Super Chief DOWNLOAD

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solvency. In the midst of tlie' econom- H•ving left Chicago's Dearborn Station • 13 , .... PA )-ADE N AI= . •7- id sluinp, St6rey was succeeded by · two days earlier, the inaugural run of.the 1 : 2 • 71:.PhRAL/t Samuel.T. Bledsoe; a forward-looking Super Chief rolls into Pasadena, Calif.; on - executive. May 14,1936. The boxy "One-Spot Twins" -1 1 r •13 6 111 1,3,1 . mr. ' • •·Bledsoe was not'a railroad man in head up the all-heavyweight consist. • 1 036 n 111 1'. thE traditidn of his predecessors · "' 1Ve./4/k , ,* li IL«Fr 5 I . ,. i036 ..12* &0 , Stor« Edward Payson Ripley, and William Barstow Strong, all of whdni ger cars. Th6 board agreed And ap- had hands-on 9perating experience: proved the expenditure., 7//*•2•:je 6 1 ·befo're•being•namedpresident. Bled- And spend he did. During 1934, ././. soe came to the presidency with a: Santa ·Fe.installed the new steam- strong backgrourid in law,-specializ-. - ejecton air-conditioning system in 66:. ' 'ing in land and railroad 16gal matters. A cars:,18 club-lounges,·:4 cafe-observa- , Perhaps because'he had n-o direct op- tions, ·14 dining'cars, 13 Pullman room : L erating experience, Bledsoe was never cars, and 17 Pullman observation cars. - 35.: reluctant to take Pri new'technology. Couiiting the 23 dining cars Santa Fe 39& I ...... In hissix years leading.the Santa' Fe, previously had air-donditionedithe he demonstrated an enthusiasm 'for·' railway.was operating 89 air-condi-, '•." ·· ' -A'·' " /'CS;r · - l it,- and for the required monetary: in- ti6ned cars .by the end of'1934. This . vestment'in it. Notonly did lie direct: was the first ofaseriesof decisions •·• ., " ' ·' .· o ..:· the acquoition:of.new; advanced loco- ,that would see Santa Fe bffering. one• '" ·: .. . • ..." lij)• · '.':• · : •• . ··•·,·4St ./< . r' motives (both steam and diesel); he of tlid finest and fastest long-distance :. 2, . L'O,Ni·j254*:,.,Ob,1 -:i« • • instituted neiv. high-speed; stream- -passenger-train fleets onthe continent. ·-" .· . :·Z·'·S·:.70., '33·'· ,-'' t':'-'i·-5 ...... •,1 ' - :r 9,· C '.,11.'.»,:t': 1:if-5.-•; lined Bassenger'service and spent : On Mdy 29,1934, Bledsoe con- • ·, . -, · ':042 , -.'*·) '•, . •••• _ ':26: .42.·,r.K= large sums on impr6ving the physical vincedthe board to approve·the'air- : , " · ..1 '· .,·'· • •" ·- plant and modernizing the tight of. conditioning of 30.Pullman sleeping " 7 .i:. -. -'-•'-::..: ",-1.• :S:".... '-,.C. I ...... I way to accommodate it. cars; The following year Santa Fe.' .· .::...·.(042,2.·;.·'.:i':.1.-:·: -:ri...... :...." -' The drastic reduction in busibiess added even more air-conditioned ·· '/-·,"·'ie.•e:F....1.....·r:.: ..7.'.;....7I• 't::....13:'....•/it,·.•..:':i.•.·.·•·1,·... activity and personal travel br6ught standard Pullman sleepers,·club-: - .'':'. '2,'A....:' 042-*•,ST·. '-.. ,042E .* .Ff.*..'.- .,·*,·'t S. ". -:t' .. . '.1.. about by the Depression severely af- lounges,· and diners to its Beat. The «: :-,·" . -036•• ', ·' . '·· ·::3 •:,I....2. fected freight and passenger. service. · estimated cost ofeach cars conver- :' ·· ··· - i' '. ..'.....:; '•I.·'.-'.·i -....:.'.. ...:':.·'y · .·'.., f.. ..'): Losses were exhcerbated by, three fac- sion:.$8000. · tors: the rapid rise in private auto· '.· ': 1 ·...... 1i /...: ··..1 :I...i..9...1: i :t ; ..., :p ·-· • ·· : 042 ·,..&:.·3'1 .'l·042k:.042 •• . •· ''. " · -, ..:. ' ownership, 'which pumrheled intra- BOX-CAB DIESELS AND ·4394«1·)!042't '.'