My father got called back after being furloughed in Houston on Maintenance of Way along with his entire work crew , to go lay Welded Ribbon rail from El Paso to Tucumcari, NM in late 1980! When they got there, to their surprise, was an entire Rock Island work train , complete with bunk cars , kitchen and supply store! Throwback to the 60’s!
@timetable52452 жыл бұрын
Thanks for these pictures and presenting this historic transition. I never thought we'd lose the Rock Island. Now the mighty SP SSW & ATSF gone, too.
@marktufts77565 жыл бұрын
i miss the rock island line
@Tricky9292 жыл бұрын
So SP saved the Rock after all. Appreciate the historical information. Nice presentation.
@coasternamegenerator56114 жыл бұрын
So the Rock Island is now a smaller railroad but it’s back and even has the p5’s!!!! OLD CAST TOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!
@raymondpaller6475 Жыл бұрын
Terrific video. Ambivalent feelings, as it recalled memories especially of roads that no longer exist, which was good, yet one of the trademark realities of the era ----- wavy bolted rail with dirt & weeds for ballast, was bad, and for that I am glad that era is gone.
@TheOklahomaHotrail Жыл бұрын
I worked on the UP from Dalhart Texas to Vaughn New Mexico for a little while and i can see why people loved the area
@tomflendodo72973 жыл бұрын
THE " ROCK " HIT ROCK BOTTOM !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!🎸
@blairterry94354 жыл бұрын
News update the Rock Island has be reborn!
@arkansasrailproductions55074 жыл бұрын
Great video. Just as a heads up, the ROCK has returned in the form of a class III short line in Mississippi. The SP GP35R 6306 from 3:14-3:26 is still in service on the Arkansas Midland Railroad in Arkansas as AKMD 2505.
@kurtkauffman4326 Жыл бұрын
The Kansas City to Tucumcari line is now operated by Union Pacific.
@deb1958xxx3 жыл бұрын
There’s nothing prettier than a mixed freight with a caboose to make it complete
@jreichel15 жыл бұрын
Great stuff, Gary.
@chrismartin10606 жыл бұрын
Very enjoyable. Great info on the railroad and good-looking pix, and great insight into that time a million years ago when modern people were transitioning into the digital age.
@tomharris82635 жыл бұрын
Gary: Your presentations are excellent. Thanks for all your postings.
@bboomer19485 жыл бұрын
The old Topeka Yard interlocking tower is old...………...but beautiful.
@RHicks4 жыл бұрын
I was able to go up in that tower as a kid my dad knew one of the guys that worked in that tower. Seeing all those levers in that tower was awesome
@douglasskaalrud68656 жыл бұрын
Just last week I saw a Rock covered hopper car still painted blue.
@JohnEDoey3 жыл бұрын
Yeah, I live in St. Paul, MN. and I still see them here often.
@ethanbruce76374 жыл бұрын
This railroad goes threw my town called owensville Missouri
@granskare6 жыл бұрын
in 56, we took the rock to chicago, blue island tracks were bad. 20 years later, same route, Blue Island, bad tracks. :)
@NYandAtlantic Жыл бұрын
What locomotives did they use
@granskare4 жыл бұрын
I recall seeing RI locos being chopped at a local place. Sad, with gov't subsidies for interstates and airports but zero for real railroads - Amtrak does not count in my view.
@bakerboat4572 Жыл бұрын
Many states set up individual subsidies for railroad operators or even bought rail lines themselves. States include Washington, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and Michigan (who spent so much in the 70s they nearly went bankrupt).
@alcopower57104 жыл бұрын
Love this video
@pqhkr20025 жыл бұрын
I suddenly feel caboose is a interesting thing in a train.
@275266 жыл бұрын
Amazing, and well done. Great job.
@dennisbrowder63166 жыл бұрын
Most excellient !
@boss19955 жыл бұрын
I live in Alpine Texas!
@Isochest4 жыл бұрын
Hope a lot of these routes are still carrying traffic though I doubt the semaphore signals survive.
@dennisbrowder63166 жыл бұрын
Thanks very nice stuff for sure
@bluedorissmith63525 жыл бұрын
sweet,nicely done., love the US railroads., thanks., geoff.U>K>
@tfs44996 жыл бұрын
Cool slides & info!
@kurtkauffman43267 жыл бұрын
Pauline is now served by the BNSF.
@bobyar20017 жыл бұрын
This is a well done video.
@Isochest3 жыл бұрын
Is the wooden baton a Single Track Token? Looks like UK Single Line practice
@mta2246 жыл бұрын
Bittersweet....
@jarrietfair64973 жыл бұрын
Did southern pacific take over rock island routes to Chicago?
@gregoryhainsworth2663 Жыл бұрын
They took over Tucumcari to St.Louis
@freighttrainsahpassing97906 жыл бұрын
When reading the title, I though Dwane Johnson gave a train the Rock Bottom and the People's Elbow and the train kicked out lol ;) Cool video man !!!
@maxshelltrack61313 жыл бұрын
The rock's definitely hitting bottom now for endorsing Biden lol.
@jfreelan19647 жыл бұрын
I enjoyed the slide show. The Rock will always be in my heart.
@Zebrails6 жыл бұрын
Tho' there were no moving pictures, the story and photo's are very moving. Thanks!
@TexasRailfan21-RailfanRyan6 жыл бұрын
Does that station still exist with all the museum and what not?
@RHicks4 жыл бұрын
The ATSF depot was moved to Ward Meade Park several miles from where it was
@yixnorb59715 жыл бұрын
Imagine showing up as a wedding photographer with that goofy camera as a joke.
@lcar40007 жыл бұрын
interesting
@audubonguy7 жыл бұрын
whats the tune?
@b3j84 жыл бұрын
Not sure but sounds like Oscar Peterson Trio.
@donaldguthals92669 ай бұрын
The Blues, by Jimmy Reed. Neat music for sure
@jeffaley28955 жыл бұрын
Hi Gary, I really appreciate you posting this video / photos. I'm modeling the Rock Island in Topeka, so your pics have been very helpful! I'd like to send you a picture of the RI Yard Office that I built based on your photos in this video. BTW, are you in California? I live in Folsom. You can reach me at Jeff dot A dot Aley (then an "at" sign) intel dotcom.