780860 Though produced in small numbers for a single customer (Seaboard Coast Line), the General Electric BQ23-7 was a historically important diesel locomotive. It was produced during the brief transition era where railroads had already begun eliminating cabooses but had yet to implement major crew reductions. Therefore, GE produced this locomotive with the "Q" or "Quarters" cab to house the part of the crew that would have previously occupied the caboose. Though this enlarged cab was also offered as an option on other models of the time, no other customers ordered these, as crew reductions to two or three trainmen made it easy enough for the entire crew to ride in the standard locomotive cab.

This photo was used on the cover of one of the series of Diesel Spotter's Guide books published by Kalmbach publishing, the 1979 Diesel Spotter's Guide Update.

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