·ij-'•..:,M:·F .·-F state passenger patronage; the fledg- • .- HEAVYWEIGHT CARS Vp·4%0:18*·., 042'··..A.· ( I...... I. A....'.;....:...,t:t''l•-'.:.9'.:. ':':. i:,i,1:':...... •'.:...... ;., i,e, ;.•1 *M:. 3':i.;·.:· '·-1 ling air-transport industry;.and the Having introduced air conditioned "# 11.·.·",<'.1 .",'.'042i.'·.•'·,f•" t. ....':'.,-:.:'...:.'. expansion of the interstate trucking, comfort for first-class passengers be- f.• :...... i:..:2:.•F.:,'' . 2••• ,•••·•.,•• '. ':..P'....'...'I.:i:.:t•f industry,.which·cut freight reveriues, yond dining cars, Bledsoe then -tutned . especially less-than-carlobd·business. to motive,powen Hewas aware of the 'A:...... 6..... />.:.:! 0.2.., ie." t.,0.-, ''·,042.-.':042,4,:.+,...:.'.;'.:;'4,..A 042rit,<, ... '. . 1.1.-/-- :) 1 · ·;,:,· . :.·.:>,I·....L.:'..1 2''b'.'•·;' :. ··'3'.3.U.036....::,f·•'·••·' '· ·• .1.'.f :,•.8'.... .R . . .:..'. .:.·4 · ..t.- In 1929, Santa Fe's operating rev- · new diesel-electric derilori•tration 10- ,'..1,4,2.·rl•·F,AMA#Z,14·'' ··...,Rif.•- .0-'.9·" ····' e."t: .:,.C·. t• . .. ' enue r042>as $267·2 million, yielding in- comotive in the planning stagesat c6me of $61 inillion. By.1932;,the fig- Electro-Motive Corp., whose'chief en- -ures had dropped to $133 million and gineer, Richard Dilworth, had cgn- $7.5 million, respectively. These is- ceived and was working'on the con- sues and numbers were the.focus of cept of a multiple-unit locombtive.4 . : 5, /2 ..:*32#• 1 1-l ...... M, attention for President Bledsoe and This'machide w6uld incorporate · ;41'1404#2*.4':; ,',/:.·-•·).2.042'·,-.···.<•4,•0 ...• 1•/•'..1 1 ...... A.. '. 13.4..f.. " W. K. Etter, vice president, operations. his untried idea df a diesel-powered . 43·....(a:*,s); F:ep-'., ·· They were adare of both.the need'for mainlihe locomotive with an enclosed 5973»Zi#WiP• .•..Iirr:. 2.... advanced locomotive technologi for body, and main frame fabricated from • • . faster freight'schedules that would re- structural steel.. Dildorth was intent.·.1 39...:4 ..11'.:.:ty:-,sf.:7 6•N.TA....lI*. •7,;ii .:1'· k.''r·' ..;· P;;i·:94: ·•042..1.,L--/ . ·····4,:, .' cover lost· traffic, as well as the need' 00, creating a 3600 h.p. multiple-unit to boost passenger.patronage. .locomotife poweifd·by foui of the new •· " •:·'.:1.4.27,•U I ., .. . 6 At the Santa.Fe directors:meeting • 900 h.p. Winton·201A diesel engines,. ,- ' .1 '111 of November 28, 1933, Bledsoe 9 ,/49•2:•lfr29• ·...... ,• ... : . 44441*FS.ts.. I , .· I brought up tlie first of his many sug- b.'...3•:4:'.i,Evi,';· ·•· '·'• gestions for improving passenger , The Super's box-cabs and heavyweights .. i»·.'.":6..'.:0:.:·r·••.: service. Since the railway's Chicago- gave way to streamlined El diesels and Ar·U.156 - Los Angeles•route trdversed the hot· stainless-steel cars in May and June 1937., desert Southwest, Bledsoe pushed the Though no more powerful than.the'One- , idea of using air-conditicining.passen- Spots, the E's were miles ahead in styling. 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::-1 .---,· ----•47 -« ,«"'. .3-*0*• ,-- '.'..:;,.43,,· -•1.45,•*•••%•#•*•4•-*-•-AAE*•3•#3- --; ..'-*6,6':.r,·-•,1-·1•'·i• AAi7Lf<#i#i••ifi2Bj•:e'kA;-,0361,9•**•'·,•,9.'i.k':e •••*•.•B•FI•,•••ipwg••.1•*33.:•:••.••:.*•: .. ;Altii:.brV.49/k•.::'. ·..· :-· ' - 7 :.. --*. - . · . ,....:•*A., '3, :AR:.*3:3•, r....1 .... pir.:;i; . ;54#· pie5*I•Af•.i , '.··'% s. :it':Lt:6;4*bi:...93'41%- .111,-3, 042 " . -042*r.·....,...../.«»- 1, 042.4:1 - . '-. : : ' --)·. -·*.