40 Years Ago - Rock Island Tied Up and Went Home

T'was a sad, sad day.

We moved to Howe, OK in Sept. of '79. The Rock Island was shut down at the time on account of the strike. Though I could see the Rock's tracks from the kitchen window of the Howe parsonage, the tracks were silent and devoid of trains. (That was the only home I've ever lived in where I could see trains from the window!)

One evening I heard a strange sounding horn (NOT a KCS horn) coming from a different direction than the sounds of the unseen KCS.

What's this?

Why... it was an eastbound Rock Island train coming into town for the first time since we lived there!

For a few way too short weeks (months?) the Rock Island operated and I got out and took what slides I could when I could, regardless of the weather conditions. The result is the very few slides that I shot personally that I have in my Rock Island slide collection.

I have great Rock Island memories (that go back to 1957 or '58... my first cab ride!) of a great line that was suddenly GONE. Several of my friends were just as suddenly without a job. They didn't even find out until they showed up for work THAT morning! Howe depot agent Carroll Bryan basically told them "might as well turn around boys and head on back home... it's over!"

Sadly, unless you KNEW there were rails there... many, MANY, of the regional locations of the roadbed have essentially disappeared, either by nature, "progress", or ranchers that reclaimed the right of way.

I really miss the Rock Island.

Andre

Wonderful memories, Andre.  Thanks for sharing with us.

Tom:

I have many, many, good memories of the Rock Island. As mentioned, it fell to the Rock Island to be my first of many cab rides, courtesy of a school/neighborhood chum that had a dad that worked for the Rock Island's car department in KC. He arranged to take his son Lee, and me, to tour the Armourdale Yards and facilities on a magical Saturday. Part of that day consisted of riding in a Rock Island high hood Geep (likely a GP7) being handled by the Hostler. I still vividly recall mental snap shots and short mental "video" clips of that day.

I also fondly recall sitting outside on a crisp night up on my new home atop "Blackjack Mountain (also called Ridge)" near Abbott, AR, having been moved there by my parents in January of '69. Sitting there on a still, crisp night, I could hear the distinct sound of the Rock Island's Nathan chime horns off in the distance below us as he whistled for the crossing at Abbott. I can still mentally hear the jostling and squawking trucks of the boxcars, and what have you, as the train rattled along at respectable speeds. Once such still, cold night, I could hear the set of EMD Geeps revving and whining as they switched the chip track at Mansfield, AR, some seven miles away. Then there's the many memories of F's rolling by, on and on.

So many memories.

Here's one of the pictures I took at KC's Amourdale Yard during the last month of operation (March of '80). This was during one our (wife and I) annual trips to KC to attend to some business and see relatives. Amazing there were still engines puttering about in the pinstripe scheme in March of '80!

Yup, I miss the Rock Island.

Andre

I remember the Rock Island quite well. When the sales tax on new railroad locomotives in the state of Illinois, was abolished sometime in the late 1960s or early 1970s, railroads could then take delivery of new units from EMD within the various terminals in the Chicago area. Previously, all railroads went to great lengths to pre-service and formally/legally accept their new units OUTSIDE the state of Illinois. When the sales tax was gone, the Southern Pacific RR was able to "accept" all their new units at the Rock Island Roundhouse in Blue Island, IL. Various Field Service personnel from EMD would supervise the pre-servicing process and signing of the Acceptance Documents, at the "well worn" Rock Island facilities in Blue Island.

The Rock Island would then use the new SP units as additional power on their freight trains headed west to El Paso, TX for interchange with SP.

Lots of fond memories of the Rock Island, although the track was getting pretty rough in the late 1970s. 

Rock Island was always one of my favorites.  Very handsome 4-8-4's, as a start.  In my high school days, would go "downtown" to Chicago's Loop, and spend time in the 7 or so passenger stations. LaSalle Street was a regular stop, and would see Rock Island  Alco RS3's on commuter runs. Then had a most enjoyable couple of days pacing Southern Ry 2-8-2 #4501 running on the Rock Island, to Bureau Junction, IL (1973). Talked with the engineer who was retiring after the run; he likened #4501 to "our 2300's" (USRA light Mikes). 

