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Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Steam Locomotives

The classifications given by railroads to their steam locomotive fleets were as varied as the machines themselves with several different designations within a particular class! The Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific steam locomotives were likewise characterized by a wide range of numerical classes (something a bit out of the norm as most Class Is of the day designated their steam fleets by letters). In any event, the information here is most certainly not a complete, all-time listing of CRI&P's steam fleet and also is merely meant to list the general types of steam locomotives operated by the railroad.

The Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad, better known as simply the Rock Island was a legend even during its own time (the railroad even had a song named after it!). And perhaps this is what makes it�s ending so depressing. For all of the railroad�s fame and recognition, this did not translate into wealth and power. Several times throughout the railroad�s history it would go into receivership, its last in 1975 when it would be liquidated five years later in 1980.

Being that the Rock Island roamed throughout most of the Heartland and the Deep South it operated a wide range of steam locomotives from beefy 2-10-2 Santa Fes and 4-8-4 Northerns to speedy 4-6-2 Pacifics and 4-4-2 Atlantics. Today, about a half-dozen CRI&P steam locomotives are known to exist. To learn more about these surviving Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific steam locomotives please click here.

Class 9A, 34A, 35

These classes included CRI&P's fleet of 0-6-0 switchers.

Class 11s, 43, 48

These classes included CRI&P's fleet of 4-6-2 Pacifics.

Class 14E, 16s

These classes included CRI&P's fleet of 4-6-0 Ten-Wheelers.

Class 18s

The CRI&P's Class 36 included its fleet of 4-4-2 Atlantics.

Class 22A

The CRI&P's Class 22A included its fleet of 4-4-0 Americans.

Class 36

The CRI&P's Class 36 included its fleet of 0-8-0 switchers.

Class 49A-C, 49F, 49G

These classes included CRI&P's fleet of 4-8-2 Mountains.

Class 55A, 55Gs, 55Hs, 61s, 88A

These classes included CRI&P's fleet of 2-8-0 Consolidations.

Class 62, 63A-C, 63D, 63G, 63K, 63L

These classes included CRI&P's fleet of 2-8-2 Mikados.

Class 65, 66

These classes included CRI&P's fleet of 4-8-4 Northerns.

Class 90, 90A

These classes included CRI&P's fleet of 2-10-2 Santa Fes.

For complete roster information regarding Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific steam locomotives please click here.

For more reading about the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad and its steam locomotive fleet consider the book Rock Island Lines: The First Century from authors William Hayes and Arthur Large. The book gives a fine history of the Rock through its first century of operations and anyone interested in a history of the railroad and how it ultimately put together its historic system should very much enjoy the book. If you're interested in perhaps purchasing this book please visit The Railroad Diamond by clicking the tab in the menu to your left marked "TRD Store".

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