Rock Island Special (w/ Bonus), 2 Discs, 4 Hours

This Was The Rock Island Roger Koenig’s fast-moving movie kaleidoscope of The Rock during its final six years, from 1974 until shortly before the railroad shut down forever on March 31st, 1980. Equipment Covered: New Southern Pacific Units, Commuter Trains, FP-Units, Peorian, Rockets, Quad Cities, E-Units, Alcos, E-6, F-Units, U-Boats, Reveler Observation Car, E-9’s, GP-7, GP38-2’s.

Rock Island (The Rockets Defy Discontinuance) These were all that remained of the once-proud Rock Island Rockets that included the Rocky Mountain Rocket to Denver and Colorado Springs, and a timetable full of other trains. Some fans still referred to the remaining trains by their earlier Rocket names. Meanwhile Metra, the Chicago Commuter Rail Service Authority, took over responsibility for the suburban trains run over the tracks of the Rock Island and most other Chicagoland railroads. Roger Koenig was there with his Super Eight sound movie camera recording the slow decline of the Quad Cities and Peorian, and the Rock Island system. Equipment Covered: Commuter Trains, FP-Units, Peorian, Rockets, Quad Cities, E-Units, F-Units, U-Boats, GP-7.

Rock Island Line This action DVD depicts the fast moving trains of the Rock Island from the 1950s into the 1970s. See the pulsating passenger and freight trains as they maintain the proud, dynamic heritage of a great Midwest railroad. See grand old diesel locomotives that no longer exist. This program shows the Rock Island’s last years in the sun, because starting in 1965, the railroad lost money until it closed permanently in 1980. With this exciting video, you can relive those glory days of ‘A Mighty Fine Line’.

Chicago S.W. Suburban Rail Action Roger Koenig was out with his Super Eight movie camera recording much of the train action before it was gone forever. Roger lived west and south of the Windy City, so it was only natural he would frequently head for the hotbed of rail activity at Joliet Union Station. But he also visited Homewood, Blue Island, Oak Forest, and several other communities outside of Chicago. He also got farther west – to savor the last remaining switching operation handled exclusively by steam locomotives at Sterling, Illinois, until the early 1980s.