As Doug Kroll's photo at Joliet, Illinois illustrates, the motive power was in sorry condition. The amount of information found there is quite staggering; historical backgrounds of wheel arrangements, types used by virtually every railroad, preserved and operational examples, and even those used in other countries (North America and beyond). The 4300 series was named for those individuals, organizations, cities, or states who assisted the railroad as it attempted to secure funding to rehabilitate the property; #4302 was named "Dewey F. Bartlett" (Governor of Oklahoma and future U.S. A freshly-painted GP38 on a new short line is turning heads in Mississippi. There it remained until being returned to private management on February 28, 1920. On May 19, 1984 the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad was reorganized as the Chicago Pacific Corporation, a non-operating railroad entity which branched out into the fields of investment and real estate. it seems real buggy. Riley was unable to acquire the original RI 4310 (now GMTX 2120), which wore a dedication to railroad enthusiasts in the late 1970s, so he purchased a former Southern GP38 to fill the role. At the time the railroad was still financially healthy but that would change within a decade. He loathed ignorance and brought quick retribution upon anyone who could not thoroughly answer questions. In 1998 a gentleman by the name of Andre Kristopans put together a web page highlighting virtually every unit every out-shopped by General Motors' Electro-Motive Division. Illinois finally relented by at first providing a stipend but eventually took over the services entirely. Southern Pride Equipment Painting finished the paint on 4310 on April 18 and quickly got to work on another GP38, RI 4373, that will also appear in blue and white. The modernization continued through the 1950's as steam was retired by 1954 and modern classification yards were built, most notably at Silvis, Illinois. In mid-April, photos of Rock Island GP38 4310, dubbed “The America Railfan,” began to emerge on the internet. In addition others would be given additional traffic rights and interchange gateways to help shield them from potential traffic losses. Over the decades many other artists have either sang or released versions including: Merrill Moore, With Cliffie Stone's Orchestra. Johnny Cash, of course, sang the most widely accepted and remembered version of a Rock Island Line. The final Rock Island train, so to speak, has navigated the road's Illinois Division as a trio of GP7s, having delivered equipment sold to a buyer, pass the depot in Bureau, Illinois in April of 1980. Chicago, Rock Island, and Pacific Railroad Company, byname Rock Island Railroad, or The Rock, U.S. railroad company founded in 1847 as the Rock Island and La Salle Railroad Company to build a line from Rock Island to La Salle, Ill. By 1866 its lines extended from Chicago to Council Bluffs, Iowa.. Management in the late 19th century was extremely conservative, but new interests took over … It could not afford the entry feet to join what became the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) on May 1, 1971 and continued operating what was dubbed the Peoria Rocket and Quad Cities Rocket until service was finally suspended on December 31, 1978. We have a great online selection at the lowest prices with Fast & Free shipping on many items! While Reid-Moore's efforts saw the railroad balloon into a network of 8,328 miles they also embarked upon a disastrous scheme of trying to leverage Rock Island's strong earnings power in financing a true transcontinental network. A Might Fine Line was immortalized in song when Clarence Wilson, a member of the Rock Island's Colored Booster Quartet (an employee choir group from the railroad's Biddle Shops in Little Rock, Arkansas) wrote "Rock Island Line" in 1929. If you are researching active or abandoned corridors you might want to check out the United States Geological Survey's (USGS) Historical Topographic Map Explorer. But perhaps more amazing than the appearance of a Rock Island locomotive in 2020, is the name of the railroad it works for: the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific. Roger Puta photo. It was reorganized on June 24, 1917 as the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad with the original system still intact. This system went on to form part of the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern, a future component of the mighty New York Central. As Mr. Schneider notes, in 1959 the railroad was still a well-respected corporation boasting gross annual revenues of $219.5 million with a ranking of 22nd in Fortune magazine's Top Fifty Transportation Companies. As the railroad came apart it is also truly perplexing why Union Pacific did not spend the capital for infrastructure improvements, or at least enough to