| This picture somewhat symbolizes the Rock Island in its later years to me. Driving across the Texas Panhadle parallel to the Rock Island's Amarillo to El Reno main on a cloudy day you spy a light in the distance and jump off the road to get the shot. It seems to take an awful long time to get to you- and you realize it's only doing about 25 to 30 MPH. The blue unit looks good but its a facade for the dirty maroon units behind; the track conditions are hardly befitting a 'mainline' and the cars sway as they go by. You get friendly waves from the Rock crews, as usual, but the scene confirms what you already know; that the road is in serious trouble. GP38-2 4338 is trailed by GP35s 321, 329 and U28Bs 269, 255. |