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Rock Island

Timetables and other documents relating to the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific railroad.

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This is a loose-leaf manual issued by the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific railroad in the early 1970's. The purpose was to acquaint new yard clerks with their new jobs, as well as with the history and geography of the railroad. It's a big download--35mb--but worth it!

This was a pocket-sized loose-leaf manual issued by the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific railroad in 1974. It is a listing of all stations on the railroad and their accounting codes, for use by station agents and accounting personnel.

Rock Island passenger timetable dated June 4, 1937. This was just prior to the introduction of the Rocket fleet, which is advertised in this timetable.

This is an ad for the Rock Island Lines, from the October, 1929 issue of "Radio Digest" magazine. The ad introduces new RI passenger services to Nebraska, Denver, and California, just in time for the onset of the Great Depression.

Passenger timetable from January, 1948. This is probably the zenith of the Rock Island's postwar passenger service, with the Rockets and Golden State in full flight. The cover shows FT's in their original red-and-black paint, a 5000-class Northern, and three E6's lined up side-by-side.

November, 1967 passenger timetable. By this time, the Rock Island's passenger service was in full decline. The Twin Cities-Kansas City service is still operating, as is the Golden State. However, this is probably the last timetable to include the GS. Connections from Los Angeles to the San Francisco Bay Area still appear.

Passenger timetable from July, 1968. The Golden State is gone, and service is limited to Omaha-Chicago and Twin Cities-Kansas City. There is a separate table for Chicago-Kansas City via Des Moines, and another for Twin Cities-Omaha via Des Moines.

A card flyer advertising times for special trains operating between Des Moines and University of Iowa football games in Iowa City, for the 1966 season. Not only coach seats but private room service was offered.

As the title suggests, this is a pocket-sized, loose-leaf manual of instructions for train and engine crews concerning train handling and air brake rules. We had to omit a large foldout from the back of the book--a diagram showing air brake piping and components on a freight car. It was too large to scan and as far as we could tell, still under copyright. But the rest is a good read...

In 1971, the Rock Island chose not to join Amtrak, continuing its skeleton intrastate service between Chicago and Peoria, and Chicago and Rock Island. The timetable is a 2-sided, single-panel, cheaply printed card.

Rock Island suburban timetable dated October 30, 1978, showing the trains operating under sponsorship of the Regional Transportation Authority.

In 1945, the Office of Defense Transportation ordered the removal of railroad sleeping cars which operated short distances, so that the cars could be used for long-distance troop transport. This affected Rock Island sleepers between Chicago, the Quad Cities and Des Moines. This flyer explains changes in RI schedules and services.

The end is near for everything west of the Mississippi River, but the Rock Island is still fighting, with a slick-paper, 6-panel folder which shows fares and advertises group rates.

 
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