Although this is a CB&Q board, since comments were made about the Hawkeye
Football Specials, I thought I would elaborate. The current train only runs,
as was stated, a few miles from parking lots in Coralville to Kinnick Stadium,
on the Iowa Interstate. However, the CRI&P did not operate such trains. They
operated Football Specials from Des Moines and the Quad Cities to the stadium.
I rode the QC to IC Football Special many times, as did my parents and
grandparents. (I believe the Des Moines train stopped at Grinnell and
Newton). Prior to the opening of Interstate 80 in 1964 or 1965 (It was opened
temporarily for Herbert Hoover's funeral attended by President Johnson in late
October of 1964, but was not officially opened to the public until several
months later, prior to this, it ended at the exit just east of the Cedar River,
Iowa Highway 38 N) to Iowa City from Davenport, the train WAS the way to get to
the football games. Each Saturday,
the RI would bring in a special train made up of circa 1949 Pullman built
commuter cars, with two step down entrances, and double sliding doors placed
about 15 feet from either end of the cars, from Blue Island to Moline. The
train would depart Moline about 11:15 a.m., and stop in Rock Island and then
Davenport before departing nonstop to the stadium about 11:45 for the then
standard 1:30 pm kickoff. After the game, the train would reverse its route
and leave the stadium about 5:00 p.m. Westbound, there were never any delays,
but eastbound, the train would often have to sit on a siding on the east side
of Iowa City near the Proctor and Gamble plant waiting for the Rocky Mountain
Rocket or some priority train to pass. I last rode the train to a game in 1965
but I believe the train operated by the RI RR operated until about 1970. Then
later, I think in the mid 70's, it was revived for a year or two by Butterworth
Tours. (I left the QC in
1980). Fraternal groups, like the Elks, or the B'nai Brith, used to charter
"private cars" on the train. I also seem to remember that the Davenport Club
or the Outing Club had its own car. I would guess the train was 12 to 15 cars
long from the QC. The commuter cars had seat backs that reversed so you could
set up four seats facing each other. People brought food, and drink in soft
coolers and "Tail Gated" on the train. It made the trip to an Iowa Football
Game a real adventure for, at least for me, and it really was easier than
driving to the games, especially when it came time to leave Iowa City to return
home.
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