TCM had a 1946 “Travel Talk” of Chicago. Great views of an FT passenger set pulling a stainless steel train (Super Chief?), a IC black transfer locomotive 9201 or 9401, plus IC passenger cars. Where the IC passenger cars commuter cars? or are those Harriman cars?
Great to see the Chicago Surface Lines street cars.
Any corrections to the above is appreciated.
Ed Burns
In 1946 the AT&SF would have used FTs on secondary trains like the Grand Canyon and the Fast Mail. The Super Chief got new F3s. The IC’s Harriman cars were intercity coaches, the commuter service was entirely electric with its own equipment.
Harriman cars had arch roofs, and the IC=Suburban MU motor and trailer cars (always paired) had regular cleristory railroad roofs.
That should give you the identification.
AT&SF was still using E1s on the Super Chief in early 1946.
It’s entirely possible that FT sets were used on the Super Chief in 1946. The Santa Fe’s first F3s were also the first production F3s in late October 1946. The 167 FT set was delivered in February 1945 and the 158-166 and the 168 FT sets were converted between April and September 1946. See The Santa Fe Diesel V1 p38 by Cinthia Priest.
Ed in Kentucky
Interesting, I watched it but don’t remember seeing the IC equipment. I did see the ATSF FTs, and a nice shot of the streamlined C&NW Twin Cities 400.
Is it available on YouTube? Thanks.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9xxiMvPez8
Passenger trains are at about 3:15. Santa Fe train could be the Super Chief, only get to see the FTs and first several cars. After WW2 GM had like a 2-3 year backlog of orders for new F units, so Santa Fe filled in by converting some freight FTs to passenger units by changing the gearing, adding steam generator/boiler, and repainting warbonnet scheme. I think they’d all gone back to freight service by the early 1950s.
BTW near the end of the film is (I believe) the fountains used in the opening credits of “Married With Children”.
The Santa Fe train is probably the “Chief” based on the time-of-day shadows and the full baggage car. The orange “Harriman” cars in the early minutes are South Shore Line cars, which laid up at the time just south of Roosevelt Rd. Not remarked on were all of the CTA streetcars living on borrowed time - including the loop to the Field Museum and Soldiers field that lasted only a year or two after the film was made.
Two different SFe trains – is the second one all FM or is it Alcos ahead of the Erie-built? We don’t think of the Super running behind FTs, but no other way to know the first train isn’t the Super.
The Chief, during the 40’s era, was lightweight and streamlined, at various times it ran with steam and FT’s.
The two sequences are of different trains. The FTs are eastbound at 21st St, having crossed the PRR and joining the C&WI. The train with the Erie-builts (90L-A-B) is near the AT&SF’s 21st street (Archer Avenue) coach yard.
Baggage car is a 1947 ACF product. The next car is a Budd baggage-barber shop-buffet lounge built for the Chief in 1938. The next car is most likely an 8 section 2 cpt, 2 DBR car also built (by Pullman) for the 1938 Chief.
Thanks a lot for the links and details![Y]
Fascinating whistle signals on the steamer going under the bridge – blows what looks like the crossing signal as he starts under, then 2 toots ‘clear’ do the bridge tender can put the spans down.
Fascinating to see Lake Shore Drive without Mies van der Blowhard style!
For Chicago entertainment culture a couple of years later:
Well, if you folks are in the mood for all things Chicago, how about a seven+ minute jam of “Sweet Home Chicago” featuring Jake, Elwood, and one of the best bands ever?