The Rock Island in Film

OK, Rock Island fans, this one's for you. From the late 40's to the late 70's, the video has a variety of steam, slant-nosed TA's and E6's, FT's, a Whitcomb 70 tonner, a Lima switcher, "Christine"- the EMD repowered DL109, Alco RS-3's and C415's, the E6B's with control cabs, the Aerotrain, GE U Boats, long distance and commuter passenger trains, and freights. The first scenes are from a Rock Island promotional film, edited down and with the soundtrack replaced. The clips appear in rough chronological order by era and paint schemes. Sounds are from my video library and Arkay records. Enjoy!

[samueljackson]

“Well I maybe right and I maybe wrong I bet you gon' miss me when I’m gone!”

[silurian]

Yes the Rock island was a mighty fine line !!

[casey]

Wow. Rock Island running at speed on well maintained track. Not the image most of us carry of the end days RI.

[MilePost]

I was born right at the time steam officially ended. Growing up I seen the best and miss those days.

[garyheiman]

For my seventh birthday in 1960's Chicago, I received, for Christmas, a Marx HO Rock Island F7 A&B Model Train Set now long gone. This started my lifelong love affair with Railroads. I have since purchased two original 1960's Marx R.I. sets in good working order. Now, I'm happily back on track.

[williamsullivan]

I live four blocks from the Englewood Station in Chicago, Illinois. Our apartment was at 61st. and Princeton Street are windows could see the ROCK ISLAND, ROCKETS as well as THE NEW YORK 20TH CENTURY, PENNSYLVANIA, BROADWAY LIMITED, SANTA FE, all the CHE

[stevenk]

Some great footage. Such a terrible loss. As a kid I used to ride the Rocky mountain rocket between Colorado Springs and Chicago every summer. The day the Rock Island shut down I was outside of Tucumcari New Mexico photographing their trains over the Canadian River bridge. Driving along the right of way came across numerous trains just parked and stopped on the main line. Watching some of these videos It gets a little hard to imagine how such great corporations end up crumbling and disappearing taking so many people's livelihoods away. Causing so much anxiety for so many families. Just important to remember that nothing lasts forever including the major corporations of today eventually something will come along and they too will fail. To the best I can recall I think the Union Pacific is the only survivor over a century.

[louislamonte]

I just love the CRI&P!! May its memory NEVER fade!

[MrMASSEYJONES]

That’s the way I like videos. No one around; just stack talk or railroad related sound.

[paulquinn]

What a great film of poor old Rock. Love the shots of the EMD re-engineering Alcoa. Those smokin’ RS3’s pulling commute must have missed a trip to Silvia shop to have their 244’s pulled. Anyone take note of the rare Alco DL-107/9 with the raised roof to accommodate its replacement engine? It is shown in one shot pulling TOFC trailers. Good video, and much appreciated.

[blainenodes]

Thanks for the post 👍 we had #9 r.r. pass thru MSP when I was a punk:1949-1976 watching the Rock island come thru St Paul left us all smiling👋rs3, Es, fs😊

[dfwrailvideos]

Ahh the good old Rock Island, wish I was alive back then to see it in its glory days!

[Pensyfan]

Absolutely fantastic footage! You're the best with old and rare footage from the Golden Years of Railroading!

[douglasskaalrud]

I miss the constant-lit searchlight signals. There was something comforting about them when I was doing night photography.

[shimshonbendan]

I will always be a Rock Island fan. When I was a boy in the 50s, the Rock Island went through my grandparent's town. I was mesmerized by them. I used to hang out at the depot just to wait for trains to pass by. I miss seeing the E6s and F7s in the Rock Island Maroon color that was used.

[STETURBO]

great video. Had the privilege of actually operating and working on the #630 and the #652 E-units when they were both in Baldwin City, KS on the Midland railway.

[TikiIsland]

Rode the Twin Star Rocket between Houston and Des Moines three times. The last two weeks before it was cut back to Dallas.

[josephmartino]

Once hopped a freight with my friends going home from Blue Island...that thing started high balling by time it reached Robbins...almost too scared to jump off

[shedontanks]

14:07 That Aerotrain is really bookin'

[Celluloidwatcher]

Thanks a million for the footage of the storied RR that inspired a song with the lyrics, "Rock Island Line is a mighty good road." I like the burgundy colors of the locomotives, as they were similar to the Pennsylvania RR's locomotives and passenger cars. Just seeing the color home movie footage is nostalgic enough. It feels like yesterday instead of years ago. What a treasure this is.🙂