A Day @ Dearborn Station, Chicago - 1959 [Classic Home Movies]

A Day at Dearborn Station, Chicago - 1959

Home movies from an anonymous railfan.

Here is the lineup:

00:52 Shortly after sunrise, a Grand Trunk Western passenger train approaches Dearborn Station led by a pair of GP9’s while a Chcago & Western Indiana ALCO RS-1 waits to complete a switching move.

While GP9’s are generally considered freight locomotives, they were actually “General Purpose” locomotives and many railroads had their GP7’s and GP9’s equipped with steam generators for passenger operations, particularly those like GTW and N&W who were late holdouts for steam power.

The C&WI was a terminal railroad which owned Dearborn Station (aka Polk Street Station) and the associated yards. The C&WI was, in turn, owner jointly by the railroads that utilized the station.

01:41 In inbound Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe, or simply “Santa Fe”, train appears, led by an A-B-B-A set of passenger-equipped F3’s. Santa Fe preferred to use multiple F units on their transcontinental passenger trains instead of passenger “E” units or ALCO PA’s.

02:07 An Erie Railroad train approaches, led by a pair of “E” units, while a C&WI RS-1 and a Santa Fe Fairbanks-Morse H-12-44-TS perform switching duties.

The H-12-44-TS is a rare locomotive, not only because it was built by the short-lived (in the railroad business) Fairbanks-Morse, but because only 3 examples were ever built. The units include the prime mover and associated features of the H-12-44 switcher, but ride on the longer H-16-44 style frame and body in order to accommodate a steam generator in the short hood. These units were built exclusively for use at Dearborn Station.

02:32 An unusual Santa Fe light power movement including an F7, an E6B (or possibly an E3B), and an E8m. As stated above, after the E6 series, Santa Fe decided to utilize F3’s and F7’s as the primary passenger power, mainly due to maintenance concerns for the double-engine “E” units and the F units had better traction in the mountains. Therefore, Santa Fe purchased none of the popular E7 series locomotives, and their only E8’s were rebuilt from earlier E1 models (thus the “E8m” designation).

02:57 A quick look northbound into the station tracks.

03:07 Another inbound Grand Trunk Western train behind a pair of GP9’s approaches while a C&WI RS-1 pulls a string of cars out of the station.
03:31 An outbound Grand Trunk Western, this time led by a single GP9, passes a waiting Santa Fe train at the station.

03:56 An outbound Santa Fe train led by an A-B-B-A set of F3’s.

04:15 An inbound santa Fe with A-B-B F7’s leads a long string of heavyweight Pullman cars.

Santa Fe preferred to keep their “passenger” F units in A-B-B-A sets at this time, while “dual service” freight / passenger F units tended to stay in 3-unit A-B-B sets like this one...

05:00 ...and a C&WI RS-1 carries out its duties.

05:09 A pair of Monom F3’s appears on the scene, passing other trains in the terminal, including a C&WI RS-1 and an unidentified Santa Fe switcher (likely an ALCO).

05:28 Another outbound Grand Trunk Western train with a pair of GP9’s leading the way.

05:58 An inbound set of A-B-B-A F7’s lead another Santa Fe train.

06:45 A Santa Fe H-12-44-TS performs switching duties…

06:56 ...as an outbound Erie train passes, led by a pair of E8’s.

07:20 Now at midday, an inbound Chicago & Eastern Illinois train arrives, led by an FP7 / F3B / F3A lashup.

07:44 As shadows grow longer, another A-B-B-A set of Santa Fe F7’s lead bi-level cars. This is likely either the Super Chief or El Capitan.

08:21 An unidentified Santa Fe ALCO switcher pulls a cut of cars out of the station.

09:02 At twilight, another Santa Fe A-B-B-A set of F7’s leads a train into the station.

On May 1, 1971, Amtrak moved all remaining intercity passenger trains from Dearborn Station and other Chicago stations to Union Station. One platform at Dearborn Station remained open for Norfolk & Western’s ex-Wabash commuter train operations until 1976.

**Originally recorded on 8mm film. The full original digitized version may be viewed at the Prelinger Archives here: https://archive.org/details/098244

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