>March 31, 1980 was 35 years ago RIP Rock Island

Damn, all that equipment looks like it's one day away from falling apart.

I wonder if there was a possibility of the railroad surviving.

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>>794403
Probably not, the accumulated years of deferred maintenance of its track and equipment had reduced the company's ability to reliably transport goods and remain competitive. The best it could have hoped for was a merger into a larger, more profitable railroad system, like what happened with Frisco and BN later that same year. At the time there were no willing takers, however.

There is a book that tells of the long,slow decline of the Rock Island. They wanted to merge with UP but UP kept putting it off. The lack of money for upkeep didn't help Rock Island.

Good riddance. Most overrated railroad ever.

You'll still see some of their cars. Usually grain hoppers that have been renumbered but not repainted.

>>794425
Here in Hamilton, Ontario at bayview junction, I have caught a bunch of center sill hoppers and even a gondola once, wonder if there is 1 autorack somewhere :O

>>794443
>Hamilton, Ontario
I feel like I see that name on certain railcars, but I'm pretty sure National Steel Car is out of London, Ontario. Or maybe that was the Canadian arm of EMD. I forget.

>>794447
NSC is in Hamilton

its cool waching the new stuff roll out

>>794447
Oh and your right about the London EMD thing.

>>794419
You mean the PRR?

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>>794535
>>794419
You're both mistaken.

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>>794542
>butthurt anti-Milwaukee Road autist

>>794545
>Retarded MILWR foamer
Why don't you make like your true love and whore yourself out to the lowest bidder and then kill yourself afterwards?

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>>794547
Just shut up and post some Rock Island, turbonerd.

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>>794555

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Check out the Gadsden flag on the door.

>>794403
most of the rock's trackage is still in use.

>>794535
Blasphemer!!!

>>794614
PRR and NYC are the two most overhyped railroads in American history.

SP and UP are right behind them.

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I fucking love this logo

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>>794748
"Bankruptcy Blue" is a pretty sexy paint scheme.

leadbelly rock island line: https://youtu.be/7iJEVOUqepo

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>>794748
Supposedly RI was planning to repaint its motive power to a "Black Rock" scheme, but the railroad died before that could be implemented.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yA-TAmuwJa8

>those ridiculous locomotive lashups

If a model railroader tried to pull that kind of shit he'd be criticized for being unrealistic.

Literally Rust Belt: the railroad.

remind me again why people foam over this?

>>795161
hindsight is 20/20, mostly because its seen through rose colored glasses.

me? i prefer beer goggles.

rust belt railroad? that would be the milwaukee road.

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>>795161
>rustbelt
4/10

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>>795161

>>794748
>dat icon
>>794386
>dat logotype
Handsome design.

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>>796394
I agree, it's just too bad that handsome designs don't pay the bills.

man its like going back in time, a much simpler time. love these old color photos

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>>799273

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>>799274

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>>799275

>>794757
For those of us who only speak English:
https://youtu.be/yszm9ZqcDZQ

>>799331
*tips bicycle helmet*

Bnsf conductor here gulf division fairly certain I see rock island cars every once in a while down thisaway I'll get a pic for yall if I do again

>>799273
>>799274
>>799275
>>799276

Unreal, I am an engineer on these old Rock Island tracks, in these same towns today.

>>799331


>>>/b/

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>>799435
That's pretty neat, is the track in better shape today?

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Blaze it

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>DUDE INDEPENDENCE LMAO

>>799504
The fuck is this thing?

I like it.

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>>799698
ALCo C-415 switcher, one of the last locomotives produced by the company before it quit the business. Only a couple dozen were built and Rock Island had one of the largest orders.

>The design selected was inherently flawed. They happened to be rather slippery due to uneven weight distribution- prime mover in the front, air compressor and radiator system in the rear. Batteries were in the left-rear hood, air reservoirs on the right. If you're familiar with Alcos' tendency to shove or drag non-Alco power, this presents an obvious problem. The excitation system that GE was currently using was implemented, as such, the C415 was notorious for slow loading.

