Rocket (Rock Island trains)

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Monument showing the Rocket routes in 1952 at the former Rock Island Lines Passenger Station in Rock Island, Illinois 20110723 03 @ Rock Island RR Depot, Rock Island, Illinois - 6130960607.jpg
Monument showing the Rocket routes in 1952 at the former Rock Island Lines Passenger Station in Rock Island, Illinois

The Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad Rockets were lightweight, streamlined diesel-electric passenger trains built by the Budd Company. These six trains were the first streamlined equipment purchased by the Rock Island, as well as being its first diesel-powered passenger trains. Four of the trains consisted of three cars each, the other two each had four cars.

Contents

Train design

The stainless steel trains were each powered by an Electro-Motive Corporation model TA locomotive. Unlike many other early streamlined trains, the locomotives were not permanently attached to the trains.

The trains were articulated except for the observation cars. Later, as the railroad streamlined more trains on more routes, the list of "Rocket" trains grew.

List of trains

The six trains as originally assigned were: [1] [2]

Texas Rocket Rock Island Rocket circa 1937.jpg
Texas Rocket
Denver Rocket, east of Denver, Colorado, November 25, 1937 Rocky Mountain Rocket.jpg
Denver Rocket, east of Denver, Colorado, November 25, 1937
Kansas City Rocket Kansas City Rocket 1940.JPG
Kansas City Rocket

References

  1. "Rock Island Rockets". Railway Classics. December 16, 2009.
  2. "Streamliners Now Obsolete With 1937 Model on "Market"". Reading Eagle. October 16, 1936. Retrieved March 28, 2012 via Google News.
  3. Hansen 2017 , pp. 76–77