From the President's Desk

Welcome to our new website!

At the Rock Island, we are excited to bring you quality transport service everyday.   That is why we are working harder than ever to accomplish our goal of speed and reliability.   Looking to 2008, we have a $2.7 billion capital program to rebuild our physical plant, upgrade capacity, and acquire new rolling stock.   This is being paid for in part by our revenues, selling of old stock, and our most appreciated investors.

The 2008 capital program includes completing the Central Corridor, new double track in the Gulf Division, and new Class 6 track in the Midwest:

•  Central Corridor: In 2007, your Rock Island completed double-track segments between Grand Junction and Glenwood Springs, CO.   In 2008, double-track will be finished between Limon, CO and Goodland, KS and triple-track will be completed between Limon, CO and Denver, CO.   Looking ahead, we will study increasing siding lengths west of Denver and building a second tunnel under the continental divide.   The improvements finished in 2008 will decrease travel time from Chicago to Oakland from 45 hours to 38 hours.

•  Gulf Division: double-track between Lewisville and Brinkley, AR (east of Little Rock) will be finished in spring of 2008, enabling more Rock Island trains to run through the busy Memphis/St. Louis to Houston corridor.

•  Class 6 track: extending west between Des Moines, IA and Omaha/Bellevue, NE, this will bring faster passenger service to the Rocket corridor between Omaha and Chicago.   Additionally, this will increase freight capacity in concert with the upgrades on the rest of the Central Corridor.   Additionally, your Rock Island will be studying track upgrades west of Omaha and McFarland, KS to Belleville, KS.

•  New rolling stock: Rock Island will take delivery of 150 new General Electric C44ACES locomotives in 2008 in addition to 15 new Genset low-emission switchers.   Continuing our mission of planned progress, we will also be trading in older rolling stock such as coal hoppers, boxcars, double-stack cars, and covered hoppers for newer, more efficient equipment.

We are excited to have you on board as the Rock Island, after 155 years, continues to expand and grow to ensure fast and dependable service you can count on.   Let's make it a beginning!

Highest regards,