The Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad Rockets were lightweight, streamlined locomotive-hauled 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.
Train design 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.
List of trains The six trains as originally assigned were:
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 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
References
External links
The Peoria Rocket/The Des Moines Rocket - September, 1938 timetables and consists - from Streamliner Schedules