Half a Match
IC1004 and IC1003 lead CN A408 south out of Champaign with three other motors in tow. All are visible thanks to the slight curve here, just past the Illinois Terminal (not to be confused with the similarly named Illinois Terminal Railroad, or anything). This was once a quadruple main, but tracks were pulled as years passed.

Of the four SD70s in the consist - one a BNSF ACe and another a CN M-2 - two are from the Illinois Central's first batch of 20 SD70 class units. 1003 still wears its as-delivered 1995 paint job, but 1004 lost its deathstar to the infamous CN-noodle back in 2015/2016. It has been washed semi-recently it would seem, based on the gleaming red that some of its sister repaints no longer have these days. Begrudgingly I admit that the CN paint looks good on the standard cab SD70s, but I do wish it didn't take sacrificing a deathstar to do it. As a result, what would have been matched paint and sequential numbers is reduced to just the latter. Ah, well.

Springtime temperatures have finally arrived in central Illinois, inspiring me to finally get out of the house once again. Slowly getting back into the hot seat!
trains railroad railroadphotography railways cn canadiannational ic illinoiscentral illinois ic1004 ic1003 a408 sd70 emd standardcab champaign midwest sd70ace sd70m2 bnsf