Iowa Northern’s Oelwein turn brought the two E units to Oelwein from Waterloo, Iowa, on Aug. 18, for public display and a night photo shoot at the Hub City Heritage Corporation Railway Museum in Oelwein. Both units have been repainted in the Rock Island’s simplified 1960s-era red and silver paint scheme. Manly Junction Railroad Museum President Dan Sabin, who’s also president of Iowa Northern and once worked for the Rock Island, made the units available for the event.
Both locomotives once pulled Rock Island’s famed Rocket streamliners, and are the last remaining Rock Island E units. EMD built No. 630 in 1941, one of five E6As the railroad purchased. Today it’s one of only a few remaining slant-nosed E units. It pulled long-distance passenger trains for decades before ending its Rock Island career on Chicago commuter trains.
No. 652 was one of 13 E8As purchased by the Rock Island in 1951. In 1976, it received a red, white, and blue paint scheme by Chicago’s 20th Century Railroad Club for the United States’ bicentennial. In that scheme, it led Peoria and Quad Cities Rockets until the end of Rock Island passenger service in 1978. Nos. 630 and 652 returned to passenger service for about a decade on the 20-mile Midland Railway at Baldwin City, Kan. They were sold to the Manly Junction Museum in 2009.
While the two E units are not yet operational, Sabin hopes to restore them to operation and to move them to Manly where he says they will become major attractions at the museum.
While the E units look beautiful, it would be better if they were painted in the original Rock Island streamlined paint scheme of red, maroon and silver with stripes. And, the locomotives would look more complete and authentic with restored skirting and passenger pilots with coupler covers.
Whether the original or 1960’s paint scheme is more attractive is a matter of individual preference. Personally, I like the 1960’s version better. To me, the original seems a bit “busy,” while the 1960’s is simpler and more elegant, or maybe it’s just that the 1960’s scheme is what I remember pulling the Twin Star Rocket around the Minneapolis/St.Paul area.
In fact, I would even be happy seeing them in the last Rock Island incarnation — red with white lettering and a yellow nose.
One minor correction is that the Midland Railway is around 11 miles long, rather than 20.
Mr. Vinson,
I am thankful for the preservation and presentation of yet more historic locomotives, spend my time volunteering at a couple of rail-related museums, and support various other efforts financially as my home budget permits.
Unless you are ready to write a BIG check, AND the owners are interested in your plans, you should think awhile about how your comments might be received by others before pressing that “POST” button.
The Rock Island’s first E8A’s, numbers 643-656, were purchased new from EMD. RI E8A’s numbers 657-661 were purchased used from Union Pacific in 1969. The preserved #652 was one of the ones purchased new from EMD.
Am I not correct that all or some of the 13 E8s RI purchased in 1951 were bought from UP as the latter began to shrink their passenger services?
Nothing better than E units !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sweet paint job. I hope to see, or better yet, ride behind them someday!