Bloomer Line GP9 7591, the first engine ever rostered by the BLOL, sits at the Alliance Grain elevator in downtown Gibson City.
Departing Charlotte with a string of loads bound for Gibson City.
On a perfect October afternoon, a ex-NP GP9 and ex-IC GP10 now working for the Alliance Grain Co (aka The Bloomer Line), arrive Gibson City with 22 loads of grain from the elevator at Cropsey. The... (more)
Bloomer Shippers Line engineer Paul Jones heads North with 25 empty cars to be loaded at the end of the in service portion of the railroad at Cullom, Illinois as an early morning sun begins to bur... (more)
Thirty minutes after cleaning snow off the 7591, one can hardly tell its been done as The Bloomer Shippers Line Railroad uses two Geeps to plow out the entire railroad Friday. Engineer Paul Jones ... (more)
The Bloomer Shippers Line Railroad used two Geeps to plow out the entire railroad Friday. Former Northern Pacific 7591, the Bloomer's first loco, gets some attention as trackworkers use scoop shov... (more)
With the train finalized, all three Geep's are now on the head end ready to depart Sibley for the 10 mile trip to Gibson City.
Bloomer 7591 winds the train through town negotiating the tight right hand curves with ease.
This is the cliche view of the Bloomer that always comes to mind... open fields and weeds...
For a good 5 mile stretch, the Bloomer Line parallel's Rte. 47 opening the window for easy chasing and pacing.
Now on heavier, well maintained rail, the engineer opens up the old girls and takes em for a run as they pick up speed through the town of Strawn.
The pair of Geep's split vintage Wabash search lights and battery boxes at the Risk Junction.
The pair of Geep's are struggling through town about to slam the TP&W diamond.
After re-assembling their train as one, 7591 and 7561 depart Charlotte for Sibley where they will combine the rest of the cars and pick up 7504 for the trip to Gibson City.
