A failed attempt at saving the Rock Island after a failed attempt with a merger with the Union Pacific. This was a short lived scheme but attractive. Too bad it didn't survive, as Johnny Cash woul... (more)

Looks like a fresh paint job after a full restoration. Grills have not been applied yet.

A Rock Island GP40 coupled to Union Pacific GP9B awaiting the next assignment.

An Alco C415 along with an RS3M haul a transfer freight through Blue Island, Illinois.

A pair of Rock Island E7's leaving downtown Chicago with a commuter train.

Built for the Rock Island by EMD as a lightweight passenger train. The three trainsets produced were deemed a failure and train set number 1 was scrapped in 1966. The two others were donated to mu... (more)

KANSAS CITY KS Sept 29 1979 – With complete shutdown only months away Rock Island GP7 4540 sits at the Armourdale Yard sanding facility. According to www.utahrails.net the unit started life as C... (more)

The new Rock Island Rail showed us some southern hospitality on our visit to Mississippi, a railroad of class, ran by great people.

It must be an officer's special eastbound crossing the ATSF and GM&O.

a Rock Island Alco C415 # 419 works the roads yard at Blue Island in August 1978 these units were common in the Chicago area. and were used a lot on transfer runs

Rock Island EMD E9A 662 leads a 4 unit set of E and F units for a freight train. The new RTA F40s freed up some of these units from there Commuter train roles making for a strange looking set of... (more)

Rock Island 649 and two other E8s lead a couple road switchers on a head of an eastbound freight approach the Santa Fe/ICG diamonds in Joliet, IL on the way to their Chicago Blue Island yard. Like... (more)

OK-KS Oct 1977 — The last picture of a long day chasing trains from El Reno OK north yielded this night shot of Rock Island 353. Fellow railfan Zoli Vajda and I used my Braun RL915 strobe but ha... (more)

Monday evening Rock Island commuter train passing by 16th Street tower in Chicago on 07/15/74, captured on Ektachrome. Photographer unknown. John E. Troxler collection

Monday evening Rock Island commuter train passing by 16th Street in Chicago on 07/15/74, captured on Kodachrome. Photographer unknown. John E. Troxler collection