wanswheel Rock Island at LaSalle Street? The Great Rock-Island Route by J. A. Roff (1882) From a rocky bound Atlantic, to a mild Pacific shore, From a fair and sunny southland to an ice-bound Labrador, There's a name of magic import, and 'tis known the world throughout, 'Tis a mighty corporation, called the "Great Rock-Island Route." CHORUS. Now listen to the jingle, and the rumble and the roar, As she dashes thro' the woodland, and speeds along the shore, See the mighty rushing engine, hear her merry bell ring out, As they speed along in safety, on the "Great Rock-Island Route." All great cities of importance can be found along its way, There's Chicago and Peoria and Rock-Island so they say, With Davenport, and westward still is Council Bluffs far out, As a western termination of this "Great Rock-Island Route." To the great southwest another, and a mighty line they run, Reaching far-famed Kansas City, Leavenworth, and Atchison, Rich in beauty, power, and grandeur, and they owe it all no doubt, To the fact that they are stations, on the "Great Rock-Island Route." There's their "Northern-Route," a daisy as you all can plainly see, To St. Paul and Minneapolis, 'tis the famous "Albert Lea;" To the lakes of Minnesota, and all points there 'round about, Reached directly by no other than the "Great Rock-Island Route." Now let music soft and tender, in its mystic power reveal, Praises to the "Great Rock-Island," that the heart can only feel; And to swell the mighty chorus - comes the glad re-echoing shout, That for safety, time, and comfort, take the "Great Rock-Island Route."
Rock Island at LaSalle Street?
The Great Rock-Island Route
From a rocky bound Atlantic, to a mild Pacific shore, From a fair and sunny southland to an ice-bound Labrador, There's a name of magic import, and 'tis known the world throughout, 'Tis a mighty corporation, called the "Great Rock-Island Route."
CHORUS.
Now listen to the jingle, and the rumble and the roar,
As she dashes thro' the woodland, and speeds along the shore,
See the mighty rushing engine, hear her merry bell ring out,
As they speed along in safety, on the "Great Rock-Island Route."
All great cities of importance can be found along its way, There's Chicago and Peoria and Rock-Island so they say, With Davenport, and westward still is Council Bluffs far out, As a western termination of this "Great Rock-Island Route."
To the great southwest another, and a mighty line they run, Reaching far-famed Kansas City, Leavenworth, and Atchison, Rich in beauty, power, and grandeur, and they owe it all no doubt, To the fact that they are stations, on the "Great Rock-Island Route."
There's their "Northern-Route," a daisy as you all can plainly see, To St. Paul and Minneapolis, 'tis the famous "Albert Lea;" To the lakes of Minnesota, and all points there 'round about, Reached directly by no other than the "Great Rock-Island Route."
Now let music soft and tender, in its mystic power reveal, Praises to the "Great Rock-Island," that the heart can only feel; And to swell the mighty chorus - comes the glad re-echoing shout, That for safety, time, and comfort, take the "Great Rock-Island Route."
Good guess but not the Rock. I haven't heard it in years so many thanks for the words to that RI song.
Mark
Still, Mark, if Wanswheel's answer is correct, even thought not the same as yours, should not he have the right to ask the next question? But his answer is correct only if the song was actually played over the PA in the station before train departure.
daveklepper Still, Mark, if Wanswheel's answer is correct, even thought not the same as yours, should not he have the right to ask the next question? But his answer is correct only if the song was actually played over the PA in the station before train departure.
I have been in LaSalle St. Sta. a number of times in the 1940's and 50's to catch trains of both the RI and NYC and never once heard that song played. Additionally, it would be incorrect to think of it as a jingle unlike the catchy two liner which was played prior to the departure of all trains of the road I have in mind.
The road was the Monon, and the song was "Up and down the Monon." If anyone wants to see the whole song, I will find the issue of Trains which reported that it was played at the Dearborn Street Station before the departure of a Monon train, copy the song out, and post it. I think it was more than two lines, but I may be wrong.
Johnny
Most jingles have four lines. Do you suppose you could find a link to it? Possibliy with the music included? - al
al-in-chgo Most jingles have four lines. Do you suppose you could find a link to it? Possibliy with the music included? - al
The CI&L ad in that issue does give four lines:
Up and down the Monon Everything is fine, 'cause that rootin' tootin' Monon She's a Hoosier line, oh
I have no idea as to the melody.
