Rock Island E units

[TMatt253]

Thought this would be a good time to track the progress of my custom painted Rock Island e7s. The one thing I love about the Rock Island is the multitude of paint schemes the railroad had over the years, and the fact that you don't see a lot of widescale Rock Island models in n-scale (in my opinion at least). This made this an interesting project to try.

The prototype I'm going for is below:

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I like this paint scheme and it seemed like a very doable option for someone who has never painted a loco before. I also don't know if I've ever seen this engine anywhere. I know there was an HO run of these e7s by Walthers, but in n-scale I've never come across them before. The engines started as an undecorated powered A dummy B pair from Life-Like. Here are some early pictures of the shells. Apologies if the photo quality is lackluster.

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Trevor

 

[TMatt253]

Tried rotating the pictures to no avail. I'll figure out.

Trevor

[peteski]

Trevor, if these are taken with a smart phone, you will have problems until you take the photos with the phone held in landscape orientation. Rotating them in your phone after they were taken will not work.  But simply remembering to take the photos in landscape orientation is an easy fix.

The paint job looks great (even if sideways).    That paint scheme looks similar to a scheme used on Boston & Maine E units.  IIRC, only one set was painted that way.

[Steveruger45]

Yep.  Photos with smart phone or iPad etc hold phone etc sideways(landscape) but be sure the home button is on the right side else photo will post upside down.

[TMatt253]

Gotcha, I'll be sure to do that. I know there is a digital camera lying around the house somewhere that I should try to find. iPhone photo quality is eh.

@peteski it does resemble the Boston and Maine unit quite a bit, especially the original "Rocket" scheme. Its my understanding these paint schemes were originally conceived for the "Golden State" train with the Southern Pacific.

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I like the original scheme but there's something nice about the simplified nature of the later paint. There's also way more prototype info in the way of pictures of the e-units, particularly the e7s in the simple maroon and silver. These engines still have a way to go, and thank you!

Trevor

[ncbqguy]

The "Rocket" scheme predates the creation of the "Golden State"....it was used on the original TAs built in 1937 (the B-B units that were essentially the early EMC boxcab/CB&Q EA units from the TCZ and DZ with a Bulldog carbody) to pull Budd individual and semi-articulated corrugated Rocket trainsets .  The same scheme was applied to E-3 through E-9 and ALCO DLs and some passenger F Units. Some had stainless steel and others "Imitation Aluminum" (White-Gray color the shade of which starts fistfights in the CB&Q, SOU, B&M, MEC,  CRI&P historical societies or any other railroad that used it) or Silver paint.  I think the pocket rockets are still on the top of KATO USA's wish list of projects in the hopper...
In later years saying the Rock Island had a "multitude of paint schemes" is an understatement.   More like no two alike!  Got to be a custom painter's favorite railroad!!  And then there are all the carbody modifications.....
Charlie Vlk

[peteski]

Here is a photo of the B&M set.

[spookshow]

I think the pocket rockets are still on the top of KATO USA's wish list of projects in the hopper...

Still holding out hope for that 



-Mark

[wcfn100]

Still holding out hope for that 



-Mark

But it may only be the Texas Rocket.

Jason

[Point353]

OP needs a DL-109:

[Bobster]

Rock on !!

The TA led trains from the late 30's came in three  car and four car varieties.  I do believe the Texas Rocket was the only one with the yellow shield.  Years back, in May 1980,  Model Railroader Magazine did an issue where these were done with a fold out section.  Train porn?  This would be a great place to start for a company interested in making a model of an early Rocket.

The picture of 649 was taken in Peoria, in front of the long gone Gipps brewery.  The RI  tracks made a sharp turn towards the river here to avoid the Peoria Union Station.   A Rock Island freight had destroyed the train shed of the Peoria Union Station years before when a poorly secured load caught a corner of the shed and brought it down.  Rock Island's station is about a quarter mile behind the Gipps brewery.

If you do an E8 solid Chicago Red, or is it maroon, or it could have been both at different times, with all eight portholes 645 is your baby.

If you don't have it Route of the Rockets by Greg Stout is one of my favorites.

All for now,
Bobster

[TMatt253]

No progress to report on the E7s, but since I first bought those units my Rock Island fleet has grown considerably.

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The first unit was purchased from The Red Caboose in Manhattan. After it had tempted me on multiple occasions I finally pulled the trigger when it was still there almost a year later. For those not from the tri-state area, The Red Caboose is definitely an experience, and there is a large stock of custom and old run n-scale stuff. I always end up going to "look" and leaving with something. This E8 is an interesting one for me. On one hand the paint, weathering, and details are very well done. On the other hand the prototypical inaccuracies draw my attention a lot at times, namely the red does not extend far enough back on the engine, the lettering on the side is not prototypical (at least not from any photos I've seen), and the stripes are a little thick on the front end. Constantly unsure if I want to try to fix certain things or leave it...if I had to guess this engine will stay essentially the way it is because I still do like it a lot.

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The second E8 is 1 of 2, acquired on eBay from Tony Bowen of Corn Country Rails. He did a fantastic job on these engines, as well as 3 RI geeps that I also got from him as well.   

[spookshow]

Maybe an AB6 is in your future? Gotta love 'em 



-Mark

[TMatt253]

@spookshow I've followed your blog for awhile, I really love the stuff you do! Perhaps one day there is an AB6 in my future. For your E7, did you also use a Life-Like model or a different manufacturer?

Trevor

[kornellred]

Hello Trevor -  with respect to the Rock Island E8's:  the Rock had no E8 locomotives with dynamic brakes.  Even the E8/E9's procured from the UP had their dynamic brakes removed, even though it seems that they could have simply abandoned the equipment in place.  So if you are thinking of upgrading that E8 you purchased from Red Caboose, you might complete the job by removing the DB fan from the roof.