Rock Island (The Rockets Defy Discontinuance)

Purchase at -- www.greenfrog.com
Train Action of the "Quad Cities" & "Peorian" & Rock Island System
The Films of Roger M. Koenig Volume 4

The Super 8mm film on this production was scanned with a state of the art Frame by Frame film scanner in Full 1080i High Definition.

The Frame by Frame scanning gives you Zero film flicker, and a smooth almost 3 dimensional quality to the film. You also get very accurate True to Life original Color!


FROM SUPER 8 FILM WITH ORIGINAL SOUND

The Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad was so impoverished when Amtrak started up in May 1971 that it could not afford to turn its long distance trains over to the new national passenger system. Instead, its four long distance intrastate trains; the two "Quad Cities" to and from Moline on the main line and the "Peorian" serving the Peoria Branch, continued to roll in and out of Chicago's deteriorating LaSalle Street Station even as the terminal had its train shed roof removed and the daily trains became shorter and shorter.

These were all that remained of the once-proud Rock Island Rockets that included the Rocky Mountain Rocket to Denver and Colorado Springs, and a timetable full of other trains. Some fans still referred to the remaining trains by their earlier Rocket names.

Meanwhile Metra, the Chicago Commuter Rail Service Authority, took over responsibility for the suburban trains run over the tracks of the Rock Island and most other Chicago land railroads. Roger Koenig was there with his Super Eight sound movie camera recording the slow decline of the Quad Cities and Peorian, and the Rock Island system.

Aprox. 63 Minutes
Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• rock island
• trains
• trainvideo
• historic
• 1970s
• vintage

[webecomets]

I want to buy this

[GreenFrogVideos]

You can purchase this on our website.

Green Frog Productions, Ltd.

[GreenFrogVideos]

You can purchase this on our website.

Green Frog Productions, Ltd.

[papabugs71]

The sound of the old AB brakes at 2:11 is PRICELESS.

Long live The Rock.

[CSILCPD]

very nice video i love these locos they look great

[pglowiak]

I remember riding in the old green cars just before the Rock Island shut down.

[BishopTJH]

@howardkevinm They did, in 1975, it kept them afloat for a little while longer until 1980.

[howardkevinm]

if rock island was so poor why didnt they file for bankruptcy like PennCentral?

[starguard]

This brings back so many memories. I remember these trains back when I was very very young. Thanks for posting this! :thumbsup:

[Mephilesthedark1360]

If Rock Island did give Amtrak it's passenger trains would The Rock Island turn out differently?

[train2589]

the 652 independence was restored by and for the midland railway. now it has been sold to a different line. sold with a sister loco.

[rando4038]

at 3:38 you can see the ic's electrified blue island branch termination point, nice!!!