The GE BQ23-7 was a model of diesel locomotive manufactured by General Electric, a variant of their B23-7 (the "Q" stood for "crew Quarters"). These diesels, built between 1978 and 1979 and intended for use on locals, were mechanically identical to a regular B23-7, but equipped with an enlarged operating cab for accommodating the whole train crew, thus making a case for eliminating the caboose from the rear of freight trains. Only ten of these locomotives were built, all for the Seaboard Coast Line railroad, originally SCL 5130-5139. With the formation of Seaboard System, these became SBD 5130-5139. Following the merger that created CSX Transportation, these unique locomotives were renumbered CSXT 3000-3009. CSXT operated them into the late 1990s and early 2000s, with all scrapped in 2001 leaving none of these locomotives to survive.
Seaboard System BQ23-7 5138 (ex-SCL 5138) was caught working, as intended, on a local in Orlando, about to depart southbound from Orlando with eight freight cars … and, of course, no caboose. This is former Atlantic Coast Line trackage, later owned by Seaboard Coast Line and, at this time, Seaboard System (and later CSX Transportation). Just to the right is the ACL's old Sligh Boulevard passenger station, which by this date was used by Amtrak.