Was at the Blue Island Burr Oak roundhouse in the mid-70's, seeking #630, the last of the E6's. Was kicked out by the Roundhouse Foreman! Think some of the roundhouse roof had collapsed, indicative of the creeping decrepitude of the Rock Island.

Being a traditionalist, never warmed to "The Rock" marketing campaign.  But admired, from a business perspective, the gutsy final attempt at salvation.

My favorite Rock Island memory is riding the Rock Island from Chicago's LaSalle Street station to Tucumcari and then on to LA on the SP in the winter of 1943.  Heavy snow through Iowa, lots going in in Kansas City.  The train was full, but the Pullman beds were comfortable and though it was wartime, the food in the diner was excellent.  Steam all the way, of course.

                                                                                                                                                        Logan

In 1966, had a summer job in Joliet, IL. Spent a lot of time at Joliet Union Station in my off hours, observing Rock Island passenger and freight trains. Didn't care for their center-door bi-levels, but loved their traditional high-mounted commuter coaches, in green, with red Rock Island heralds.  In exploring around town, found my way to the Rock Island commuter engine house, which included a turntable "painted 1944". That conjured up images of snappy 4-6-2's getting a spin.

Would go out on Rte 30, which the Rock Island paralleled. Enjoyed seeing the potpourri of locomotives pulling their freights, struggling to climb out of the Illinois River Valley. That included the EMD re-engined freight Alcos.

In the early 70's would take day trips with the family out to Ottawa, IL and would stop by the Rock Island depot. Would see "E's" pulling "name" passenger trains, but, as I recall, with piggy-back cars tacked onto the rear of the train.

Today, only the Ottawa depot remains, in fairly beat-up condition.

Logan - Were you able to catch a glimpse of the types of steam locomotives pulling your train?

I grew up on the south side of Chicago, so I was familiar with it from childhood. Between 1962 and 1977, I rode or commuted on its trains between LaSalle Street and Beverly Hills/ 95th Street on the  Suburban Branch to Blue Island. I rode on trains that were pushed or pulled by various types of diesels, from BL2s,  AB6s, E units, F units, to GPs and ALCOs, including "Christine", and in any number of liveries, including Bicentennial "Independence". The cars ranged from the 1920s era "Al Capone cars" to the bi-levels, in either red/yellow or stainless steel liveries. I arrived too late for steam on the Rock (but not for steam on the Grand Trunk), and I never got to ride on the Aerotrain (which I only saw in service once, on the Joliet Main Line near 99th St. and Vincennes Ave.)  I still have the plastic monthly ticket protector with the "Rock Island Lines" inscription, in red letters.

With all that, I never took a single photo of any of it, probably because it was always going to be there - right? Anyway, good memories.

I was a boy of 10years old when I first played hokie from school to sneak down to the viaduct where the Rock Island and Frisco ducked under the Santa Fe, it was not the best neighborhood in OKC in 1972. There was always some action going on, Santa Fe was the Big show in town, Rock Island and Frisco was not as busy, but the friendly train crews of the Rock Island and the colorful locomotives traveling at a slow pace, I would dream as a boy where the train was going! By the late 70s I knew the Rock was I trouble!  A lot of men did not like the new blue and white THE ROCK. I loved it! It meant there was hope for the Rock Island! Yes I know better now. The last Rock Island train I saw was west bound with a gp7 blue and white and a very wore gp7 red and yellow, as the last car came by there was no caboose, just a red flag in the coupler. I have a lot memories of The Rock, It was a mighty fine line!! But my 50ft Rock Island boxcar  is full of  Chicago Rock Island and Pacific O scale trains, the Rock Island is doing well here!!