•3.t·%33-•61£39;0)145. ./ _042··:·-.3· .-•i,.042,··..ir..=F• ..,+/·x,i•. /&»44-05'45 '.' ·' . - -7,0 r.,r.Z''J.:2::d0361*2..im. ';SE#•k,••...- .,---'' ' te. .: 41. t. --0.--742*1 -flxal' . -V• S / --./.. :i»·0 mi ."., =1. /7•-Im.,r -, - ,,· On September 11,1934, the Santa r,4/•1 Fe board, after hearing Bledsoe's 1:.., presentation of his revolutipnary pro- -/2EEll' ·, :. 5..,.. 1:lit"j'.•.8.1 :11/t= • posal, authorized the purchase of a 3600 h.p. diesdllocomotive at a cost I--1--.- .not'to exceed $400,000. In ihe short term, the new locomotive would pull - -+ 1. ah- ·a Super Chiefequipp-ed with heavy-. weighi dats, but Bledsoe believed that . lightwdi•ht. equipment.was the.future. ofpassenger service. . .-I - m.- - ·. .·He was also well aware of the 'sud- ..£111.2. 21.-.,--4. . 3*'. ,3:•«,.. . cess of Chicago, Burlington & Quin- cy's lightweight, stainless-steel, diesel- powered Zephyr, completed earlier in ·¥-:J'-7•. ••P•r,-r4,r'*-.-•pa,;I--Immilit · ,042'•, ,··' •·-,1-· ·, -'*rp-r••042-t036fi-6'•'.-6.7/2/lill'll'll'll//ill"//ii ·•• . i•042*% ·042r·· 1934 by the EdWard G. Budd Co. of .... -./.....=.- $...... ,- - ...... Philadelphia. Tlie Zephyrk construe- - tion wastbased on the new manufac- .· - turing technique known as Shotweld- SANTA F ing,"aT'system,perfected and Ditented -%44,%6-• by Budd's chief engineer, E.J.W. Rags- dale. This allowed stainless steel to be -->- -,- , assembled withoiit compromising its ' inherent strdngth and without mar- ring the surface of the material.,Budd ,. lightweight cars.employed a basic stainless-steel truss structure and stainless corrugated exterior sheeting, which increased stiffness. This construction had been proven to be safe·and·effective in the Zephyr, . and Bledsoe rvas.convinted this.ap- .,-= proach was the solution to the chal- lenge of reducing car weight. Wisely, thqugh, Bledsoe wanted no part of the comfort or operational limitations .-I 'llf- • imposed by the Zephyr's smaller-than- =:•' 4 .(.1 11 standard; articulated cars. 6. 1 -0 On June 25,1935, Bledsoe received board approval for a maximum;ex- penditure of $200,000 for "diesel en- GEORGE A. TRAEGER gines and light passenger cars."The Passengers knew the Acoma (t6p) as a diesels.would be switchers, not a new bar-lounge car, but it also had bunks for with existing standard Pullman equi•-. concept, but the cars would be the the dining-car,crew. Diner Cochiti sat 36 ment to begin a high-spdail,'first-class first of a Reet of non-articulated, stan- at tables for four and two; the car is now Chicago-Los Angeles passenger train. dard-size, lightw6ight rolling stock. at the California State Railroad Museum, Bledsoe intended to maintain the tra- In·January 1936, Budd delivered to its tables set with china from many roads. ditional standard of luxurious service ..Santa Fe for testing.onelight'weight . provided by the original Califor,lia stainless-steel 52-seat coach,·No. 3070. Limited of 1892; the de-Luxe of 1911, . It was the builder's fitst non-afticdlat- two per unit, each driving a generator and the existing flagship, the all-Pull- ed, fulllsize, stainless-steel passenger that would furnish electric power to man, extra-fare chief; introduced in car, •and would be the prototype for truck-mounted traction motors. On 1926. The new train-high-speed,· all- many hundreds of siblings to follow. the Santa Fe, the result would be Nos. Pullman, extra-fare, to be known as Fully equipped and ready for service, lA and lB, the "One-Spot Twins," the the Super Chief-would operate on a it weighed 83,500 lbs., about half that fourth and fifth such 1800 h.p. box- 40-hour schedule, beating the Chiefs of a standard 160,000-lb. chair can cab units built by Electro-Motive, in time by 15 h6urs. The Super Chiefac- Santa Fe's experience with 3070 later September 1935.