>The in-cab experience wasn't great either. Alco developed a V8 in which the cylinders fired every 90°, not particularly smooth running. As I recall this required the use of counterbalance shafts, but these resulted in secondary vibrations. The engine-auxiliary shaft also ran underneath the cab floor. And then there was the duplex controller mentioned earlier... Alco's exhaust stack was designed to keep smoke away from the crew. However, it warmed the cab, and it wasn't unknown for the pegboard wall to catch fire. In later units, the vertical section was rotated lengthwise, but most roads simply straightened the stacks. Following many complaints, Alco switched to conventional stepwells and dual controls. If you compare a representative from each C415 order, notice they all look different. Alco was at work with this model until the very end; you can't blame them for trying.

>>799481

Probably not, it was all signaled territory in the Rock's day, CSX leased it from the holding company for 50 years in 1980, everything west of Joliet to Bureau. (Metra owns it from Joliet to LaSalle St. station and it's very well maintained and probably better track than the Rock Island ever was.) It's all dark territory now, meaning written track warrants from dispatchers.

Maybe 10 years back, CSX sublet from Utica to Bureau to the Iowa Interstate, because it was too pricey to maintain (I've been told.) Since 1980 CSX has torn out most of the double main, save for a few sidings and industry tracks. So now it's mostly single main. Much of the actual rail is 80-100 years old and in constant disrepair and just fucking ugly. Our track guys do a great job but it is constant band aid repairs.

In the past 2 years, there have been major 'improvements' done to the "New Rock" subdivison. Replacing miles of sectional rail with welded ribbon and major track projects in Rockdale, Minooka, and Utica. I have been told that it will all be dual main again in the distant future but I have serious doubts. Still, it continues to be a very profitable 44 miles of track.

>>800396
Man I love the logos/liveries they used but shit did they ever maintain anything? Even that tiny little bridge looks like it was made up of old box cars.

>>800504
>railroads
>maintaining things that aren't totally broken

There weren't enough fatal crashes involving Rock Island trains.

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Now THIS is a rare paint scheme.

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Rock Island was the only railroad to ever dedicate a locomotive to "The American Railfan." Shortly afterwards they went out of business.

Coincidence?

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>>822225

>This anon has never heard of the Florida East Coast Railway which has an entire fleet of Heritage Locomotives with paint schemes from the 1950's and 1960's.

>yfw they were one of the first to have a Heritage scheme on FEC 2000 in 1999

>yfw their fucking CEO is a railfan

>>823229
Yeah, sure, lots of railroads have heritage schemes on the rails nowadays. But only Rock Island had a locomotive literally named "The American Railfan."

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>>823235

>>823237

sad face

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>>823680
Wasn't killed there, though.

It found new life as UP 748

>>794800
i didnt get too far into the vid but that first one

TOP
KEK
E
K

my god, what a mess. i would love to see that in a model railroader magazine for lulz

>>794386
Holy shit, the amount of rust everywhere.

>>838425
Rolling tetanus.

>>800128
>meaning written track warrants from dispatchers.
can you elaborate on this?

>>794386
in case it hasn't been posted yet, here's the thread music: Leadbelly (Huddie Ledbetter) "Rock Island Line" circa great depression era.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qITv8uQTZA

>>843480
A dispatcher calls the train over radio and tells them what parts of the track they are allowed on. The conductor writes all of them down.

>>843480
I could take a picture of my track authority book, but it's late and I'm going to bed.

>>843529
What's that, an brake or engine slave unit or something?

>>843593
It's called a slug. They're normally used on humps.

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>>843480
Looks something like this.

There's a piece of carbon paper under that so I can make two copies.

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>tfw the Rock was too poor to hand over passenger operations to Amtrak so it kept operating its own trains in the Chicago area

>>795161
Wouldn't the Rust Belt railroad be Penn Central?

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>>847074
That sounds about right. The PC's lifespan (1968-1976) coincides as well with the first major period of de-industrialization to hit the Rust Belt.

