I’d been meaning to photograph the DeKalb coaling tower for a while. Built in 1927, it’s one of the last steam-era relics on UP’s Geneva Sub, made even more significant after the line’s only other tower was demolished earlier this year. Not knowing what the traffic lineup looked like, I simply waited for whatever came next. About 25 minutes after my arrival, I saw a high headlight appear on the horizon. As it drew closer, I was pleasantly surprised to see that it was a pair of SD70Ms leading the way on Union Pacific’s Rochelle based local. It is hard to believe that catching these engines on the point is a treat these days. Just a few years back, they were leading multiple trains daily over this very line. Oh my, how times change…
