Rock Island Track/Yard Plans

I'm sorry, Rick, but I'm not in a position to answer that question, as my knowledge of the RI is fairly limited.

I believe that their Chicago commuter operations were taken over by Metra(?), and some of their trackage was taken over by various shortline operators, but that's all I know. I'm sure that their are other contributors to the ng who are much better informed on the subject than I am.

Cheers,

Mark.

The UP sought to merge with the Rock Island in the early 1960's. The wonderful ICC took over 12 years not reaching a decision which contributed to the final bankruptcy of the RI in 1975 and shutdown in 1980. I believe most of the RI's part of the old Golden State route southwest across Kansas to the connection with the former SP at Tucumcari, New Mexico is now a major UP route. Makes one wonder what the western rail picture would have been like today had the UP been permitted to acquire the RI while it was alive. Gary Q

I used to live in East Moline, IL, near Rock Island and Silvis, when the RI was still thriving. I visited the area not too long after the RI abandonment. The Silvis facilities were gone. The track was taken up, not left to rust. What had been the hump yard was a big, weed filled field.

The tracks in East Moline near the John Deere and other plants were still in use by some shortline. I don't know the name of the line, but the industries still had rail service.

I visited Chicago last summer and found that the old La Salle Street station was gone, replaced by a glass fronted eyesore.

I'm somewhat surprised that a major Class 1 interstate railroad like that would just shut down like that. No merger? No selling of routes? Just one day, "That's it folks. Everybody go home and don't come back." And the ICC let them do it?

The Rock Island had a big problem; it didn't go anywhere that somebody else didn't go to as well and usually faster.

Because of this the Rock died a long slow death. With the years of deferred maintenance there wasn't much of the Rock worth keeping. Some bits survive as shortlines. Some bits were acquired by other railroads. Most was abandoned.

Was a bit of a shock to the industry to have a Major Class One railroad close up shop like that.

Bill Dixon