A total newcomer here who is interested in basic info about this classic L.A.-S.F. / S.F.-L.A. passenger train. Its start date, end date, and towns transitted would be invaluable to my research. Thanks in advance!
bigheadx, This is a chapter from a book I am writing on the streamliners. Hope this helps. If you need additional information please let me know. Lots of good train material to be found at “Our Place” on the Classic train forum.
DAYLIGHT SP Trains 98-99 March 21, 1937 Los Angeles – San Francisco daily each direction 470 miles 935 miles round trip 10 hours 15 minutes
The SP came up with what some believe were the most beautiful trains in the world when they launched their streamlined DAYLIGHTS between Los Angeles and San Francisco on March 21, 1937. The new trains pulled by new streamlined GS-2 4-8-4 locomotives were striking in the red, orange, black paint scheme with silver separation stripes and lettering. The new trains were twelve cars in length and carried 392 coach passengers and 57 parlor car patrons. Within days of the new daily trains entering service the SP added a second heavyweight section to carry the overflow from the streamlined trains. Each train operated with three pairs of articulated coaches all other cars were single cars. The DAYLIGHTS shortcomings were a shortage of dining space and lounge space. These shortcomings would be corrected in 1938.
DAYLIGHT CONSIST ONE
Inaugural #98
4411 Streamlined Lima GS-2 4-8-4 Northern Locomotive & Tender
3300 Baggage Newsstand 44–Revenue Seat Coach
2400 48-Revenue Seat Coach
2402 Articulated 50-Revenue Seat Coach
2403 Articulated 50-Revenue Seat Coach
2404 Articulated 50-Revenue Seat Coach
2405 Articulated 50-Revenue Seat Coach
2406 Articulated 50-Revenue Seat Coach
2407 Articulated 50-Revenue Seat Coach
10310 24-Seat Lunch Counter Bar 18-Seat Tavern Lounge Car
10200 40-Seat Dining Car
3000 29-revenue Seat Parlor Car 5-Revenue Seat Parlor Stateroom
2950 23-Revenue Seat Parlor 10-Seat Lounge Observation
DAYLIGHT CONSIST TWO
Inaugural
A couple of addenda.
The above refers to the streamlined Daylight. The original Daylight was a heavywieght train made up of Harriman cars and painted grey. It went into service in 1930. Coach Yard has just announced they’re bringing in a brass model of it in the near future Save your pennies…LOTS of pennies! Proper power would be a 4300 class 4-8-2 without the Skyline Casing.
When I first saw the Daylight (1950) it consistantly ran 20 cars long (I believe the maximum train length allowed for it) behind GS-4 or 5 4-8-4 painted red and orange from nose to tail. Just before Amtrack it was a baggage/coach, 2 or 3 coaches, the Automat “diner” and a round end parlor obervation car all in unpainted stainless steel with a red letterboard pulled by a red and grey SDP-45. What a letdown!
I rode the final Daylight consist the summer of 1969. I did not know about the parlor until after I was on the train, but had enough ca***o pay for the upgrade and enjoyed the observation ride with a seat facing at the rear which could be turned to almost face directly to the rear, good enough to enjoy the scenery. I think I had chicken enchiladas from the automat, and they were OK.
I seem to recall that the Lark was the Daylight’s nightime counterpart and that it was painted 2 tone grey as a contrast to the Daylight? When did it start operation and when did it receive lightweight cars? Did it have a lot of sleepers or was the run considered too short?
LARK Trains75-76 OAKLAND LARK Trains73-74 SP July 10,1941 Los Angeles – Oakland/San Francisco overnight each direction 470 miles 12 hours. The LARK was the first All-Room All–Pullman fully streamlined nightly train operating west of the Mississippi River. It was also the only All-Room All Pullman train to operate entirely within a single state.
by Al
The Southern Pacific inaugurated a deluxe all room pair of lightweight streamlined sleeping car trains named the LARK between Los Angeles and Oakland – San Francisco. The new streamlined LARKS were actually two trains in one between San Jose and Los Angeles by that I mean that the last two cars in each consist were known as the OAKLAND LARK and operated up the east side of San Francisco Bay to that city. All other cars in the LARK train sets operated between San Francisco and Los Angeles. The two head end cars in each consist were heavyweights remodeled and painted to match the rest of the LARK consists. The LARK consists were eighteen cars in length between San Jose and Los Angeles. Eleven of those cars were sleeping cars destined between Los Angeles and San Francisco with total accommodations for 228 passengers. The last two cars in each consist were the two OAKLAND LARK cars with sleeping accommodations for 29 passengers. In the center of each train set was the triple unit LARK CLUB with one unit fitted with a Kitchen and Crew Dormitory Space, the center articulated unit was a 48 seat Dining Room and the third articulated unit was a bar with seating for 48. The entire 96 seats of the Dining and Lounge area could be set up for serving Breakfast in the morning or as additional Cocktail Lounge space in the evening. The LARK was to overnight travelers what the MORNING DAYLIGHT and NOON DAYLIGHT were to day travelers in the Los Angeles – San Francisco market safe reliable deluxe transportation. The LARK was the only streamlined all Room Sleeping Car train to operate entirely within a single state and the only all room train operating strictly on the west
A correction on ,my Daylight addedum. Coach Yard is bringing in the 1930 heavywight Daylight consist but there were 2 previous heavywieght Daylight consists, one in 1922 (the first set) and another in 1927.
