Can anyone tell me if SP ran a passenger train from LA to Chi in 1956? If they did what, was the name and the makeup (consist and power) and the station in Chi?
Thanks,
They ran the #3/4, Golden State LA-CHI via the RI. Ran on SP LA-Santa Rosa NM via El Paso (but changed power, etc. at Tucumcari). Used La Salle St Station in CHI. In 1956 the round end RI obs cars were squared off and run midtrain.
Also #39/40, the Imperial, which was still a full coach/sleeper consist in 1956, combined with the Cherokee Tucumcari-Memphis. The remnants of the old Imperial ran after 1958 as a mail train with 1 coach and an 8-5 sleeper (that got dropped west of KCY in 1960). Same routing and stations as #3/4.
Will give you an exact consist of the Golden State equipment when i dig out my notes. They did operate with both RI ans SP equipment in the same consists. SP provided 44-seat leg rest coaches and Rock Island provided 48-seat leg rest coaches. RI provided 8-6 Sleepers and SP provided 10-6 sleepers. There were also 4-6-4 sleepers and 6-6-4 sleepers. Three of the consists operated with 5-Double Bedroom Buffet Lounge Observations on the nrear provided by RI and the other consists operated with a blunt end 10-6 on the rear compliments of the SP.
All consists operated with a Baggage Crew Dormitory and 36 seat dining car and a Coffee Shop lounge car cant remember configuration off top of head but believe it was 32 seat dining 14-seat lounge with bar. For the two consists that operated with the Blunt end 10-6 on rear the SP provided a full lounge car for the sleeping car passengers trainlined to the rear of the 36-seat dining car. Hope this helps for now.
Also offered for your consideration is the “Golden Rocket”. This was supposed to be a luxury tri-weekly streamliner on the Golden State Route covered by two consists, one each provided by RI & SP. The RI consist was under construction when the whole idea was cancelled and SP’s consist was never built. The RI cars were placed in the pool for the “Golden State”.
Thanks, drephpe, passengerfan & csshegewisch. This as great, if you have more, even better, particularly where to get any N scale prototypical (or close) models of any locos and cars