Welcome to colorado railroads, a site for the fans of past and present railroads serving the centennial state in the usa. For a time, one of the ris presidents tracy, i think was also at the same time, an officer on the cnw. Excrip 1875 rock island rocket big ben gets pulled out of the shop with over a decade of grime and dust clinging to the original stainless steel car body. After a nice bath she shines as the sun sets ending a long day of work on at the american passenger train history museum in charles city, ia. Henry crown was a major investor who bought rock island bonds from fearful investors at pennies on the dollar betting on the bankruptcy judge mcgarr ruling to. Now unemployed rock island railroaders faced an uncertain future. Chicago, rock island and pacific railroad wikipedia. The members of rock island preservation society welcome you to our new website.
Show off your favorite photos and videos to the world, securely and privately show content to your friends and family, or blog the photos and videos you take with a cameraphone. As a longtime rock island fan, and a frequent vacationer to colorado ive driven alongside the nowgone former rock island line that ran from limon, colorado to colorado springs. The vanishing rock island colorado springs civic leaders. Show off your favorite photos and videos to the world, securely and privately show content to your friends and family, or blog. Famed as the home of warrior and leader black hawk, it is also the site of the first railroad bridge across the mississippi as well as the home of the historic rock island lines railroad a mighty good road. Rock island suburban train classic trains magazine. Burlingtonrock island railroad the handbook of texas. Chicago, rock island, and pacific railroad company american.
A flag falls, by this day the rock was shutdown and a sad day in railroad history. The old rock island track that runs between peoria and bureau, il, is used by iowa interstate railroad. The rock island railroad was brought down by three people, judge frank j. While the rock is famous for its rocket locomotives, the popular folk song and its role in the development of the midwest, its commuter service in chicago is also notable for the part it played. At the end of 1970, it operated 7,183 miles of road on 10,669 miles of. Rock islands economy prospered after 1856 when the chicago and rock island railroad built the first railroad bridge across the mississippi. The document was created as a result of a colorado state historical fund grant awarded to colorado state parks for the purpose of preparing a historic context that would assist in evaluation and planning efforts related to railroad abandonments and potential railstotrails conversions. The prr crossed the rock island here on this date, conrail tracks, and the nyc left the rock island and passed behind the depot. With expansion it also reached minneapolis, memphis and galveston, an 8,000 mile system operating in 14 states. Chicago, rock island and pacific railway records kansas. Rock island railroad 9596 at blue island, illinois on july 12, 1982, kodachrome by chuck zeiler. Both companies had entered receivership in 1933 and were merged to form the reorganized chicago, rock island and pacific railroad company on january 1, 1948. By ryan roenfeld the chicago, rock island, and pacific railroad was built into council bluffs in may 1869 and its first depot located near west broadway and pearl street.
By january 1904 the company had completed a line from cleburne to mexia, but the original backers were unable to secure financing to complete their project. In june 2005, the denver rock island railroad filed with the surface transportation board a verified notice of exemption under 49 cfr 1150. What became the burlingtonrock island was chartered on october 9, 1902, as the trinity and brazos valley railway company. Friends of the rock island railroad public group facebook. By high school, he began researching the rock island, recording what would be the first of many interviews over the years with former employees to document their stories and learn. The following is from the book, rock island color guide to freight and passenger equipment, by messrs. Chicago, rock island, and pacific railroad company, byname rock island railroad, or the rock, u. The chicago, rock island and pacific railroad was a class i railroad in the united states.
A journal of the central plains 27 winter 20042005. I just reffer to it as rock island blue, but can you tell me. It was also known as the rock island line, or, in its final years, the rock at the end of 1970, it operated 7,183 miles of road on 10,669 miles of track. We hope you will find it both interesting and useful. A lot of fallen flags books hit the coffee table looking back with airbrushed nostalgia, and theres plenty to work with in the history. In 1948, the future looked quite bright for the rock island, the road of planned progress, as john dow farrington called his railroad. The oftenpainful story is presented in detail, and the 56 pages of notes and sevenpage bibliography will assist those. The popular rock island railroad stretched from chicago to arkansas, colorado, iowa, kansas, louisiana, minnesota, missouri, nebraska, new mexico, oklahoma, tennessee and texas with passenger and freight service, and included the peoria rocket, des moines rocket, quad city rocket, texas rocket, kansas city rocket, twin star rocket, zephyrrocket, rocky. The chicago, rock island and gulf was leased to its parent, the chicago, rock island and pacific railway company, on september 1, 1939.