Since Logan might not have spotted my inquiry, let me provide some information about Rock Island troop train/"main train" motive power during WWII. Depicted in Lloyd Stagner's "Rock Island Motive Power, 1933-1955" were N83 2-10-2 #3034 at Tucumcari, NM (photographer RR Malinowski) on 10-04-44,  K64 2-8-2 #2668 at Topeka, KS (WA Gibson) in 1944, and brand-new oil-burning R67 4-8-4 #5103 ready to depart Kansas City (RR Malinowski) on 11-11-44, all on troop trains. Interesting to note that many a troop train drew traditionally freight steam locomotives, and not just on the Rock Island.

Rock Island posted:

By the late 70s I knew the Rock was I trouble!  A lot of men did not like the new blue and white THE ROCK. I loved it! It meant there was hope for the Rock Island! Yes I know better now. 

I didn't care for the blue and white Rock scheme at all - so many of their earlier liveries were so colorful and interesting, I thought. (Feel the same way about the Great Northern, another railroad that near the end converted to Loser Blue , as an old retired railroad man I knew used to say.) I never understood why they decided to spend millions of dollars repainting the fleet near the end when money was so tight. Seemed like a very poor business decision. Was it a last ditch effort to make a big change and impress/attract customers? That's the only thing that seems to make any sense of it. 

Like others, I wish they - and their rail lines, which ran to and through so many interesting places - were still around.

When my grandfather was a boy he lived along the Rock Island at Vigus Mo (now Maryland Heights) along the St. Louis to Kansas City line.  If he was in bed before the evening train came by he would fall asleep to the sound of the train and be fast asleep before it had faded into the distance.  This would have been between 1905 and 1914. 

Nathan M

Alas, all my Rock Island memories are after the fact, but they are good ones nonetheless.

I grew up in a suburb of St. Louis, perhaps a mile from the Rock Island's StL-KC line - a footnote in the Rock's operations, I'm sure. In 1980, I was too young to know or care about the Rock's passing, but not many years after that I was spending a fair amount of time exploring the lightly-traveled tracks, sometimes led by dad, sometimes just my brother and me. I remember vividly how the ties were bright silver in color - not a color which speaks of heavy traffic or recent tie replacement!

By that time, the tracks were owned by Southern Pacific (though maybe it was Cotton Belt, technically). As I understand it, SP had wanted to get into St. Louis, but found that the Rock Island property it had purchased was in such poor repair that it wasn't worth trying to run through from Kansas City. SP used trackage rights on UP to reach StL, then ran west on the Rock Island from there. Most of that traffic was coal for a power plant in Labadie, MO. So, though I grew up by the Rock Island tracks, the locos I remember seeing were mostly lettered for the Southern Pacific or, later, the Rio Grande.

Mark S., no, I was not able to see the locomotive....or if I did I don't remember.  I remember the trip well...but some of the details are gone.  It was a long time ago.  Sorry.

                                                              Logan

During its history, CRI&P provided passenger service to my hometown (Peoria, IL) with the PEORIA ROCKET; 2x/daily round trip trains to/from Chicago.  As a boy, along with my best friend, I rode my bike downtown to the riverfront RI depot and watched the  "Rockets" arrive and depart. The depot remains to this day. After the RI shutdown, the building was converted to a sheltered workshop for a time and later to an upscale restaurant (named River Station). When I visited Peoria in those years, I would make reservations for family dinners there. Later on, that restaurant closed and other lesser restaurants occupied the building (pizza joint, etc.).

The original building (historic photo attached) had a high clock tower. The tower was struck by lightning in 1939 and structurally weakened, so the tower was lowered for safety's sake. The "circumsized" building was the structure I remember.