- tually would operate on a schedule of in the year led the company to order Bledsoe conceived the idea of mar- 39% hoiirs, an average of almost 56 from Budd the first lightweight Super rying EMC/Winton's new technology mph for its 2224-mile route. Chieftrainset.

24 STREAMLINER PIONEERS 1 2005 ST w : - . I -, " 2 -(.fA= (ii, ®p [4•««'.41••1••t'Ll.N-Nftti,=3- •fil111-1 /91•·18 olm 7-010it•58»/81/giw --- -111'•t-.111-1• A.11111,1 ---- .3=- - - - »,ARF •· 1 OBSERVATION LOUNGE ' •••|• 4..=1»I«18*ItL.A.'-Al·.-,•0362111 'El£ 4 FT -A. 4..13113 21•2 Thiswasn't the only project 999•99Ge '. spawned by coach 3070. Three years 3 Compartments- 2 Drawing Rooms- 1 Double Bedroom- Observation before, Lawrence J. Brasher, a ma- 11-1¢-1------11%- - chinist and the author's father, sub- •9•El[1113191 011[L} 5•11 ©OF]Ir.©••lan ©10-lit]ti = 011 mitted a detailed ,•proposal for a dedi- SEPROOK 'BEDROOM . EE•RCOM ; BL••4 J•G BOOMil, DR036ING , ROOMhr':ATV[I,T-COM;,: :m[r. SpDPOCM i: EED;OOMi cated Chicago-Los Angeles train. .ktl[•13 ht, Ilfid ihillip,LI•li'131•3«-»M' .*v * m offering all chair-car service. The ex- . perien'ce with the·3070 led Charles T. 2 Drawing Rooms'-2 Compartments-6 Double eedroorns Ripley, SantifFe's chief mechanical engineer to suggest a lightweight ver- sion of a high-speed, but lower-fare, flar,-3.-4 F- Flsl-cl•ril"•'EJ•li*11 -04*4£8&111:11011-1, lil,1111.1'1 · ii,•,·'Ai,·•COM.WIMINi(OM.FAOrm 7 WOMENS /»•11 Chicago-L.A. train. This resulted in " 1,4.036,M,)_.i_ » --'-•=1111'1•-81- 11ILICAf 1,11111•">Iti.11 the all-coach El Capitan of 1938. - H-"1»,=151•1-,LER,till';1,11:111:1:1:1•1•-*#-,61,"'.1=t'--+=19 11• . , Eleven months after Budd deliv-. 1,1: Ic j <15•1•251' Ill]1 3 1=111 .L«- ered the 3070, Santa Fe accepted an- 8 Sections-2 Compartments-2 Double Bedrooms other lightweight chair car, 98,000-lb. smooth-side 3071, constructed of Cor- Ten steel by St. Louis Car Co. This car '11. -'ll'• 'Brcm 1 6,•6•8888 - :...... 1 '19,12, 11,1 r'\ 11153 ·921.1=1111 •»- COCJTAIL LOUNGE '·i BUNKS h.,1,-1 BUNKS 1 «INT- 1 did nbt, however, influence the design 1% CRE\fQUARTERS · ET•.A : . 1 of the Super Chief already under con- •1116, It,ReRSHO,SRK-ht..:. 1 struction in Philadelphia. 97_ ·- Club Lounge Car BLEDSOE'S AUDACIOUS PROPOSAL Name/No. Car type Weight (lbs.)* Despite a major fire on one of the EMC "One-Spot Twins" during a No- 3430 . 2 Beggage 75,060 veniber 1935 preliminary run of the Isleta Sleeper (8-section, 2-compartment, 1-drawing room) 104,900 heavyweight Super Chief, an undaunt- ed Bledsoe presented his board with Laguna . Sleeper (8-section, 2-compartment, 1-drawing room) 104,900 an audacious proposal on February 25, Acoma/1370 Bar lounge-dormitory 96,940 1936-to equip six trainsets for Chi- 110,200 cago-Los Angeles service, each with·a Cochiti/1474 Diner diesellocomotive. The board approved Oraibi Sleeper (6-bedroom, 2-compartment, 2-drawing room) 107,500 a $5.5 million expenditure for this. Taos. Sleeper (6-bedroom, 2-compartment, 2-drawing room) 107,500 One lightweight sleeping car, For- Navajo. . ' Observation lounge-sleeper 102,260 ward, Pullman's first, had been put in test,use.in the heavyweight Super Chief (3-compartment,· 2-drawing room, 1-bedroom) in November 1936. Fonvard was due. to be returned to Pullman in January * Weights do not include fuel, interior sup•lies, or people. Weights do includd ice and water. - 1937, but it was so successful that Siirit• Fe never let, it go, purchasing it · outright later in 1937. Forivard served in revenue service until it was desig- nated as a dormitory car in 1963. Heating Co. All the trucks were four- consisted of a bakgage car; two 8-sec- Launched'on May·12, 1936;.the wheel with.individual brake cylindersi tion, 2-compartment, 1-difawing room heavyweight Super Chief didn't last and clasp brakes; standard Westing- sleepers;'a bar-lounge-dormitory; a long-Lit was less than a year old when house Air Brake equipment was suc- dining cari tivo 6-bedrooril, 2-com-, Santa«Fe·received,the first lightweight cessfully adapted to this high-speed partment, 2-drawing, room sleepers; set, of nine cars, from.Budd in April · operation. and an observation-lounge 3-compart- 1937. The cars were tested extensively Designed andbuilt as part of the ment, 2-dra•ing rdom, 1-bedroom. ' before entering scheduled service. original set, lightweight Railway Post sleepen . This trainset was initially equipped Office car 3400 did.not enter. ser\,ice This consist was assigned to trains- with American Steel Foundries slack- on the Super chiefbecause the Post 17 arid ·18 throughout 1937. The en- - control couplers, but during the first Office Department required operation tire train was serviced and turned at movement of the coupled train at of mail-service equipment·only on Chicago and Los Angeles after each · Budd, accidental uncouplings oc- daily scheduled routes,· and the Super run. This -pattern, already established curred, so necessary. adjustments ·re- ran only once a week. Although 3400 with.the heavyweight Super Chiefin sulted in a delivery delay. The air-con- was tested as part of the nine-car set, 1936 and which allowed for the addi- ditioning was of the steam ejector it was then assigned to'pool service. tion of equipment to handle increased type as made by Vapor and Safety Car The first lightweight Super'Chief · passenger loads; would last substan-

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R,4 '12 2 / •.V1 . . .. - ..al, 6 34 t. *IS 4 •1 '.... •. btlvk ,•ib.117 '341'.1.#:.....' IT t. •1 .1.. •.•-..•.• Inside the Super: The section accommo- 3922%31c .. t, 45*Pzt#11.-tli•••'«'1-•-i dations (above) in /s/eta and Laguna indi-', cate that the 1 937 train just predated th6 ''.'-I ./f« ...e- t 't, 036«3'\,fl ., F d: ..t.. . I all-private-room era. A view in Navajo i.,...«..•134/67h/1 .·:. (right) looks forward fr6rn the 8bservation . "« 1" • . , lounge toward the Pullman rooms. Two photos of 16unge-dorm Acoma (opposite page) look toward and away from the bar. 7.7

tially unchanged for the Super Chief gen especially at'high speed, because brand-new A-B duo numbered Santa and El Capitan until the Super's fake- • · any imperfection in,track structure Fe 2A and 28.