maintain operations, considering the planned merger. He began by acquiring the aforementioned BCR&N and then set off for the Western Frontier via a new subsidiary known as the Chicago, Kansas & Nebraska. Further information will be provided here as it becomes available. Many were pulled up in the 1970's and 1980's although others were removed long before that. Rock Island E8A #643 (built as Electro-Motive demonstrator #952) leads what is perhaps the westbound "Golden State" (Train #3) past the station in Ottawa, Illinois during July, 1963. It is a must visit! Still looking good in the railroad's late era of operations is Rock Island U30C #4592 as it heads southward along the FW&D/Burlington at Waxahachie, Texas with a freight train during October of 1976. What was known as the Rock Island & La Salle Rail Road Company, officially incorporated on February 27, 1847, would work in conjunction with canal and riverboat operators to move freight and passengers into Chicago. With Congressional passage of the Pacific Railroad Act of 1862, subsequently signed into law by President Lincoln on July 1st, the Union Pacific Railroad was established as the eastern leg of the Transcontinental Railroad. To say the least, it's fleet was eclectic. This scene illustrates the hard times which befell the Rock Island during its final years as three worn-out locomotives of GE, EMD, and Alco heritage pull a freight through Joliet on April 2, 1977. Known as the Chicago & South Western Railway construction began in 1869 from the end-of-track at Washington, Iowa with intentions of reaching Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. A myriad of small systems were added at this time; names like the Keokuk & Des Moines; Des Moines, Indianola & Missouri; Newton & Monroe; and the Des Moines & Fort Dodge. Now unemployed Rock Island … A popular pastime for many is studying and/or exploring abandoned rights-of-way. I tried building a saw mill at madison and was never able to build one in time. The railroad is also leasing a former Cimarron Valley GP30. Just type in a town or city and click on the timeline of maps at the bottom of the page! See more ideas about rock island railroad, rock island, railroad. Agriculture was always the Rock's lifeblood and the two carried a symbiotic relationship. Under their direction the fabled "Choctaw Route" was established as well as the "Golden State Route" completed from Liberal, Kansas to a connection with the El Paso & Northeastern Railroad at Santa Rosa, New Mexico in February of 1902. The Imperial (Consist, History, Photos, Timetable): Operated between Los Angeles and Chicago in conjunction with the Southern Pacific. Hope for prosperity returned, however, when new leadership under John Tracy sought the Rock's completion. If the railroad was an up-to-date, modern operation it quite likely would have been profitable. Toll-Free 877-787-2467 Nearly a decade passed before the ICC officially granted approval on November 8, 1974. I even see my trains hauling logs from Rock Island bacl to Toledo. Union Pacific was the wealthiest railroad in the country at the time (and still-so today); in 1966 its net income, before taxes, was an impressive $109.7 million. Roger Puta photo. As a condition of the merger, Rio Grande would acquire the Rock's Omaha-Denver main line and Santa Fe would pick up most of its Choctaw Route (Memphis - Amarillo) as well as be required to takeover the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad. The Rock Island Railroad logo. Five Rock Island GP35 locomotives pass over Battle Creek bridge near Dayton's Bluff, MN on Mike's Rock Island model railroad. Alas, time simply ran out. Outside U.S. 660-695-4433. A Rock Island Railroad Freight Train heads South through Mattson, MS, with their GP15-1 on the point as they head towards the interchange located Swan Lake, MS. Railroad: Rock Island Locomotive: EMD GP15-1 Location: Mattson, Mississippi, USA Locomotive #: GMTX 415 Train ID: Unknown Photo Date: September 28, 2020 On February 5, 1853 the Mississippi & Missouri Rail Road had been chartered to build from Davenport to Council Bluffs. The corridor is owned by Missouri Central Railroad Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Ameren Missouri. From its end-of-track at Iowa City rails extended westward, reaching Council Bluffs just in time on May 11, 1869 and a day after the Transcontinental Railroad held formal opening ceremonies at Promontory Summit, Utah. Home; Books; Search; Support. The incredibly complex and expensive boondoggle failed, and along with it the railroad, which entered receivership in 1915. Twin Star Rocket: (Minneapolis - Houston), Quad City Rocket: (Chicago - Rock Island). Within only a few years the results were being felt; annual revenues increased from $66 million in 1934 to $82 million in 1937. Officially, the museum was dedicated in 1987. I’ve been