It is sometimes amazing that most railroad equipment was photographed by SOMEBODY SOMEWHERE and that this photographic evidence still exists. But, here are some photos I have never seen:<p>1. The Chicago & Eastern Illinois had a small number of ALCO RS-1 diesel locomotives. They spent most of their lives in C&EI black with white trim and lettering. BUT...they were actually delivered to the railroad in orange and blue! I once saw a photo of one of these engines but it was in black and white. Did anyone ever take a photo of one of the C&EI RS-1's in the original orange and blue paint scheme?<p>2. As a teenager, I once went up to the depot in Round Lake, Illinois to wait for the late night train to arrive from Chicago. This train carried a baggage car and on this particular night, as I looked at the car, I swear I could see the roof outline of a steam locomotive tender. Since this was in the post steam era on the Milwaukee Road, I believed that the railroad had converted a steam locomotive tender into a baggage car! But I have never seen any photographic evidence. Does anyone know if this was actually done? Does anyone have any photographic evidence? Or have I been mistaken all these years?<p>3. Most "modern" steam locomotives were not around long enough to be "customized" by a railroads shop so most ended their in-service days pretty much as they were built. A major exception was C&O 2-8-4 #2738. For some reason, this engine had a "new" front end with a long narrow smokebox door such as existed on other C&O power that carried air pumps on each side of this door (C&O 4-8-2's, 2-8-2's and some Pacifics had them.) But #2738 never got the pumps; just the narrow firebox door! I have never seen a picture of this engine. Was she too ugly to photograph? And why was she "customized" this way? She is most certainly the only Van Sweringen 2-8-4 to ever be cosmetically altered. Does a photo of her so configured exist?<p>Anybody out there have any answers?<p>Les Beckman (Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum)<br>



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