A westbound RI freight passes under the 7th Street viaduct in downtown Des Moines. Doing the honors, and all decked out in the newer blue and white color scheme, are slug-set 298-284-297. It is a pair U33B's spliced by a recently outshopped 4-axle road slug. The slug was previously RI U25B #222, built in 1964, with the slug conversion having just been completed at Silvis shops on Feb 8, just one month prior to this overhead shot. The Rock had 2 mainlines running from just east of Shortline yard, thru downtown and out to West Des Moines, where single main was resumed towards Council Bluffs. The C&NW's Perry sub trains utilized this route. The tracks at the upper corner of the photo are the N&W, former Wabash route to their joint yard with the Milwaukee Road. Note the incredible collection of 1970's era automobiles in the adjacent lot. Taken on 5247 film with a 55mm Minolta lens.
Not
just heritage schemes, not just commemorative schemes - this album is devoted to some of the world's most interesting paint schemes, past or present.
