| Chicago Burlington & Quincy Railroad E8 9972 at Aurora, Illinois on September 26, 1965, Kodachrome by Chuck Zeiler. Built in August 1953 (c/n 18314) on EMD Order 2059A, it became BN 9972 and later was rebuilt to E9Am 9906. It is seen here on the turntable behind the Aurora depot. There was no roundhouse or locomotive facilities, this turntable was used to turn suburban service locomotives for the return trip to Chicago. The Burlington had received its first six bi-level control cabs during the summer of 1965, so the days of this turntable's useful life were numbered. The sign says: ENGINES MUST STOP WITH TABLE IN BALANCE, not much of a challenge for E8's and E9's, which just fit the turntable. Likely the sign was for steam locomotives, typically 4-6-0's and later 4-6-2's. |