Aurora, Illinois, 15JUN'68
CB&Q's eastbound "California Zephyr" behind E8, E7, E8 (9943B….) arrives at the station, while E9 (9991) awaits departure on the right (with E8 9944B) with the westbound "North Coast Limited." The "NCL" is Northern Pacific's flagship train from St.Paul to Seattle, but the Q handled it from Chicago to the Twin Cities. Often the "NCL" was combined with the Great Northern's "Empire Builder" as well as the Q's own "Afternoon Zephyr", making a long and colorful train into and out of Chicago. This being the beginning of the Summer travel season, there was evidently enough passengers to justify - or necessitate - running the trains separately.
Aurora, Illinois, 15JUN'68
CB&Q's eastbound "California Zephyr" behind E8, E7, E8 (9943B….) arrives at the station, while E9 (9991) awaits departure on the right (with E8 9944B) with the westbound "North Coast Limited." The "NCL" is Northern Pacific's flagship train from St.Paul to Seattle, but the Q handled it from Chicago to the Twin Cities. Often the "NCL" was combined with the Great Northern's "Empire Builder" as well as the Q's own "Afternoon Zephyr", making a long and colorful train into and out of Chicago. This being the beginning of the Summer travel season, there was evidently enough passengers to justify - or necessitate - running the trains separately.