I did not find the news item about the jingle in any of the four 1947 issues (all small format) I have, but the August, 1947, issue is chock full of articles about this railroad. I expect that it is in one of the early issues in the large format--and I will have to dig to the bottom of a stack to get to it.
Note: the first issue of Trains I read was the April, 1952 issue, and I immediuately subscribed. I bought some back issues myself (somehow I found the money therefor), and a friend gave me others, including the 1947 issues I have.
Deggesty al-in-chgo: Most jingles have four lines. Do you suppose you could find a link to it? Possibliy with the music included? - al Al, I put "Up and down the Monon" into Yahoo--and came up with nothing remotely resembling the jingle. Now, back in August of 1947 it would have been possible to get sheet music for each of several Monon songs, for thirty-five cents each. The list includes "Up and Down the Monon," "Indiana is So Rich," "Sleepy Little Town," "Last Call for Dinner (Wonderful Monon Meals," "Monticello Moon," Hoosier Time," The Belle of the Monon," and "The Gentleman Who Paid My Fare." I doubt that if you write to the Chicago, Indianapolis Louisville Railway co., 608 S. Dearborn St., Chicago, Ill., you would now be able to obtain copies. The CI&L ad in that issue does give four lines: Up and down the Monon Everything is fine, 'cause that rootin' tootin' Monon She's a Hoosier line, oh I have no idea as to the melody. I did not find the news item about the jingle in any of the four 1947 issues (all small format) I have, but the August, 1947, issue is chock full of articles about this railroad. I expect that it is in one of the early issues in the large format--and I will have to dig to the bottom of a stack to get to it. Note: the first issue of Trains I read was the April, 1952 issue, and I immediuately subscribed. I bought some back issues myself (somehow I found the money therefor), and a friend gave me others, including the 1947 issues I have.
al-in-chgo: Most jingles have four lines. Do you suppose you could find a link to it? Possibliy with the music included? - al
.
Well, I think you did just fine. Arguably it's a four-line jingle, too, lines beginning with the words "Up," "Everything," "'cause," and "She's." I would suggest, just for making it hummable but not accurate, the tune "Let's Have Another Cup of Coffee (and Let's Have Another Piece of Pie)" would work well enough based on those lines, though you'd have to rush the third line a bit. IOW "Just around the corner, there's a rainbow in the sky," could furnish the tune "Up and down the Monon, everything is fine," and then the full title of the 1930s song could fit--with a little squeezing--into the third and fourth lnes.
What think you? - al
How do I get to the edit feature? My remarks were intended to refernence "Up and down the Monon" only.
- al
Up And Down The Monon was on one side of four 78 RPM records featuring the French Lick Orchestra. Other titles: The Gentleman Who Paid My Fare, Monticello Moon, Indiana Is So Rich, The Belle of the Monon, Sleepy Little Town, Hoosier Time and Last Call for Dinner. Advertised in Billboard Magazine:
http://books.google.com/books?id=xgwEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT35
Music and lyrics:
http://images.indianahistory.org/dc011/pdf/ihs-SHMU_31_47-01.pdf
Three birds with one stone:
1. Al, click on the "More" button, and you will find the "Edit" button.
2. Mike, I believe that you have more than answered Al's questions. And, consider that nine out the ten roads named in the song are no more.
3. New question (no one else knew/remembered about the Monon and its song): What was the eastern terminus (in 1930) of the Sea Gull, and what road handled the train? There were several western terminii for the sleepers.
I'm thinking ...On the Boardwalk in ATLANTIC CITY of course ! Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines.
Did I pass Go?
Do I get to collect $200?
Also...check out "Up and Down the Monon" on YOU TUBE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2335WwU_-y0
FlyingCrow Also...check out "Up and Down the Monon" on YOU TUBE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2335WwU_-y0
I was astonished at how good the animation quality is on that "Up and Down the Monon" cilp at You Tube. Was it really made in the Fifties? I usually associated a far poorer animation quality with Fifties cartoons. It looks to me (especially with the pan of the train in motion) more like a modern videotape that had been put into animation mode.
The sound . . . well, that's weak. But the picture is wonderful! - al
PS: John -- thanks for the heads-up on how to use the "Edit" feature.
FlyingCrow I'm thinking ...On the Boardwalk in ATLANTIC CITY of course ! Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines. Did I pass Go? Do I get to collect $200?