Some of the rock island s problems go way back to the late 1800s when the railroad was expanding. The rock island technical society hosts a history of the rock island here. From chicago it reached west to denver and new mexico. Flickr is almost certainly the best online photo management and sharing application in the world. Nov 02, 20 a lot of fallen flags books hit the coffee table looking back with airbrushed nostalgia, and theres plenty to work with in the history of the rock island. The railroad serves its customers and interchanges rail cars from both the union pacific and burlington northern railroads 6 days per week. Welcome the denver rock island railroad is a short line railroad founded in 1993 and is privately owned and operated.
Denver s railroads is a website dedicated to the that connected directly or indirectly with other railroads at denver. Rock island railroad depot museum 910 bacon road, fairbury, nebraska 68352 rated 4. The chicago, rock island and pacific ralway company was founded in 1847 as the rock island and lasalle rail road company. What became the burlington rock island was chartered on october 9, 1902, as the trinity and brazos valley railway company. Rock islands celebrated rocket passenger trains also set a standard for speed. 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 railroads biddle shops in little rock, arkansas wrote rock island line in 1929. Its a collection of mostly historic photos from locations around the state. Peoria and rock island railroad news newspapers books scholar jstor july 2017 learn how and when to remove this template message. Now, more than 160 years later, the rock island railroad is gone, but that original route retains the rock island name, as metra s rock island line. The fabled chicago, rock island and pacific railroad was a legend in its own time. The line was known as the rock island s saint louis subdivision. By 1866 its lines extended from chicago to council bluffs, iowa management in the late 19th century was extremely conservative, but new interests took. A lifelong newspaper writer, he is the author of four railroad books, numerous magazine articles and is working on a book length narrative of the 19 1914 colorado coal war.
Bill marvel, who grew up a few miles from the rock island \u2019s western terminus in denver, rode and photographed all over the rock island system before its 1980 demise. Hibblen, author of rock island railroad in arkansas, was struck by the 1980 shutdown of his favorite railroad, even though he was only eight years old. Train service to joliet was begun by the chicago and rock island railroad in 1852. Search the history of over 424 billion web pages on the internet. Classic trains magazine celebrates the golden years of railroading including the north american railroad scene from the late 1920s to the late 1970s. In july 1873 frank and jesse james and the younger brothers robbed the rock island line near adair, iowa. The rock island railroad shops at horton kansas, 18871946 2003, takes a nonacademic, photooriented approach to the subject. View of rock island from derby line s767 rock island from parker studio j. On march 31, 1980, the rock island expired as a railroad company. A few different versions sprang up in the succeeding years, the most famous. It is intended to be a onestop source of reference material on these railroads, with an emphasis on the 1950s and 1960s period.
Giant steam locomotives, colorful streamliners, great passenger trains, passenger terminals, timeworn railroad cabooses, recollections of railroaders and trainwatchers. Chicago, rock island, and pacific railroad company, u. The stock yard lead consists of track extending from a point of. Aug 09, 20 welcome to colorado railroads, a site for the fans of past and present railroads serving the centennial state in the usa. Railroads played a significant role in the overall development of colorado. This line went dormant with the demise of the rock, and had some activity on it when the cadillac and lake city occupi. Rock island history rock island, il official website.