-No.:2A was dn ElA, over of the Chiefs transcontinental. encountered bya non-rotating wheel with a control cab; 2B was a cabless sleepers in 1954. could result in a derailment. ElB. They w6re the first dieselsto Naturally, the riding qualities of Cdal-fired Padific 3420 was used in wear. the far)hous " ,Warbonnet" paint the new cars were of great impor- testinion the Illinois Division, which· scheme of red, yellow.'and silver, with tance. During testing in·1936, noise . confirmed that fuel consumption rvas black accents, designed by EMC illus- and vibration:levels inside carsiwere 8 percent less and running time.12 trator Leland A. Knickerbocker. carefully monitored. Structural vibra- percent faster with lightweightcars as Direct descendants of the box-cab tidn was also'a concern, and was. compared with heavyweight cars. . One-Spot Twinh of September 1935, recorded by specially installed equip- Steam performance was of great in- the 2A and 2B together weighed 287 ment. Some harmonic vibration was terest because several new trains tons and had a combined length of noted and considered to be "possibly being contemplated for introduction • 141 feet, 4 inches. Tractive power of a function of this type construction." in 1938 with lightweight·cars would each unit was approximately 91;000 The data was also compared to earlier have to be powered initially by steam lbs. at starting..The units were geared information from lightweight German locomotives.·The test data indicated foran astonishing top speed of 116 railway equipment. that all aspects of steam performance mlih. Each rodeon two AlA·trucks, Equally important, high-speed and economy benefited significantly meaningthe center aide of three on braking tests were conducted. Stop- from lightweight cars. The hine-car each,truck wils not powered. The El ping distance was a critical factor. As train as tested weighed: 45 percent . cab unit shared the sloped nose intro- part of the big Santa Fe physical- less than a similar heavyweight train. duced several weeks earlier on six plant modernization begun in 1935, similar EA's for Baltimore & Ohio. Signals had been adjusted for the high WARBONNETAND EMC was late in delivering the speed of the original heavyweight STAINLESS STEEL El's, as the lightweight train itself had Super Chief. Brakeshoe wear was The first run of the streamlined, actually debuted a month earlier. Its monitored, and brake-line and brake- stainless-steel Super Chiefwith its in- first exhibition run, to Santa Fe, cylinder pressure adjusted to allow tended motive power occurred on N.Mex., was behind steam, while the maximum braking efficiency without June 15, 1937. Heading the train were One-Spot Twins handled the special sliding the wheels, a significant dan- Electro-Motive's first El diesels, a introductory run from Chicago to Los

26 STREAMLINER PIONEERS 1 2005 ././*-

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12 - ,7/2 :1 1--3 ·· -11-111-11:111•-11-f.-r ,. #b l' i. 111 '1111111-1,11tlt. 1111,11It'111-11•111Ill4 = :S...I'.«,ti':fifli..'ttl:t••t·-·•i••,ii::,·' "': ' 1:0 '.....>..S. I i.. ·t.'ii' 7.: + I. •..6 i ./k.?. h If . ....«13:,. - f B /W•.I illif/5/ .r 5 *iM , 71 -r ,•., C--- *,11•iR'25.,-I *==• ''- ->036-:'11•L•-'1•11' 1 »lillI-3--- te' & gi - - --*12*6•-*--:--··t- '7..r•I;t ;22£-•-« :-•-*<•• g Ankeles and return, as well as the reg- ==%. ularly scheduled :runs: from May 18,. -4: -2.. I...... 1937, into mid-June. =- The L.A.-Chicago return leg of the -2= 6 introductory special-:powered. most of the way by the short-lived trio of box-cabs IA," 18, and,1(-:was made in 36 hours, 20 minutes, setting Sarita ./..1• kJ Fe's all-time passenger speed record. \.wv.AF036•036-TA-,F'F• :1 1* At the time, Santa Fe press releases --,: P•··.4 --1. ..4 112- and magazine articles ignoredtthis FOUR PHOTOS: SANTA FE, DAVID LUSTIG COLLECTION fact; which led to later historical.con- fusion; as the record· run attributed to 2A and 2B were in reality,the work of , Roger W Birdseye, Santa Fe's.general - . equipped with small doublewindows. the Twins and 1 C.