From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Set of six historical American trains
Monument showing the Rocket routes in 1952 at the former
Rock Island Lines Passenger Station in
Rock Island, Illinois
The
Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad Rockets were lightweight,
streamlined
diesel-electric passenger trains built by the
Budd Company . These six trains were the first streamlined equipment purchased by the Rock Island, as well as being its first diesel-powered passenger trains. Four of the trains consisted of three cars each, the other two each had four cars.
Train design
The
stainless steel trains were each powered by an
Electro-Motive Corporation model
TA
locomotive . Unlike many other early streamlined trains, the locomotives were not permanently attached to the trains.
The trains were
articulated except for the
observation cars . Later, as the railroad streamlined more trains on more routes, the list of "Rocket" trains grew.
List of trains
The six trains as originally assigned were:
[1]
[2]
The
Peoria Rocket ,
Chicago, Illinois to
Peoria, Illinois
Articulated 3 car set:
32 seat Baggage-dinette-coach #400 Joliet
60 seat coach #306 Ottawa
76 seat coach #300 La Salle
32 seat, 1 drawing room, parlor, buffet, observation car #450 Peoria
The
Des Moines Rocket ,
Chicago, Illinois to
Des Moines, Iowa
Articulated 3 car set:
32 seat Baggage-dinette-coach #401 Norman Judd
60 seat coach #307 Grenville Dodge
76 seat coach #301 Henry Farnum
32 seat, 1 drawing room, parlor, buffet, observation car #451 L M Allen
Texas Rocket
The Texas Rocket ,
Fort Worth, Texas to
Houston, Texas , offering an alternate schedule on the route of the
Sam Houston Zephyr
Articulated 2 car set:
32 seat Baggage-dinette-coach #402 Dream Lake
76 seat coach #302 Mesa Verde
28 seat coach, lounge, observation car #452 Centennial
Denver Rocket , east of
Denver, Colorado , November 25, 1937
Kansas City Rocket
The
Kansas City Rocket ,
Minneapolis, Minnesota to
Kansas City, Missouri (2 trainsets)
Articulated 2 car set:
18 seat Baggage-dinette-coach #404 Arrow Head
76 seat coach #304 Chippewa
28 seat coach, lounge, observation car #454 Minnesota
Articulated 2 car set:
18 seat Baggage-dinette-coach #405 Mesabi
76 seat coach #305 Ioway
28 seat coach, lounge, observation car #455 Missouri
References
Hansen, Peter A. (2017). "The Rock's Camelot". In McGonigal, Robert S. (ed.). Great Trains Heartland . Waukesha, Wisconsin:
Kalmbach Publishing . pp. 70–81.
ISBN
978-1-62700-497-8 .
Pinkepank, Jerry A. (1973). The Second Diesel Spotter's Guide . Milwaukee, Wisconsin:
Kalmbach Publishing .
ISBN
978-0-89024-026-7 .
"Rock Island Lightweight Passenger Equipment" . Rock Island Technical Society . Archived from
the original on March 3, 2016.
"Rocky Mountain Rocket Consists" . Rock Island Technical Society . Archived from
the original on March 3, 2016.
"Twin Star Rocket Consists" . Rock Island Technical Society . Archived from
the original on April 30, 2015.
"Choctaw Rocket Consists" . Rock Island Technical Society . Archived from
the original on April 30, 2015.
"Des Moines Rocket Consists" . Rock Island Technical Society . Archived from
the original on April 30, 2015.
External links
Rockets Other named trains
Arizona Limited
Californian
Cherokee
Chicago-Hot Springs Limited
Choctaw Limited
Colorado Express
Des Moines-Omaha Limited
Firefly
Golden State
Golden State Limited
Imperial
Iowa-Nebraska Limited
Mid-Continent Special
Rocky Mountain Limited
Sam Houston Zephyr
Short Line Express
Twin Cities Express