Western Railroad Discussion > The New Rock Island 1275

Earlier this summer the Eldon, IA Depot Museum purchased a former Santa Fe GP7 from NRE in Silvis, IL.  Included in the deal was the complete cosmetic overhaul and paint into Rock Island's red/yellow scheme.  Several members of the museum and were Rock Island employees and remembered 1275, so that's why the number was chosen.  (CRIP 1275 is still alive today, wearing IAIS paint, but working for the Northern Lines as their 400).  On August 21st, Iowa Interstate 513 was at NRE for wheel work and when that was completed, the pair were coupled for photos.  Paint scheme inaccuracies aside, the new 1275 looks very sharp and will look great in front of the depot in Eldon.  The employees at NRE were very proud of their work, producing the first Rock Island engine at the ex-Rock Island shops since the Rock Island shut down in 1980.

Erik

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Looks fantastic! Thanks for letting us see it, great post.

Posted from Android

DG .
Unknown, US

Wow! That looks excellent - and coupled to the 513 to boot! Thanks for sharing, Erik.

-Dalton



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/24/15 19:29 by CP_M260.

Beautiful!!  Stunning, Thanks, Erik, you made my day.

KCCharlie

Umm...

I mean, I want to like it.  

OK, it's kind of cool and a great gesture from the town.

- Jeff Carlson

I like it!

They even kept the class lights. 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/24/15 20:06 by Realist.

I went past the Leon turnoff on I-35 a couple of times last week. I should have pulled into town. It will certainly be a required stop the next time I drive between KC and Des Moines. I'll have my camera ready and pray for sunshine.

My favorite RI scheme.

When working at Armourdale, for SSW, during the SP+SF merger courting, a newly-painted "SP--" engine came by the tower, painted in the Red and Gold "Kodachrome" scheme. One of the Switchmen [they were all ex-RI] said, "Looks just like a Rock Island unit." Yes, indeed!

From Eric Blasko's thread: http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?11,2305760

 

VERY NICE....!!

Really nice Erik!  Congratulations on IOTD!

I have to say, given NRE's reputation of not being terribly railfan-friendly, I'm surprised they'd go to the trouble of putting these two together for photos.  I'm glad they did though!

Joe Atkinson
Council Bluffs, IA
www.iaisrailfans.org/../Sub4WestEnd

Thanks everybody!

Joe - several employees were pretty excited that 513 was on the property.  After the wheels were trued, they spotted 513 on the east side of the main shop building and took a group photo.  After that, 513 was coupled to 1275.  I don't believe there were any ex-RI shop workers, but they knew the significance of what they had and where they were.  They were very proud of their work on 1275, too.  I'm very fortunate to have had the opportunity to be there myself.

Erik

Congrats on IOTD Erik, even tho I might have see before.  Smile.

Bob Jordan

trainboy03 Wrote:
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> I don't believe there were any ex-RI shop workers, but they knew
> the significance of what they had and where they
> were.  They were very proud of their work on
> 1275, too. 
>
> Erik

That's great to hear!  As one who's grandfather was a lifelong (more or less) Rock Island guy at the Rocket House in Chicago, this is the same feeling I have anytime I come across the 630 & 652.  It's always interesting to me to look at those units and know that my grandpa had worked on them countless times, and its good to know that the NRE guys seem to have the same sort of connection there.

- Jeff Carlson

This is so cool, I can't believe the museum in Eldon is getting an engine! IIRC, they already have a caboose. I'll have to drive down there sometime and hopefully I'm off work when the engine is delivered, it would be neat to document.

Great shot of a couple of  NICE looking rides! I've always liked the Rock Isand.

Larry

Realist Wrote:

> I like it!
>
> They even kept the class lights. 

Looks more like the class lights were re-installed.  According to this, the unit is ex-BNSF 3822, previously ATSF slug mother 1312, which had nose lights and no class lights when it was retired:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/trainboy03/18296835764
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=104889

The "real" Rock Island 1275 got an EMD GP20-style low nose and cab installed following a wreck in 1965.  It still has them today as NLR 400, complete with one-piece windshield and the housings for the old, bug-eyed class lights:

http://chuckzeiler.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1815277
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=4231165

That explains the similar bug-eyed class lights used on the replica 1275. 

Does it run and /or operate? Does the museum in Iowa have any tracks to operate on?

Posted from Android

Looked on google maps.  I saw no tracks at all in Eldon IA

Here is a photo of the 'real' Rock Island 1275 that I shot on June 18, 1967 from Roosevelt Road in Chicago.

On September 14, 1968 I got it again at Blue Island, this time with a yellow nose.

Ted

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bnsfsd70 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> trainboy03 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I don't believe there were any ex-RI shop
> workers, but they knew
> > the significance of what they had and where
> they
> > were.  They were very proud of their work on
> > 1275, too. 
> >
> > Erik
>
> That's great to hear!  As one who's grandfather
> was a lifelong (more or less) Rock Island guy at
> the Rocket House in Chicago, this is the same
> feeling I have anytime I come across the 630 &
> 652.  It's always interesting to me to look at
> those units and know that my grandpa had worked on
> them countless times, and its good to know that
> the NRE guys seem to have the same sort of
> connection there.
>
> - Jeff Carlson

Jeff, as an aside, are the CRI&P 630-652 still together, and if so where? I tracked them for awhile when they were on their tourist shortline RR (I can no longer recall the name of it) but knew both were up for sale and hoping that they'd stick together as a set wherever they ended up. Kept up with 'em for 5-to-7 years or more, but time flies, and I just "lost the thread" of their disposition unfortunately. Two beautiful & historic E-Units they were and are!!!...