·(In July 1936, one advertising manager, honored Pueblo · A striking interior feature was the of the original 1800 h.p. demonstrator villages 02 Native American tribes: rare and valuable. wood paneling,' in units;'EMC No. 512, was leased from Isleta, Taos, Aco,iza,•Cochiti, Oraibi, •: each room of Oraibi and Laguna, the Electro-Motive for.use as a relief. unit, Laguna, and Navajo. The cars' interior two 6-b6droom; 2-compartment, 2- on the Super Chief: Carried as No. 1 C Elecoration, by.designer Sterling ·B: , drawing·room·cars. Eacli sleeping · while on the,Santa Fe, and closely re- Mc,Donald, was inspired by the Native area was treated with a different Flex- lated to ATSF lA and 18, she took American culture of the land through wood veneer: bubinga, white hare-. part in early experiments in the oper- whicli the.train passed. wood, avodire,· macassar ebony, •'· '•. ation, of three units in multiple.) The two 8-section cars, Isteka and prima vera;.zebrawood, Brazilian . . Taos, had rugs and window drapes of rosewood, eboriized maple, American LUXURY INTERIORS WITH Native American design. Eachopen holly, redwood burl, teak, aspen, and : NATIVE AMERICAN FLAVOR section achieved·a semblance of pri-. satinwood. Each room was.finished The lightweight Super Chiefwas vacy by the use of floor-to-ceiling aisle in a·diff6rent pattern, which.mdde the-epitome of luxurious design and panels partially enclosing the seats. them pleasant, attractive, and unique. . service. The car names, chosen' by Upper berths in the sections were Bar lounge-dormitory. 1370·Aconia,

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: SANTA FE. The 1937 Super Chiefwas the first in an . illustrious line of Santa Fe streamliners. this 'attention to detail.was augment- in Holl»vood and elsewhere.,.i' ; . Ata February.1938 photo session in Chi- • · ed by thil quiet and·smootli ride,· no- ; • "• The acquisitiod'of more.El diesels - cago, 6bservation cars marI(od for the E/ :table·for the absence of side sway. or. (Santa Fe wound up with eight:ElA's Capitan, Super Chidf, Chief, Super Chief, - ·slackilction. : : '. ."; ,· 2, : and three E 18's,:all delivered.by April and E(-Capitan form an impressive line- •• · Additional lightweight cars,.ordered ·• 1938) and lightweight cars allowdd ·. up. Today, the Super's Navajo (far right) bg Bledsoe in' 1937 an'd delivered in. expansion of Supdr. Chiefservice.to ·- • restsat the Colorado Railroad Museum. '38, includdd 30 Budd chair-tars that ) twice weekly in eai'ly 1938, accompa- . introduced air-condition,Ed service to.; nied by. the twice-rveekly, all-coach • the coach-and-tourist Pullman consist streamliner El Capitan. featziring zebrawood *eneer, had a 'of the economy-class Scout,· This pur- Throughout their'lives until the in- · typjc'al sadd painting of Navajo de-. chase also allowed the:introduction.of ception of Amtrak, the "Super':' and . sign in the pahel behind the full-serv- . the new all-coitch, extra-fare El,Capi- . 'El'Cap" operatud,on the same 39%- .· ice bar. The'dormitory section was de- tan. Ten more lightweiBht dindrs, six . hour schedule..In · 19.46, the. two trains ' signed to accomm•odate the'12-man - club-lounge cars, and six club-bakgage increased thdd frequdncy.to every '· dining-car crew. ·:·-·. 