researching the Rock Island Railroad in Arkansas off and on since 1988, recording interviews with former employees, traveling the state to look for relics of the once grand railroad, and just working to learn as much as I can about its operations. Further growth slowed for about a decade until new leadership through the Reid-Moore Syndicate in 1901 reignited the process. Only one is not, the Choctaw Route (Tucumcari - Memphis). After the United Stated entered World War I the Rock, and the entire industry, was placed under federal control on December 28, 1917 through the United States Railway Administration. All content copyright American-Rails.com (unless otherwise noted). It is rather ironic that despite being the first to bridge the mighty Mississippi the Rock Island was one of the last to reach Council Bluffs. In the absence of new power the company carried out its so-called Capital Rebuild Program on venerable Geeps to extend their service lives. This singular issue also caused the drawn out fight over UP's planned merger with Rock Island nearly a century later. The RILX reporting marks belong to subsidiary Rock Island Leasing. The main Rock Island railroad shops were at Silvis, Illinois, east of Rock Island. With the pace of construction it appeared the C&RI would soon establish itself as one of the Midwest's premier systems. The CK&N carried out some of the fastest construction ever witnessed. This was never made clearer than during the 1970's when states like Iowa offered assistance to rebuild crumbling branch lines for continued rail service. There were negotiations with Arkansas and Oklahoma to purchase 866 miles of the corridor to be operated as the Arkansas-Oklahoma Railroad. Unfortunately, his tenure was short-lived when he left for the Missouri Pacific. I recently had the opportunity to visit my friend Mike who models the Rock Island Railroad in the 1960’s. A highly recommended database! Author's work. With the approval of incorporation papers filed in 2017, Riley became the owner and president of the revived Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad. In addition, E6A #630, continued working the commuter pool throughout the 1970s, a locomotive which had been outshopped in October of 1941! Rock Island Railroad Museum in Chillicothe IL is a very historic site. Rock Island BL2 #429 works suburban service at Chicago's Englewood Union Station on the morning of April 21, 1965. Rock Island U-boats (U25B's) hustle trailers eastbound through Marseilles, Illinois on January 28, 1967. Trains rolled into their terminals and stopped. It carried problems tracing back to its earliest years and served cities its competitors already reached. Construction commenced in August of 1852 and rapidly progressed westward from Chicago. One of Rock Island's "Aerotrain" sets works suburban service on the Beverly Branch in Chicago on December 31, 1964. Judge Frank McGarr, who headed the bankruptcy proceedings, had no experience with railroads. It began to grow by acquiring the Hoover Corporation in 1985 before being purchased itself by the Maytag Corporation in 1988. Rock Island 4310 leads a Mississippi Delta Railroad freight train at Webb, Mississippi. No single person was at fault for the Rock Island's liquidation; everyone in a leadership position in the last days tried their best to right the ship. In 1883 a change in leadership occurred when Ransom Cable took the reigns; under his direction the Rock Island grew far beyond its regional status. A popular pastime for many is studying and/or exploring abandoned rights-of-way. With expansion throughout Iowa occurring at a rapid pace the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad and its many subsidiaries were merged into a new company known as the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway. Construction had only just begun when permission was granted to extend beyond Wichita to the Gulf Coast at Galveston, via East Texas and Indian Territory (Oklahoma). From discussions on the IO Group website, I hope that there may be several ongoing research or data compilation projects which might benefit from some of the information in these entries. In 1964, a merger was agreed upon with Union Pacific to assure the Rock's survival. As the M&M languished its competitors, notably the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy and Chicago & North Western, eyed their own extension to Council Bluffs while expanding in other directions far beyond the Windy City. See more ideas about rock island, rock island railroad, islands in the pacific. It formed the Iowa Energy Policy Council in 1973, whose duties included (among other things) saving branch lines for continued rail service. Doug Kroll photo. Prior to significant financial problems that developed after World War II the Rock Island offered fabulous passenger services in a striking livery. The road