The locomotive on the front of this post card is an Alco C415. The website (the best railroad history webiste in my opnion)
https://www.american-rails.com/415.html tells us the following about the locomotive's history: "
It is a center-cab design, which began production in June 1966 and offered a staggering 1,500 horsepower for a switcher using Alco's 251F prime mover (the builder's latest, and final, engine design).
While Alco by this point typically sold its locomotives in a standard model, as EMD had been doing for years, the C415 did come with a few options such as differing cab heights for either clearance or increased visibility and two various truck setups (AAR or Alco's Hi-Ad).
Built through the end of Alco's time as a locomotive builder the C415 seemed to epitomize the company's troubles. Just 26 units of the model were sold with the Rock Island and Southern Pacific accounting for 20 of those orders (ten each). Alco removed the C415 from its catalog by December 1968 as the builder was simply having no success in remaining competitive with either GE or EMD.
Due to the C415's poor sales it's amazing that any of these switchers survive. However, six can still be found in the United States (at least one is operational on short line Burlington Junction as its #702) as well as one in Australia."
This is taken from an article in
Trains magazine; a very good read:
https://www.trains.com/ctr/railroads/fallen-flags/rock-island-history-remembered/
"
In 1847 the Rock Island & La Salle Rail Road was chartered to build between Rock Island, Ill., on the Mississippi River, and La Salle, where connections would be made with the Illinois & Michigan Canal to Chicago. Contractor Henry Farnam persuaded the organizers to extend the railroad all the way to Chicago to connect with other railroads. The charter was so amended, and the railroad was renamed the Chicago & Rock Island. Construction began in 1851. The first train ran from Chicago to Joliet, 40 miles, on Oct. 10, 1852. Its power was a 4-4-0 named Rocket.
The line was opened to Rock Island on Feb. 22, 1854, and the contractors turned the line over to the corporation in July of that year.
The Rock Island ceased operation March 31, 1980. Chartered in 1847, the Rock Island was the largest U.S. railroad to be liquidated."
Ths post card was published by Audio Visual Designs in Earlton, New York. It was started in 1964 by Carl Sturner for the sole purpose of providing railfans with sound recordings of locos and trains as well as with photochrome postcards of trackside photos. These stunning color images were taken all over the country by some well-known photographers such as David Sweetland. The history and product line of AVD can be found on the company's website at www.audiovisualdesigns.com
