The Doerr Photo Collection - Diesels

The family of the late Ron Doerr, who volunteered at IRM for a period in the 1980s, has donated his photo collection to the Museum. These undated photos mostly appear to have been taken in the mid-1980s. Please help us by commenting with any insights into the pictures - dates, points of interest, people's names, etc. Thank you!

This page includes photos of diesels, sorted by road number.

Click here to return to the Doerr Photo Collection index page.

 All pictures are copyrighted by the Illinois Railway Museum and may not be reproduced without permission.

#011 - MN&S 21 with a fresh coat of paint, probably on the steam leads

#050 - Looks like more diesel switching in Yard 8, today Yard 9. IT 1605, MN&S 21, and ARMCO E110 are visible.

#134 - MN&S 21, the Baldwin center-cab, is on Station Track 2 in fresh paint.

#139 - MN&S 21 brings a train of arch-roof commuter cars into the station.

#140 - A photo probably taken a few seconds later, with Spaulding Tower in the background

#448 - Our Baldwin center-cab appears to be on the turntable leads. It was later repainted by museum volunteers, but today is back looking similar to this after a number of years of outdoor storage.

#034 - Milwaukee Road 37A is at Depot Street! Well, not really. I believe (?) the E-unit is in Yard 8 - today known as Yard 9 - but off to the right, roughly where the North Shore neon sign is now, you can see the platform roof that would later be installed at the Depot Street car line stop. Of course the photographer is standing where the diner annex is today.

#038 - Milwaukee 37A is in the background. I suspect this is Yard 8 - today Yard 9 - looking straight west with the Knute Olson property in the background. Anyone agree/disagree?

#119 - Milwaukee Road 37A was in use for a time after it was acquired. Here, it brings a coach train into Station Track 2. Note the CPL heading west out of the station!

#444 - Milwaukee Road E9A 37A dates to 1961 and was part of one of the last orders of E-units built. It was the first of IRM's two MILW E9s to arrive at the museum but I'm not certain what year that was.

Richard Schauer: I show Milw 37A arrived in March, 1985.

#051 - In the center is Delray Connecting 66, an Alco switcher we scrapped in 2006, with MILW 760 on the left and GB&W 109 in the background to the right of the depot. The depot windows are boarded up, though I'm not sure why.

#440 - Delray Connecting 66 was an Alco S-1 (I think) that was scrapped in 2006.

#450 - IRM has three B-units (two Fs and an E) and all were heavily modified during their service lives, albeit in very different ways. This one, Milwaukee Road F7B 96B, had its traction motors and some control equipment removed and was made into the power car for a rotary snowplow (which I think had formerly been powered electrically for use on the Milwaukee Road's electrified divisions). It arrived at IRM in 1986.

#003 - WT 103 and the 9911A sandwich a heavyweight coach of uncertain identity on the west leg of the wye, with Yard 4 West in the foreground. Tim Fennell suggests the mystery coach may be CB&Q 7128, today nicknamed the "Vista Kallas."

#035 - Wyandotte Terminal 103 is on Station Track 2 with the E5 off to the right. The S-curve that once led from the west switch into Station Track 1 is pretty obvious. Also note that for a while, those big concrete squares (which, if memory serves, were salvaged from the roof of a hospital somewhere) made up part of the station platform. Today at least some of them make up the walkways in Barn 7.

#254 - We're looking northwest across Yard 4 with some random equipment parked on the west wye, including Wyandotte Terminal 103 and the E5 flanking a passenger car that may be the CB&Q MOW coach that eventually burned up and became the Vista Kallas.

#455 - IRM's only Baldwin switcher is this VO660 from Wyandotte Terminal near Detroit. It's shown on the turntable leads, probably not long after it arrived in 1986.

#116 - Our trio of Milwaukee Road F-units aren't often seen together, mainly because two of them look pretty poorly. But here we have 104C, 96B, and 118C all nicely lined up on the turntable leads with the Harvard C&NW turntable visible on the left.

