Hazy day for a train (1982)

Here is a hazy summer day shot taken in August, 1982 of a D&H train with engines #7314, #502, and #7320 on point. Look how disgusting the front of the short hood is on the lead engine, further "highlighted" by the faded yellow paint underneath. Something I find interesting is that most pictures I see always show the rebuilt RS3-m engines in the middle of a consider, never leading or trailing (which depending on direction of the consist could make them the lead engine). Were the cabs that uncomfortable? I know the engines were known to be slippery, but did that prevent them from taking lead-engine spots?

I don't see a lot of Alco exhaust either for that matter, so perhaps this train was stopped or else rolling really slowly.