El Capitan (passenger train)
Encyclopedia
Train
A train is a connected series of vehicles for rail transport that move along a track to transport cargo or passengers from one place to another place. The track usually consists of two rails, but might also be a monorail or maglev guideway.Propulsion for the train is provided by a separate...
of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway , often abbreviated as Santa Fe, was one of the larger railroads in the United States. The company was first chartered in February 1859...
. It was the only coach, or chair car (non-Pullman
Pullman (car or coach)
In the United States, Pullman was used to refer to railroad sleeping cars which were built and operated on most U.S. railroads by the Pullman Company from 1867 to December 31, 1968....
sleeper) train to operate the Santa Fe main line from Chicago, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
to Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
on the same fast schedule as the road's premier Pullman Super Chief
Super Chief
The Super Chief was one of the named passenger trains and the flagship of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. It was often referred to as "The Train of the Stars" because of the many celebrities who traveled on the streamliner between Chicago, Illinois and Los Angeles, California.The Super...
.
This all-coach, streamlined
Streamliner
A streamliner is a vehicle incorporating streamlining in a shape providing reduced air resistance. The term is applied to high-speed railway trainsets of the 1930s to 1950s, and to their successor "bullet trains". Less commonly, the term is applied to fully faired recumbent bicycles...
train (assigned Nos. 21 & 22) began operations in February 1938. Not unlike the Pennsylvania Railroad
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
's Trail Blazer
Trail Blazer (passenger train)
The Trail Blazer was a named passenger train operated by the Pennsylvania Railroad from Chicago, Illinois to New York, via Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Trail Blazer was a coach-only train that provided a 17 hour service between New York to Chicago...
, it offered "low-cost passage with high-speed convenience." Originally conceived as the Economy Chief, the name El Capitan was ultimately chosen to honor the Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
conquistadors and their influence on Southwestern
Southwestern United States
The Southwestern United States is a region defined in different ways by different sources. Broad definitions include nearly a quarter of the United States, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah...
culture, though it didn't hurt that the name seemed to outrank the Union Pacific's Challenger train, with which it was designed to compete. Unique in charging an extra-fare despite being a coach train, it pioneered such features as "RideMaster" seating optimized for sleeping. The original consists were two new Budd Company
Budd Company
The Budd Company is a metal fabricator and major supplier of body components to the automobile industry, and was formerly a manufacturer of stainless steel passenger rail cars during the 20th century....
-built trains of five cars each made of lightweight stainless steel
Stainless steel
In metallurgy, stainless steel, also known as inox steel or inox from French "inoxydable", is defined as a steel alloy with a minimum of 10.5 or 11% chromium content by mass....
. Each of the two luxury trains were capable of accommodating 188 passengers; fare Chicago to Los Angeles was $5.00 above the $39.50 regular coach fare (in 1938). The 80-foot cars had 52 seats on 41½-inch centers; postwar 85-foot coaches had 44 seats on 52-inch centers.
El Capitan was the first of Santa Fe's trains to utilize the "Big Dome
Dome car
A dome car is a type of railway passenger car that has a glass dome on the top of the car where passengers can ride and see in all directions around the train. It also can include features of a coach, lounge car, dining car or observation...
"-Lounge
Lounge car
A lounge car is a type of passenger car on a train, where riders can purchase food and drinks. The car may feature large windows and comfortable seating to create a relaxing diversion from standard coach or dining options...
cars, though these were soon given to the Chief in favor of new double-decker "Hi-Level" chair cars (coaches) developed by Budd and the railroad in 1955. These experimental units featured a quieter ride, increased seating capacities, and boasted better views of the Southwestern terrain El Cap passed through and made this train unique and revolutionary. Amtrak's Superliner
Superliner (railcar)
The Superliner is a double decker passenger car used by Amtrak on long haul trains that do not use the Northeast Corridor. The initial cars were built by Pullman-Standard in the late 1970s and a second order was built in the mid 1990s by Bombardier Transportation...
equipment, which was placed in service along many of Amtrak's long distance routes, were based on the Santa Fe Hi-Level design. The Superliners were designed to be operated along with older Hi-Level cars. As was common among most "named" long haul trains of the era, a lighted "Drumhead"
Drumhead (sign)
The term drumhead refers to a type of removable sign that was prevalent on North American railroads of the first half of the 20th century. The sign was mounted at the rear of passenger trains, and consisted of a box with internal illumination that shone through a tinted panel bearing the logo of...
sign was affixed to the back of the observation car to further identify the service. These signs included the name of the service in a distinctive logotype as well as the railroad's logo and sometimes a colorful illustration relating to the train's name as well.
