# Choctaw Rocket > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Choctaw_Rocket > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Choctaw_Rocket.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Choctaw_Rocket > Source revision: 1338880730 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) The ***Choctaw Rocket*** was a [named](/source/List_of_named_passenger_trains) [passenger train](/source/Passenger_train) operated by the [Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad](/source/Chicago,_Rock_Island_and_Pacific_Railroad) between [Memphis, Tennessee](/source/Memphis,_Tennessee), [Little Rock](/source/Little_Rock), [Oklahoma City](/source/Oklahoma_City), and [Amarillo](/source/Amarillo,_Texas). Initially designated as train No. 51 (westbound) and train No. 52 (eastbound), it was the first diesel powered [streamliner](/source/Streamliner) to operate out of [Memphis, Tennessee](/source/Memphis,_Tennessee), as well as the first streamliner service in the state of [Arkansas](/source/Arkansas). ## History The *Choctaw Rocket* followed a railway built by the [Choctaw, Oklahoma and Gulf Railroad](/source/Choctaw,_Oklahoma_and_Gulf_Railroad) between 1900 and 1902, informally known as the [Choctaw Route](/source/Choctaw_Route). The CO&G and its railways were purchased by the Rock Island railroad in 1902. A predecessor train, along the same route, and having the numbers #51/52, had the name, *Chocktaw Limited* in the 1930s.[1] After an inaugural tour at cities along the route, the *Choctaw Rocket* entered regular service on November 17, 1940. The original locomotive and car assignments for the two *Choctaw Rocket* sets of equipment included [E6](/source/EMD_E6) locomotives 628 and 629, modernized heavyweight [railway post office](/source/Railway_post_office)-[baggage cars](/source/Baggage_car) 702 and 703, [coaches](/source/Coach_(rail)) 350-*Amarillo*, and 351-*Oklahoma City*, [sleepers](/source/Sleeping_car) 622-*Seminole*, and 623-*Wewoka*, and [dining](/source/Dining_car)-parlor-[observation cars](/source/Observation_car) 430-*Memphis*, and 431-*Little Rock*. The coaches, sleepers and observation cars were all [streamlined](/source/Streamliner) cars ordered from [Pullman Standard](/source/Pullman_Standard) Manufacturing Company, specifically for use on the *Choctaw Rocket*.[2] The Choctaw Rocket when inaugurated operated between Memphis, Tennessee and Amarillo, Texas. In January 1949 it was restructured to operate only between Memphis and Oklahoma City, with a connecting non-Rocket train between Oklahoma City and Amarillo. Contrary to some beliefs, the Choctaw Rocket never operated to [Tucumcari, New Mexico](/source/Tucumcari,_New_Mexico), although a companion Rock Island train on this route, the *Memphis-Californian* and the *Cherokee,* did operate to Tucumcari, New Mexico, connecting there with the [Southern Pacific Railroad](/source/Southern_Pacific_Railroad) to continue service west to [Los Angeles](/source/Los_Angeles). The [Railway Mail Service](/source/Railway_Mail_Service) utilized the *Choctaw Rocket* for United States mail transportation, sorting and distribution along the route. One railway post office crew worked between Memphis, Tennessee, and McAlester, Oklahoma, while a second crew operated between McAlester and Amarillo. By 1952, the *Choctaw Rocket* had lost its *Rocket* designation, Rock Island's identification for the company's premier passenger trains, reflecting the route's downgrade to secondary train status. In August 1953, the conventional locomotive-pulled trains were replaced by self-propelled Budd [rail diesel cars](/source/Rail_diesel_car) and the trains were renamed the *Choctaw Rockette*, a name which lasted until mid-1958. After the discontinuance of [Western Pacific](/source/Western_Pacific_Railroad)'s [rail diesel car](/source/Rail_diesel_car) trains 1-2 ([Salt Lake City](/source/Salt_Lake_City)-[San Francisco](/source/San_Francisco)) in 1960, the Rock Island's Memphis - Amarillo RDC route held the distinction of being the longest such route in the United States.[3] Declining patronage and a desire by the Rock Island to close many small-town depots resulted in the discontinuance of this route, now designated as unnamed trains 23–24, with last runs occurring on August 8, 1964.[4] ## References 1. [*Rock Island timetables*](http://streamlinermemories.info/RI/RI38TT.pdf). February 1938. 1. Randall, W. David. (1990). *Official Pullman Standard Library, Vol. 8 - Rock Island*. 1. Duke, Donald. (1990). *RDC, The Budd Rail Diesel Car*. ISBN 0-87095-103-3 1. Interstate Commerce Commission Finance Docket No. 23015; July 27, 1964. 324 ICC 729. ## Further reading - Goen, Steve Allen (2002). *Down South on the Rock Island*. Four Ways West Pub. ISBN 1-885614-55-1. - Pollard, Bill (2008). "Choctaw Rocket on Display". *Remember the Rock Vol 4 No 3*. Andover Junction. - Pollard, Bill (2008–2009). "Choctaw Rocket". *Remember the Rock Vol 5 No 1 and No 2*. Andover Junction. - Stout, Greg (1997). *Route of the Rockets; Rock Island in the Streamlined Era*. White River Productions. ISBN 0-9659040-0-8. ## External links - [Rock Island Railroad, 1957 timetable](http://streamlinermemories.info/RI/RI57TT.pdf) --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Choctaw Rocket](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Choctaw_Rocket) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Choctaw_Rocket?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.