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Originally posted by Super Chief:
The Santa Fe railway had many trains in 1955 that made the Los Angeles to Chicago trip. A few of the more famous were the Super Chief, El Capitan, Chief, and San Francisco Chief. The Stations that come to mind would be; Los Angeles, Pasadena Ca., San Bernardino Ca., Barstow Ca., Flagstaff Az., Gallup Nm., Alberquerque Nm., Trinidad Co., Kansas City Mo., Joliet Il., and Chicago. Of course different trains stopped at different stations. And there were many more stations that the Santa Fe served than what I've mentioned. Basically the present day Amtrak Southwest Chief follows the same route as many of the Santa Fe trains did in 1955. But a few years ago the Southwest Chief took another route to bypass Pasedena, and now goes through Fullerton. Also, in Illinois, the Southwest Chief took another route which no longer includes Joliet. A good source of information would be old Santa Fe time tables. Also, I think, the current Southwest Chief follows fairly closely to the original Super Chief schedule and the later combined Super Chief/El Capitan. Hope this can help

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The tracks through Pasadena are no longer there. Part of the ATSF line through Pasadena ran down the middle of interstate 210. When I was a kid I used to love seeing the trains running on that track. My dad told me that one time when he was driving on the 210 that he was going about the same speed as the train and the engineer was waving him on like a race. (Not that the train would really break the speed limit).

That track also crossed over the Pasadena Freeway (110) in Highland Park on a long, high tressle. Sadly that tressel has also been dismantled.

I am unaware of why this line was removed. Having grown up in that area that line was my major source of train watching. (Freight and Amtrack).

Mike Fariss

Short Version: Union Pacific calls their route the Overland Route. They used a different exit from LAUPT/Mission tower, running out through East Los Angeles and Riverside. Major stops included:

Las Vegas
Salt Lake City
Ogden
Cheyenne, WY
Omaha
Des Moines (I think)
Chicago

More details on trains tomorrow, but for starters, the top of the timetable was the "City of Los Angeles" and slid down to a transcontinental mail and express run.

John

THE authoritative reference works on UP for detailed work in passenger operations are Dubin's Some Classic Trains (Kalmbach, 64) and Kratville's Union Pacific Streamliners (private, 1973 or so).

PullmanCo - could you tell me if the UP route you mention passed through or stopped at Grand island, Nebraska?

Should have this for you tonight or tomorrow.

Source data is Kratville, Union Pacific Streamliners, pp. 504-507

I am looking at condensed public timetables dated January and September 1947.

CAVEAT: On October 1, 1955, the Union Pacific terminated its contracts with the C&NW and began its contracts with the Chicago Milwaukee St Paul and Pacific (Milwaukee Road). That may influence you.

Route: LA Leg. This is the traditional Los Angeles and Salt Lake RR, wholly owned by UP.

Los Angeles
East Lost Angeles
Riverside
San Bernadino CA
Las Vegas NV
Caliente (PT-MT switch)
Lund
Milford UT
Salt Lake City
Ogden (LINKUP with SP here!) UT

Route SF Leg (via SP)
SF (ferry to Oakland)
Oakland
Berkeley
Sacramento
(Donner Pass)
Truckee
Reno
Ogden, UT

Common UP leg:
Ogden
Evanston WY
Rock Springs
Rawlins
Laramie
Cheyenne WY
Sidney NE
North Platte (MT-CT switch)
Kearney
Grand Island
Fremont
Omaha
Council Bluffs ... Consult a C&NW timetable
for details to Chicago
Cedar Rapids
Clinton
Chicago

Train laydown in 1947, at Omaha was:

City of Los Angeles, EB and WB
City of San Francisco, EB and WB
Los Angeles Limited, EB and WB
San Francisco Overland, EB and WB
Pacific EB and WB (Chi-SF, picked up StL-LA through cars at and was named Pacific/Pony Express Cheyenne - Ogden)
San Francisco Challenger, EB and WB
Mail/Express - Uthahn, EB/WB (Chi-LA)

I hope all this was the information you needed.

John
So you have 7 "front of the timetable" First Class (passenger) movements each day in each direction.

quote:

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Originally posted by Indio Yard:
RE: Pasadena Bypass

The tracks through Pasadena are no longer there. Part of the ATSF line through Pasadena ran down the middle of interstate 210. When I was a kid I used to love seeing the trains running on that track. My dad told me that one time when he was driving on the 210 that he was going about the same speed as the train and the engineer was waving him on like a race. (Not that the train would really break the speed limit).

That track also crossed over the Pasadena Freeway (110) in Highland Park on a long, high tressle. Sadly that tressel has also been dismantled.

I am unaware of why this line was removed. Having grown up in that area that line was my major source of train watching. (Freight and Amtrack).

Mike Fariss

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The right of way down the 210 has not been removed. In fact, I'm not sure the tracks have been removed either. The Southwest Chief was rerouted through Fullerton becuase the route down the median of the 210 through Pasadena to Los Angeles is now being readied for the start of the Pasadena to L.A. Blue Line commuter light rail service. Pasadena and others along the corridor had a choice of either Metrolink Commuter trains or waiting for the light rail, and they chose the latter.