Rock Island graveyard? (Lotsa pics)

[William Cowie]

There's a story I remember (very vaguely) about the elusive graveyards of elephants. Yesterday I was driving along, minding my own business (yeah, right!) when a preponderance of light blue finally broke in on my consciousness. So I turned around and in a space of a quarter mile or so snapped 8 faded RI boxcars.

http://www.railimages.com/albums/album11/acl.sized.jpg

http://www.railimages.com/albums/album11/aco.jpg

http://www.railimages.com/albums/album11/acm.jpg

http://www.railimages.com/albums/album11/acn.jpg

[ 06. August 2004, 20:12: Message edited by: William Cowie ]

[William Cowie]

More...

http://www.railimages.com/albums/album11/acp.jpg

http://www.railimages.com/albums/album11/acq.jpg

http://www.railimages.com/albums/album11/acr.jpg

Which left me wondering... who uses the KYLE markings? I'm not into RI in any way, but I just felt compelled to capture this unexpected bounty of blue. Is this of interest to anyone?

[CP&E 3207]

KYLE is a leaser company which also owns a handful of locomotives. I'm not sure who actyaly owns it or what the letters stand for.

[Alan]

Good catches William. Makes you want to clean off all that vandalism and rust and restore one to new blue paint and full RI lettering smile.gif

[William Cowie]

Why, Alan, you don't like "character?" ;)

[Martyn Read]

I think KYLE is a shortline that runs the old Rock Island across Colorado?

[Stourbridge Lion]

One can sure see these have been around the block a few times...

graemlins/220.gif graemlins/220.gif graemlins/220.gif graemlins/220.gif graemlins/220.gif

[randgust]

Blue Island yard, July 1980 - not long after the shutdown.

http://gustafson.home.westpa.net/rock1.jpg

SD40's all in a row prior to disposition:
http://gustafson.home.westpa.net/rock2.jpg

I've never seen anything like it, before, or since. All the equipment returned to the home yard for scrapping or sale.

[SLR 393]

The B&M ended up buying a pile of the blue boxcars for Paper service...

[BoxcabE50]

Originally posted by Martyn Read:
I think KYLE is a shortline that runs the old Rock Island across Colorado? Yes. They run (or once did so), Limon, Colorado to Mahaska, Kansas. Plus from near Courtland, KS, down to Salina and a couple branches.

:D

Boxcab E50

[William Cowie]

Seems like KYLE's staging yard is Denver, then! :D

[dingoix]

I'll get my blue spray paint :D :D :D ....

[wig-wag-trains.com]

Kyle was the owners name.

He built up a group of shortline freight roads (11 or 12) and 2 or 3 tourist lines (including operation of the C&TS). When Mr Kyle passed in 1995 the family sold the lines off.

I don't know the current ownership.

[BoxcabE50]

The Kyle RR is presently owned by RailAmerica.

smile.gif

Boxcab E50

[r_i_straw]

This old Rock hopper was picked up by C&NW. It was set out across from the GATX shop in Hearne, Texas. UP must be contracting them to do the repairs to the end ladders and brake rigging there.
http://www.railimages.com/albums/russellstraw/ath.sized.jpg

[Mike Hackbarth]

Anyone know that Kyle RR run right by the center of the U.S.A. at Lebaon, KS. Too bad they don't take advanatge of it.

KYLE RR CENTERED ON YOU

But maybe one day a "new" RR will take it's place. ok ok I'm modelling it in MSTS :rolleyes:

[campp]

I see lots of KYLE boxes here in Phoenix. In fact, I photographed one of those blue ex-rock cars only yesterday. Will post pix as soon as they're ready.

[dingoix]

nice pic of that hopper! I have 2 Athearn RTR hoppers like that. Too new for my era of 1968, but I like them.

I am really starting to miss THE ROCK.

[BoxcabE50]

Used to see some of those hoppers out in Washington. Would see them at the Continental Grain elevators in Tacoma.

:D

Boxcab E50

[omnitrax]

Hi Guy's.
Nice to see those Blue "ROCK" boxcars.
If you get to check out the pics of Covered Hoppers currently operating on the Iowa Interstate Railroad, i think there's still 1 or 2 in "ROCK" Blue. Go to this site for photos.
www.iaisrailfans.org

As for the Graffiti. Why do these (NON Artists), have to deface rolling stock the way they do?
Well that'll do.
Hope to see more Rock Island rolling stock still in use.

Thanks.
Pete H.
Australia