Hmmm: right destination and the right railroad--but added a non-existing railroad. Well, step to the pitcher's mound.
al-in-chgo FlyingCrow: Also...check out "Up and Down the Monon" on YOU TUBE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2335WwU_-y0 I was astonished at how good the animation quality is on that "Up and Down the Monon" cilp at You Tube. Was it really made in the Fifties? I usually associated a far poorer animation quality with Fifties cartoons. It looks to me (especially with the pan of the train in motion) more like a modern videotape that had been put into animation mode. The sound . . . well, that's weak. But the picture is wonderful! - al
FlyingCrow: Also...check out "Up and Down the Monon" on YOU TUBE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2335WwU_-y0
Ok, so it's my turn again? If so...the question is: Jerry Pinkepank described the tractive effort of this railroad's one and only homebuilt locomotive in The Diesel Spotters Guide as "TREMENDOUS". What railroad was he referring to and where was it located?
Secondly...the "movie" you see on You Tube is not a 50's cartoon or anything remotely close. This is actually a video created of a Monon passenger train running on Microsoft's Train Simulator by the use of "FRAPS"...a video capture program created for gamers who want to post their exploits.
Re: Monon short feature
Thanks for the pudah on FRAPS! A video capture device! I had wondered if computers had something to do with it....I especially got suspicious when the 'camera' panned to the left to follow the passing train.
I posted a question above...no takers ?
FlyingCrow I posted a question above...no takers ?
Not ignoring your question, but have absolutely no clue -- not even a candidate for WAG-land! Sorry. - al
FlyingCrow Ok, so it's my turn again? If so...the question is: Jerry Pinkepank described the tractive effort of this railroad's one and only homebuilt locomotive in The Diesel Spotters Guide as "TREMENDOUS". What railroad was he referring to and where was it located?
The answer is among the ugly diesels pictured in the current issue of TRAINS. The railroad is Southern San Luis Valley, located in Colorado.
As an aside, the one and only Ingalls locomotive was sold to GM&O as their 1900.
You GOT IT. Once known as the San Luis Valley Southern, the SSLV had, without a doubt, the ugliest home-built contraption known to 4' 81/2". In the First Diesel Spotters Guide, Jerry listed the tractive effort as "tremendous"....signifying that this beast might even be able to pull a 10 story office building.
It was indeed, a sight to behold. On the way to college in 1967 I detoured through Blanca, CO and caught it switching a brace of insulated boxcars.
YOUR TURN, sir. And congratulations!
The 59th Street Line of the Belt Railway of Chicago was relocated in the early 1920's. Why was it done?
CSSHEGEWISCH The 59th Street Line of the Belt Railway of Chicago was relocated in the early 1920's. Why was it done?
That would be just south of and paralleling the the Midway Plaisance, the huge open-air mall that remained a a park after the 1893 Columbian Exhibition.
All I can guess is that the University of Chicago needed room to expand, to the south, and it probably made more economic sense to them if they could condemn (or bully) their way into acquiring an old ROW upon which to build (anything else would involve inviolable city park property, or demolishing highly built-up private housing, which was new and quite expensive at the time).
So my short answer is that the line was moved so that U. of Chicago could put new buildings where the line used to be. My slightly longer answer is that John D. Rockefeller and family pretty much owned the U.of C. in those years, and could bring considerable $$$ and clout to a project they deemed worthy.
(I've always denied the rumor that in the Gothic-inspired Rockefeller Chapel on campus the Doxology is sung, "Praise God from whom oil blessings flow." lol) - al
You're too far east. The Midway Plaisance runs from Cottage Grove (800 E) to Stony Island (1600 E), a long way from Clearing.
Enlargement of a water shipping channel?
daveklepper Enlargement of a water shipping channel?
Definitely not.
CSSHEGEWISCH daveklepper: Enlargement of a water shipping channel? Definitely not.
daveklepper: Enlargement of a water shipping channel?
To make way for construction of, or enlargement of, Midway Airport?
I think Al has most of the answer . I think the railroad actually crossed a (or the) runway at Midway and was relocated to avoide this crossing. If this is right, Al still should be credited with the right answer.
Al does indeed have the correct answer. Chicago Municipal Airport originally occupied only the southwest corner of its existing site and the 59th Street Line connected with BRC's main line near where the Orange Line terminal is located. When the airport was expanded to it's current size, the line was relocated.
Al, you have the next question.
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