Deathstar In Darkness. With one empty center-beam picked up from Cook County Lumber in tow, CN’s R967 “Recycle Job” is viewed from the 18th Street overpass in the South Loop, making their way back to Glenn Yard along the old Illinois Central mainline through Downtown Chicago. Two locomotives from two separate fallen flag railroads, Illinois Central, and Grand Trunk Western, bring the late running R967 through Downtown Chicago. Both the IC SD40-3 6250 and GTW GP38-2 4934 still wear their original IC and GTW paint schemes, prior to when both companies were taken over by their successor Canadian National.Being built in 1976, the 6250 is one of 7 former Illinois Central SD40 series locomotives on today’s Canadian National roster that still wear it’s original IC “Deathstar” livery. Its been almost three decades since CN acquired IC in 1999, and Illinois Central motive power still rules today’s CN owned trackage through Downtown Chicago with the original IC SD70 series locomotives on the L536/537 transfer jobs almost everyday, which is already cool as it is, however seeing an IC SD40 series locomotive in Downtown Chicago on home trackage In 2025 is the icing on the cake!