#249 - At the time this photo was taken, MILW 104C didn't look too bad, though its paint was already pretty faded.

#451 - The museum's representative FP-unit is Milwaukee Road FP7A 104C, shown here in front of Barn 8 (today's Barn 9). It arrived in 1986.

#031 - This is a transition photo up at the depot. The old "display track" east of the depot has the C&NW steel baggage car (later the bookstore) and lightweight baggage-RPO (later the gift shop) on it. The wire has been taken down but the track hasn't yet been disconnected. The southern track hasn't been put in at all yet. MILW 118C is on Station Track 1, with Rock cars on Station Track 2.

#043 - Here's a neat one. The photographer is standing where today Barn 6 is, with a new Barn 7 on the left and Barn 8 (today Barn 9) straight ahead. Visible pieces, L-R, include MILW 1603, ARMCO E110, MILW 118C, IT 1605 - still in the simplified IT green livery we received it in! - with something I can't identify peeking out from behind it, an unknown orange passenger car (maybe the Dover Strait?), and CGW 4061.

#053 - I'm not certain who's pulling whom here, but my guess is that MILW 118C is switching ARMCO E110. In the left background is a Rock car and MILW 1603, while to the right is IT 1605 and a few pieces I can't ID, including an orange passenger car. Richard Schauer and Tim Fennell suggest this may be the "Dover Straight."

#195 - Milwaukee Road 118C and 104C arranged elephant style on the turntable leads. Other than badly faded paint, the 104C didn't look all that bad.

#256 - A gaggle of diesels is visible at the throat to the steam leads including MILW 118C, ARMCO E110, YS&T 607, and MILW 1603, with the ComEd crane thrown into the mix for good measure.

#447 - Milwaukee Road F7A 118C received a quick coat of paint for the 1985 calendar photo, but it's held up relatively well even to the present day. Anyone know who's hanging out the cab window?

#063 - More photos taken from across Hemmingsen Road. The blue diesel is Minnesota Transfer 200 before it was repainted.

#109 - The old diesel shop area was the east end of Yard 5. Here we see a handful of recently repainted diesels including IT 1605, MT 200, and MILW 118C. Barely visible on the right is TP&W 400, with a North Shore MD car (probably the 237, which we scrapped in 1996) in Yard 4 East in the background.

#169 - Well, here's the rest of the RS-3, sitting in front of Barn 8 (today known as Barn 9). Where today a city is sprouting up, back then there was only corn as far as the eye could see. Or at least as far as Olson Road.

#439 - Minnesota Transfer 200, Milwaukee Road 118C, and TP&W 400 are at the east end of Yard 5, which served as the diesel servicing area until Barn 2 became the diesel shop around 1994.

#442 - We're looking west, looking along what today would be the south edge of the diner annex, with Minnesota Transfer 200 sitting in Yard 8 (today Yard 9) in a scandalous state of partial undress.

#443 - Rewind a bit from the previous photo, and this image shows Minnesota Transfer 200 as it appeared when it arrived at IRM in 1984 as Interlake Steel 19.

#446 - Here we see the long hood of Minnesota Transfer 200 on the ground in Steamland during repainting. It looks like the end has already gotten a coat of orange and is in the process of being masked for "scare stripes." I think (?) Duane Tudor painted this locomotive. This may also be the only diesel at IRM that had its hood(s) removed for painting, but I'm not certain.

#039 - TP&W RS11 400, possibly in Yard 5. This engine arrived in 1983.

#040 - A young Jerry S. poses with TP&W 400

#049 - Same lineup, but slightly further west, showing MILW 760 and Delray Connecting 66, which was scrapped in 2006.

#143 - TP&W RS11 400 pulling a caboose train with EJ&E 529 visible

#156 - TP&W 400 is opened up in Yard 8 (later Yard 9), with Milwaukee Road 104C and (I think) 37A behind it.

#207 - TP&W 400, MILW 104C, and MILW 37A in front of Barn 8 (today Barn 9) as seen from Depot Street.