When a teenager, I rode several Rockets to/from the Windy City when traveling by train to a boarding high school then located in La Grange, IL. On one of those trips, the Alco DL109 diesel was upfront (dubbed "Christine" becuse of its prime mover transplant).  On another trip the snazzy Aerotrain was in service - very cool, but a rough ride due to deferred track maintenance - a system-wide RI problem.  (Photos attached) 

I entered the hobby as an adult O-gauger when I turned 50 and decided to collect RI models exclusively. I started with RI trains made by Lionel and collected ALL of them. Then I gathered RI trains by other manufacturers -- MTH, Weaver, Williams, Marx, and others.   However, after a stroke and a cardiac incident, I offered nearly all my RI collection (plus accdessories and control gear) at an auction. The trains listed on eight pages of inventory were sold in a weekend.

I kept two RI trains as mementos -- a "Northern" steamer with RI boxcars and EV caboose and an E6A "Rocket" with matching passenger cars. Those trains are now on display in my train room.

The Rock Island line serviced Worthington Minnesota from back in the pre and post war years.  They hauled a lot of produce out of Worthington from the two producers there. E.O Olson and J.C. Boote that kept the town afloat during the depression and the war.  Jack Boote even had the loan of a personal rail car for a period of time.  I'm in the process of creating a layout for my grandson with some of the vintage 40' reefers and trying to do  the Boote's hatchery building as a model.   Coming along slowly but surely.  

A couple of pic's and a local newspaper article, enjoy

Jack

I was living in Cedar Rapids, IA on this fateful day.  I grew up in Waterloo, IA.  Both cities were served by the Zephyr-Rocket.  The Zephyr-Rocket originated in the Twin-Cities and was a direct connection to St. Louis. Use to get a "berth" in Waterloo and wake up in St. Louis.

I have modeled the Rock Island, in O gauge, for quite a few years now...hence my user name "Rockyroad".

What's forgotten about the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific was that it was a big railroad. It was 10,000 miles long and served 14 states: IL, IA, MN, NE, CO, NM, TX, KS, SD, OK, TN, AR, LA and MO.   More states then big outfits like the New York Central, Pennsylvania, Southern Pacific, Santa Fe and Union Pacific!

Don't like the "loser blue" either .  The RI had its name on (still?) the Colorado Springs station, but it was a restaurant when l ate there years ago.  I was too late to see AB6's there, but did ride along beside a steamer in mid 1950's, somewhere east of there.  A railroad that ran into the Springs was obviously a good railroad. I have in hand a book on RI shops in Horton, Kansas.  I hope to use a Walther's gas electric kit to model one of the baggage doored EMC engined "motors" built in Horton by the RI.  The RI operated some interesting critters, after building them.  Book shows a 4-4-0 in  passenger service in 1934, built in Chicago shops in 1891.

I currently reside in Cedar Rapids, IA on this fateful day.  I moved here in 1990 long after the Rock Island pulled up.  I do have recent memories of the Rock Island Heritage since I am only 20 miles from the Iowa Interstate Railroad which runs on the old Rock Island tracks between Chicago and Council Bluffs.  I am a proud owner of a Lionel ES44AC Rock Island 513 as shown below.  You can see an excellent picture of the real thing along with a rebadged F40.

https://www.railpictures.net/v...339738&nseq=1117

Number 90 posted:

Did you personally know the Rock Island?  If so, what are your memories?

Regrettably, my brushes with the Rock Island were too few, and more or less limited to the South Chicago area. In the mid 1970's, I would often see a pair of their ALCO C415's in the B&OCT's Barr Yard as they were used in transfer service interchanging cars between RI's Burr Oak/Blue Island Yard and B&O's Barr Yard. I can still hear the C415's relaxed idle as they sat on spot in the yard and also their memorable deep rumbling, and the dark, heavy exhaust that they would emit when they leaned into their cut of cars, starting them back towards home. 

I also recall seeing their suburbans, powered by E units in push/pull service and a few other odds and ends, here and there. After Chessie took control of the RI segment to Ottawa, IL in 1980, I had the opportunity to see a small part of their railroad. It was obvious that at one time in the not so distant past, it had been truly a first class property.  

C.J.     

