| Chicago Burlington & Quincy Railroad combine Class CF-7 3003 at Oregon, Illinois on an unknown day in June 1963, photograph by Chuck Zeiler. Number 3003 was built in June 1911 by AC&F as CB&Q 2076, renumbered to 1095 ( classed BA-17 ) in September 1923, then renumbered again in July 1928 to 3003 ( classed CF-7 ), scrapped at Eola on January 13, 1966. This car served as the waycar and passenger accommodations on the Oregon Way Freight, the last mixed train out of Eola in the early 1960's. The purpose was to accommodate passengers between Aurora and Oregon at the stations skipped by the Zephyrs. I found out about this train from the crew of the East End Way Freight, which switched Naperville, where I lived. I would take a Dinky ( commuter train ) from Naperville to Aurora, where I would purchase a round trip ticket to Oregon. I had to inform the ticket agent of my intention to ride to way freight, and he would instruct the tower to display a lunar light for the way freight, indicating there was a passenger for their train. I rode this train several times in 1963-64, and almost always caused some sort of ( unintentional ) commotion. One such event happened one day while the crew was off switching Rochelle. I was left in 3003 by myself, and being a curious 15 year old, I proceeded to inspect every nook and cranny in the car. After a while I got bored and started cleaning the car, hoping to endear myself to the rear end crew, to whom I was an annoyance at best, with my asking all sorts of stupid railroad questions. I noticed the marker lights in the vestibule and decided to clean those as well. I polished and topped off the kerosene fuel, and lit them to view my work. Proud of myself, I placed the markers in the brackets on the rear of 3003. I got off to look at the results. About that time, Number 21, the Twin Cities Zephyr, the fastest train on the Burlington Route, approached from behind for a station stop in Rochelle. A blast of the horn, and 21 ground to a halt just behind 3003 which, although on a siding, was displaying lit markers. Number 21 was faithfully observing Rule 102(a), which states: "Engineman on an approaching train observing an emergency red light displayed must stop immediately and must not pass the red light until it has been ascertained that the track is safe and clear for movement of train." This was ( fortunately ) in the days of radio communication, and from what I gathered later, there was considerable radio conversation about the delay of Number 21. The way freight crew hurried back to the 3003, the Conductor removed the markers and waved 21 on. I was banished to the locomotive for the rest of the trip to Oregon. Obviously, I had failed in my attempt to win over the rear end crew. |