Rock Island Model Parade

Allen H Nov 14, 2012

  1. Allen H

    Allen H TrainBoard Supporter

    1,509
    2,454
    55
    Going through some pictures I ran across these. I added several covered wagons to fleet.

    This one Brian K. did for a customer in Germany, who later listed it on eBay and I got lucky.
    [​IMG]


    Later I contacted Doug Midkiff and asked him if he could paint up a couple of E and F units for me after I had the body work done.
    Doug did a very impressive job on these units for me.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    While Doug had his gun dirty with red paint, I had him paint this one but I did the decals, still needed to paint the handrails when I shot this pic.

    [​IMG]

    After I got them chipped and speed matched I shot a quick video of them.

     
  2. Run8Racing

    Run8Racing TrainBoard Member

    1,018
    609
    29
    I probably rode behind some of those on the Joliet-Chicago commuter trains !!! I know you're "a bit" West of where I am and you've seen RI stuff that I never knew of (NEVER saw SD40-2s here !!!). But, I remember DL-109s (Christine), AB-6s, the Aerotrain toward the end, the bicentennial "Independence", the last of "The Rockets", cattle trains that seemed to take hours to go by, etc. Living in Joliet and/or New Lenox, IL, I saw this stuff almost daily !!! I'm still less than a mile away from the main line and see or hear METRA, CSX, and Iowa Interstate "invading" the route. In my strange world, the blue/white never existed. HATED it !!! Loved the red/yellow, but maroon was the BEST !!!
     
  3. Allen H

    Allen H TrainBoard Supporter

    1,509
    2,454
    55
    HA! I like anything that wore the Rock Island logos.
    I really don't have a favorite scheme.
    I graduated the year they went under, and never recall seeing a lot of their stuff.
    But I do have some vivid memories from my younger youth.
    I was taking early swimming lessons and I remember the pool begin to rumble. I looked up to see a freight rolling past that had three units.
    Two GP7/9 or18's, one in Maroon and Yellow with no lettering, the other in the same colors but with stacked lettering and the third unit was a pin stripped F.
    Years later I was fishing off one of the piers under the curved bridge in Fairbury, NE with my grandfather as a Blue and White GP7 or 9 was switching out cars in the yard.
    I also remember getting caught on my bike by a slow moving freight and seeing the line of boxcars rocking back and forth and they made their way slowly past me and waving at the guy in the Red and Yellow bay window caboose.

    I bought my house in 90 and I'm about three blocks from the pool and that crossing.
     
  4. Lowell Johnson

    Lowell Johnson TrainBoard Member

    48
    22
    9
    Attached are pics of my Proto 2000 HO scale Rock Island Rocket #652, my favorite RI paint scheme. This loco still exists and runs, and I plan to have a Kato E8 N scale custom painted to match this one. Lowell.
     

    Attached Files:

  5. Calzephyr

    Calzephyr TrainBoard Supporter

    4,153
    1,149
    74
    LifeLike made those in N scale as well... though the nose contours in N scale are noticably a bit wrong. That complex paint scheme is very nice... so I overlook the physical inaccuracy. Your HO models look very good all around.

    Sent from my SM-J737T using Tapatalk
     
    Doorgunnerjgs likes this.
  6. Lowell Johnson

    Lowell Johnson TrainBoard Member

    48
    22
    9
    Hi,
    I have 3 Life-Like "N" Rockets, two identical E8's and an E7, as well as a Con-Cor DL-109. None run or look like a Kato. Decals are available and I have a superb painter lined up so I will have an identical twin to my HO. The Kato "N" is sitting here waiting it's place in line. Lowell.
     
    Doorgunnerjgs likes this.
  7. Run8Racing

    Run8Racing TrainBoard Member

    1,018
    609
    29
    I STRONGLY suggest finding a LL DL-109 (or two) before you have the painter attack them. All my LL Rockets run great. I do have an older E-something that is gray instead of silver (they skimped on that one !!!). It still runs great, but that gray just ain't gonna' work !!!
     
  8. Calzephyr

    Calzephyr TrainBoard Supporter

    4,153
    1,149
    74
    Were the original Rocket schemes... a buffed aluminum which looked grey... or were they actually painted grey? The shinier stainless steel silver looking Rocket scheme seems to be after the Rock simplfied the original scheme with less red/maroon/grey striping.

    Sent from my SM-J737T using Tapatalk
     
  9. Allen H

    Allen H TrainBoard Supporter

    1,509
    2,454
    55
    Rock Island #4424 and #1351 are in charge of the NB local as they throttle up through Haskell, AR. on a hot, muggy July morning.

    [​IMG]


    More details can be seen on my blog.
     
    Last edited: Sep 20, 2019
  10. Doorgunnerjgs

    Doorgunnerjgs TrainBoard Member

    637
    989
    22
    So, does anyone have a good CRIP maroon in acrylic paint mix? The only premix I've found is Floquill (not made anymore) and TruColor (not made either though some available on ebay) which is not acrylic.

    Suggestions?
     
  11. Ghengis Kong

    Ghengis Kong TrainBoard Member

    477
    30
    15
    Badger I think has one.
     
    Doorgunnerjgs likes this.
  12. Doorgunnerjgs

    Doorgunnerjgs TrainBoard Member

    637
    989
    22
    @Ghengis Kong, thanks, yes they do. ModelFlex 16-199, Rock Island Maroon. Will have to track it down!
     
  13. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

    67,562
    22,736
    653
    Nice job, Allen!
     
    Allen H likes this.
  14. Allen H

    Allen H TrainBoard Supporter

    1,509
    2,454
    55
    Haven't looked at this thread in quite awhile.
    I guess I should add to it with some of the new power I've added to my fleet.

    Here's my version of the 4710, a wreck rebuild after they started painting the Blue and White.
    Not quite as fancy of a job the Jim Wiggins did a while back, but it works for me.
    [​IMG]

    Here's a foobie that a buddy started for me that he wasn't able to finish.
    All 10 Rock Island deuces arrived and left in the Red and Yellow.

    [​IMG]

    I'll get some shots of the U33B's when I get them all done.
     
    SP-Wolf, freddy_fo, BNSF FAN and 4 others like this.

Share This Page