The Rock Island was before my time.  However, the Bessemer and Lake Erie at one point purchased hundreds of "Blue Birds." These became a common sight on the Bessemer until about the mid 2000's. The Bessemer gradually repainted these hoppers, one panel at a time. Back in 2014, there was one hopper on the Bessemer that still had the "R," visible.  Unfortunately, this hopper is no longer on the system, and may have been destroyed in the wreck back in the winter of 2015.

For the longest time "the Rock," was for me a railroad that you heard about given its bankruptcy, but knew very little about.  Then I took an interest in that "Mighty Fine Line," in 2018 and gained an admiration for this classic Granger.

In 1965 I was a small town hick just enrolled in college at the University of Ne. in Lincoln.  The Rock Island had a line coming from Omaha, or at least that is what I recall, that turned south about 19th Street and ran right below our dormitory.  From there it veered southeast a bit, crossing the main drag, O street and then through Antelope Park and eventually south by southwest towards Beatrice Ne.  Many a time I would watch some sort of F unit run at a pretty good clip pulling freight,  must have been a passenger car on occasion although I do not recall seeing that.  Just to the north, a Missouri Pacific track remained which crossed at 90 degrees and the Rock line was protected by a gate which the MP brakie had to manually open to head east or west.  Burlington was the big cahoona even then going through Lincoln, which Amtrack still serves.  Wish the Rock Island had a historical society.  Often my nightly entertainment was spent slinking about the dark track of those railroads.  UP had a presence in Lincoln too but those tracks were farther west and beyond the Burlington yard. A small restored depot still sits on the north side of O Street there in Lincoln. I just acquired a pair of new E7s in my favorite paint scheme (3rd rail) which I recall from back then.  I have a set of 18 inch golden state cars or some freight to tag along behind, all to take me back to those days.

I was there but at age 7 have no memory. The Imperial in Western Kansas, Summer '57. Dad took the pic:

Years ago at our local Cedar Rapids Area Railfans meeting, a gentleman showed slides where he photographed Rock Island GP7, GP9s etc type engines with various  vertical cover doors.  This was towards the very end when there was no money to repaint, and shop crew recycled whatever was available off the dead line just to get the engine back on the road.   Needless to say the color combination of old doors interspersed with blue white doors (and a few non RI doors from who knows where),  plus the order they were placed on the sides, created quite an eclectic mix, as well as weird word combinations (and no, not THOSE words).

The only RI memory I recall was watching a string of eight engines all smoking like crazy towing maybe ten empties up a slight grade.  Not sure if they were on line or just along for the ride....

A repost of a photo I took in 2015 (!) at a ship-loading facility in Ontario, Canada. The car was in a CPR potash unit train. 

Without having any close ties to the Rock Island, I still remember them admirably for being one of the three roads that chose not to participate in Amtrak, and for a time, continued to run passenger trains "their way".

How late did the Rock run its own passenger trains, not counting Chicago cummuters.?  I bet l hear about something l am sorry l missed (although there is a LOT of that !!)

Being born in the late 1960s I got to see a lot of trains.Of the SAL/SCL in my town monroe n.c.I recall seeing a lot of rock island boxcars some brown some red and some blue.And their was still a lot of heralds on the freight cars back then.One christmas my cousin got a trainset and race car set hooked together.The locomotive was rock island red yellow and white letters.He still has it.He let me take a look at it again years later.He kidding with me asking did I still want it.I told no.My eye decided then did not like h.o. any more.I have gone up a notch.

mark s posted:

Rock Island was always one of my favorites.  Very handsome 4-8-4's, as a start.  In my high school days, would go "downtown" to Chicago's Loop, and spend time in the 7 or so passenger stations. LaSalle Street was a regular stop, and would see Rock Island  Alco RS3's on commuter runs. Then had a most enjoyable couple of days pacing Southern Ry 2-8-2 #4501 running on the Rock Island, to Bureau Junction, IL (1973). Talked with the engineer who was retiring after the run; he likened #4501 to "our 2300's" (USRA light Mikes). 