The peoria and rock island railroad was a railroad of 91mile 146 km in length, located in. Schneider recounts the largest railroad liquidation in american historyas well as. The rock islands mainline from amarillo to memphis is now outofservice, possibly track is removed at booneville. Mar 02, 2009 the rock island line was a mighty fine line. Summary shows midwestern states with drainage, cities and towns, township and county boundaries, and the railroad network with emphasis on the main line. See more ideas about rock island railroad, rock island and old trains. No matter what youre looking for or where you are in the world, our global marketplace of sellers can help you find unique and affordable options. The line was known as the rock islands saint louis subdivision. Its editor is a colorado native, whose fascination with trains started at age 5 in durango with the smell of creosote, sweat, steam, and coal smoke, the sight of a headlight and smokestack down the tracks, and the sound of an engine whistle echoing off canyon walls. The branch was built in the 1870s and extended north in the 1880s. The musical ditty aside, there was something special about the chicago, rock island and pacific railroad that set it apart from other rail carriers. Chicago, rock island, and pacific railroad company.
Etsy is the home to thousands of handmade, vintage, and oneofakind products and gifts related to your search. See more ideas about rock island, rock island railroad, train. A rock island rdc visits the passenger depot at booneville, ar, circa 1960. Despite connecting two of the nations largest railroadcentric cities, the rock islands line failed to meet expected revenue, and ultimately was downgraded into secondary status. The rock island offered to open the books to show the precarious financial condition of the road in an effort to get the. Its editor is a colorado native, whose fascination with trains started at age 5 in durango with the smell of creosote, sweat, steam, and coal smoke, the sight of a headlight and smokestack down the tracks, and the sound of an engine whistle. Central pacific railroad schedule, 1869 with timetable, fares, and transcontiental railroad route map, effective monday, october 18, 1869.
It was possible at one point to see both trains of the nyc and prr at this depot, and sometimes they would race each other for several miles eastbound after departing this station, which was torn down in 1982. It was also known as the rock island line, or, in its final years, the rock. Rock island railroad 9596 at the rocket house near 47th street in chicago, illinois on an unknown day in june 1978, ektachrome by chuck zeiler. Celebrated in history and song, the chicago, rock island and pacific. Nov 09, 2010 flickr is almost certainly the best online photo management and sharing application in the world.
Watt author of the pennsylvania railroad in indiana this is a superior book and will appeal to a wide range of readers including business history, transportation historians, rock island fans, rail enthusiasts, and general readers. Rock island s economy prospered after 1856 when the chicago and rock island railroad built the first railroad bridge across the mississippi. For nearly 80 years, the rock island was a major railroad in arkansas providing passenger and freight services. Identifier bliptv2010336black5videoallaboardrockisland896 scanner internet archive python. Built 1947, as rock island jane marie, ppcx 800451. Pieces of the rock trains magazine trains news wire.
Rock island system the handbook of texas online texas. The drir consists of three seperate terminal switching yards. Despite connecting two of the nations largest railroad centric cities, the rock island s line failed to meet expected revenue, and ultimately was downgraded into secondary status. By 1866 its lines extended from chicago to council bluffs, iowa. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that.
Trains magazine offers railroad news, railroad industry insight, commentary on todays freight railroads, passenger service amtrak, locomotive technology, railroad preservation and history, railfan opportunities tourist railroads, fan trips, and great railroad photography. Biddle, the 3rd vicepresident of the rock island, who headed the railroads traffic department. Shop for the perfect rock island railroad gift from our wide selection of designs, or create your own personalized gifts. Identifier bliptv2010336black5videoallaboardrockisland896 scanner internet archive python library 0. Some of the rock islands problems go way back to the late 1800s when the railroad was expanding. As part of arcadia publishings images of rail series, my book rock island railroad in arkansas was released in april 2017. Ri lf series 1 50 in 1956 acf delivered 50 experimental container flat cars. Oct 15, 2010 the popular rock island railroad stretched from chicago to arkansas, colorado, iowa, kansas, louisiana, minnesota, missouri, nebraska, new mexico, oklahoma, tennessee and texas with passenger and freight service, and included the peoria rocket, des moines rocket, quad city rocket, texas rocket, kansas city rocket, twin star rocket, zephyrrocket, rocky mountain rocket, the flagship golden.
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