Choctaw Rocket

Choctaw Rocket
Choctaw Rocket route[1]
Legend
Milepost Station
Head station
0 Memphis Central Station
Bridge over water
Mississippi River Tennessee/Arkansas border
Stop on track
45 Forrest City
Stop on track
69 Brinkley
Bridge over water
Arkansas River
Station on track
133 Little Rock
Stop on track
252 Booneville
Unrestricted border on track
Arkansas/Oklahoma border
Stop on track
295 Howe
Stop on track
336 Wilburton
Station on track
367 McAlester
Stop on track
411 Holdenville
Stop on track
432 Seminole
Stop on track
448 Shawnee
Station on track
487 Oklahoma City Union Station
Stop on track
513 El Reno
Stop on track
562 Weatherford
Bridge over water
Washita River
Stop on track
579 Clinton Junction
Stop on track
609 Elk City
Stop on track
627 Sayre
Bridge over water
Red River
Unrestricted border on track
Oklahoma/Texas border
Stop on track
664 Shamrock
End station
761 Amarillo

The Choctaw Rocket was a named passenger train operated by the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad between Memphis, Tennessee, Little Rock, Oklahoma City, and Amarillo. Initially designated as train No. 51 (westbound) and train No. 52 (eastbound), it was the first diesel powered streamliner to operate out of Memphis, Tennessee, as well as the first streamliner service in the state of Arkansas. After an inaugural tour at cities along the route, the Choctaw Rocket entered regular service on November 17, 1940.

History

The original locomotive and car assignments for the two Choctaw Rocket sets of equipment included E6 locomotives 628 and 629, modernized heavyweight railway post office-baggage cars 702 and 703, coaches 350-Amarillo, and 351-Oklahoma City, sleepers 622-Seminole, and 623-Wewoka, and dining-parlor-observation cars 430-Memphis, and 431-Little Rock. The coaches, sleepers and observation cars were all streamlined cars ordered from Pullman Standard Manufacturing Company, specifically for use on the Choctaw Rocket.[2]

The Railway Mail Service utilized the Choctaw Rocket for United States mail transportation, sorting and distribution along the route. One railway post office crew worked between Memphis, TN and McAlester, OK, while a second crew operated between McAlester and Amarillo.

By 1952, the Choctaw Rocket had lost its Rocket designation, Rock Island's identification for the company's premier passenger trains, reflecting the route's downgrade to secondary train status. In August 1953, the conventional locomotive-pulled trains were replaced by self-propelled Budd rail diesel cars and the trains were renamed the Choctaw Rockette.

After the discontinuance of Western Pacific's rail diesel car trains 1-2 (Salt Lake City-San Francisco) in 1960, the Rock Island's Memphis - Amarillo RDC route held the distinction of being the longest such route in the United States.[3] Declining patronage and a desire by the Rock Island to close many small town depots resulted in the discontinuance of this route, now designated as unnamed trains 23-24, with last runs occurring on August 8, 1964.[4]

References

  1. ^ Rock Island Lines, Public Timetable, January 7, 1941.
  2. ^ Randall, W. David. (1990). Official Pullman Standard Library, Vol. 8 - Rock Island.
  3. ^ Duke, Donald. (1990). RDC, The Budd Rail Diesel Car. ISBN 0-87095-103-3
  4. ^ Interstate Commerce Commission Finance Docket No. 23015; July 27, 1964. 324 ICC 729.
  • Goen, Steve Allen (2002). Down South on the Rock Island. ISBN 1-885614-55-1. 
  • Stout, Greg (1997). Route of the Rockets; Rock Island in the Streamlined Era. ISBN 0-9659040-0-8. 

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