I read recently that the Rock Island had a run through agreement with the Erie - Lackawanna. Can anyone describe the nature of the agreement. What was the time period and where did these two railroads conect for purposes of run throughs.
I can offer a little help here. From a Freight Train Schedule and Blocking book Dated 8/1/72 the Rock Island ran train #94 from Silvis to the EL at 51st Street. Trains from all points of the Rock Island compass would have their EL cars removed at Silvis and then put into this one train. It was due out of Silvis at 145Pm and due into Blue Island at 615pm. Cutoff to the EL was at 815pm. According to the book the TOFC was carried in one block and the misc freight in a seperate block. I recall seeing EL GP-35's and F-units in the late 60's which would suggest the run through traffic was active at least by then. Hope this helps a little. AF Niederer
Better late than never. The first run through agreement was the RI road train would go to Pullman Jct. A 359PM So Chgo yard crew would take the entire train and power to EL's Hammond, IN yard and come back in a cab. As soon as it was found out the EL was using the RI units as switchers (photo in Trains) rather than used to take the train to Marion, OH the crew would bring all the power back to So Chgo lite. IIRC the EL would deliver the westbound train to So Chgo. If there was a mix of units the EL units would be left at Hammond by the RI yard crew. If the EL had a mix of units into So Chgo they left everything or took one EL home, depending on number of EL units they had, in whose favor the HP hours balance was or maybe the phase of the moon, it often didn't make sense to us mere mortals. After the Hammond yard was closed and national agreement made that inbound road crews could deliver trains rather than yard crews the operation changed to: The EL road crew would deliver train to RI at Blue Island via Pullman Jct and take the EL power to Burr Oak roundhouse. The EL crews rarely had time left so just left power on train in Outfrt yard. A 359PM yard crew (RI at BI) would deliver the RI inbound with the EL power to the EL 51st St yard and then cab home.
