A postcard depicting a Rock Island Rocket led by EMC TA No. 601.
(E.C. Kropp Co., Milwaukee, WI, Public domain, W. Lenheim Collection)
ROCK ISLAND ROCKETS
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.
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.
The six trains as originally assigned were:
The Peoria Rocket, 1937.
(http://chuckmancollectionvolume12.blogspot.com/2012/09/photo-chicago-train-rock-island-rocket.html)
The Peoria Rocket, Chicago, Illinois to Peoria, Illinois
Articulated 3 car set:
- 32 seat Baggage-dinette-coach No. 400 Joliet
- 60 seat coach No. 306 Ottawa
- 76 seat coach No. 300 La Salle
- 32 seat, 1 drawing room, parlor, buffet, observation car No. 450 Peoria
A Rock Island Rocket led by EMC TA No. 601.
(Electro-Motive Corp., via W. Lenheim Collection)
The Des Moines Rocket, Chicago, Illinois to Des Moines, Iowa
Articulated 3 car set:
- 32 seat Baggage-dinette-coach No. 401 Norman Judd
- 60 seat coach No. 307 Grenville Dodge
- 76 seat coach No. 301 Henry Farnum
- 32 seat, 1 drawing room, parlor, buffet, observation car No. 451 L M Allen
The Texas Rocket, 1937.
(Rock Island Railroad, Kauffmann & Fabry, Chicago, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)
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 No. 402 Dream Lake
- 76 seat coach No. 302 Mesa Verde
- 28 seat coach, lounge, observation car No. 452 Centennial
The Denver Rocket, 1937.
(© Otto Perry, Denver Public Library, Fair use, Title 17, Section 107, via Wikipedia Commons)
The Denver Rocket, Kansas City, Missouri to Denver, Colorado for less than a year, then The Rocket from Kansas City to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma from March, 1938.
Articulated 2 car set:
- 32 seat Baggage-dinette-coach No. 403 Bear Lake
- 76 seat coach No. 303 Mount Evans
- 28 seat coach, lounge, observation car No. 453 Pikes Peak
The Kansas City Rocket, 1940.
(Minneapolis Star-Journal, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)
The Kansas City Rocket, Minneapolis, Minnesota to Kansas City, Missouri (2 trainsets)
Articulated 2 car set:
- 18 seat Baggage-dinette-coach No. 404 Arrow Head
- 76 seat coach No. 304 Chippewa
- 28 seat coach, lounge, observation car No. 454 Minnesota
Articulated 2 car set:
- 18 seat Baggage-dinette-coach No. 405 Mesabi
- 76 seat coach No. 305 Ioway
- 28 seat coach, lounge, observation car No. 455 Missouri
Front cover Route of the Rockets booklet, 1937. (Rock Island Railroad, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons)
Route of the Rockets, 1937. (Rock Island Railroad, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons)
Monument showing the Rocket routes in 1952 at the former Rock Island Lines Passenger Station in Rock Island, Illinois.
(David Wilson, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons)
A Rock Island print ad from 1947.
(Rock Island Railroad via W. Lenheim Collection)
Additional Trains
By 1947, the Rock Island Railroad had 22 streamlined trains. See print ad above.