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Photos & Videos Photos Great Passenger Trains Rock Island passenger trains remembered

Rock Island passenger trains remembered

By Robert S McGonigal | May 13, 2024

Images of passenger service on the "Route of the Rockets"

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Rock Island passenger trains: All through May 2024, Classic Trains editors are celebrating the history and heritage of the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific.

A red train approaching an intersection
Twin Star Rocket
E7 with Minneapolis–Houston Twin Star Rocket at Mills Tower, Iowa Falls, Iowa.
B. L. Stone, Krambles-Peterson Archive
A red train approaching an intersection
A black and white photo of a train with black smoke coming out of its chimney
Golden State Limited
4-8-2 with Chicago–Los Angeles Golden State Limited at Annawan, Ill.
Classic Trains coll.
A black and white photo of a train with black smoke coming out of its chimney
A red and orange train parked outside a station
Peoria Rocket
E6 631 with Chicago–Peoria Peoria Rocket at Englewood (Chicago).
Robert Milner
A red and orange train parked outside a station
A black and white photo of a train passing through a lumber yard
Rocky Mountain Rocket
E6 and AB6 with Chicago–Denver/Colorado Springs Rocky Mountain Rocket at Bureau, Ill.
Ira H. Eigsti
A black and white photo of a train passing through a lumber yard
A black and white photo of a train passing by a car and young boy
Rocket
TA with short-lived (October 1937–February 1938) Denver–Kansas City Rocket at Denver.
William Moedinger
A black and white photo of a train passing by a car and young boy
A silver train departing a station
Train 39
Chicago–Los Angeles train 39 (former Californian) departing Kansas City Union Station, July 1962.
Frank Tatnall
A silver train departing a station
A black and white photo of a train parked at a station
Suburban train
Pacific 917 with outbound suburban train at Englewood Union Station, spring 1950.
Hal Lewis 
A black and white photo of a train parked at a station
A black and white photo of a train passing a Wichita sign
Texas Rocket
E6 630 with Kansas City–Fort Worth Texas Rocket at Wichita, Kans., February 1953.
G. W. Gerhart
A black and white photo of a train passing a Wichita sign
A train passing through a station
Train 24
Motor car 9090 and coach running as Kansas City–Eldon, Mo., train 24 departing Kansas City Union Station, June 15, 1957.
Frank Tatnall
A train passing through a station
A red train passing through a rural area
Plainsman
E7 and E8 with Kansas City–Minneapolis Plainsman (truncated Twin Star Rocket) at Clarks Grove, Minn., in September 1967.
Don Hofsommer
A red train passing through a rural area
An orange and yellow train passing through Chicago
Peoria Rocket
E8 652 with Chicago–Peoria Peoria Rocket departing Chicago, Sept. 13, 1975.
Art Peterson
An orange and yellow train passing through Chicago
A black and white photo of two trains side by side
Rocky Mountain Rocket
Colorado Springs (left) and Denver sections of Chicago-bound Rocky Mountain Rocket combining at Limon, Colo., Sept. 14, 1952.
Earl Cochran
A black and white photo of two trains side by side
An illustration of people cheering as a train pulls into a station
Golden Rocket
Publicity artwork for Chicago–Los Angeles Golden Rocket, announced for launch in 1947, but cancelled before it entered service.
Classic Trains coll.
An illustration of people cheering as a train pulls into a station
A black and white photo of passengers sitting in a train
Golden State
Coach equipped with Heywood-Wakefield’s Sleepy-Hollow seats on postwar edition of Chicago–L.A. Golden State.
Rock Island
A black and white photo of passengers sitting in a train
A red train approaching an intersection
Suburban trains
Two outbound suburban trains at Englewood Union Station, May 19, 1961.
J. David Ingles
A red train approaching an intersection
A black and white photo of a train with black smoke coming out of its chimney passing over a river
Golden State Limited
4-8-2 with Chicago–Los Angeles Golden State Limited crossing Canadian River west of Logan, N.Mex., May 1941.
Carl J. Bachman
A black and white photo of a train with black smoke coming out of its chimney passing over a river
A silver train passing through a small town
Peoria Rocket
Observation car Peoria on rear of Chicago–Peoria Peoria Rocket at Minooka, Ill., April 27, 1955.
Monty Powell
A silver train passing through a small town
A black and white photo of a train passing by a Liberal building
Southwest Express
4-8-2 4053 with Chicago–Dalhart, Texas, Southwest Express at Liberal, Kans., July 31, 1949.
Bob Milner
A black and white photo of a train passing by a Liberal building
A black and white photo of a train parked at a station in front of passengers
Rocket
TA with Denver–Kansas City Rocket at Denver, circa October 1937.
William Moedinger
A black and white photo of a train parked at a station in front of passengers
A black and white photo of a train passing by
Peoria Rocket
E6 630 with Peoria–Chicago Peoria Rocket at Englewood, spring 1950.
Hal Lewis
A black and white photo of a train passing by

Please enjoy this photo gallery of Rock Island passenger trains, originally published online in July 2017.

One thought on “Rock Island passenger trains remembered”

  1. Awesome images from my favorite Railroad each telling a story of the glory that was the Rock Island Railroad.

    Reply
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