Santa Fe Super Chief by Richardphotos
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Description
In 1947 the Super Chief began daily service between Chicago and Los Angeles, and in 1951 the train was entirely re-equipped with new cars. The Super Chief was an all-room, first class, extra-fare train that ran on the fastest 39 ¾ hour schedule possible. Train number 17 was westbound, number 18 was eastbound. The latest cars purchased by the Santa Fe in 1950 and 1951 were preferred for the Super Chief, but cars were protected and supplemented by other new cars from the late 1940s. Santa Fe drew on all three major builders of light weight, stainless-steel cars: most of the cars for the 1937 and 1938 Super Chief came from Budd, Pullman Standard and Budd added cars in 1947 to make enough cars for daily service, and ACF and PS shared most of the construction of the 1951 Super Chief.
The 1951 Super Chief had a basic consist, but some substitutions and addition of extra sleepers for summer and holiday periods did occur.
Sleepers were usually the popular 4-bedroom/ 4-compartment/ 2-drawing-room or 10-roomette/ 6-bedroom types. Sectioned Pullman sleepers were very unpopular after the war. Cars during this time were owned by Santa Fe and labeled Santa Fe in the letterboards, but were operated by the Pullman company and had Pullman in smaller letters near the car doors. Most of the cars were initially delivered with side skirts. Later service crews removed them to gain easier access to battery boxes, brake cylinders, etc.
Santa Fe purchased the F units (normally for freight service) with high-speed passenger gearing. The war-bonnet paint scheme, introduced on the first E units with the first Super Chief, indicates these are passenger engines. The B-units had steam generators for passenger car heat and air conditioning. The A-B-B-A set of F3s generated 6,000 horsepower. Kato makes F3 and F7 locomotives ready to run out of the box, but diaphragms or close couplers can be added.
the local museum is restoring their huge collection for the move to a neighboring city Frisco
The RPO cars of the type carried on the Super Chief were usually those built by Budd in 1940, or by ACF in 1947. The RPO is a 60’ car. The RPO space rented by the Post Office was either 30’ or 60’, thus there was no mail storage space in this car. Postal workers had to pass into the mail storage car to get and return bags of mail as they were processed. The RPO was switched into the Super Chief in Kansas City for mail work on the way to Los Angeles.
A group of sleepers was in the consist in front of the central diner-lounge cars, and another group was behind. The basic consist leaving Chicago would have a 10-roomette/ 6-bedroom sleeper behind the storage mail car. On and just before weekends, a 4-bedroom/ 4-compartment/ 2-drawing-room sleeper would follow it. Then, in Kansas City, the RPO and another 10/6 would be cut in between the storage mail car and the first 10/6. The 10/6 sleepers were in the “Palm” series and were usually from a 13-car American Car and Foundry order from 1951.
thanks for viewing and any comments.dedicated to who ever loves trains
Comments (105)
virginiese
What a POV ! Great capture with nice colors !
gmvgmvgmv
Wonderful capture, and the added text is quite informative. Personally, I'm not a big fan of the F and E units in spite of their huge impact in the evolution of diesel power, supplanting the older, high-maintenance steam locomotives. But, this picture is very compelling, and really demonstrates the grandeur of these streamlined units. Nice work!!
leanndra
Wow, that is all I can say! I can even say it backwards! ;) Seriously Richard, this is really a wonderful capture and as a kid I remember seeing these kinds of trains when I was fairly young. They were so amazing and colorful. They don't make 'em like this any more! Thanks for sharing this awesome photo and the history too! Lea
GBCalls
Think in a box somewhere I have the HO scale version of this. Excellent!
Mad-Mike
Gorgeous train, and very nice capture Richard! hey :-)
2Loose2Trek
I'm looking forward to the rebirth of the railroads. Excellent photo.
babuci
Fabulous POv , great strong colors.
ShadowsNTime
Great shot and info Richard! I don't know where we were going or what the train was but as a child I rode on one with my gran that had the diner/lounge and I got the top bunk in our 'room'. Thanks for the memory, I had completely forgotten that!
Blush
Very impressive And what an awesome capture Hugs Susan~
bpclarke
What a beauty. It looks barnd new. Splendid capture. Bunny
Cytisus
Stupendous capture, Looks like a yard Engine and a Caboose on the tail. There is a place in the Spokane Valley WA. that has one of these ( I don't remember the number ) and several cars that have been turned into a class act Restaurant!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
dbrv6
Great shot and thanks for the history!
CleonXXI
Gorgeous photo of an iconic train! Thanks!
npauling
A wonderful capture of this beauty. It still looks modern today with its sleek clean lines. Thanks for all the info.
eekdog Online Now!
cool pov of this powerful engine. nice shot bro. steve
furuta
Beautiful image. wonderful capture!!
Osper
"All Aboard". The tracks are there just heavily cindered. Neat shot.
micturn
Great POV
amota99517
What a magnificent piece of machinery. Your shot really brings out the beauty of this machine. This is a wonderful capture!!!
kahun.hida
凄い機関車ですね！！！！！ もう走ってないんですか？
bakapo
what a cool shot, I love the angle of this.
LudyMelltSekher
Hello my dear friend,What a beautiful photography,,Wonderful.Congratulations! A million stars from me!!!*****Thanks you very much for you comments, very estimated for my. Sorry to have that to write the same thing in English to all, but are few the words that I have in English to say.Have a marvelous day.Luminous blessings.Ludy.
vkoontz
Excellent photo!!!
Richard_Mogridge
5 star work. Excellent commentary. I learned much. Wonderful composition. Beautiful engine.
sharky_
Wonderful POV...Excellent capture. Aloha
Thelby
Hey, I like the story as much as the photo!!!!!
Mondwin
WOW...I like it very much!!!!!!!!!!!!!Bravissimo!:DDD.Hugsxx Whylma
TheAnimaGemini
What a incredible capture. Very nostalgic. Beautiful. Thanks for the info. Very interesting.
farmerC
Its a exellente picture.
emmecielle
Excellent photo! :)