While examples of both arrangements can be found, I don’t think there was a directive or a hard and fast rule as to orientation of E units into or out of Chicago. I believe it was strictly at the whim of the hostlers and other personnel at the Zephyr Pit. They hooked them up in whatever way was the easiest arrangement with the units on hand. I seriously don’t that they would go out of their way to turn a unit to make the consist elephant style. With the Push-Pull commuter operation, it does make sense that many of the units would be facing west for that service. To that extent, the units may have been turned or they may have already been that way because they just came off a commuter run. I have been around too many RR people to know that they never make work. They always do what is easiest within the rules and safety.
To illustrate, attached are several dated photos from our file that certainly demonstrate that units were not always elephant style clear up into 1970.
Bill Barber
Gravois Mills, MO
Denver Zephyr, Denver, CO July, 1968
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CUS CZ 1970
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EB 1963
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EB 1968
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EB at E. Dubuque in 1966 with fourth unit facing rearward.
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Mon Jan 15, 2018 7:44 am (PST) . Posted by:
You need to look at Emory Gulash’s California Zephyr video published by Green Frog Productions. Filmed in 1966, both CZ and DZ are led by elephant style Es