rock island steam roster

[Anonymous]

howdy, i'm modelling the rock island as it would have appeared in november 1952. does anyone know of a site on the net that has a steam roster for this time. also did the RI roster any 2-10-2's or 2-10-0's? i might just use modelers license and get some any way.

[orsonroy]

By 1952, the Rock was dieselizing fast, and steam was virtually gone. I checked the Rock Island Technical Society's website www.rits.org but they don't have a steam roster (most modelers of roads that lasted into 1970 don't remember their roads even HAD steam engines!). The RITS website is a good place to start looking for what you need.

From what I remember, the Rock was completely dieselized by 1955. Mostly, 4-8-4s, 2-8-2s, and commuter 4-6-2s lasted until the end of steam. I would imagine the Rock had 2-10-2s, but I don't have any roster info handy here at work.

If you really want to model the Rock in steam, I'd backdate a bit, to about 1945-1949. Not only will you be able to model a lot more steam, but you'll be able to model their first generation diesels, and a lot of older freight cars (no PS-1s!). There's more passenger traffic too.

[Anonymous]

actually i chose '52 because i have a dozen 40 foot boxcars painted in the 1852-1952 anniversiry logo.i'm also trying to find info on troop trains and military shipments during the korean war to add some some operational interest on a future layout. the us army had a major arsenal at rock island illnois.i've only got a 4x8 "branchline" for now. on my layout i'll just say steam held out until 1954

[orsonroy]

Actually, Rock Island Arsenal is still a military installation, and was actively making 105mm howitzer shells and replacement barrels until relatively recently.

There wouldn't really be much in the way of "troop trains" coming out of Rock Island during the Korean war though. After WWII, RIA was mostly an Ordinance Department active base and National Guard/Reserves base. Not much in the way of troop movement there. Troop trains during Korea would look pretty much like any other all-coach train. The "troop cars" of WWII (like those Walthers is about to release) were already all sold off by Korea. Equipment trains were nowhere near as common as in WWII either, since Korea was mostly an infantry and air force war. Those few tanks that would have been moving around would have been M-48 Pershings (the DOD was scrapping M-4 Shermans as early as 1946!).

What you'd mostly see coming out of Rock Island would be 40' box cars full of munitions (shell casings, mostly), and flat cars full of 105mm towed howitzers. Basically all the cars would be normal railroad freight cars. Roco makes a great model of the towed 105.

[Anonymous]

The ROCK also had a few Mountain types. I think the RI fully dieselized in 1953.

[nfmisso]

Go to: http://www.steamlocomotive.com/ and search rock island

[Anonymous]

I am also interested in the Rock Island pre-1953. I spent a few hours on Google and have pictures of RI steam in the following wheel arrangements: 0-6-0, 0-8-0, 2-8-0, 2-8-2, 4-6-0, 4-6-2, 4-8-2, and 4-8-4. To find out more, go to Google and type in Rock Island Railroad.

[M636C]

Kevin,

The Rock Island had 35 Alco 2-10-2s built from 1918 until 1925, numbered 3001 to 3035, and at least one lasted until 1952. They were not USRA locomotives but were similar and had larger 63" driving wheels.

The 4-8-2s, also from Alco's works ( Brooks and Schenectady) in 1913 to 1927 were numbered 4000 to 4056 and lasted until 1953.

The 4-8-4s, all from Schenectady came in 1929-30 (5000 to 5064) and 1944 to 1946 (5100 to 5119) and lasted until 1955.

That should give you all the freight power you need for 1952!

Peter

[Anonymous]

If it is still in print, or if you can find one, I would suggest you get a copy of, "Guide to North American Steam Locomotives". It has a section on the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific, has several pictures of the bigger classes of locomotives and has a listing of the types of steam locomotives the Rock purchased from 1900 to the end of steam. The book also shows the dates each class of locomotive was put out of service. The book is/was published by Kalmbach and is a great source reference.

Steam to warm your heart.

Tom

[AltonFan]

Youse guys need to get the books Rock Island Steam Power and Rock Island Steam Finale. I'll try to post more information when I get home.

As for troop trains in the Korean War, a fellow I knew, who was a Pullman conductor, said that "the saddest sight he ever saw" was a troop train he supervised somewhere in the upper midwest, in the early days of the Korean War. He said most of the men were World War II veterans, who joined the reserves for some extra money, who now had to leave wives and young children to fight in Korea. And the wives and the children were at the station to see their young men off. I'm told a lot of those fellows never returned. (May they rest in lasting peace.)

[Anonymous]

Altonfan-especially good to post that since it's Memorial Day weekend.

[Anonymous]

From the new "Remember the Rock" magazine (Vol 1, no 1, page 9):

"In 4-8-4s the Rock Island excelled with 85 Northerns (more than anyone else in the U.S.!) forming the mainstay of freight power from about 1929 to 1952."

- W. L. White


My sources show that the RI had 26 2-10-2s (but no 2-10-0s), bought in 1918, 20 & 25. This was a small fraction of the 631 steamers the RI owned over it's lifetime. The largest number (but older) were the 170 2-8-0s and the 165 2-8-2s (bought in the early 1900s). Next came the Northerns, which would be best for your timeframe, it appears. These were bought from 1929 to 1946, and were the last steamers the RI got.


Hope this helps some!

- George

[Anonymous]

Found some more info ("Rock Island in Color, 1948-1964" by Stagner).

On page 20 there is a section about 1952 steam you need to read!

Just a bit of summary:

The RI was running (as of 1 Jan):
:

37 2-8-0
68 2-8-2
1 2-10-2
61 4-8-4

A total of 290 steamers were on the roster.

[cacole]

We have a person who was born and raised in Rock Island now living here in Arizona and a member of our local HO scale club. He is always saying that, "The Rock never saw a locomotive type or paint scheme that it didn't like," so you may not be stretching the truth too far no matter what type of steamer you would like to run.

[Anonymous]

This book available through your local library should answer most of your questions.
ROCK ISLAND MOTIVE POWER, 1933 - 1955 by LLOYD E. STAGNER, ISBN 0-87108-537-2.
Hugo