Twin Star Rocket
Encyclopedia
The Twin Star Rocket was a passenger train operated by the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad
. Introduced on January 14, 1945, it was the only new streamlined train permitted to enter service in World War II
by the U.S. Government. The new train became the second longest north–south train itinerary under the management of a single railroad in the United States (and the longest measured by great circle
distance) with its northern terminal at the Milwaukee Road’s Minneapolis, Minnesota
depot
and southern terminal 1363 miles (2,193.5 km) away at Houston, Texas
. The name of the new streamlined train was derived from its terminal states—Texas
being known as the Lone Star State and Minnesota
as the North Star State.
–Dallas
Texas Rocket was transferred to the new Twin Star Rocket. The other Texas Rocket train set then began operating a daily round trip Rocket service between Oklahoma City
and Kansas City. While another of the three car Rocket trains operated an Oklahoma City–Dallas round trip daily.
for the overnight run to Houston. The northbound train carried another 8-section, 5-double bedroom sleeping car between Houston and Kansas City. The two lightweight streamlined 8-section 5-double bedroom sleeping cars originally assigned to the Twin Star Rocket were Forest Canyon and Thompson Canyon, the two cars originally assigned to the Rocky Mountain Rocket
as Kansas City–Denver cars. The Twin Star Rocket route served St. Paul (Union Depot), Albert Lea
, Des Moines
, Kansas City, Topeka
, Wichita, El Reno, Fort Worth and Dallas in route to Houston from Minneapolis.
A units taken from other schedules.
cars, streamlined dining car
s came from the Golden State
and were known as the Cactus series as each was named for a cactus—#422 Yucca; #423 Sahuaro; and #424 Ocotillo. It would be 1948 before the Twin Star Rockets would become fully streamlined.
Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad
The Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad was a Class I railroad in the United States. It was also known as the Rock Island Line, or, in its final years, The Rock.-Incorporation:...
. Introduced on January 14, 1945, it was the only new streamlined train permitted to enter service in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
by the U.S. Government. The new train became the second longest north–south train itinerary under the management of a single railroad in the United States (and the longest measured by great circle
Great circle
A great circle, also known as a Riemannian circle, of a sphere is the intersection of the sphere and a plane which passes through the center point of the sphere, as opposed to a general circle of a sphere where the plane is not required to pass through the center...
distance) with its northern terminal at the Milwaukee Road’s Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
depot
Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Depot Freight House and Train Shed
The Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Depot Freight House and Train Shed , now officially named The Depot, is a historic railroad depot in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Chicago, Milwaukee, St...
and southern terminal 1363 miles (2,193.5 km) away at Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
. The name of the new streamlined train was derived from its terminal states—Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
being known as the Lone Star State and Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
as the North Star State.
Services
The Rock Island assigned the two Rocket train sets from the Kansas City–Minneapolis Rocket, and one train set from the Kansas CityKansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
–Dallas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
Texas Rocket was transferred to the new Twin Star Rocket. The other Texas Rocket train set then began operating a daily round trip Rocket service between Oklahoma City
Oklahoma city
Oklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma.Oklahoma City may also refer to:*Oklahoma City metropolitan area*Downtown Oklahoma City*Uptown Oklahoma City*Oklahoma City bombing*Oklahoma City National Memorial...
and Kansas City. While another of the three car Rocket trains operated an Oklahoma City–Dallas round trip daily.
Sleeping cars
The new Twin Star Rocket operated the Minneapolis–Kansas City segment of the trip in daylight hours in both directions, so no sleeping cars were initially carried between those city pairs. At Kansas City the southbound Twin Star Rocket added a lightweight 8-section, 5-double bedroom sleeping carSleeping car
The sleeping car or sleeper is a railway/railroad passenger car that can accommodate all its passengers in beds of one kind or another, primarily for the purpose of making nighttime travel more restful. The first such cars saw sporadic use on American railroads in the 1830s and could be configured...
for the overnight run to Houston. The northbound train carried another 8-section, 5-double bedroom sleeping car between Houston and Kansas City. The two lightweight streamlined 8-section 5-double bedroom sleeping cars originally assigned to the Twin Star Rocket were Forest Canyon and Thompson Canyon, the two cars originally assigned to the Rocky Mountain Rocket
Rocky Mountain Rocket
The Rocky Mountain Rocket was a streamlined passenger train of the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad. Rock Island's train numbers 7 and 8 ran from Chicago's LaSalle Street Station to Denver's Union Station and Colorado Springs, Colorado...
as Kansas City–Denver cars. The Twin Star Rocket route served St. Paul (Union Depot), Albert Lea
Albert Lea, Minnesota
Albert Lea is a city in and the county seat of Freeborn County in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The population was 18,016 at the 2010 census....
, Des Moines
Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines is the capital and the most populous city in the US state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small portion of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857...
, Kansas City, Topeka
Topeka, Kansas
Topeka |Kansa]]: Tó Pee Kuh) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Kansas and the county seat of Shawnee County. It is situated along the Kansas River in the central part of Shawnee County, located in northeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was...
, Wichita, El Reno, Fort Worth and Dallas in route to Houston from Minneapolis.
Locomotives
The Rock Island powered these three streamlined consists with EMD E6EMD E6
The EMD E6 was a , A1A-A1A, passenger train locomotive manufactured by Electro-Motive Corporation, and its corporate successor, General Motors Electro-Motive Division, of La Grange, Illinois. The cab version, or E6A, was manufactured from November, 1939 to September, 1942, and 91 were produced...
A units taken from other schedules.
Baggage and dining cars
Each train set was assigned a heavyweight baggage-30-foot Railway Post OfficeRailway post office
In the United States a railway post office, commonly abbreviated as RPO, was a railroad car that was normally operated in passenger service as a means to sort mail en route, in order to speed delivery. The RPO was staffed by highly trained Railway Mail Service postal clerks, and was off-limits to...
cars, streamlined dining car
Dining car
A dining car or restaurant carriage , also diner, is a railroad passenger car that serves meals in the manner of a full-service, sit-down restaurant....
s came from the Golden State
Golden State
Golden State may refer to:* California, a U.S. state known as "The Golden State"* Golden State , by Bush* Golden State , an indie rock band* Golden State Baptist College, in Santa Clara, California...
and were known as the Cactus series as each was named for a cactus—#422 Yucca; #423 Sahuaro; and #424 Ocotillo. It would be 1948 before the Twin Star Rockets would become fully streamlined.