As time for RTA approached they ran C&NW and Amtrak cars on the Rock.

PC

Then the F40PH delivery resulted in some interesting equipment combinations.

PC

Here is one more paint scheme.

PC

PC - Preservation angle; Rock Island 652, in its original paint scheme, is now at the museum in Manley, Iowa. Or was, at last report.

Les

Les, I'm not sure who owns it but I'm pretty sure it isn't the city, it was sort of in the middle of unused antique crossover tracks and the wye and would be difficult to turn into an attraction.. I believe CSX owned the track in front of it and down the Peoria branch to Henry for around 30 years but now Iowa Interstate operates all the track. When I first saw it around 1985 Iowa Interstate was painted on a heating oil tank outside, but I'm not sure if it was a fact. It has been boarded up for around 44 years now, it is a bit of a miracle that it is still standing. For a long time there was a garden shack around 200 feet west towards Quad Cities where CSX and Iowa Interstate exchanged bills, and I think there was a phone in there, but I'm sure its gone now.

Preston, were you at all involved with the delivery of the GP38-2s to the Rock Island, or did you hear anything about it? I've always wondered how EMD was sucked into that, since the Rock Island had so little money.

I'm not sure about the CRI&P, but the last Reading Co. orders for new EMD locomotives were leased, rather than purchased with an equipment trust.

As a result, there were no trade-ins. Reading sold its used locomotives for much-needed ca$h. Of the 44 GP7's, RDG kept the 10 newest, which flowed to ConRail; 2 had been lost in fires and the rest, ALL of them, were sold for further service. Many of the RS-3's were also sold for further service.

Phil Mulligan

The Rock Island GP38-2 delivery was right in the middle of my time at La Grange, and I was involved with teaching classes and got around the railroad. We had camera permission in the plant for our training program development. My recollection was that they were financed as part of a special rescue fund, and of course the railroad was gone not too long afterwards. Many old units from Rock Island and a few from Union Pacific were traded in on them

PC

The AB6 units were mentioned in the replica extinct diesel discussion. I found them at the Rocket House in the early 1970s.

PC