Thanks for the satellite shot…and yes, I see the Metra F40C is still here as of your view as you can see from it’s orange roof and blue nose.
So does anyone know for sure the final disposition of the F40C’s? I know 611 & 614 are still in Chicago. The last pictures I can see of 610 are at Dixmoor, IL, and depending on the website, I’ve seen pictures of the remainder of the fleet at either Kansas City (Mid-America?) or Alorton, IL. It looked like a couple of them may have been canibalized in Alorton, but I haven’t heard anything definitive about where they ended up after the KCS deal fell through, whether they were refubished or scrapped or what.
For what it is worth the picture was taken from the I-57 shoulder just north of the 147th Street exit looking southeast and he is lucky he didn’t get killed the way the kamakazis drive in that area. About 1/4 mile further north the road makes a 45 degree turn and crosses over the IHB Riverdale yrad and the B&OCT Barr yard. Mkaes watching the road difficult at best.
I cant believe thats M-K-T 101 sitting next to the building ! In 2007 no less !
In perspective, the F40C is actually a close sibling of the SDP40F, most of which were scrapped already almost 30 years ago (when as little as 5 years old, I think) so, I guess these F40Cs lasted pretty long.
A lot of times, when I think of the Baldwins, Lima-Hamiltons, ALCOs, early GEs, Fairbanks-Morses and the like that I missed out on, I’m sort of amazed at their short life spans. BNSF is just now getting rid of the 1961-1963 era GP30s, which are 46 to 48 years old (and they still roster a few older units). The Baldwin and FM cab units certainly didn’t last that long. At best, I think the ALCOs got 30 years? (Speaking off the top of my head here, so I could be wrong.)
Anyway, just thinking, how relative it all is. Some engines last a long time. Some are gone pretty quickl.