The Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad ''Rockets'' were lightweight, streamlined diesel-electric passenger trains built by the

Budd Company The Budd Company was a 20th-century metal fabricator, a major supplier of body components to the automobile industry, and a manufacturer of stainless steel passenger rail cars, airframes, missile and space vehicles, and various defense products ...

. 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. The

stainless steel Stainless steel is an alloy of iron that is resistant to rusting and corrosion. It contains at least 11% chromium and may contain elements such as carbon, other nonmetals and metals to obtain other desired properties. Stainless steel's corros ...

trains were each powered by an

Electro-Motive Corporation Progress Rail Locomotives, doing business as Electro-Motive Diesel (EMD), is an American manufacturer of diesel-electric locomotives, locomotive products and diesel engines for the rail industry. The company is owned by Caterpillar through its sub ...

model TA

locomotive A locomotive or engine is a rail transport vehicle that provides the Power (physics), motive power for a train. If a locomotive is capable of carrying a payload, it is usually rather referred to as a multiple unit, Motor coach (rail), motor ...

. 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. The six trains as originally assigned were: *''The Peoria Rocket'', Chicago, Illinois to

Peoria, Illinois Peoria ( ) is the county seat of Peoria County, Illinois, United States, and the largest city on the Illinois River. As of the United States Census, 2020, 2020 census, the city had a population of 113,150. It is the principal city of the Peoria ...

** 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'' Rock Island Rocket circa 1937

*''The Texas Rocket'', Fort Worth, Texas to

Houston, Texas Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 in ...

, 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 Kansas City (abbreviated KC or KCMO) is the largest city in Missouri by population and area. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 508,090 in 2020, making it the 36th most-populous city in the United States. It is the central ...

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'' Kansas City Rocket 1940

*''The Kansas City Rocket'',

Minneapolis, Minnesota Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...

(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

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External links

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The ''Peoria Rocket''/The ''Des Moines Rocket'' - September, 1938 timetables and consists - from Streamliner Schedules
North American streamliner trains Articulated passenger trains Named passenger trains of the United States Rockets (1937) Diesel-electric vehicles Railway services introduced in 1937 Budd Company {{US-train-stub