My sister and I road the RI/SP Oklahoma to Los Angles June 1950 and back Aug 1950. RI was on strike as I remember on the return so we took the SP to connect to the Katy (somewhere in the middle of Texas) and then North to Oklahoma. We were on a pass so probably would not have been the “best train” (we were in a chair car all the way). I was 14 yrs old and was not a rail fan yet. I probably should, but don’t remember the power, was some steam still running that route then?
Northtowne
You probably rode the Califiornian. Power would have been black widfow Funits,.
Possibly on the return trip you caught the Sunset Limited out of LAUPT, and took that to San Antonio to connect with the Katy there? That could have been PAs or Es in Daylight paint.
That makes the most sense to me as far as the return trip, but who knows. Other than Austin, where else would the Espee and the Katy come close to one another (open question)?
In June 1950 there was one train from Oklahoma to the SP connection at Tucumcari: it left Memphis at 2100, Oklahoma City at 1150 and arrived Tucumcari at 2215 CST. So presumably you continued west on SP #43, leaving Tucumcari at 2150 MST and arriving El Paso at 0545. You could leave there at 0735 on #43 or at 0750 on #5, arriving LA at 0620 or 0600.
I’m no expert, but I’d say it’s at least 50-50 you had steam from Tucumcari to El Paso, and maybe 50-50 west of there. No idea about the Rock Island.
Thanks for your comments. I have vague memories of seeing smoke columns at the front of the train on curves in the flat part of the desert. We boarded in McAlester, OK, and were in the same coach all the way to LA, must have changed to SP power at Tucumcari. We boarded on the way back without a definite itinerary due to the strike and that we were on a pass. I was told as we left LA to disembark in El Paso and call home collect. Seems we arrived about noon, I remember the large, bustling terminal, and searching out a phone booth. My Father told me to go to a certain ticket counter (don’t remember which) and tell them who we were and that arrangements had been made for us. Sometime later (less than 6 hours or so) we were on another train (SP, I’m sure, because I remember scenes that told me we were close to the Tex/Mex border). Somewhere (probably San Antonio as you all surmise) we got on the Katy North to McA, OK. Those were the good old days, the 50’s.
I went back to LA the summer of 1953 by car, route 66, but that’s a different story.
Northtowne
The Argonaut comes to mind, since it was somewhat of a secondary train, and used steam as power. I believe that steam was still in use on the 'Naut around that time, although I don’t know a whole lot about that particular train. Anybody have any more input on the Argonaut???
SP & MKT also at Houston. But what a dog leg to go north.
Also SP-ELP–>T&P-DAL or FTW–>MKT
Ah, I completely blanked out Houston. As far as San Antonio goes, there wes a mile or two seperating the Espee depot and the Katy depot, so there may be some recollection in regards to getting from one depot to the other. At that time, the streetcars were still operating, so that would have been an option.
The SP Grand Central Station and the Katy Station were less than a mile apart in Houston, and both were served by the cities streetcar system.
As for the “dogleg”…it is a straight shot to Dallas and Fort Worth then on to Little Rock from both stations, or a straight shot to Lufkin and on to Pine Bluff for either one.
Northtowne, do you remember the Katy Station having a passenger platform that was part ways on a “pier” or trestle?
Your view from the front of the station or the platform would have included a small freight yard built next to a bayou or large creek…behind the station was a large concrete and brick building.
The platform at the Katy here was built out over Buffalo Bayou…
(not my photo)
I checked today with my Sister, she was 12 yrs old at the time, and, for the life of us, we cannot remember the details of the transfer to the Katy. We are sure of the SP route from El Paso along the Tex/Mex border; at times we thought we were deep inside Mexico.
I am not sure of the reciprocal agreements between carriers with regard to employee passes. Our Father worked for the Katy and I would assume the LA trip, being on other lines, required ordering passes ahead of time. Coming back a different route on short notice due to the RI strike probably was an accomodating move by SP. So, would you think that due to the extra miles on the SP they might have insisted that we transfer to the Katy as soon as feasible which would be San Antonio? Just a thought.
Northtowne
Through El Paso and Del Rio, the Sunset Route passes near “the border”.