#449 - TP&W 400 appears to be on the mainline across from the depot; I think that's the remains of the "big tree" behind it.

#120 - The 6244 arrived in 1989, so this photo must date to sometime after that. It's westbound at the old West Switch with the IC side-door caboose, the ICG Centralia caboose, and the EJ&E caboose.

#121 - The 6244 brings its train into Station Track 2.

#437 - BN SD24 6244 arrived at IRM in 1989. Today it's been fully restored as CB&Q 504.

#055 - Another part of the switch move shown a couple of photos up. With ARMCO E110 out of the way, we can see ComEd 19, the crane, and Youngstown Sheet & Tube (YSTX) 607, a Baldwin VO660 that was scrapped. Photo taken from what is now the west end of Barn 6.

#436 - A lineup of equipment alongside Barn 8 (today Barn 9) includes Youngstown Steel & Tube 607, a Baldwin switcher that was later scrapped; ComEd crane 19; Milwaukee Road HH660 1603; and several Rock Island cars. That boom off to the left may be C&WI crane 1917, which was similar to ComEd 19 but was in rough shape and was scrapped.

#057 - Also taken from the (old) entrance, freshly painted MILW 118C and 760, with extra concrete squares stacked in front.

#159 - Here are the turntable leads as viewed from what today is the Springfield Avenue streetcar line crossing. The H20-44, VO660, H10-44, and HH660 are visible, along with the cab of Delray Connecting 66, which was later scrapped.

#445 - Milwaukee Road 760 is shown in front of Barn 8, today's Barn 9.

#085 - Quite possibly taken at the same time, this is what our UP B-unit looked like before it was rebuilt by the Wisconsin Southern. For many years the Pullman roller skate sat between Yard 5 and Central Avenue along here somewhere, pointed north-south, but I haven't come across any photos of it in that spot.

#048 - As seen from Hemmingsen Road, it looks like MT 200 (still painted for Interlake Steel), UP 1369 (painted as SWPC 409), and TP&W 400, likely sitting on Station Track 2

#052 - Another view of a lineup of diesels as seen from Hemmingsen Road, with UP 1369 (SWPC 409) on the left, TP&W 400 center, and MILW 760 on the right.

#108 - Looking in virtually the exact opposite direction from the previous shot from what's now the west end of Yard 5. Between SWPC 409 and the 803 can be seen C&WI 1917, a crane which we later scrapped.

#438 - Union Pacific 1366 started its days as a demonstrator for Fairbanks-Morse and ended its days as Southwest Portland Cement 409. Supposedly it briefly ran at IRM, or at least was fired up, but I believe it needs new radiators. It's an unusual engine, designed as an end-cab road switcher.

#131 - Here's a nifty one: C&NW 1518 is crossing Central Avenue on the Yard 7 lead, which today is also roughly the Yard 8 and Connector Track lead. But the only wire overhead is the trolley bus line - no overhead has been run to Barn 7 yet.

#151 - I'm not sure what the story here is; perhaps it was an effort at an unorthodox lash-up, though the more prosaic cause would be that the E5 died.

#221 - The first Geep, C&NW 1518, crossing Central Avenue.

#222 - Before the wall went up alongside the Diner Annex, there was this walkway across the turntable leads and streetcar line. C&NW 1518 and MILW 37A are sitting in the yard, and the CSL bus is barely visible sitting along Railroad Avenue in the background.

#223 - C&NW 1518 in Yard 8, today Yard 9, under wire

#225 - C&NW 1518 pulling an attractive arch-roof commuter train, I believe at East Johnson Siding.

#226 - Another shot of C&NW 1518. This engine arrived at IRM in 1987, so that's likely when these photos were taken.

#227 - C&NW 1518 in Yard 8, today Yard 9.

#452 - Milwaukee Road HH660 1603 is shown as it arrived, in Gate City Industrial livery. It was painted into as-built colors in the early 2000s but is not operational.

