The ROCK is on very borrowed time in this scene from January 1980. At least they are ready for snow.
Shutdown of the Rock is only months away, here's one of my last Rock shots at Kelley yard in Silvis.
Wild Rock Island consist has this coal train on the move at Kelly Yard. This is the LaFayette, IL, unit coal train which came up the OTHER Rock Peoria line, via Galva, IL. and Coal Valley, IL. an... (more)
This little speeder was also part of the annual trek to Red Oak and back. I like the flames on the seat!
Not used in a long time, this Rock Island signal stands tall. The sky is loaded with stars, moon rising thru the trees on the left. 20sec @ F4, 22:30.
Rock Island Commuter at Blue Island Station
ROCK ISLAND F9m's 4153 and 4150 in the red/yellow scheme ready for outbound service. These RI F9m's are former Union Pacific.
The Quad City Rocket heads east for Chicago.
View looking at the east end of the Silvis shops.
There were literally hundreds of locomotives of every make and model at Silvis after the shutdown of the Rock.
Half of all of the SW8s on the Rock Island roster are shown here being made ready to be sold.
The Rock rebuilt these geeps to extend their lives. They lasted longer than the Rock did.
The once proud Rock Island is preparing for the final shut down by sending excess power to Silvis to be inventoried and prepared for sale.
Chopped nosed 1275 and a couple of FB units from the Lafayette coal train power lead a westbound manifest at Atalissa, Iowa in the mid 1970's.
