The Rocky Mountain Rocket, almost exactly halfway on its 91-mile journey across the old Kansas Pacific from Denver to Limon, Colorado, passes beneath a cluster of cottonwoods, those ancient sentinels of the High Plains, at Byers. On this November 8, 1964, E8A 648 has light work: four cars, including baggage, diner, coach and sleeper. At Limon, the Colorado Springs section will add a handful of cars for the 18-hour journey on Rock Island’s own rails to Chicago.
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.