>>840048
lel
>>843607
i thought it was a yard goat
[bleating intensifies]

>>851381
No, a goat is like a switch engine. Like an SW-1 or whatever. They're also called mules. But a slug is a slug.

>>856857
what was in the short hood that needed to be so tall on those locos?
I mean in every engine I've been on the short hood was just the storage/shitter.

>>856877
en suite bathroom

>>795161
The Rock was a Granger Road

>>863406
>No MR, ER, or AR hoses

>>794542
>>794386

How can you run a business and let your equipment look like that? It's like going into a club and seeing a girl with a "I <3 niggers" tattoo on her chest.

>>863449
Are those necessary on a dedicated yard switcher?

>>856877
Some have auxiliary generators. Those were diesel-hydraulic, though.

>>863554
If you intend to MU them, yes.

>>794386

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ROCK ISLAND LIVES!

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'Murica

>>794542
that happened because they were a bunch of drunks who fucked whores in the caboose and the winters are brutal on vics in wi. especially in milwaukee, the ground is snow and salt in the winter.

>>794748
most 70s logo ever

Damn. I grew up in the Quad City area, and I remember every single car, without exception, was all graffiti'd up. When I moved to a different state and had seen clean rail cars, I asked my friend why they didn't have graffiti. No joke.

>>794418
For awhile the plan was for the northern half of the RI system to merge with UP and the southern half would be taken over by SP.

>>877603
That train is going in surprisingly pleasant environment.

I don't think I can name many places in this country where urban rail lines are in such well kept places, usually it's all unkept willows or broken asphalt and plasticbags everywhere.

>>881162
Keep in mind that this is small-town Kansas in the 1970s. It was only about 20 years ago that rail cars even started to get tagged on a massive scale.

This thread... March... is /n/ really this slow

>>866703
more pics of how they used to haul trucks, pls
>bikefag who is into trucks

>>850467
are most of those engines not being used?

>>881294
nope
there's probably only 4 running at most

>>881280
All you have to do is bump a thread every week or so.

>>881292
They still do. Trailer-on-flat-car ops are pretty common to this day.

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>>881292
>>881425
Yeah, just saw UP hauling some trailers on flat cars today.

Just search "TOFC" and you'll find everything you're looking for.

>>881450
They're also known as pigs.

>>794386
>This thread was posted nearly 6 months ago

http://www.ttx.com/Files/photographywantedwebsitedoc.pdf
fags

>>881450
you Americans are lucky, all we have for piggyback traffic in Canada is CP's Xpressway.
Overnight service inbetween Toronto and Montreal

>>881643
I find it hard to believe that neither CN or CP has more pig traffic than that.

>>881643
thats because nobody runs pig trains anymore. everything is containerized intermodal now.

cofc > tofc

>>881778
They're all called pigs whether it's containers or trailers.

>>886485
>>886485
>>886485

Trailers only.

>Piggyback transportation refers to the transportation of goods where one transportation unit is carried on the back of something else

>>886719
They're called pigs, bruh.

We call them pig trains, we call where they're loaded pig ramps, we call the cars empty or loaded pigs.

>>814798
>3 locomotives for 1 car

No wonder they went out of business.

>>895203
>He can't see the bulkhead flat behind the hopper.

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Check out these quads and this 8.

>>898129
>9*

:^)

>>794419

That's not UP or ATSF.

>circle jerking this hard over a railroad that couldn't keep it together financially after the boom in air and ground shipping.

never change /n/. never change.

>>794593
>do not hump
someone explain this

>>913882
So in the US (and I'm sure in other parts of the world) there are yards called "hump yards." And within these yards exists a hump. which is really just a hill that they've made up. So what you do is shove cars up this hill, pull the pin at the crest and let them free roll down the hill into a prescribed track.

Some cars and commodities are more delicate than others and letting cars free roll into others isn't exactly a soft coupling. Thus, they will be stenciled with "DO NOT HUMP" upon their sides so that crews will know to shove them to a couple.

