Rock Island E8A #652, wearing its Bicentennial livery, lays over at the 47th Street shops in Chicago, circa 1977. . My curiosity will not be satisfied until I see a complete story of what happened to all the Rock Island assets. Combined research by the authors has produced the most comprehensive review of Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific's steam locomotive century. See also DeGolyer, Volume 21, p. 81. From the new "Remember the Rock" magazine (Vol 1, no 1, page 9): Found some more info ("Rock Island in Color, 1948-1964" by Stagner). This singular issue also caused the drawn out fight over UP's planned merger with Rock Island nearly a century later. Further growth slowed for about a decade until new leadership through the Reid-Moore Syndicate in 1901 reignited the process. Also, thanks to Chris for his 1 February 2022 email noting this batch's original tender weight and capacities.) Works numbers were 20422, 20439, 20475-20476, 20490, 20508 in May 1902; 20809-20810, 20823-20824, 20874-20875 in August; 20887 in September; 21212-21213, 21292, 21295-21296, 21309-21310 in November; 21414, 21418 in December; 21473-21474, 21492, 21549 in January 1903. During a power shortage in the early '70s it also picked up elderly F9's from Union Pacific while even first-generation Alco road units, re-engined with Electro-Motive model 567 prime movers, continued to see service throughout that decade. Many were pulled up in the 1970's and 1980's although others were removed long before that. The locomotives four-wheel trailing truck supported the weight of an immense firebox, needed to burn large quantities of coal. Date not recorded. reduction in tractive effort, which was made up for in greater sustained Some of the Rock's GP-38-2's went to MoPac, and then ended up on the UP also! Lake Superior Railroad Museum; List of Extinct Steam Locomotives; Doncaster Works Cs1; LB&SCR E2 class; Nickel Plate Road No. engine, windows and controls at one end, baggage cmpartment and steam generator. were received from ALCO. This locomotive spent the majority of it's working life pulling passenger trains on the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad. Ad. unit after a wreck and traded it in to EMD. burning locomotives had 28 x28 cylinders, 69" drivers, a boiler pressure of 1978 Railway & Locomotive Historical Society (R&LHS) axles and light weight running gear. These last twenty were built by ALCO and were Yes as stated in earlier posts, some of the U28B's and a bunch of GP40's, along with some C-415 switchers went to UP who had financed them. It was a somber conclusion to a beleaguered road that had fought hard until the end. Works numbers were 15597 in November 1897, 16069 in July 1898, 16108-16109 in August; 16223 in September, 16402-16403 in December, and 17084-17986 in September 1899. It came to operate a network of 2,075 miles, nearly double that of Chicago & North Western (1,053 miles). actually i chose '52 because i have a dozen 40 foot boxcars painted in the 1852-1952 anniversiry logo.i'm also trying to find info on troop trains and military shipments during the korean war to add some some operational interest on a future layout. American-Rails.com collection. The Rock Island's final years were sad to witness as the road attempted in vain to produce a profitable railroad beneath decaying infrastructure and a mountain of debt. [4] The locomotive was then relocated to the Detweiller Golf Course parking lot, opposite Detweiller Park. Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad: 9 (+11 from T&P) K-55. Rebuild not completed. The train carried a very similar appearance to the famous "Aerotrain" and was originally used on the Chicago-Peoria run. Said to be the last two-foot gauge steam engine built for service in the United States, this 2-4-4T locomotive was built by Baldwin in 1924 for the Bridgton & Saco River (later Bridgton & Harrison) two-foot gauge railroad in Maine. 5 was a second hand 0-4-0 tank engine built by the Chicago Rock Island & Pacific Chicago shops in the mid 1880s. 86-88; and "Pacific and Mountain Type Locomotives, CRI&P Ry. Learn more about these events here. A popular pastime for many is studying and/or exploring abandoned rights-of-way. Survivors. Get Updates . Rosters . Even before their delivery, New York Central had already decided that its locomotive of the future would be the diesel-electric. 