Rock Island: Spin-Offs | ||
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Iowa Northern 678, which wears a Rock Island-inspired paint scheme, powers the "Hawkeye Special" through Iowa City on 1 September 2014. (Jeff Carlson photo) blank |
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Chicago Rock Island & Pacific railroad had been an important part of the railroad network
and societal fabric of midwestern/southwestern America for 135 years. The demise of the
7500-mile railroad in early 1980 left an emptiness that was felt by many people in and outside
the transportation industry. In-spite of the granger road's demise, traffic volume on several
old RI routes remained steady, with the most notable change being maroon-colored diesels
being replaced by Uncle Pete's armour yellow and harbor mist grey,
On a more positive note, the void created by the Rock's disappearance led gradually to the rise of one or two short line / terminal operators in many of the states/communities once served by the Rock. Several of those operations are highlighted in this short photo essay, thanks to the assistance of numerous photographers. Part 1 of the Rock Island photo essay is available here |
(Paul DeLuca photo) |
(Jamie Swain photo) | |
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(Deane Motis photo) |
(Patrick Phelan photo) | |
(Kevin Cavanaugh photo) |
(IAISrailfan photo ) | |
(Joe McMillan photo) |
(Landon Powell photo) | |
(Chuck Zeiler photo) |
(Scooter Hovanec photo) | |
(Keel Middleton collection) |
(Keel Middleton photo) | |
(Chuck Zeiler photo) |
(M.J. Scanlon photo) | |
(Ralph Back photo) |
(Don Kalkman photo) | |
(Daniel Schroeder photo) |
(Kenneth G. Williamson photo) | |
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Above two photos: Rock Island's Kansas-Missouri sub-division (KC-St.Louis) used to see a
good share of Rock and Cotton Belt traffic during the mid-1960s and 1970s. As part of the
1980 RI liquidation, Espee took title to the line; the move was primarily to prevent the KC/St.
Louis link falling in to the hands of ATSF. These 2009 photos at Union, MO show how mother
nature was working to reclaim the right-of-way. The rails were removed in 2016. (Jonathan Spurlock
photos)
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Abbreviations:
Sources: MyRailfan.Com (Tom Habak); Michael Richmond, RR Picture Arhives; and Ed Weisensel |
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Your help in the further development of this profile is solicited. |