After a lengthy delay, caused by the NS, the 101 smokes it up as it pulls Santa north past the old depot in downtown Gibson City.

A high-nose Bloomer GP stands ready for action next to its continued reason to exist.

Bloomer Railroad 7504 + LTEX 1413 approach Anchor IL with grain loads from Colfax for Gibson City on 1 October 2008

Bloomer Railroad 7561 + LTEX 1413 + Bloomer 7514 struggle out of Sibley IL with grain loads for Gibson City on 1 October 2008

Bloomer loaded grain train waits to deliver to the NS.

The grain loads pause as they prepare to hand-off the train to a waiting NS crew.

Its a shame the middle unit can't fade fast enough to match the other two, lessor or not.

The Bloomer's high nose GP unloads covered hoppers on the mainline north of Gibson City.

Dressed in the mother company's paint and name, Bloomer 1 stands poised for the upcoming fall harvest.

Delivered as NYC GP9 6002 in 1956.

A fine looking specimen from the Paducah rebuild center, frog eyes included.

Mmmmm...rural branchline railroading at its finest. The only thing that could make it better is if that leaser weren't in the middle. Taken from a grade crossing while train was paused to unload g... (more)

Unloading cars on the main

Chinese red, high nose, torpedo tubes, class lights...what year is it again? A Bloomer Line GP10 slowly moves grain hoppers over the scale track along IL-47. Any excess grain in the cars is remove... (more)

Illinois Central Gulf APL train has just cleared yard limits Mt. Pulaski and is working back up to track speed. STEVE SMEDLEY PHOTO