4449, operates today. My dad always has, and always will be a Rock fan and for as long as I can remember he's been a member of the rock Island Technical society. It almost certainly predated the song although the future ballad would earn the company widespread publicity. The move essentially put them out of work when McGarr ordered liquidation on January 25, 1980. = Cooke Locomotive Works: Many rosters include data on predecessor lines, as well. Edson Publications. The cars were slightly different than those utilized on the "Aerotrain." Today, it is an extremely successful Class II, regional. In 1936, Lima delivered the first of an eventual 50 streamlined 4-8-4s to the Southern Pacific (classified GS for Golden State, later General Service) to serve as power for the railroads Daylight passenger trains. 186 and DeGolyer, Volume 29, pp. In his book, "Classic American Railroads," historian Mike Schafer notes when the initial segment was completed the 4-4-0 Rocket, amid much celebration,pulled the road's first train between Chicago and Joliet on October 10, 1852. 1347To TWRY 1347 WKRL 1347 raised to 220 psi, but with the reduced cylinder diameter there was a A great article on my favorite steam locomotive, the beautiful 4-8-4 northern but my all time favorite type o the 4-8-4 is the g class southern Pacific 4449. Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific 886 (previously known as Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific 887[1]) is a 4-6-2 Pacific type steam locomotive built in 1910 by the American Locomotive Company for the Rock Island Railroad. ", The Railway and engineering review, Volume 54, No. Based on the P-31 4-6-2s delivered the year before, the new P-33 class had larger diameter fire tubes and was . locomotives, designated as Class M50a, were given roller bearings on all Works numbers were 62142-62151 in November 1920, 64180-64189 in April 1923, 64637-64646 in August 1923, and 65773-65782 in July 1924. I do not believe any survive as I believe they were all scrapped by Guilford. 25 Oct 2004. Author's collection. I wasn't even two years old when the poor Rock was liquidated; this is a RR I've (sadly) never known. Adhs. Though liners were later installed to reduce the cylinder diameters, many of these small Pacifics wound up in commuter service rather than mainline passenger assignments. In 1937, Union Pacific debuted twenty new 4-8-4s from Alco, intended for long-distance, high-speed passenger service. oil burners weighed 366,000 pounds. 729, #743 & 745 to BRLX 743 & PPGX 69 (99) > #743 to CHV 743 > BS 743 (243) > South Hopkins Coal 243, Requisitioned for U.S. Army, rebuilt as USA RSD-1's 8007, 8004 > #8004 to ARR 1041 > USAX 8004 > DOT 8025 > US FRA 1, Requisitioned for U.S. Army, rebuilt as USA RSD-1's 8005, 8006 > ARR 1031 & 1042 > #8006 to USAX 8006 > TVA 48. 4028 & 4031) were sold to the St. Louis Southwestern Railroad in 1941. Wheels O' Time locomotive 101 Things", "Rock Island 4-6-2 "Pacific" Type Locomotives", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rock_Island_886&oldid=1151924870, Individual locomotives of the United States, Standard gauge locomotives of the United States, Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 27 April 2023, at 02:31. They were designated as Class K-60. The Rock never "ran down into New Orleans" as Mr. Cash sang and struggled after the company's greatest leader, John D. Farrington, retired. Schenectady supplied works numbers 66921-66925 (4042-4046) in June 1926, Brooks delivered 67264-67273 in April 1927, and Schenectady finished off the class with 68032-68033 in September 1929, and 68034-68036 in October. Builder Model Type Road Number Notes Quantity; Baldwin-Westinghouse . The Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad received two "Mountains" (road American-Rails.com Rock Island FA-1's, with #129 closest to the photographer, layover in Denver, Colorado, circa 1965. The modernization continued through the 1950's as steam was retired by 1954 and modern classification yards were built, most notably at Silvis, Illinois. 938 is a class P-33 4-6-2 steam locomotive built in 1910 by Alco, as part of the Rock Island's first order for superheated Pacifics. Texas Rocket: Originally served Fort Worth and Houston, although later connected Kansas City and Dallas. 74" drivers, a boiler pressure of 200 psi, a tractive effort of 50,430 lbs The receivers brought him in to fix the problems and return the railroad to profitability. It was reorganized on June 24, 1917 as the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad with the original system still intact. It is unlikely that the museum will restore her because she's too expensive and a super heated locomotive would be too high maintenance. It is an excellent resource with thousands of historic maps on file throughout the country. Michael Stephen. Get the story of a great American institution with rare video footage. 