Smoke from Canadian wildfires creates a beautiful filter at sunset. Here the two Manly Junction Railroad Museum Rock Island E units are displayed for a group night shoot.

The Rock Island Rocket (left) and Peoria Rocket have arrived side by side at La Salle Street Station.

Rock Island locomotives await assignment.

The Peoria Rocket arrives at Joliet Union Station greeted by the fireman waving from a freight headed east.

Elimination of Rock Island passenger trains and shortage of working freight units has a pair oF E8As leading an eastbound freight.

The “Neal Smith” leads a set of first generation Geeps on a westbound train destined for Armourdale Yard in Kansas City, KS.

The “Neal Smith” leads a set of first generation Geeps on a westbound train destined for Armourdale Yard in Kansas City, KS.

Exiting Tunnel #3 with train destined for Armourdale Yard in Kansas City, KS.

In Eldon Yard awaiting assignment.

The last slant nose cab unit in regular service is ready to take its train to Chicago.

A well traveled Rock Island E8 leads even more well traveled steel commuter coaches past UD Tower.

The freshly restored Rock Geep is displayed just after sunset at the Illinois Railway Museum.

Four restored units are posed on the west end of the East Union Depot. From left to right, BN 5383 (U30C), C&NW 411 (F7A), CB&Q 504 (SD24) and CRI&P 4506 (GP7R).

The Rock Island 4506, recently refurbished by IRM, sits at the west end of the station tracks posed in front of the old EJ&E Spaulding tower after sunset.

CRIP 4506 and CBQ 504 lead the Caboose train out of IRM, passing the semaphores just west of the museum.