GM&O RS1 1126         
Gulf Mobile & Ohio Railroad RS1 1126 at Union Station in Chicago, Illinois on October 17, 1966, Kodachrome by Chuck Zeiler. Built in April 1949 (c/n 76796) it was retired in June 1974. It is seen here next to the PRR Polk Street Freight House (there were 18 tracks under this building) on the south throat of Union Station. According to the clock in the upper left of the frame, it's almost 1:25 PM, and GM&O Train No. 2, The Abraham Lincoln, is due in Union Station at 2:08 PM. More than likely, the 1126 will couple onto the rear of the arriving train and pull it back to the GM&O's passenger facility at Brighton Park. The following is excerpted from the book, Chicago Union Station, by Edward M. DeRouin (Pixels Publishing).

The GM&O's Brighton Park Yard was the smallest of the coach yards used by the railroads of CUS (Chicago Union Station). From the 1860's, until B&O control in the thirties, steam engines were also turned and serviced there. The freight yard was the C&A's (Chicago & Alton) principle Chicago yard until superceded by the larger Glenn Yard in 1914. During the years of B&O stewardship, Alton passenger trains and engines used B&O's Lincoln Street Coach Yard and Robey Street (later, Damen Avenue) Engine House. During this era, Alton trains backed out of CUS with road power through Fort Wayne Junction to Panhandle Junction. From there the train pulled north on the B&OCT to the yard. After 1942, Alton steam engines and passenger equipment returned to Brighton Park. Only a few tracks were needed to service Alton's trains. When the E7's arrived in 1945, they could often be found idling between runs at the Harrison Street Freight House. Locomotive maintenance was assigned to points at the other end of the run, the E units maintenance base was Saint Louis. In the diesel era, recently arrived and emptied GM&O trains would back to the 16th Street wye, shove up the hill, descend on the south wye and head for Brighton Park for cleaning and restocking. Equipment returning to the station would back directly from Brighton Park to the station track. While the PRR and CB&Q had some fast turns, the GM&O had its own turnaround champ. The Chicago-bound Abraham Lincoln, Train No. 2, was scheduled to arrive daily at 2:08 PM. The southbound Abe, with the same equipment, was scheduled to depart two hours and forty two minutes later at 4:50 PM. This train was a favorite for patrons of Springfield, Illinois and Saint Louis, Missouri. Often and particularly on Friday evenings, 800 passengers would be waiting as the Abe was hurriedly shoved northward toward the CUS platforms with the goal of a rapid boarding and an on-time departure.

Date: 10/17/1966 Location: Chicago, IL Views: 1594 Collection Of:   Chuck Zeiler
Locomotives: GMO 1126(RS1)    Author:  Chuck Zeiler
GM&O RS1 1126
Picture Categories: Roster This picture is part of album:  Gulf Mobile & Ohio
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User Comments
Name Type Comments Date
Fay Cambridge General My grandfather worked at this roundhouse for 47 years. Thank you for the photo. 10/14/2017 6:18:50 PM

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