Had things gone better, we'd be celebrating 148 years of the Rock Island Lines. Any memories from Rocket passengers? Any anecdotes? ------------------
It warms my heart every time I drive on Interstate 55 Northbound through Chicago and pass under the former Rock Island tracks near McCormick Place and still see the old Rock Island herald displayed. While I am a fan of the Rock, I truly believe that after the ICC's inadequate handling of the proposed UP-RI merger, the Rock didn't stand a chance to survive.
I have many fond memories of the Rock from my visits to Peru, IL. to see family and of course anytime we would go to Peoria, IL. I remember watching a news story about the last run of the Peoria Rocket to Chicago. They had the news crew ride the train. One shot that stuck in my mind is them looking through the car walkway and showing the step-plates bouncing wildly! You could not change cars while the train was moving, you would of lost your foot! The speed of the train was somewhere between 30 and 40 MPH! It was a real rough ride I guess. Now the Iowa Interstate runs these very rails and puts them on the ground regularly, or so I'm told. I surely miss the ROCK! ------------------ Brent Tidaback, Member #234 BNSF Railfan-to-the Max and a N-Scaler to boot! "Ship it on the Route of The Roadrunners!" The Aransas Odessa & Western, a division of the BNSF
I also have many memories of riding on the the Rock. When we had our x-mas vacation from school we would catch the train at the Lasalle-Peru station on Water Street and take it to Chicago and I was always in awe when we would pull into Lasalle Street Station. It may all be gone now, but I can always relive those times with memories. Brian Tidaback "Rock Island n-scaler"
I'm with you there, Brian. LaSalle Street Station was very impressive when I was young. The smell of diesel, steam leaking from the cars, train announcements, and then that walk through the Waiting Room to the L and the promise of a great day in Chicago.
I remember lying in bed at night in my bedroom of my parents house high on the bluff of the MIssissippi River. South of their place about a block the tracks took a turn, but up to that point the headlights of the mighty Rock shined straight into my bedroom. My room would light up like daytime. I would pull back the curtain and watch as The Rocket trains approached... then lay in bed and listen to the horn blow... and feel the ground shake. There were many a night I awoke to this... and many that I went to sleep with these sounds in my ears... and those memories in my brain. ------------------ From... The Rocket Long Live "The Rock" !!!
