Steve Goen's second book on Texas passenger train service features the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific. In this book he features the operations of 14 different Rock Island passenger trains that once operated in the Lone Star State. The Rock Island had three major routes that crossed Texas. The Golden State Route cut across the most northern part of Texas at about a 45 degree angle on its way from Chicago to Arizona and California. The Choctaw Route also crossed the most northern part of Texas on its way from Memphis to a connection with itself at Tucumcari, New Mexico. The last route, the Twin Star Route, ran north to south entering Texas from Oklahoma and connecting Fort Worth, Dallas and Houston. This was the most prominent Rock Island route serving Texas.
Chapters include the Graham Branch, the ACR Line, and trains such as the Short Line Flyer, Arizona Limited, Texas Rocket, Choctaw Rocket, Memphis-Californian, Oklahoma Rocket, Fort Worth to El Reno RDCs (rail diesel cars), Choctaw Rockette (an RDC run), Twin Star Rocket, Imperial, Cherokee and the Golden State.
The most prominent Rock Island train serving Texas was named for Minnesota, the "North Star State", and Texas, the "Lone Star State", as the Twin Star Rocket. This train was one of the most glamorous passenger trains to have ever crossed the Mid-West. Operating daily between Minneapolis and Houston, the Twin Star was one of the most famous, yet little known streamliners that served Texas. The chapter on the Twin Star Rocket alone includes 51 extremely rare B&W and Color photographs between the trains' premiere in January 1945 and its final run in September 1966.
Contents:
The Rock Island in Texas, The Early Years, pp. 6-9,
CRI&G Trains 741-742 (Bridgeport to Graham), pp. 10-19,
CRI&G Trains 551-552 (Amarillo to Liberal, KS), pp. 20-21,
Burlington-Rock Island Trains 817-718 (Short Line Flyer, Dallas-Houston), pp. 22-23,
CRI&P Trains 29-30 (Arizona Limited, Chicago-Dalhart-Phoenix), pp. 24-25,
B-RI Trains 17-18 (Texas Rocket), pp. 26-49,
CRI&P Trains 51-52 (Choctaw Rocket, Memphis-Amarillo), pp. 50-59,
CRI&P Trains 111-112 (Memphis-Californian, Memphis-Tucumcari, NM), pp. 60-65,
CRI&P Trains 509-510 (Oklahoma Rocket, Dallas-Kansas City), pp. 66-71,
CRI&P Trains 27-28 (Fort Worth-Enid-Kansas City), pp. 72-79,
CRI&P Trains 23-23 (Choctaw Rockette, Memphis-Amarillo), pp. 80-83,
CRI&P Trains 17-18 (Twin Star Rocket, Minneapolis-Houston), pp 84-121,
CRI&P Trains 39-40 (Imperial, Chicago-Dalhart-Los Angeles), pp. 122-123,
CRI&P Trains 21-22 (Cherokee, Memphis-Amarillo-Tucumcari), pp 124-137,
CRI&P Trains 3-4 (Golden State, Chicago-Dalhart-Los Angeles), pp. 138-148.
Hardcover, 148 pages, standard portrait format, 8 x 10 in., B&W and Color photographs and illustrations, maps, timetable and advertising reproductions.
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