#001 - IT 1605 followed by the CB&Q RPO coming into Station Track 2

#059 - And another neat one. This is looking north down Depot Street alongside Barn 8 (today Barn 9) at equipment stored on the turntable leads including MN&S 21, IT 1605, and the GG1. In the foreground is a tender tank lettered for the B&LE, which I would guess could only be from B&LE 154, the 2-8-0 which we cosmetically restored and traded to the Ford Museum for our 4-4-0. It's hard to say but the tender tank looks kind of like it's sitting atop a grounded flat car - any idea what that thing might be?

#211 - A gaggle of diesels can be seen in front of Yard 8 (now Yard 9), along with the power car of the Zephyr. What'll it be, RC or 7-Up?

#241 - IT 1605 is shown in its later IT livery of overall green with yellow end stripes and frame, sitting in front of Barn 8 (today Barn 9) with MN&S 21 in the background.

#245 - The 1605 looks like it has a fresh coat of paint, seen here in Barn 8 (today Barn 9)

#246 - Sure enough, a freshly-painted IT 1605 is seen before its footboards were attached. Anyone recognize the man on the end of the locomotive?

#257 - A view across the parking lot that would become Barn 6 shows IT 1605 and a couple of passenger cars, including one of the two CGW/CNW combines then on the property.

#454 - IT GP7 1605 is looking sharp immediately after a paint job and before its footboards were reinstalled.

#456 - Pullman 1792 is our only gas-powered locomotive, I believe, and is unusual in a couple of ways. It's very old, dating to 1928, and is gas-electric rather than gas-mechanical, which is a bit unusual for its size. In the mid/late-1970s it saw regular use on switching and MOW duties, but by the time of this photo - probably mid- or late-1980s - it appears to have been retired. It's currently plinthed outside the diesel shop.

#441 - Our oldest diesel, Lackawanna 3001 / Ingersoll-Rand 91, is shown here in its longtime home on track 82 (now track 92). In the last couple of years, a lot of work has gone into this historic locomotive, including quite a bit of new air piping, new steel around the bottom of the car body, and totally rebuilt trucks with new wheels.

#453 - This sad-looking gas-mechanical critter, shown parked near the west end of Yard 10, is Hines Hospital 4062. It ended up being scrapped, but I'm not certain of when.

Richard Schauer: The Plymouth was unnumbered, but was serial number 4065, so that's what it became.

#009 - 9911A on the steam leads. The TTX flat in the background had probably been used to bring in some piece of equipment.

#010 - 9911A on the steam leads

#117 - I couldn't tell you exactly how late the E5 wore its latter-day C&S 9952A "Texas Zephyr" lettering but evidently it was into the 1980s.

#122 - And here comes the Zephyr! It looks like it's flying a white flag.

#125 - And it continues west. It looks like by the time this photo was taken, the C&S lettering visible in photo #117 had been removed, but the striping on the nose was still red.

#126 - The E5, 803, and 6244 are sitting in front of Barn 8, today Barn 9. Note that there are bleachers in the foreground, though I'm not certain why. The roof from Arlington Heights, that was later erected at the Depot Street car line stop, is barely visible behind the Jeep.

#132 - The Zephyr, with its "Texas Zephyr" and C&S number prominent on E5, loads on Station 2.

#163 - The E5 with the depot in the background, facing the opposite direction from normal.

#189 - "Ethel" facing west on Station Track 2

#457 - The "Silver Pilot" is on the wye near the west switch, near where Spaulding Tower is today.

#111 - The M35, of course, probably in Barn 8 (today's Barn 9) and perhaps on the west track. I vaguely remember riding in this thing when I was young; during the 1980s and into the 1990s it was occasionally trotted out and run for special events, though the interior was kind of a mess.

#243 - This must be Barn 8 (today Barn 9); we see the doodlebug, M-35, in amongst the steam engines and diesels.

 

#324 - The doodlebug, UP M-35, on the streetcar line outside of Barn 8 (today's Barn 9)

#325 - And here's a front end view of the doodlebug taken inside Barn 8 (today Barn 9), with the Zephyr off to the left