spent the "Roarin' 20's" enjoying the decade's strong traffic and carried out some infrastructure improvements but its perennial infrastructure issues (light rail, poor ballasting, insufficient bridges, and circuitous routes) were not resolved when the stock market crashed in the fall of 1929. Roger Puta photo. If the UP-Rock merger was approved the C&NW would stand to lose considerable interchange business through the Omaha gateway so its opposition was justified. Farrington not only upgraded the property but was also a streamliner proponent. Here, a welding crew provides attention to the 16th Street diamonds in Chicago while a sad E7A works suburban service in June of 1978. The Rock Island Corridor is a 144.3 mile section of the former Chicago, Rock Island, and Pacific Railroad that runs from Windsor, Mo., to Beaufort, Mo. The information includes original numbers, serials, and order numbers. Warren Calloway collection. It came to operate a network of 2,075 miles, nearly double that of Chicago & North Western (1,053 miles). Lemar Kemp photo. It tried to apply for governmental assistance, notably through the Reconstruction Finance Corporation (RFC), but with Washington busy with the Penn Central mess the Rock's situation was largely ignored (as was that of the Milwaukee Road, which entered bankruptcy in 1977). His layout is extremely well designed, prototypical, and meticulously executed. 19700405 03 Rock Island RR, Silvis, IL. It curved eastward from Tucumcari, headed to Amarillo and cut across Oklahoma and Arkansas before terminating at Memphis, Tennessee. Farrington was a no-nonsense manager, always on the hunt for ways of increasing efficiency and cutting waste. Richard Overton points out in his authoritative book, "Burlington Route: A History Of The Burlington Lines," predecessors of the Kansas City, St. Joseph & Council Bluffs (1870) provided the Burlington its initial link to Council Bluffs, opening on November 25, 1869. Under his direction the railroad set about a system-wide infrastructure improvement program by replacing ties, pouring tons of new ballast… By the date of this photo the AB6's had been relegated to hauling commuters. Chicago Rock Island & Pacific Railroad LLC. The Rock Island's final decade of operation could best be summed up as grim, both physically and internally. Unfortunately, the 1950's were a tough decade for the entire industry which dealt with declining traffic brought about through increased competition (highways and airlines) and a 1958 national recession. An Electro-Motive company photo of freshly outshopped Rock Island E8A #652 circa 1952. Perhaps more than any other state, Iowa was most proactive in saving the Rock's operations within its borders. The Rock's growth in the latter 19th century was started under John Tracy and continued through Hugh Riddle. To make matters worse it was not heavily diversified in other areas such as coal, manufacturing, or petrochemicals and did not enjoy the C&NW's healthy interchange business through the Council Bluffs/Omaha gateway. After a career with Union Pacific and Canadian National, Robert J. Riley dreamed of owning a railroad of his own and began with a series of contract switching operations. Roger Puta photo. pulled the road's first train between Chicago and Joliet on October 10, 1852. Rob Kitchen photo. Classic American Railroads: Maps, Photos, And Histories Of 117 "Fallen Flags", "Golden State" (Train): Schedule, Consist, Timetable, Photos, "Rocky Mountain Rocket" (Train): Schedule, Consist, Timetable, Photos, A History Of Railroads Through The Decades: Facts, Statistics, Photos, And More, Steam Locomotives: Wheel Arrangements, Types, History, Photos, Diesel Locomotives: Production Rosters, Models, Photos, Streamliners: Consists, Schedules, History, Photos, Chicago Great Western: History, Map, Photos, Chicago & North Western: History, Map Photos, Minneapolis & St. Louis: History, Map Photos. I just cant seem to get a steady flow of lumber to Rock Island. NONE of what I'm doing here would be possible without the assistance of Paul Hunnell who has shared slides but more so his wealth of information on the Rock Island railroad The book "Rock Island Diesel Locomotives" by Lou Marre is the bible for Rock Island enthusiasts and … As part of the takeover plan UP had agreed to spend $200 million on such improvements but only after the marriage was finalized. Author's collection. Despite the traffic potential a connection there offered the M&M advanced little in the succeeding years and was further delayed by the Civil War. In 1891 Rock Island boasted a network of nearly 4,000 miles and had blossomed into a major Midwestern system. Would have been profitable liquidated in 1980 would soon establish itself as one the. He proposed his own takeover of the industry trade Magazine `` modern ''... 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