Furthermore, it is also inadvisable to kick cars stenciled not to hump. Basically you're just not supposed to let them free roll.

Hope that helps.

>>794386
damno

>>913912
I've understood humpyards are somewhat out of fashion and some smaller hump yards have been converted to a typical level sorting yards?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nz-n49pIFQ

rip

>>921047
They're not out of fashion just expensive to maintain. That's why they'll be converted for flat switching. But really, any yard that is bowl shaped will work fine. You just kick the cars instead of humping them. Which, if you're good, can be done really fast too.

sad

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.

>>924247
intredasting

>Chicago
>Rock
>Island
>Pacific
>Crip
>Late corporate color was blue

>>929348
terrified...

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>>935692
Well the Rock's reporting mark was CRIP.

>Try to post image
>Already posted in the thread nearly a year ago

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>>937573
kek

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Happy Anniversary!

>>794386
>March 31, 2015 was 1 year ago

>March 31, 1980 was 36 years ago

RIP Rock Island

>>942299
Maybe it's because I'm drunk, but you could take this same exact picture today. Makes me think of some of the great guys I've worked with.

Oldest thread on 4chins

>March 31, 2015 was 35 year ago

:(

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The lead switching unit was brought in because the other units in the consist died on the road.

>>794386
>literally rust on wheels
wew

>>863461

The client doesn't care when their shit gets to it's destination for less.

>>945944
But shouldn't the company have a little dignity and at least have a good image?

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>>945944
>>947193
SP was pretty bad about maintaining it's paint jobs in its last years. UP is pretty bad now, too.

>>794412
>that centercab

Not familiar with power on the Rock. Anyone mind telling me what that beauty is?

>>948654
see >>799711
Alco C-415

>>948654
>>948657
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75chdSrWGwY

This video has a pretty good run-by at about 3:30.

>>950248
wow, what a difference between rail lines

>>951766
That's probably a passing siding that hasn't been used in years.

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Another fallen flag lost to corporate greed and legitimate conspiracies (just like Milwaukee Road, both of which are mentioned in the articles below).

http://www.larouchepub.com/eiw/public/1979/eirv06n38-19791002/eirv06n38-19791002_012-corporate_strategy_how_mr_henry.pdf

>>962867
>Larouche

yeah, no, fuck that

>only been to /n/ a few times
>remember seeing this thread last time I was here
>oh look it's this thread again
>start seeing the same images that I remembered from like a year ago
>look at the OP post date
>mfw
I knew there were slower boards on this site but holy shit.

>>963049
What do you expect from a board where everyone cycles?

>>963059
ayy

Newfag here. Anything beyond coincidence to RI using Maersk Blue?

Giving a bump to that mighty good road.

>>964022
It's the same shade and everything.

>>794800
Does it run?
Does it hold air?
Does at least one traction motor load?
Lash it up!

>>794386
How the fuck is this thread still alive? I rember the day it was first posted jesus. And i thought /ck/ was a slow board. I thought that threads would be deleted automatically after some period of time? Are there any mods on this board? This has got to be the oldest thread on 4chan, we should make a tradion and keep it alive for ever.

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>>964022
It's just coincidence I think.

>Car is painted in colors of a railroad that has been defunct for 36 years
>Has marks of a railroad that hasn't really existed for 16.

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>>974418
/ck/ is lightning fast compared to /n/.

On /n/ we're like trains; long, hard, but not so quick.

>>974418
I think /i/ or /ic/ might be slower. Totally fine with the Rock Island thread being designated a 4chan Historic Landmark, though.

>>921073
And, sorry, kicking would be?

>>980233
You tell the engineer to "kick 'em"

He then starts backing up quickly.

You pull the cut lever/pin lifter

Say "that'll do"

He, and the rest of the train, stop.

The other car(s) keep rolling.

A drop is basically this but just in reverse.

>>913912
>>980375
Thank you for the explanations.

