utilized the station.
01:41 In inbound Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe, or simply “Santa Fe”, train appears, led by an A-B-B-A set of passenger-equipped F3’s. Santa Fe preferred to use multiple F units on their transcontinental passenger trains instead of passenger “E” units or ALCO PA’s.
02:07 An Erie Railroad train approaches, led by a pair of “E” units, while a C&WI RS-1 and a Santa Fe Fairbanks-Morse H-12-44-TS perform switching duties.
The H-12-44-TS is a rare locomotive, not only because it was built by the short-lived (in the railroad business) Fairbanks-Morse, but because only 3 examples were ever built. The units include the prime mover and associated features of the H-12-44 switcher, but ride on the longer H-16-44 style frame and body in order to accommodate a steam generator in the short hood. These units were built exclusively for use at Dearborn Station.
02:32 An unusual Santa Fe light power movement including an F7, an E6B (or possibly an E3B), and an E8m. As stated above, after the E6 series, Santa Fe decided to utilize F3’s and F7’s as the primary passenger power, mainly due to maintenance concerns for the double-engine “E” units and the F units had better traction in the mountains. Therefore, Santa Fe purchased none of the popular E7 series locomotives, and their only E8’s were rebuilt from earlier E1 models (thus the “E8m” designation).
02:57 A quick look northbound into the station tracks.
03:07 Another inbound Grand Trunk Western train behind a pair of GP9’s approaches while a C&WI RS-1 pulls a string of cars out of the station.
03:31 An outbound Grand Trunk Western, this time led by a single GP9, passes a waiting Santa Fe train at the station.
03:56 An outbound Santa Fe train led by an A-B-B-A set of F3’s.
04:15 An inbound santa Fe with A-B-B F7’s leads a long string of heavyweight Pullman cars.
Santa Fe preferred to keep their “passenger” F units in A-B-B-A sets at this time, while “dual service” freight / passenger F units tended to stay in 3-unit A-B-B sets like this one...
05:00 ...and a C&WI RS-1 carries out its duties.
05:09 A pair of Monom F3’s appears on the scene, passing other trains in the terminal, including a C&WI RS-1 and an unidentified Santa Fe switcher (likely an ALCO).
05:28 Another outbound Grand Trunk Western train with a pair of GP9’s leading the way.
05:58 An inbound set of A-B-B-A F7’s lead another Santa Fe train.
06:45 A Santa Fe H-12-44-TS performs switching duties…
06:56 ...as an outbound Erie train passes, led by a pair of E8’s.
07:20 Now at midday, an inbound Chicago & Eastern Illinois train arrives, led by an FP7 / F3B / F3A lashup.
07:44 As shadows grow longer, another A-B-B-A set of Santa Fe F7’s lead bi-level cars. This is likely either the Super Chief or El Capitan.
08:21 An unidentified Santa Fe ALCO switcher pulls a cut of cars out of the station.
09:02 At twilight, another Santa Fe A-B-B-A set of F7’s leads a train into the station.
On May 1, 1971, Amtrak moved all remaining intercity passenger trains from Dearborn Station and other Chicago stations to Union Station. One platform at Dearborn Station remained open for Norfolk & Western’s ex-Wabash commuter train operations until 1976.
**Originally recorded on 8mm film. The full original digitized version may be viewed at the Prelinger Archives here: https://archive.org/details/098244")
![Morning at Pine Jct/Clark Road - 11 Trains! NS/CSX/Amtrak/EJ&E [7/24/2004]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ym3A4dxm-bU/mqdefault.jpg "Morning at Pine Jct/Clark Road - 11 Trains! NS/CSX/Amtrak/EJ&E [7/24/2004]
Morning at Clark Road / Pine Junction - Gary, Indiana
7/24/2004
***WARNING! DO NOT RAILFAN HERE***
Since this video was taken, safety and security issues on the ground have changed. This location is no longer a safe and legal place to watch trains. Stay away! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!
At the time this video was taken, railfanning was tolerated as long as one remained south of the CSX tracks and stayed out of the way of rail and truck traffic (and behaved oneself). This is no longer true. There is no longer any vantage point to photograph trains here from a legal location.
**********************************************************************************************
After a week of master classes in Chicago, it was time to head for home. But there was time for one last stop ahead of the highway...
Here is the lineup:
00:28 A westbound Norfolk Southern mixed manifest roars past on the former Conrail/Penn Central/ New York Central main line led by D9-40CW #9880 and D9-40CW #9892, both in “primer” colors. NS was experiencing a severe locomotive shortage in the early 2000s, and new Dash 9’s were thrown out on the road even before the shops had time to give them a proper paint job. This was not an uncommon sight on NS at the time.
01:25 Another westbound Norfolk Southern, this time an intermodal, led by NS D9-40CW #9319, Union Pacific SD70M #4169, and another NS D9-40CW in primer coat.
02:18 Various maintenance of way vehicles appear on the old NYC main line.
03:17 In contrast with the slow pace of the M of W vehicles, Amtrak Train #350
The Wolverine [Chicago-Pontiac] roars by led by P42DC #126 and with an NPCU Cabbage (ex-F40) trailing.
03:52 A westbound EJ&E train, apparently led by a pair of SD38-2s heads up-and-over the NS and CSX tracks.
04:35 Next, Amtrak’s Train 49, the Lake Shore Limited (New York-Chicago), appears, led by P42DC #12 and P42DC #156. The train is a mere shadow of its glorious ancestor, the “Twentieth Century Limited”.
05:30 Having conceded the action thus far to the NS/NYC tracks, CSX finally makes an appearance on the former Chessie System/B&OCT/B&O line as a westbound intermodal creeps up, led by CW40-8 #7899 and C40-8 #7539.
06:08 Another westbound CSX intermodal appears, but stop short of our location.
06:37 An EJ&E local, led by a possible SD9 (or perhaps an ex-DMIR SD18). It’s a horrible shot, but any footage of an active SD9 in 2004 was pretty cool for this Ohio boy!
06:54 Another westbound CSX intermodal, this time led by CW40-8 #7650, AC4400CW #591, and AC60CW #624 sporting three variations of CSX livery.
08:29 A westbound NS intermodal flies by led by a pair of D9-40CW’s, one in primer.
08:51 One more westbound NS, this time led by C40-8W #8337 (Ex-CR #6091) in Conrail blue and D9-44CW #9425.
After 11 trains and maintenance equipment, it was time to hit the road.
[All times Eastern Daylight Time because I did not reprogram the camera]
**Originally recorded on VHS-C videotape**")