In 1958 the train was combined with the Super Chief and operated under train numbers 17 and 18 through the end of Santa Fe passenger operations. Today the route formerly covered by El Capitan is served by Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
's Southwest Chief
Southwest Chief
The Southwest Chief is a passenger train operated by Amtrak on a 2256-mile BNSF route through the Midwestern and Southwestern United States. It runs from Chicago, Illinois, to Los Angeles, California, passing through Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and California...
. Many of Amtrak's trains consisted of a combination of refurbished former Santa Fe Hi-Level cars along with newer Superliner
Superliner (railcar)
The Superliner is a double decker passenger car used by Amtrak on long haul trains that do not use the Northeast Corridor. The initial cars were built by Pullman-Standard in the late 1970s and a second order was built in the mid 1990s by Bombardier Transportation...
railcar designs until the early 2000s. In the late 1990s, six "mothball
Mothball
Mothballs are small balls of chemical pesticide and deodorant used when storing clothing and other articles susceptible to damage from mold or moth larvae ....
ed" El Capitan lounge cars were removed from storage and placed into service on Amtrak's Coast Starlight
Coast Starlight
The Coast Starlight is a passenger train operated by Amtrak on the West Coast of the United States. It runs from King Street Station in Seattle, Washington, to Union Station in Los Angeles, California. The train's name was formed as a merging of two of Southern Pacific's train names, the Coast...
as "Pacific Parlour" first-class lounge cars. One of the 6 (39971) was eventually sold off, and the remaining cars were refurbished and feature a service bar, booths, and chairs on the upper level, and a theater on the lower level.
History
- 1937: El Capitan is conceived and designed as an all-coach streamliner.
- February 20, 1938: two trainsets each start making a round trip each week; 40-hour schedule each way matches the Super Chief.
- 1942: Consist expands to 12 cars.
- 1946: El Capitan trains begin operating every other day, leaving each terminal on odd days of the month (but not on the 31st).
- February 29, 1948: El Capitan begins its daily schedule between Chicago and Los Angeles.
- October 30, 1949: Train No. 22 travels over a broken section of rail in Kincaid, California. Locomotives #19L/A/B/C derail and burst into flames, causing seven cars (including #2865 and #2878) to leave the tracks.
- July 6, 1950: Train No. 22 derails while traveling at 90 miles-per-hour through Monica, Illinois, and is subsequently struck by train No. 10 (the Kansas City Chief), traveling at 55 miles-per-hour. A general derailment ensues.
- 1952: The BuddBudd-Given name:* Budd Boetticher , film director during the classical period in Hollywood* Budd Dwyer , American politician who committed suicide during a televised press conference...
Company unveils concepts for a double-decked coach based on similar commuter cars manufactured for the Chicago and North Western RailwayChicago and North Western RailwayThe Chicago and North Western Transportation Company was a Class I railroad in the Midwest United States. It was also known as the North Western. The railroad operated more than of track as of the turn of the 20th century, and over of track in seven states before retrenchment in the late 1970s...
and BurlingtonChicago, Burlington and Quincy RailroadThe Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad was a railroad that operated in the Midwestern United States. Commonly referred to as the Burlington or as the Q, the Burlington Route served a large area, including extensive trackage in the states of Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri,...
railroads. The Santa Fe plans to upgrade the cars on the Chief with the new design. - December 14, 1953: The extra-fare charges are dropped from both El Capitan and the Chief.
- January 10, 1954: The Union Pacific RailroadUnion Pacific RailroadThe Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
reintroduces its Challenger train on a 39-and-a-half hour schedule to compete with El Capitan. The UPUnion Pacific RailroadThe Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
also announces that there will be no added fare for this train. - March 1954: Six full-length dome-lounge cars (called "Big Domes" by Santa Fe's employees) are delivered for the El Capitan by the BuddBudd-Given name:* Budd Boetticher , film director during the classical period in Hollywood* Budd Dwyer , American politician who committed suicide during a televised press conference...
Company. - July 1954: Two experimental "Hi-Level" intercity coaches arrive and are placed on El Capitan instead of the Chief. The railroad trial tests the units for over a year.
- March 25, 1955: The Santa Fe orders 47 Hi-Level cars (25 chair cars, #700–725, 10 step down chair cars, #528–537; 6 diners, #650–655; and 6 lounge cars, #575–580) from Budd, enough rolling stock to equip El Capitan on a daily basis with a few cars as spares, making it the first widespread use of such cars to over-the-road streamliners.
