Early Golden State Consist

Classic Trains General Discussion
1

Does anyone know the consist of the Golden State Limited circa 1910. I’m assuming they were using Pullman Palace cars, but who about the steam power? The Rock Island? Southern Pacific?

ESPEE and RITS web pages don’t seem to show anything about the steam this early.

2

From the July 1910 issue of the Official Guide:

  • Electric Lighted Double Drawing-room sleeping car - Chicago-San Francisco (Carried on SP 9 and 10 - Sunset Express between Los Angeles and San Francisco - the Sunset Limited was not running at this time)
  • Electric Lighted Two Stateroom and Drawing Room Sleeper - Chicago-Los Angeles
  • Electric Lighted Drawing Room Sleeper - St. Louis-Los Angeles (via RI 27 and 28 between St. Louis and Kansas City)
  • Library Buffet Observation Car - Chicago-El Paso and El Paso-Los Angeles
  • Diner - Chicago-El Paso and El Paso-Los Angeles

Im going to assume that:

  • there was at least a baggage car and/or combine included
  • there was more than one Chicago-Los Angeles sleeping car being operated in each Golden State Limited consist.

I think the term “Pullman Palace” referred to the opulent wooden cars that were built in the 1890’s. By this time wooden cars of a more subdued design were most likely being used. Also, steel sleepers began appearing in Southern Pacific trains around 1911, the Overland Limited and the Sunset Limited being the initial recipients. The Golden State Limited received steel sleepers starting around 1913.