In the Hole at South Tolono

A crew member of a southbound Canadian National manifest freight is on the ground to give a roll by inspection to a northbound at South Tolono on the Champaign Subdivision.

During the days when Illinois Central removed the double track in favor of centralized traffic control and passing sidings every so many miles, the control points were named north and south after the nearest city or town. CN has retained the former IC control point names.

Hence South Tolono refers to Tolono, Illinois, where the IC crossed the Wabash line from Detroit. The ex-Wabash is now the Lafayette District of Norfolk Southern.

Shiny Rebuilt GP9 on its Way to New Assignment

I was sitting at a grade crossing in Tolono, Illinois, on the Lafayette District of Norfolk Southern watching an eastbound manifest freight when I spotted this rebuilt Cargill GP9 in the consist (top photograh).

I gave chase but because of the circuitous route I had to take was unable to get ahead of the train in time to be a better closeup shot of No. 614. The best I could do was a going away image just west of Philo, Illinois (bottom image).

Information I found online indicated the unit was interchanged to CSX in Lafayette, Indiana, and was once owned by the Grant Trunk Western.

No. 614 will probably never look any better than it did the day that I caught it.