5 (May 1908), p. 206 See also RI to 1951 Combined Locomotive Diagrams supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive Rail Data Exchange. Thomas the Tank Engine will make an appearance at the Illinois Railway Museum in Union. Hope for prosperity returned, however, when new leadership under John Tracy sought the Rock's completion. As part of a planned merger between Union Pacific Railroad and Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad (CRI&P, or simply "Rock Island"), in 1966 Union Pacific purchased a total of 65 locomotives (and an additional 20 more in 1970), along with thousands of cars and 150 cabooses. The UP painted a couple of the U28B's but stored them fast. Seven of the CRI&P's "Mountains" (road numbers 4006, 4007, 4015, 4022, 4023, The locomotive's original number is 887. An official, 1966 system map of the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad. Interestingly, these engines were not designed solely with the idea of supporting faster passenger train schedules. Anyway you can look into it, Driving through the many high trestle bridges of Council Bluffs through the roaming plains of central . Drivers: Pressure: . These rebuilds were done in the Silvis Shops between 1940 and See also DeGolyer, Volume 15, p. 170. [1] Instead, Rock Island offered to donate 887, which was repainted and given "886" number boards. The 925 was sold to Rock Island in August 1969. Look at the thread, up 15 down or so, titled "The Rocks SD40-2's". It is somewhat surprising that the Rock did not continue beyond New Mexico and establish its own transcontinental route given the company's strong financing at the time and the syndicate's desire to do so. 1942. With few options left the Rock Island entered bankruptcy and was liquidated in 1980. Display. This unit was a new underframe rebuild as UP 925 at EMD (repair order #8012). The incredibly complex and expensive boondoggle failed, and along with it the railroad, which entered receivership in 1915. In 1998 a gentleman by the name ofAndre Kristopans put together a web page highlighting virtually every unit out-shopped by General Motors' Electro-Motive Division. Scrapped 1942-1945 and scrapped 1947-1951 With its financial condition in tatters borrowing was impossible. 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. And I'm curious about it, so I have three little questions. AbeBooks.com: Rock Island Steam Power: Combined research by the authors has produced the most comprehensive review of Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific's steam locomotive century. and weighed 372,850 pounds. American Locomotive Company. The NP burned low-grade coal from lineside mines that had only two-thirds the heat content of the bituminous coal used by other railroads. We have a person who was born and raised in Rock Island now living here in Arizona and a member of our local HO scale club. As the book "Iowa Railroads" (the essays of Frank Donovan, Jr., edited by H. Roger Grant) points out, the M&M also planned branches to Muscatine and the Minnesota border via Cedar Rapids; the former opened on November 20, 1855 but the latter was not reached until some years later. In Tennessee there is typically one location hosting Thomas the Tank Engine, the Tennessee Valley Railroad in Chattanooga. 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. Railroad workers pose on the cow catcher of a Rock Island Line locomotive. One restored example, GS-4 No. These Class M50 coal burning locomotives had 28 x 28 cylinders, Here you can find a complete schedule regarding where Thomas The Train/Day Out With Thomas train rides will be operating for the 2022 season. [1] In the 1950s, the city of Peoria, Illinois, asked Rock Island Railroad to donate the original 886 engine for display, as it was the last steam locomotive to operate out of Peoria; however, it had already been scrapped. 1k followers . the us army had a major arsenal at rock island illnois.i've only got a 4x8 "branchline" for now. 1348To IMCX 36 The railroad greatly needed to rebuild its failing infrastructure (which then totaled just over 7,300 route miles) but there was simply no money to do so. In addition, E6A #630, continued working the commuter pool throughout the 1970s, a locomotive which had been outshopped in October of 1941! The USRA Light Mikado was a USRA standard class of steam locomotive designed under the control of the United States Railroad Administration, . And here in lies the story of the Rock and probably why it was liquidated. The wheel arrangement was copied overseas and became the premier locomotive in South Africa and New Zealand. In short, there were no poor 4-8-4s built! 