Rock Island E8's 652 and 655 leads the daily inter-city Quad Cities Rocket at Blue Island, Illinois on May 12, 1973. The railroad initially declined to hand passenger operations over to Amtrak in 1971, and the Quad Cities continued to run as one of the company's two remaining routes (the other being Peoria Rocket) The trains ran until December 31, 1978 when the Rock Island ended its intercity passenger operations. Photo by Richard R. Wallin, from my collection.
The Rock Island was one of three railroads not to join Amtrak. Its remaining Rocket trains remained in service almost until the railroad became part of history.
