I would purchase a round trip ticket in Aurora, and the ticket agent would direct me to the platform for the arriving Train # 21, the Morning Zephyr. I would tell the agent that I wanted to ride the Oregon Way Freight. That would usually get a peculiar look from the agent, and I would be directed to the platform next the the freight by-pass track. The arriving way freight usually had to be notified that it had a passenger, so rare was that instance. The presence of a passenger was an annoyance to the rear end crew, and a railfan was particularly annoying, but the crew had made accommodations for that event, and a wood slat was installed for each mail compartment door, and I was allowed to hang out the door for the trip. If I was too annoying, I was banished to the head end for the head end crew to watch over me, resulting in a cab ride and this photo. I recall one instance of a lone passenger being picked up at some rural location. The way freight came to a halt with the coach steps over a rural crossing. The conductor got off the train and helped a little old lady board. When we got under way, she paid her fare with fresh eggs and a ham sandwich for each of us, including me. The train stopped again at another rural crossing several miles further west, and the little old lady got off and ambled down to a nearby farmhouse.

A couple of notes about the SD24 in general: the semi-circular bulge in the hood behind the cab is often referred to as the turbocharger bulge; in fact the bulge accommodated the traction motor and generator blowers. The SD24 was the only EMD product equipped with D-47 traction motors which did not work in its favor when it came to stocking replacement parts. And, the SD24 was EMD's fist foray into the turbocharger arena, and like most first efforts, it was not without problems.