Upon my arrival into Gibson City this morning, I happen to see the crossing lights flashing…there goes 7549 northbound for what I had assumed another cut for the ethanol plant to the west of town. Making a round past the locomotive shops and to the north side of town, there were no cars in sight which meant 7549 was leaving captivity and making its way for points north. Knowing that there were two sections of this corn train on both sides of the railroad, it was a crap shoot to which way 7549 would go. At Risk, where the railroad’s two predecessor lines split, the 7549 continued towards the Charlotte/Cullom part of the train. Eventually, the 7549 was jammed into the middle of the two Larry’s leasers, 3801 and 3802, at Charlotte for the trip south to Gibson City. As evident by the smoke in later photos, the 7549 enjoyed stretching its legs out on the high main.