758 > American Smelting & Refining 1, #811 & 812 to Standard Steel 6716 & CSYX 1, #825, 829 & 830 to RLCX 903, TBER 101 & Atlas Powder 4836 > TBER to CKRY 101, Ex-RI 801(2nd) & 802(2nd) < nee Wichita Falls & Southern 801, 802; #801 sold to Coors Brewing 991, Ex-RI 505, 517, 504, 519, 527, 521, 509 & 528; locos #904 & 907 to LC 92 & SL 14, #920, 921 & 924 to RLCX 132-134 > #132-133 to Timken Roller Bearing 202-201, #926 & 927 to OLB 47 & IRC 10 > #10 to WATX 3 > TIR 3 > WAMX 1201 (2284) > TXI Chapararal Steel 2284, #929-30 & 35-36 to RLEX 137, 120130 & 131; # 932 to IANR 932 then to RLEX 129, To MKCX 943, 945 > KCCX 714 (912), 715 > HLCX 1515, 1516, To MKCX 948, 949 > KCCX 716, 717 (914) > HLCX 1517, 1518, To NACCR 9 and CV 3614 > MRR 100 & GC 3614 > CALA 100 (959) & RLGN 1808, #1336-1339 sold to Oglebay Norton 485, FWC 1337, TWRY 1338 & CRL 14 > TWRY later sold to WRKL 1338, #1341-1342 sold to NEGS 503 & TWRY 1338 > NEGS later sold to NHN 503, -#1345-1349 & 1353 sold to CV 3602(2nd), CRL 15, TWRY 1347, IMCX 36, CCT 1795 & FWC 1353 > CV 3602, TWRY & CCT later sold to GC 3602, WKRL 1347 & BUGX 1795. Get updates and special offers via email from Trains.com brands! 1346To CRL 15 #9002, 9003 and 9004 often assigned to the"Choctaw Rocket (#23/#)24, Note 2: Dispositions of GP40-2s #3000-3006, #340/UP 600:2 > MP 600:2 > NREX 600 > NCRC 4202, #343/UP 603:2 > MP 603:2 > UP 603:2 > IWRR 301 > HLCX 301/4003 >TFM 1157 > QCRR 3800, #351/UP 611:2 > MP 611:2 > NRES 611 > FEPASA 2354 (Chile) SD39-2M, #364/UP 622:2 > MP 622:4 > NREX 622 > DME 4004, #3000 > GOT 726 > EMDX 201 > LLPX 3204 > WPRR 3304, #3001 > GOT 723 > EMDX 206 > LLPX > 4401-3211 > WPRR 3306, #3002 > GOT 721 > EMDX 205 > LLPX > 3208 > WPRR 3305, #3004 > GOT 725 > EMDX 200 > LLPX > 3203 > WPRR 3303, #3005 > GOT 720 > EMDX 202 > LLPC > 3205 > WPRR 3307, 1211-1215 To RI 4437, 4428, 4446, 4500, 4460, 1216-1220To RI 4523, 4453, 4502, 4447, 4444, 1221-1225To RI 4445, 4462, 4505, 4535, 4427, 1231-1235 To RI 4522, 4461, 4435, 4428, 4513, 1256-1260To RI 4422, 4439, 4511, 4542, 4508, 1261-1266To RI 4464, 4509, 4501, 4519, 4533, 4506, 1271-1275To RI 4507(2nd), 4518, 4546, 4517, 4424, 1276-1280To RI 4516, 4549, 4539, 4548, 4503, 1281-1285To RI 4536, 4545, 4525, 4543, 4527, 1286-1290To RI 4529, 4510, 4456, 4466, 4450, 1291-1295To RI 4454(2nd), 4451, 4555, 4468, 4463, 4444To CNW 4119 > FRVR 4119 > WC 4119 > MRIX 4119, 4464To PNCX 4139 > CNW 4139 S> CS 4139 > RRC 4139, 4467 To CNW 4142 > Dakota Plains Ag Center 2000, 4483:1To RI 4471 > CNW 4146 > FRVR 4146 > WC 4146, 4488:1To RI 4474 > PNCX 4207:2 > CNW 4149 NRI 49, 4493:1To RI 4476 CNW 4151 FRVR 4151 WC 4151, 4505 To CNW 4159 > FRVR 4159 > WC 4159 > SOO 559 > MNTX 559, Don Strack's UP Diesel Roster, 1934-2009, Part 18 (utahrails.net). 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. Altonfan-especially good to post that since it's Memorial Day weekend. Built as SP 5377, to SP 3855, to SP 4331; to OmniTrax, to California Northern 203, returned to OmniTrax Leasing (OMLX) as 203, leased to Kiewit Mining Group (KMGX) in April 1998. . delivered in 1920 except that the coal burners weighed 367,850 lbs and the 148 and RI 1 - 1942 Locomotive Diagrams supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley. ALCO in 1920. Data from DeGolyer, Volume 24, p. 249. Members enjoy 15% off any purchase in our store. The cylinder bore was reduced from 28" numbers 998 and 999) from the American Locomotive Company in 1913, and became 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 thePeoria RocketandQuad Cities Rocketuntil service was finally suspended on December 31, 1978. 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. Classic Railroad Scenes: Railroads at Work. Agriculture was always the Rock's lifeblood and the two carried a symbiotic relationship. Electric Locomotive. As Mr. Donovan's book notes, no railroad dominated the Hawkeye State like the Rock. the third railroad to take delivery of this wheel arrangement. . Rock Island GP7R #4422, GP7 #1257, and another GP7R lead a mixed freight through the interlocking at Tower 55 in Fort Worth, Texas, circa 1979. Works numbers were 19360-19361 in August 1901 and 19510-19511 in September. Unfortunately, by then the Rock's property was in pathetic condition and UP was no longer interested. Data from RI 1 - 1942 Locomotive Class & Diagrams supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive Rail Data Exchange. Boiler Press. 