Rock Island train number 509, The Rocket, is seen at Wichita Kansas in 1940. Otto Conrad Perry photo, from my collection.

OKLAHOMA CITY Feb 3 1980 — Rock Island caboose 17801 sits beside the engine shed at Harter Yard. Complete shutdown of the Rock is only days away. One of my train-chasing friends was a yard clerk... (more)

EL RENO OK March 13 1980 — The Rock Island will be shut down in only days as outside-braced caboose No. 17651 awaits its fate. My photo.

EL RENO OK April 13 1980 — The Rock Island has shut down and this string of Rock Island cabooses await their fate. My photo.

EL RENO OK April 13 1980 — Rock Island Scale Test Car 85381 awaits its fate after shut down of the Rock Island. I wish I could have hooked up to it and taken it home. My photo.

ENID OK Aug 4 1978 — Rock Island GP38-2 4321 (Texas), U28B 263, GP38-2 4348 (Tom Foster) and GP35 330 haul a mixed freight past a freshly plowed field south of Enid. EMD built the unit in Septem... (more)

OKLAHOMA CITY (April) 1977 — Rock Island GP38-2 4300 and an all blue lashup lead a mixed freight westbound at Harter Yard. EMD delivered the 4300, named the Rock Islander, in August-September 19... (more)

OKLAHOMA CITY OK Feb 3 1980 — The engine shed at Harter Yard hosts Rock Island SW8 812 at its door. EMD delivered the 812 in September 1950. In 1986 the unit went to Central Soya as CSYX 1. My p... (more)

KANSAS CITY Sept 29 1979 -- Rock Island SD40-2 4796 awaits its fate as shutdown of the Rock is only months away. This unit went to Illinois Central Gulf. My photo.

EL RENO OK Feb 2 1980 — A fellow railfan who was also a Rock Island employee got us into the El Reno shops for a night photography session. We had verbal permission from the division superintend... (more)

KANSAS CITY Sept 29 1979 — Rock Island GP38-2 4330 (named for the Little Giant from Little Dixie Carl B. Albert, D-OK) is shown at Armourdale Yard only months before total shutdown of the Rock. ... (more)

ANADARKO OK June 27 1979 — The crew of this lashup with Rock Island GP7R 4543 in front has tied down the engines and gone to beans. My photo.

WAUKOMIS OK Aug 4 1978 — Rock Island GP7R 4507 leads a mixed freight south as it approaches the E0500 grade crossing on the Rock's north-south main line. My photo.

OKLAHOMA CITY (October) 1975 — Rock Island GP40 355 makes its way through Harter Yard while a switcher works a cut of cars. My photo.

The Iowa Northern's North Crew does work in the Manly Terminal. This is the farthest north the Iowa Northern goes. The Manly Yard used to be a small little operation with an interchange point wit... (more)