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I have been going through my books and through the websites to document power on the Q line between Chicago and Mpls/StP from 1965 to the merger and ran across a real find, thanks to our own Karl Rethwisch. While I knew some NP F-units had been leased by the Q in 1965/66, and some GN F-units earlier, I have never run across GN units in Q service prior to the merger, except for deliveries of GN units on the Q coming out of Chicago (e.g. BSB U33C's and orange SDP40's). These were "in consist" deliveries, so they look good as trailing units in the consist. Now it appears I have found the first proof of GN units running in the 60's, pre-merger. Check out this photo from Karl Rethwisch: http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2819786 As the caption shows, this is train 82 from Mpls/StP to Chicago via Savanna. You will see the trailing unit is clearly a GN U28B (Phase II). So consist is CB&Q GP20 925, Q GP35 990, and GN U28B 252? (GN's six U28B's were numbered 2524-2529). Assuming that the date is correct (Karl, any way you can confirm this?) this consist was June 15, 1968 - almost two years before the merger. The train is clearly just north of the Savanna station as you can see the Mississippi river on the left side of the photo and the bridge over the river to the right just above the train. So does anyone else have photo evidence of GN units on the Q in the late 1960's? Anyone have any idea why this unit might be on train 82? (Not that I am complaining!) And special note to Karl: Do you have any other data on your slide or photo from which this scan was made, such as the locomotive number for the GN U28B, or perhaps other photos of this train? Tom Mack Cincinnati, OH __._,_.___ Posted by: thommack@yahoo.com __,_._,___ |