Was at the Blue Island Burr Oak roundhouse in the mid-70's, seeking #630, the last of the E6's. Was kicked out by the Roundhouse Foreman! Think some of the roundhouse roof had collapsed, indicative of the creeping decrepitude of the Rock Island.

Being a traditionalist, never warmed to "The Rock" marketing campaign.  But admired, from a business perspective, the gutsy final attempt at salvation.

Didn,t they have a large number of 4-8-4s?

Saw a Rocket train come into Houston with T/COFC behind the obs.  M&E?

There was a GP7 or 9 in the Ft. Worth yard with original paint!  Saw that many times of the TX CHIEF.

To bad UP and/or SP would have bought it all.  Even UP-SP buying it, but keeping the company separate.

The route to Blue Island would have given any purchaser the chance to gain interchange to some eastern systems direct, instead of using the IHB or the Belt in Chicagoland.

Great stories everyone, a pleasure to read them all!  Some really good writing going on here.

There is a little more to a pic I posted earlier. There are actually three photos on the train room wall that make up a tiny story, one familiar to all Railfans: waiting for a train.

It was Summer 1957 and we were on a vacation [driving] trip to Southeastern Aridzona and Dad knew the passenger train schedule for the Rock Island and Espee. So we parked alongside US 54 in Western Kansas and waited for an  Eastbound.

Dad obviously staged me:

Drama! There in the distance:

And bearing down on us:

You can see US 54 at the left.

On EDIT: It could have been either the Imperial of the Golden State we saw that day in the misty past. The highway is on the South side of the Rock Island Mainline for many miles across Western Kansas so I know the approaching train has to be going East. I consulted my 1956 Rock Island timetable:

This is the timetable for the Golden State route:

And here is a closeup of the Eastbounds:

Well, it could have been either train. The Eastbound Imperial rolled across Southwestern Kansas mid-day-ish and the Golden State was late-afternoon-ish.

Being a Philly boy back then, this was about all the exposure to the Rock Island I had: 

Mitch 

wb47 posted:

Wish the Rock Island had a historical society. 

There was a historical society devoted to the Rock Island but like the railroad itself it no longer exists:

Rock Island Technical Society

geysergazer posted:

 

        

Drama! There in the distance:

       

And bearing down on us:

         

I'd feel safe in calling the train No.40.  Notice the early afternoon shadow.

I have commented more than once on the Rock Island universally rough track.  There just was not enough money to go all the way around, and "good enough" had to suffice for a railroad which could never afford to be excellent.  On the photo of you standing by the track, notice the "tired" condition of the ties and the very frugal application of rock ballast.  Notice the dust cloud being stirred up by the train running at 79 MPH on that thinly-ballasted track.  And this was the Golden State Route -- one of Rock Island's good lines!

Thank you for sharing these photos, and to everyone who has been sharing memories.

I “knew” the Rock Island for only about seven or eight months before they shut down.  

I worked for a grain company with export elevators in Houston and Eagle Pass, TX and regional elevators scattered about the Texas panhandle and Oklahoma.  We had one elevator in Oklahoma (can’t remember if it was El Reno or Enid) served by Rock Island that would occasionally load boxcars (yes - boxcars) headed toward the elevator at Eagle Pass.  One of those shipments resulted in a sizeable claim against the Rock Island trustee  after the floors gave way in about a half dozen cars, dumping grain all over the railroad.

Curt

645 posted:

wb47 posted:

Wish the Rock Island had a historical society. 

There was a historical society devoted to the Rock Island but like the railroad itself it no longer exists:

Rock Island Technical Society

There is/was a Yahoo group on the Rock (of which I am/was a member), but it has been dormant for some time.  Its archive may still be visible.

A popular topic was the St. Louis/KC line, which is not too far from me.  Most of it is gone, now, thanks to political chicanery and corporate stupidity (yes, I am looking at YOU, UP), but a short line still moves traffic west of St. Louis to about Union, MO.