Nostalgia & History > Rock Island Red and Yellow

The Rock Island was my favorite railroad and their red and yellow scheme I liked the best. I liked all of the Rock's various colors but the red and yellow seemed to be the most striking. Here's a few samples of that bright red paint coming at you. The first two shots are at West Liberty, Iowa, of a train coming down from the north and heading east toward Silvis. You gotta admire that colorful F unit on the point, that's classy!! Next is an eastbound train taken at Wilton Jct., Iowa. Those U-boats look pretty darn nice in red as well. How I miss the Rock Island! All photo's by G.L. Williams

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The snow cover really adds good lighting for the great paint job on the F. Any idea what that motor is behind the U boat? The stripes remind me of the Nickel Plate. Great Rock photos; thanks for adding!

Rich

Hi Rich;

That second motor behind the U-boat in shoot three is a RI 4200 series GP-7 that was second hand from the Rio Grande. They ran for a good number of years in full DRGW colors with the RGW lettering painted out and red RI logos, and white numbers on the cab sides. Do a search and you can find pics of them pretty easy.
Hope this helps.
400's forever!
Phil

A local antique shop has the decal that goes on the front of the loco. It's a reflectivle material and sort of hard and cracking with age. I'd say in average condition. I have not seen one for sale before. Any ideas what the value would be?

Missing quite a few switch parts in front of that GE too, not uncommon on the Rock Island.

Great set from my home territory! How sure are you on the location of the third shot? I can't place it in Wilton, but it looks like Durant to me, looking west from 6th Ave. (the first crossing west of the depot). The partially removed switch would serve the Pioneer plant on the track that went behind the depot, which would be behind G.L.

Andy

'67 Beetle?

AndyBrown Wrote:
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> Great set from my home territory! How sure are
> you on the location of the third shot? I can't
> place it in Wilton, but it looks like Durant to
> me, looking west from 6th Ave. (the first crossing
> west of the depot). The partially removed switch
> would serve the Pioneer plant on the track that
> went behind the depot, which would be behind G.L.
>
> Andy


I'll have to check with Gay on that. That just may be at Durant instead of Wilton. It's amazing what 40 years can do to one's memory!

What are the extra lights on 243?

Off-pending Wrote:
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> What are the extra lights on 243?

RI's early U-boats came equipped with those; I think an early version of today's ditch lights. They would flash alternately when in use. I'm not sure if there was an independent switch in the cab or they were tied into the horn.

Andy

They were an experiment and just a few U-boats
and GP 35's were equipped. They were controlled manually
the same as a Mars light and the same rules applied.
I was told that they could not keep light bulbs from
expiring so the idea was given up. I only saw them in
use once and they were quite effective.
zr190