In its day, Train 8, the Rocky Mountain Rocket, was a class operation, not as fast as its Union Pacific and Burlington competitors but a luxurious and comfortable. ride from Denver to Chicago. But by October 6, 1963 its day is just about over. A half hour out of Union Station, the train roars past Sable on its way to rendezvous and recombination with the Colorado Springs section at Limon out in eastern Colorado. Wearing Rock Island’s intermediate maroon and imitation aluminum scheme, E7A 634 heads a consist of baggage car, diner, coach and sleeper. In two years only the coach and baggage car will remain, and in another year the train itself will be gone.
The Rock Island was an also-ran in the markets it served competing the likes of the Santa Fe Super Chief and Burlington Denver Zephyr, but it did its best to put on a good show.