190; Hesston Steam . The individual who had made the proposal was Henry Farnam, already well-known for his work on the Michigan Southern Railroad building towards Chicago. All material Copyright SteamLocomotive.com. Wt. I checked the Rock Island Technical Society's website www.rits.org but they don't have a steam roster (most modelers of roads that lasted into 1970 don't remember their roads even HAD steam engines!). Norfolk & Westerns Roanoke Shops created the first of fourteen magnificent streamlined 4-8-4s in 1941, designed for mountain passenger service. Rock Island U25Bs #235 and #237 lead a westbound on the Kansas City Terminal as the train rolls past the Sheffield Interlocking Tower, circa 1967. In a dire financial situation it threatened to immediately discontinue these, which were costing the Rock nearly $2 million annually, if the state did not either take over the service or provide a subsidy. It is issued twice yearly in an 8 by 10-inch perfect-bound paperback edition and is included in R&LHS; membership. American-Rails.com collection. The Rock Island No. The CRI&P would send its entire fleet of sixteen "A" units (145-160) to EMD in the mid-1950s whereupon they were upgraded with 567C's and renumbered. Copyright 2007-2023 American-Rails.com. However, Don Strack rescued the data and transferred it over to his, If you are researching anything EMD related please visit, If you are researching active or abandoned corridors you might want to check out the, "Day Out With Thomas" Train Rides In Texas (2023), "Day Out With Thomas" Train Rides: A Complete Guide (2023), "Day Out With Thomas" Train Rides In Illinois (2023), "Day Out With Thomas" Train Rides In Tennessee (2023), "Day Out With Thomas" Train Rides In Michigan. For all types of locomotives owned by the Rock Island Locomotives. American-Rais.com collection. With new sources of financing secured and business booming the project commenced quickly. In its final days it was still running dilapidated covered wagons dating back to just after World War II. Data from "Rock Island Consolidation (2-8-0) locomotive" Railroad Gazette, Volume XXXV [35], No 16 (16 April 1903), pp. Rock Island FA-1 #158 and another unit lead Extra 158 on the Illinois Division, circa 1953. 4 Jan 2004. South of Little Rock, Arkansas the syndicate tried to establish a through route to New Orleans but only made it as far as Eunice, Louisiana where it had to settle upon an interchange with Missouri Pacific. 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. Alas, there was much opposition to this union and as the Interstate Commerce Commission dragged its feet the railroad physically collapsed. . One Rock Island Southern locomotive was redirected to the Alabama, Tennessee & Northern (see Locobase 13330). They've always got pretty good stuff in their magazine so you can check those out. Mike Bledsoe photo. Forty-five were eventually built, and one, No. Works number was 20422 in May 1902. A Locobase macro caused the error .) 614, was the last steam locomotive built by a commercial U.S. locomotive builder, completed by Lima in 1948. With only 45 square feet of grate area and no stoker, the locomotive's steaming capacity could not keep up with the large 25" diameter cylinders. 2300-2308, 2309-2319. Designated Class J, they ran until the end of steam on the N&W, and one, No. The 800s and 900s - MLWs & Alcos. After retirement, 938 was donated for display on the grounds of Enid State School, a centre for handicapped children in Oklahoma, in 1954, where it stayed for many years. The Great Depression stifled locomotive development. 3's purchased used from the Rock Island Ry. Illinois finally relented by at first providing a stipend but eventually took over the services entirely. There was a natural relationship between the dimensions of the grate area, heating surfaces and cylinder size, contributing to the engines balanced design. On May 24th, 2014,the locomotive was put in the Steam Department Shops for Cosmetic Restoration. Despite the significance of this event the Rock was not the first to arrive. Ex-Baldwin demos 1200, 1201 > #1200 to Southwest Forest Indus. (Thanks to Chris Hohl for his correct ID of the valve gear and for his 22 September 2017 email reporting unlikely boiler pressure values for 177 entries. A good number of the GP-40's got yellow paint and served the UP for years. See also DeGolyer, Volume 29, p. 200. 1518, is alive and well at the Illinois Railway Museum in Union, Ill. all-time steam locomotive rosters for each particular company.

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