“It takes no longer yet you see more” when you travel to California on the Golden State Limited, argues this post-war booklet issued by the Rock Island. While the booklet makes a lengthy argument for this claim, I consider it … Continue reading
Category Archives: CRI&P
In late 1901, Rock Island completed a 264-mile extension from Liberal, Kansas to Santa Rosa, New Mexico. Its goal was to reach coal mines that were opening up in the territory, which wouldn’t become a state until 1912. To that … Continue reading
Like the St. Paul, Burlington, and North Western, the Rock Island was a “granger railroad,” meaning it earned most of its money carrying grains and other farm products to mills and markets. But it was never situated quite as well … Continue reading
Except for the name of the railroad, this could be one of Union Pacific’s tour brochures similar to those shown here a couple of months ago. Unlike UP, Rock Island only went as far west as Colorado, so this brochure … Continue reading
This booklet describes a dozen different escorted tours, most of them lasting two weeks. The least-expensive tour drops visitors at a hotel in Manitou Springs and leaves them there for ten days with a coupon book for day trips to … Continue reading
The text in the 1913 edition of Turquoise Skies is attributed to, or at least copyrighted by, L.M. Allen, who was Rock Island’s passenger traffic manager, even though John Sebastian was still Rock Island’s third vice-president in charge of passenger … Continue reading
The 1907 edition of Under the Turquoise Sky has a much nicer cover than the 1905 version. This image probably represents a scene in what would become Rocky Mountain National Park, where the Trail Ridge Road reaches dizzying heights. While … Continue reading
We have already seen a 1902 booklet by this name, as well as at least four later editions. The 1902 version contained text written by “Henry P. Phelps of New York,” who wrote travel booklets for several railroads. This one … Continue reading
We’ve previously seen a dinner menu for the Golden State Limited from about 1940 and one for the … Continue reading
The first cover today commemorates the 30th anniversary of the first run of the California Zephyr. Postmarked March 17, 1979, in Bond, Colorado, the envelope includes a printed note saying that it was carried from Denver to Bond on the … Continue reading