The great Rock Island route : a history of the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad Company : its subsidiaries and predecessors 1852-1984 Cover Image

Book

The great Rock Island route : a history of the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad Company : its subsidiaries and predecessors 1852-1984 / John Gaertner.

Gaertner, John T., 1951- (author.).

Summary:

"The Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad (CRI&P) had a long and varied history, possessing an extensive network that made it the 10th largest railroad in the United States serving 14 states. The CRI&P was a pioneer and did much to promote the development of its territory. Althrough following a Chicago & North Western Railway (C&NW) predecessor west out of Chicago, the Rock Island became the first road to bridge the Mississippi and enter Iowa, only to become bogged down and overtaken by the C&NW in the race to reach the Union Pacific and Council Bluffs. Another pioneer segment of the Rock Island started west from Memphis and became the first railroad to enter Arkansas."-- from dust jacket cover.

Record details

ISBN: 9798886800098
Physical Description: vi, 391 pages : illustrations (some color) ; 29 cm
Publisher: Minneapolis, Minnesota : John Gaertner, [2022]

Content descriptions

Bibliography, etc. Note:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 353-368) and index.

Formatted Contents Note:

Introduction -- Pioneer Road to the Mississippi, the Chicago and Rock Island -- Mired in Iowa, the Mississippi & Missouri -- Reaching out to the Missouri, The Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific -- New feeders to protect the flanks -- The push beyond the Missouri, the Chicago, Kansas, & Nebraska -- Refinements to the Great Expansion -- The Iowa route, the Burlington, Cedar Rapids, & Northern -- The 35th Parallel route, the Choctaw, Oklahoma, & Gulf -- Making the dream the reality, the Choctaw & Memphis -- A St. Louis Gateway, the St. Louis, Kansas City, & Colorado -- The Tinplate Trust's continued expansion -- Collapse of the House of Moore, USRA, the roaring 20's -- The Great Depression, bankruptcy, the road of planned progress -- Reorganization, declining market share -- Merger mania, the quest for survival -- Excess capacity, cashlessness, demise -- Epilogue.