It seems the Daylight started in 1922 and went daily in 1923; the Lark started in 1910. There was also the Padre LA-Oakland from 1923 to 1931, along with a couple more.
I rode the Coast Daylight twice before Amtrak.The first time was in June,1961.The train was 20 cars long,all red/orange Daylight scheme.I rode again in August,1970.The train was down to 12 cars,bagggage,3/4dome lounge,automat,coaches,round end observation.
For what it is worth, The Coast Daylight was the only passenger train the Southern Pacific never tried to discontinue.
Further info… The orginal heavyweight was known as the Daylight Limited, it was unique among heavyweights of that era for the pearl grey scheme worn until operations proved the scheme not maintainable, SP vowed never to repeat this expensive fiasco, and henceforth confined expermintental paint to a single car until testing was completed and all data was available for review.
Dave
Now, there is a memory jogger. Many were the days in the late 1940’s and early '50’s I walked with my mother down that road beside the SP ROW to catch a commuter train from Redwood City to San Mateo, when the Daylight came thundering through. In those days, each major street crossing had a crossing guard stationed in a small shack that would close the crossing gates as the trains approached. We would stop and nod pleasanty, and hold on for dear life as that red and orange beheamoth would rumble past as if it were a polished steel temblor bent on rending the world apart. The ground moved under our feet. The sound was incredible, a mechanical symphony of flashing main and connecting rods and valve gear moving too quickly to see, and the rapid exhaust note performing a continuo, like the protestations of a raging bull. The locomotive announced itself with an air horn that seemed out of place, especially when it had a steam whistle, but it still got your attention. Then it was gone, trailing a hurricane of that acrid aroma of burning bunker oil, exhaust steam, axle lube and all the other heavenly aromas that are no more. Loose paper took flight and the dry grass swirled as the coaches flashed by, sedate in comparison, but still magnificent, important and in a ru***o be about the business of their passengers. If you were lucky enough to ride inside the Coast Daylight, how great was that, but for a six year old boy, to have stood beside the tracks on many a day as it passed by, well, such are the things we call wonders, never to be forgotten. That is the purpose and joy of history - thanks.
I rode the Daylight Los Angeles to San Francisco in 1953. It was a thrill. I don’t recall the Daylight as a real speedster, but it ran pretty fast once that big GS-4 got a wheel on it. It made fairly frequent stops, but it still beat driving especially in that day and age. In my opinion, it would beat driving today. The Southern Pacific still solicited passengers in those days, and the onboard service was superb. So was the food. Great memories.
Not really, at least in terms of time. The schedule for the Coast Daylight was 9 3/4 hours for 470 miles (average about 48 mph). You can make the drive from 3rd and Townsend (site of old SP station) to LAUPT in less than 8 hours even going down 101.
In terms of sheer enjoyment, the train beats the car any time.
Andre
Don’t forget how the AT&SF attempted competition with its Golden Gates. Trouble was, even thought point-to-point may have been actually faster, you had to ride a bus at both ends.
Frequent stops? IIRC, the northbound (west by TT direction) Daylight stopped at Glendale, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Salinas and San Jose. That’s only 5 stops between end points. 'Course, I’m not counting the stop at Santa Margarita to drop the helper.
Andre
Andre,thanks for your thoughts,and great points they are. The Daylight of my memory was a wonderful train, well run, with great service. As they say, “Oh for a simpler time”.Thanks again.
A slight misapprehension here: Today you can indeed make that drive in less than 8 hours. In 1953, however, that was a very different drive. The highway ran via streets through cities like San Jose, Salinas, King City (oh, joy of joys!), etc., instead of the modern-day freeway route. Even the fastest route out of San Francisco (from 3rd & Townsend) would have been something like: 3rd to Folsom, Folsom to 8th Street on-ramp to James Lick Freeway (which then terminated at Bayshore), Bayshore Blvd. to El Camino Real (South San Francisco).
Factor in a slower average traveling speed for the autos of that day (due to less sophisticated highway construction methods), fuel stops, unforeseen traffic tieups in one burg or another, and that travel time goes 'way up from the current 8-hour figure (which can also take a hit depending on freeway snarls in certain locales).
Not only was the Coast Daylight faster, it was a whole lot less hassle!
Regards,
Paul
[quote]
QUOTE: Originally posted by original_coaster
A slight misapprehension here: Today you can indeed make that drive in less than 8 hours. In 1953, however, that was a very different drive. The highway ran via streets through cities like San Jose, Salinas, King City (oh, joy of joys!), etc., instead of the modern-day freeway route. Even the fastest route out of San Francisco (from 3rd & Townsend) would have been something like: 3rd to Folsom, Folsom to 8th Street on-ramp to James Lick Freeway (which then terminated at Bayshore), Bayshore Blvd. to El Camino Real (South San Francisco).
Factor in a slower average traveling speed for the autos of that day (due to less sophisticated highway construction methods), fuel stops, unforeseen traffic tieups in one burg or another, and that travel time goes 'way up from the current 8-hour figure (which can also take a hit depending on freeway snarls in certain locales).
Not only was the Coast Daylight faster, it was a whole lot less hassle!
Regar
Now vs. then.
So . . . we were comparing apples and oranges, then. O-kayyyyyyyyyy . . .