BN ex-CBQ SD24

: Rex, CO Summer, 1971

On US Hwy 287 between Laramie and Ft Collins, met this southbound BN train on the former Colorado & Southern Rex branch.

Led by ex-CBQ SD24 are the gondola cars filled with limestone from the nearby Owl Canyon Mine to Fort Collins for sugar production.

The Rex Branch was abandoned in about 1976 and most of the rails were torn up before 1980.


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BN E8/9, ex-CBQ

: Chicago IL, summer, 1971

At the Chicago Union Station, found this BN, ex-CBQ commuter train leaving the terminal. Lack of grill-like pattern at the both sides of the head light may help identify the type and number of this locomotive.

This photo was first appeared in my "Photo Archive" column.

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CB&Q Caboose #14327

: Las Cruses, NM. Sep. 10, 2015

This ex-CB&Q caboose is found next to the depot now housing Railroad Museum at Las Cruses, NM. Note the horizontal portion of the smokestack set parallel to the rail. Similar car #13977 is on the cover of the book Caboose by Mike Schafer.

CB&Q #14327 is one of 14000–14389 and 14496–14498 series NE-1 class “waycar”s. According to the information attached to the caboose, it was built at the railroad's Aurora shop in 1890, retired in the 60’s, and was finally donated to the museum.

* 1975 photo of CB&Q #14383 at Railroad Picture Archives site;

: Las Cruses, NM. Sep. 10, 2015

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Burlington Truck Lines Trailer CBQZ #206803

: CBQZ 206803

This 40 feet Brown Van trailer was found at Gunnison, Colorado on Rio Grande Ave. Barely read stencil shows this van trailer as Burlington Truck Lines (20)6803: number plate on end shows 6803, and 206803 is marked on both sides of the corner.

Burlington Truck Lines CBQZ 6800 – 6999 series Van Trailers
The Official Railway Equipment Register (ORER) for Oct 1968 shows the group with 193 cars of possible 200 in place, described as follows:

Description “Trailers, Closed Van”. The inside length of these cars is 39 feet 6 inches, inside width 7 feet 8½ inches, inside height 7 feet 10 inches, outside length 40 feet, extreme height 12 feet 6 inches and capacity 2385 cubic feet.

By 1976, they were renumbered or retired: the Official Intermodal Equipment Register for Feb 1976 shows none of them.

Trainworx produces HO scale models of this series of trailers[1]. According to the Trainworx description, these trailers were built in 1964.

The photo is taken on Sep. 6, 2017

[1] Trainworx web page;
* photo of CBQZ 6872 from the same series at Galesburg, IL;

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