Rock Island Blue

[ort007]

Does anyone know if the Rock Island had any F-units painted in the bankrupt blue and white? If so, are there any pictures out there?

Thanks,
Ort007

[orsonroy]

It doesn't seem likely. The F's were on their last legs WELL before the Rock came up with the BB scheme. No use wasting good paint on engines that should have been scrapped by 1970. I think the closest ANY Rock cab unit ever came to the new blue paint was the single E-7 Bicentennial unit.

Here's a shot of the Rock's F unit dead line:
http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/ri/ri-funit-bbp.jpg
Lots of reds, maroons and yellows, but no blue.

The Rock historical society has a short listing of diesel paint schemes:
http://www.simpson.edu/~RITS/equipment/ripaint.html
No mention of blue on F's or E's.

I just dug through well over 100 online Rock F-unit images online; no trace of blue in any of them.

[ort007]

Thanks for doing the research, Ray. I thought that might be the case, but I wasn't sure on the timeing of the blue paint.

[Morpar]

Still no reason you couldn't do one anyway. Call it an experiment that they tried on a scrapline unit to see if they would really like it, then had a power shortage and needed the extra power! Ah, the joys of free-lancing!

[ort007]

Excellent idea, Morpar. I might just have to take your advice!

Incidentally, I just happened to see one of those blue Rock Island hoppers in the UP yard along I-35 in Wichita today.

[Anonymous]

Today i just seen 3 blue rock island hoppers go through chase county at ellinor. Really faded two had c&nw reporting marks.[:)]