Rock Island Rockets

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The Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad Rockets were lightweight, streamlined diesel-electric passenger trains built by the Budd Company. These six trains were the first streamlined equipment purchased by the Rock Island, as well as being its first diesel-powered passenger trains. Four of the trains consisted of three cars each, the other two each had four cars.

The stainless steel trains were each powered by an Electro-Motive Corporation model TA locomotive. Unlike many other early streamlined trains, the locomotives were not permanently attached to the trains.

The trains were articulated except for the observation cars. Later, as the railroad streamlined more trains on more routes, the list of "Rocket" trains grew.

The six trains as originally assigned were:^[1][2]

• The Peoria Rocket, Chicago, Illinois to Peoria, Illinois
  • Articulated 3 car set:
    • 32 seat Baggage-dinette-coach #400 Joliet
    • 60 seat coach #306 Ottawa
    • 76 seat coach #300 La Salle
  • 32 seat, 1 drawing room, parlor, buffet, observation car #450 Peoria
• The Des Moines Rocket, Chicago, Illinois to Des Moines, Iowa
  • Articulated 3 car set:
    • 32 seat Baggage-dinette-coach #401 Norman Judd
    • 60 seat coach #307 Grenville Dodge
    • 76 seat coach #301 Henry Farnum
  • 32 seat, 1 drawing room, parlor, buffet, observation car #451 L M Allen

• The Texas Rocket, Fort Worth, Texas to Houston, Texas, offering an alternate schedule on the route of the Sam Houston Zephyr
  • Articulated 2 car set:
    • 32 seat Baggage-dinette-coach #402 Dream Lake
    • 76 seat coach #302 Mesa Verde
  • 28 seat coach, lounge, observation car #452 Centennial

• The Denver Rocket, Kansas City, Missouri to Denver, Colorado for less than a year, then The Rocket from Kansas City to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma from March, 1938^[3]
  • Articulated 2 car set:
    • 32 seat Baggage-dinette-coach #403 Bear Lake
    • 76 seat coach #303 Mount Evans
  • 28 seat coach, lounge, observation car #453 Pikes Peak

• The Kansas City Rocket, Minneapolis, Minnesota to Kansas City, Missouri (2 trainsets)
  • Articulated 2 car set:
    • 18 seat Baggage-dinette-coach #404 Arrow Head
    • 76 seat coach #304 Chippewa
  • 28 seat coach, lounge, observation car #454 Minnesota
  • Articulated 2 car set:
    • 18 seat Baggage-dinette-coach #405 Mesabi
    • 76 seat coach #305 Ioway
  • 28 seat coach, lounge, observation car #455 Missouri

• Hansen, Peter A. (2017). "The Rock's Camelot". In McGonigal, Robert S. (ed.). Great Trains Heartland. Waukesha, Wisconsin: Kalmbach Publishing. pp. 70–81. ISBN 978-1-62700-497-8.
• Pinkepank, Jerry A. (1973). The Second Diesel Spotter's Guide. Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Kalmbach Publishing. ISBN 978-0-89024-026-7.
• "Rock Island Lightweight Passenger Equipment". Rock Island Technical Society. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016.
• "Rocky Mountain Rocket Consists". Rock Island Technical Society. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016.
• "Twin Star Rocket Consists". Rock Island Technical Society. Archived from the original on April 30, 2015.
• "Choctaw Rocket Consists". Rock Island Technical Society. Archived from the original on April 30, 2015.
• "Des Moines Rocket Consists". Rock Island Technical Society. Archived from the original on April 30, 2015.

• "Rock Island Jet Rocket (EMD LWT12 General Motors Aerotrain)". c. 1956. Archived from the original (photograph) on May 4, 2020. Retrieved May 4, 2020 – via Flickr.
• The Peoria Rocket/The Des Moines Rocket - September, 1938 timetables and consists - from Streamliner Schedules

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