Western Railroad Discussion > Rock Island 'Shooters'

I was looking at yardclerk's post below showing the agent handing up orders to the RI freight and a question came to mind: The Rock Island seems to have been a very interesting railroad back in its heyday (whenever that was); was wondering what if any piggyback trains the RI ran during the seventies, what their symbols were, and what points they ran between. Appreciate any help.

boomer wrote:
>
> was
> wondering what if any piggyback trains the RI ran during the
> seventies, what their symbols were, and what points they ran
> between. Appreciate any help.

Do not know the symbols, but I have shaky 8 movies of a w/b Rock Island pig train blasting through West Liberty, Iowa, in the summer of 1962. It was operating from Chicago to Denver, Colo. Many of the flats used for handling the trailers were low, woodsided gons adapted to that purpose as I recall. The caboose was an outside braced job that was constructed, per what I was told, during WWII from boxcars.

As I recall, the train did not have an e/b counterpart that was equally hot. Perhaps others will add to these thoughts. Thanks.

The answer to your question is Yes the Rock Island had intermodal service. I worked there from 1972-76 and we had intermodal service across the system. I remember the special instructions regarding swinging meat in Rock Island refridgerator cars out of Cedar Rapids.

Also I remember before I left RI had inaugerated an intermodal connection train from Chicago 12th street to the DRGW in Denver. The was train number 55 I believe. It was mostly intermodal flats.

And then the Rock Island was also a partner in Convert-A-Freight containers on rail wheels. They also participated in Flexi Van too.

So yes the Rock Island was involved in all facets of railroading over the years.

Bob Krieger

LWA and Bob, thanks for the updates. Bob, do you happen to know if the Rock Island had any intermodal trains that connected with the SP at Tucumcari, NM back around that time? I remember hearing that when the SP took over that trackage (from Tucumcari east)in 1980, traffic was down to just a couple each way a day. I've heard that at one time that connection was a lucrative one with vast amounts of traffic being exchanged between the two railroads.

The best I remember was the Rock Island ran two hot trains west every day, ( the 91 & 93 ?? ) they always stopped in Liberal, Ks for an inspection and fuel. Do not remember how much TOFC there was, seemed like it was mainly boxcar traffic then. There at times four eastbound fruit trains off the SP daily at Tucumcari. The empty refers came west and were stored in Liberal sometimes until they put a 120+ car train together and got the out of town. These would be through the yard, around the horn on the east end and hanging out near Kansas avenue on the west end.
It finally got down to one drag each way per day. Had three of the RI 4300's leaving Liberal one day with 131 cars, barely made it over the hill on the west side of town.
Seems like the hotshots had about 10 - 15 minutes to get every thing done in Liberal and they better be moving. Fuel, brake shoes, running repairs to power. I've seen the mechanical guy still making the last repairs in the engine compartment when they began to move.
The Rock Island was really something.

This is out of a book I have called This Is The ROCK ISLAND.
The caption said "Trailers are loaded on flat cars at Rock Island's Duban Piggyback Terminal in Denver"

gwl
http://phptosbygreg.20m.com