The ROCK ISLAND TECHNICAL SOCIETY (RITS) is an IRS non-profit corporation that preserves, distributes and publishes information about the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad, its predecessors and affiliated companies. The Society serves anyone who is interested in the Rock Island Lines for any reason, former employee, historian, railroad modeler, or whatever your association with the "Route of the Rockets" as it served the nation's heartland.
RITS exchanges information with other historical societies, model railroad organizations such as the NMRA, and the commercial model and prototype press. Our primary goals are to provide contact for our members and to act as a forum for the exchange of information on Rock Island related subjects.
RITS publishes four newsletters (The ROCK), quarterly issues of The Rocket Magazine and the Rock Island DIGEST in each membership year. The ROCK carries current news and smaller articles about the rolling stock, structures, history items, ex-RI equipment still active, meeting notices and coverage, membership activities and more. The Rocket Magazine contains 32 pages of stories and photos. The DIGEST contains articles and stories of "feature" length, with color and black/white photography, using material on file in the RITS archives or received from members and friends.
We welcome suggestions for additional pages and links to be included in the RITS WWW site. Please feel free to contact us via E-Mail or in writing regarding the format for such submissions. Contact addresses are listed below and on several other pages herein.
RITS maintains an archive in the former Rock Island Depot in Fairbury, NE:
The Jefferson County Historical Society
Bacon & I Streets
Fairbury, NE 68352
The Archives in Fairbury are open 1-5 p.m. Wed, Thurs, Fri., Sat., Sun. or by appointment. 402-729-5311
There is also a branch archives at:
University of Oklahoma Western History Collections
452 Monnet Hall
630 Parrington Oval
Norman, OK 73019
The archive's purpose is to collect available data and information, to which our members and friends can donate and use for their activities. Some of the drawings that we have acquired, such as painting diagrams, are reproducible and can be copied for members at reasonable cost. We rely entirely on volunteer members for cataloging and research work, and are always in need of additional sources of information and help to maintain this activity.
In addition to the physical plant of a railroad, the locomotives, cars, depots, etc., there is always the human side of the industry. We are interested in the experiences and stories of those who may have worked for or known the railroad in any way. We want to acquire articles, taped conversations and any other records, so that individual experiences can be remembered, studied, understood and appreciated. If you would like to donate materials to the RITS archives please contact the Secretary.
RITS holds an annual business meeting and swap meet, which includes slide shows, movies, clinics, model displays, contests and other attractions. Additional local meetings are held in various cities, either alone or with events of other groups, such as local model railroad clubs.
Annual RITS dues are $35.00. For $50.00 or more per year, we recognize your generosity with a Sustaining Membership pin.. If you join before September 1, we furnish The ROCK, DATA SHEETS, and the DIGEST for the current year; after September 1, we'll begin your membership the following year.
We cordially invite you to join the ROCK ISLAND TECHNICAL SOCIETY today. If you have additional questions, please contact us at the address on the application below. When applying, make your check payable to:
ROCK ISLAND TECHNICAL SOCIETY
Lee Bertholf-Membership Secretary
810 Adrian Street
Waterloo, Iowa 50703
RITS By-Laws
The ROCK ISLAND TECHNICAL SOCIETY (RITS) is an IRS non-profit corporation that preserves, distributes and publishes information about the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad, its predecessors and affiliated companies. The Society serves anyone who is interested in the Rock Island Lines for any reason, former employee, historian, railroad modeler, or whatever your association with the "Route of the Rockets" as it served the nation's heartland.
RITS exchanges information with other historical societies, model railroad organizations such as the NMRA, and the commercial model and prototype press. Our primary goals are to provide contact for our members and to act as a forum for the exchange of information on Rock Island related subjects.
RITS publishes four newsletters (The ROCK), four DATA SHEETS and the Rock Island DIGEST in each membership year. The ROCK carries current news and smaller articles about the rolling stock, structures, history items, ex-RI equipment still active, meeting notices and coverage, membership activities and more. The DATA SHEETS are reprints of diagrams and photos of prototype equipment for use by modelers and historians. The DIGEST contains 60-90 pages of articles and stories of "feature" length, with color and black/white photography, using material on file in the RITS archives or received from members and friends.
We welcome suggestions for additional pages and links to be included in the RITS WWW site. Please feel free to contact us via E-Mail or in writing regarding the format for such submissions. Contact addresses are listed below and on several other pages herein.
RITS maintains an archive at:
University of Oklahoma Western History Collections
452 Monnet Hall
630 Parrington Oval
Norman, OK 73019
The archive's purpose is to collect available data and information, to which our members and friends can donate and use for their activities. Some of the drawings that we have acquired, such as painting diagrams, are reproducible and can be copied for members at reasonable cost. We rely entirely on volunteer members for cataloging and research work, and are always in need of additional sources of information and help to maintain this activity.
In addition to the physical plant of a railroad, the locomotives, cars, depots, etc., there is always the human side of the industry. We are interested in the experiences and stories of those who may have worked for or known the railroad in any way. We want to acquire articles, taped conversations and any other records, so that individual experiences can be remembered, studied, understood and appreciated.
RITS holds an annual business meeting and swap meet, which includes slide shows, movies, clinics, model displays, contests and other attractions. Additional local meetings are held in various cities, either alone or with events of other groups, such as local model railroad clubs.
Annual RITS dues are $20.00. For an additional $10.00 or more per year, we recognize your generosity with a Sustaining Membership certificate and a silver membership card. If you join before November 1, we furnish The ROCK, DATA SHEETS, and the DIGEST for the current year; after November 1, we'll begin your membership the following year.
We cordially invite you to join the ROCK ISLAND TECHNICAL SOCIETY today. If you have additional questions, please contact us at the address on the application below. When applying, make your check payable to:
ROCK ISLAND TECHNICAL SOCIETY
13522 NW Rinehart Lane
Parkville, MO 64152-1478