'ciirs from Budd, plus 45 lightweight,. other day, and went daily in 1948. Al- • The dining ciir; Coclliti, finished sleepers from Pullman, allowed ihe ·:.. though many of the subsequent cars with walli of bubinga wood036featured: daily Chiefto be fully streamlified. 'dame·from-Pullnlan and American · silver service and tlie later-fanious .Th6 45 sleepers built by Pullman were• . Car &Foundr•.theluxuri, and service Minibreno china pattern, bdth de- of improved designi based on the ex- standards first established on the first signed.by artist Mary E. Coulter. The. - periniebtal car Fonvard, each con- Budd train was never compromised diner, staffed 'and.operated by the taining new feature• akid more rooin: while under Santa Fe operation. longtime Santa Fe commissary part- Included in this order were new, ··· . The Sit,per's daily scheduld,As'a ner firmi of Fred Harvey,-served the" •: roomette cars with 18 individually en- separate traih lasted fpr only 10 years, finest cuisine, upholding the tradition·.. closed. rooms, each for use by one. : .. though, as a decline in patronage and that·began in Harvey-dperated Santa "·. passengerin complete privacy, with a an increase in 'operating costs. forced Fe dining cars in.1888:and dated to fold-down ·berth, washstand, toilet, change. In January 1958, the Suj,er 1876 jn station dining fooinsall along. and wardrobe. and El Cap began operating as a com- the system: . Samuel T. Bledsoe died unexpect- biried consist,·with occasional excep- Observation lounge-sleeper Navajo edly in•·1939.In six dynamic years, he , tions during peak traffic periods such did not featurewoodveneer in the h-ad presided over the modernizatioh as in summer Ahd around wintertime 18unge section but had characteristic of Santa Fe's steam locomotives, the holidays. The combined train held on Native American decoration in the introduction of diesel power, and the until.1971·,.when·after 36.years of , colors of the rugs and drapes. The creation of a first-class, high-speed . Super Chief operation Santa'Fe reluc- furniture coverings were genuine Na- passenger service that·would serve as tantly gaye up direct operation of pas- vajo'blankets, yielding an atmosphere a model forthe entire railroad indus- senger trains to.Amtrak.... · ... of genuine Native American and try. Bledsoe's' foi·esight, coupled rvith The new national passenger. carrier Southwestern decorative art. his daring expenditure of scarce De- retainedthd train name Supet Chief, .N6t tobe. overlooked was the pression-era dollars, left a legacy last- but when service began to deteriorate abundance of space for passengers on ing far into the.future of the Santa'Fe. Santa Fe management withdrew per- this extra-fare train. Designed by mission for Aintrak to continue using Budd architects at the direction of the SUCCESS BEYOND the famous title. The Chicago-L.A. railway, the passenger areas were FONDEST HOPES train became the Southwest Linzited, larger than standard, with a sem- Once in service, the streamlined later modified to Southwest Chief. Al- blance of. privacy even in the open- Super Chief enjoyed a success begond though the Super Chiefname disap- section cars. Berths were larger, and the designers' or Bledsoe's fondest peared from the timetable, it remains compartments, bedrooms, and draw- hopes. Seldom operated at less than in memory as the shining example of ing rooms were designed for maxi- maximum booking, the train became passenger railroading at the peak of mum comfort and convenience. All a favorite of show-business notables, perfection. 11

28 STREAMLINER PIONEERS I. 9005