A Rock fan, and I still see them periodically. Bowbells, ND on the Northgate Branch: Norfolk, VA on the Norfolk & Portsmouth Belt Line:
Years ago I wrote and hosted a historical site for information about the CRIP. I was sued by the good folks at RITS (Rock Island Technical Society) because i was infringing on their following. Consequently, I removed the site in 2002. I just learned that one of their officers embezzled all of their funds and they went down in 2018! I am seriously thinking about re-publishing a new site with all the old information that I can re-gather. I can find a portion of the material through Archive.org but only a portion of it. If I decide to do this I am going to need some help! I will need stories, images, and technical information. The old site had many images, scans of paperwork, and information on restored depot across the country. Please give me your thoughts on this matter. I will also be looking for a way to fund the hosting costs involved with the site. I may be able to produce some articles to sell on my CO2 laser, and I have reached out to a company that already sells CRIP items to see if they were interested in a partnership to make it go. Please Reply! I need your input to know rather of not to proceed!
The Rock Island Line is a mighty good road! I hope you are very successful. I agree with Mr. Moose. I am an ardent GM&O fan. I model Murphysboro, IL on "The Omega Scale Railway" (1/384 scale). I am also big on the Frisco and CB&Q. The NC&StL fits in too. There is always room for one more! I have RI #252358, boxcar living on my module right now. I will plan to add another RI rolling stock in the future. Please feel free to suggest something from the steam/diesel era. Also, it seems those who are quick to sue are quick to be dishonest. Rock on!
I also plan to add several pages of history about the Muscatine North & South Railroad. More lost information that people need to know! Late 50's, and early 60's is the era of the Rock that I model. That way I can have diesel and steam. Thanks for the encouragement!
One predecessor company which has me rather curious is the CK&N. I have a train order, but the date may be after the RI acquired them. Need a solid date. Also need to know if the CK&N was immediately absorbed, or continued to operate. The orders seems to address CK&N power, but...? Cannot find definitive answers. Nobody seems to have exact historical information. Seems a bit odd....
From about 1975 at Barrington, IL, RI 34520, Stenciled New 9-73, Built By Pullman-Standard Bessemer Ala.
Been totally consumed with "Life" stuff and haven't posted in quite a spell. I'm about 75% done with benchwork on a HO scale layout of the Rock Island line from Enid OK to Chickasha, OK. The southern division point of El Reno is the main hub of the layout with the shop complex "Slightly" truncated. I'm doing 79' wheat harvest that was the last the line worked. Pictures will come in the future. Grain elevator building is quite a challenge and I have plenty to conquer in this pike. Thanks for bringing up the Rock! Brian
It's Alive! http://www.RockIslandLine.org Still a lot of content to go.... but it's a start. Feel free to email me info! Conductor@RockIslandLine.org
That's gonna' be a great site for sure! I have some old 3x5 Rock pics that are mounted on cards, old B&W mostly steam era but some rolling stock as well, that I got with some Milw Road ones. You want them? I'll mail them to you if you like.
My one and only train trip was on the Rock Island from Albert Lea, MN to the Union Depot in St. Paul on the last leg of the Zephyr Rocket in the early sixties with my dad and two older brothers. My dad wanted us to experience what it was like to ride a train before the passenger trains disappeared. I remember the lead loco was an F unit and it just had the all silver scheme with a red nose. They had some machines in the Union Depot and they made copper-colored plastic moldings of the The General locomotive. My dad let me get one and I had it for a while but the plastic was a very inferior type, all crumbly and stuff, and it ended up being destroyed. Here is a picture I took of a former Rock Island boxcar I took in Rochester, MN in 1998. If you look at it long enough, you can barely make out where it said "ROCK ISLAND" and has been painted over to the left of the door. The top of the "K" is most visible: Doug
From 10/15/1988 at Calera, AL, a former Rock Island 40 FTer has a C&NW stencil. C&NW cars on either side too. Hee hee -- that's my gold Honda behind the boxcar.