>>983539
Haha, no problem.

Glad that I cleared up your curiousity over 7 months.

I can't believe this thread is still alive. 4chan Historic Landmark when?

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>>985818
>4chan Historic Landmark when?
I don't know, but I'd have to guess soon.

>>966702
Half life train

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Has anyone heard about Quad Cities getting passenger service again?

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20160622/BLOGS02/160629939/chicago-quad-cities-train-gets-rauner-signal-to-go-ahead

They haven't had service since the Quad Cities Rocket stopped running in 1978. The new passenger service is going to run on the Rock Island line from Wyanet to Moline.

>>947193
You would think...

>>969557
Now that's what I call some dank late 70's rust belt hell aesthetic

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Going to post about to Railroads that passed very close or through My Home town that later both ended up being absorbed by the Union Pacific.

The First is The Missouri, Kansas, Texas line (MKT or The Katy was the nickname) and the MKT had a small depot and River Bridge that spans the Missouri River. The MKT was bought out by Missouri Pacific & Union Pacific on August 12, 1988.

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>>989352
shit meant to say two*

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>>989353

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>>989354

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>>989355

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The Second Line passes through a small town a couple Miles south Called the Missouri Pacific. On December 22, 1982 Mo Pac was bought up By Union Pacific.

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>>989359
once Mo Pac was bought by Union the spur line that went just South of my home town was torn up and the rails sold for scrap however a good portion of the Mo Pac line still sits abandoned through most of the Town of Eldon and the surrounding county

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>>989359

>>987066
The longest one was over 1000 days, we're almost half way there

>>989359
>Missouri Pacific
>Connects to the Atlantic

>>989654
Pacific in that its service area is all west of the Mississippi River.

That geographic divide is very prevalent even today in railroads.

>>989388
>A 1000 day thread
Damn...

>>794386
bumping old tredd as i had the Rock Island HO scale train-set.......good times.... mostly......... until trips with Uncle Scott got.... weird....

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>>924247

someone should Murder you for that pic bro......

>Rock Island
Sounds like a crackheads paradise.

>>948636
>>818927

Some of these pictures have an extremely comfy vibe to them.

>>989681

How can you call it pacific if it has nothing to do with it.

Do you say the pacific side of Cuba because you are referring to the western side?

>>991007
It's just how railroads are named, my friend. Especially in the 1800s when the MOPAC was built.

>>881280
Currently scrolling in disbelief here in August 2016!

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Bump

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>>991555
We 500 day thread now!

>>980375
Kicking with beltpack is tons of fun.

>mfw cars flyin' down the lead at 10 per

>>993529
Do you work at the yard near my old house? I lived a solid third of a mile from it and the impacts made it shake on a pretty regular basis. Now I live 3/4 of a mile from the yard and even still I can hear them sometimes.

Thread was on page 10 on it's way out.
Bumping for the eternal Rock Island thread.

>>993529
Beltpack is nice because you don't have to talk on the radio and if a car hangs up you just close the knuckle and bump it down the lead... and that's about it. Oh, and don't say you kick cars from the wrong side and open the knuckle on every car like a pleb.

They have too many issues, are constantly breaking down, and tear shit up.

I'd rather have a beltpack than a shitty engineer, but a good engineer is way better than a beltpack.

>>993529
Holy Shit that sounds Like alot of fun.

My grandfather was an engineer for rock island hes on his deathbed. Anything I should ask him?

>>999975
Was it his fault?

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Other railroads wish they had this livery

>>999975
Don't ask him anything for us. Ask him about the things that should matter to you. How he met your grandmother etc. It sucks when they're gone and years later you have a question that will never be amswered.

The rock island thread lives on!

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Bumping with modern Rock Island

>>999975
well of all things to ask him I probably wouldn't ask him about a failed railroad however you do you.

>>1003027
I've actually seen that PRR motor with the Penn Central one in my yard before.

Kind of neat that NS does those heritage paint schemes.

I've also passed the N&W one at a meet.

