The Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad Rockets streamlined diesel-electric passenger trains built by the Budd Company . 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.
Monument showing the Rocket routes in 1952 at the former Rock Island Lines Passenger Station in Rock Island, Illinois
The stainless steel trains were each powered by an Electro-Motive Corporation model TA locomotive . 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:[1] [2]
The Peoria Rocket Chicago, Illinois to Peoria, Illinois
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 Texas Rocket The Texas Rocket Fort Worth, Texas to Houston, Texas , 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 Denver Rocket , east of Denver, Colorado , November 25, 1937The Denver Rocket Kansas City, Missouri to Denver, Colorado for less than a year, then The Rocket Oklahoma City, Oklahoma from March, 1938[3] 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 The Kansas City Rocket Minneapolis, Minnesota to Kansas City, Missouri (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
Hansen, Peter A. (2017). "The Rock's Camelot". In McGonigal, Robert S. (ed.). Great Trains Heartland . Waukesha, Wisconsin: Kalmbach Publishing . pp. 70–81. ISBN 978-1-62700-497-8 Pinkepank, Jerry A. (1973). The Second Diesel Spotter's Guide . Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Kalmbach Publishing . ISBN 978-0-89024-026-7 "Rock Island Lightweight Passenger Equipment" . Rock Island Technical Society . Archived from the original on March 3, 2016."Rocky Mountain Rocket Consists" . Rock Island Technical Society . Archived from the original on March 3, 2016."Twin Star Rocket Consists" . Rock Island Technical Society . Archived from the original on April 30, 2015."Choctaw Rocket Consists" . Rock Island Technical Society . Archived from the original on April 30, 2015."Des Moines Rocket Consists" . Rock Island Technical Society . Archived from the original on April 30, 2015. 