Could this be the oldest non-sticky thread on 4chan?

>>1003440
Not even close. There are threads on other boards 3-5 years old.

>>999975
How many derailments were there?

>>999975
Any updates?

>>1008526
>those old style cabooses
It will never be the 1980's again will it anons?

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>>794386
TFW Admins delete the board before this thread's second birthday.

I just came here to say goodbye to this epic thread, as /o/tists will kill it before it can properly age.

>>1014751
Pls no, I need this shithole

>>1015235
For what purpose?

>>913682
careful what you wish for

>>1015254
To numb myself from both mental and physical pain. It's great at numbing your mind.

>>1015428
You could always get on a train and stare blankly into the face of the person in front of you.

>>930887
I agree.

>>963049
I think the time is now.

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>>1015642

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Happy 13th Birthday 4chan!

>>1015674
Kek
>>1015675
See, we can still be friends.

>>1016435
>>1016442
>>1016444
that didn't work

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>>1016401
Interesting concept.

>>843826
Do they ever plan on upgrading to WiFi/printouts?

>>979740
That pic
>tfw a railroad employee gets caught humping it

>>1015667
They let bikes on Amtrak?
Fukin' a, good 2 know...

>>1016450
>filename
>a passenger leaves with his bicycle
>his
:^)

>>1016487
Where have you been m8?

this thread taught me something about 4chan

>>1016835
Yeah, that a bunch of faggots started bumping it at the end to hit the auto sage while contributing absolutely nothing.

RIP Rock Island.

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>>1016991
Thank you for your support. It was a good thread until the end.

RIP Rock Island

>tfw the Rock Island thread is now auto saging
Looks like we're not gonna make it to two years. It was a good run boys.

>>1017082
Somebody email hiroshimoot! Save the CRIP!

>>1016991
>auto sage

lurk moar newfag

>>1017082
You too fgt

It's a bump limit

>>1017122
It's called auto-sage you mouth breathing retard.

t. been here since 05.

>>1017212
Rip Thread. Mods pls sticky

>>1017339
>yfw /n/ gets deleted but you could still post in this thread if you'd save the link
WE WILL BE HERE TILL THE END OF TIME.

>>1017212
> not seeing moot's post on the subject
> using the "I've been here x years" defense
Newfag pls go

GOOD

NIGHT

SWEET

PRINCE

I grew up in Bauxite, Arkansas. A section of Rock Island was across the highway from our home. When I was a child I remember steam locomotives coming through occasionally.

Also, the 'doodlebug' passenger cars zipped by with some regularity. I never rode on one but I'm sure it could have been boarded at the Bauxite depot if the telegrapher/station master signaled for a stop.

I never had a lot of interest in the railroad itself other than looking for 'torpedos' to steal and make bombs out of. When it was closing I recall finding out the route was from Little Rock to Hot Springs.

>>1017626
>When I was a child I remember steam locomotives coming through occasionally.

How fucking old are you?

>>1017604
>>1017605
>>1017606
>>1017608

F

>>1017627
>How old are you?

73

The steam locomotives didn't come through all the time like the diesel-electrics.

I only saw them a few times.

>>1017653
God damn. Do you still live in NW Arkansas?

>>1017677
> NW Arkansas?

Bauxite is in central Arkansas. Twenty miles from Little Rock.
I live about five miles from my childhood home.

>>1017683
You said Hot Springs and for some reason I always think of it as being more North.

But yeah, that's pretty neat that you were alive to see the last of the steam era.

I worked with guys that were out here for 40 years and never worked with steam.

>>1017689
There was another 'local' rr - Iron Mountain or something like that. They had a track nearby, just not right by my home.

I think they only had steam but it ran once a week or so. I saw them if I happened to be a few miles up the road where the track paralleled the highway when it came through.

Didn't mention it earlier because this is Rock Island thread.

>>1017653
So how did you end up on 4chan of all places? What boards do you browse?

And cool info, btw. You should start a thread of your own here to tell your relevant stories.