- Summer 1956: El Capitan makes three demonstration runs to San Diego, CaliforniaSan Diego, CaliforniaSan Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
along the "Surf LineSurf LineThe Surf Line is a railroad line that runs from San Diego north to Los Angeles along California's Pacific Coast. It is so named because much of the line is near the Pacific Ocean, within less than 100 feet in places...
Route" to promote its new "Hi-Level" cars. - July 8, 1956: Hi-Level trains commence running from both ends of the line. Ticket stubs bear the verbiage "I traveled the HI-LEVEL Santa Fe way" and "Every seat is on the scenic HI-LEVEL."
- January 12, 1958: The Super Chief and El Capitan are combined into one train during the off-peak travel season on a 39½-hour schedule.
- June 18, 1957: Train No. 21 crosses over a loose tie plate while traveling at 79 miles-per-hour, causing the 8th and 9th cars to uncouple; the rear section of the train then collides with the front section.
- February 1963: Santa Fe orders an additional 24 Hi-Level cars (12 chair cars, #725–736; 12 step-down chair cars, #538–549) bringing the total inventory to 71 units (enough for a 12-unit consist per train).
- May 1, 1971: AmtrakAmtrakThe National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
is formed and takes over operation of the nation's passenger service, thus ending the reign of El Capitan. Amtrak retains the use of the Super ChiefSuper ChiefThe Super Chief was one of the named passenger trains and the flagship of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. It was often referred to as "The Train of the Stars" because of the many celebrities who traveled on the streamliner between Chicago, Illinois and Los Angeles, California.The Super...
/ El Cap names, with the Santa Fe's concurrence. Amtrak subsequently acquires a number of Santa Fe passenger cars, including the Hi-Level coaches; the revolutionary cars serve as the inspiration for Amtrak's SuperlinerSuperliner (railcar)The Superliner is a double decker passenger car used by Amtrak on long haul trains that do not use the Northeast Corridor. The initial cars were built by Pullman-Standard in the late 1970s and a second order was built in the mid 1990s by Bombardier Transportation...
fleet of coaches, sleepers, diners, and lounge cars in the late 1970s. - 1973: Amtrak drops the El Capitan designation.
Equipment used
The initial equipment roster (two separate "pocket streamliner" consists) was as follows:- EMC E1A Locomotives #5 – #6
- BaggageBaggage carA baggage car or luggage van is a type of railway vehicle often forming part of the composition of passenger trains and used to carry passengers' checked baggage, as well as parcels . Being typically coupled at the front of the train behind the locomotive, this type of car is sometimes described...
-DormitoryDormitoryA dormitory, often shortened to dorm, in the United States is a residence hall consisting of sleeping quarters or entire buildings primarily providing sleeping and residential quarters for large numbers of people, often boarding school, college or university students...
-Chair car (32 seats) #3480 – #3481 - Chair car (52 seats) #3103 – #3104
- Lunch Counter-DinerDining carA dining car or restaurant carriage , also diner, is a railroad passenger car that serves meals in the manner of a full-service, sit-down restaurant....
#3105 – #3106 - Chair car (52 seats for women and children) #3105 – #3106
- Round-end Chair car / ObservationObservation carAn observation car/carriage/coach is a type of railroad passenger car, generally operated in a passenger train as the last carriage, with windows on the rear of the car for passengers' viewing pleasure...
(50 seats) #3198 – #3199
A typical El Capitan consist in the late 1940s:
- EMD F3EMD F3The EMD F3 was a , B-B freight- and passenger-hauling diesel locomotive produced between July 1945 and February 1949 by General Motors’ Electro-Motive Division. Final assembly was at GM-EMD's La Grange, Illinois plant...
A Locomotive #23L - EMD F3B Locomotive #23A
- EMD F3B Locomotive #23B
- EMD F3A Locomotive #23C
- Baggage-Mail #3405
- Chair car (44 seats) #2891
- Chair car (44 seats) #2864
- Lunch Counter-DinerDining carA dining car or restaurant carriage , also diner, is a railroad passenger car that serves meals in the manner of a full-service, sit-down restaurant....
#1599 - Chair car (44 seats) #2911
- Chair car (44 seats) #2888
- Club-LoungeLounge carA lounge car is a type of passenger car on a train, where riders can purchase food and drinks. The car may feature large windows and comfortable seating to create a relaxing diversion from standard coach or dining options...
#1347 - Chair car (44 seats) #2865
- Chair car (44 seats) #2905
- Lunch Counter-Diner #1553
- Chair car (44 seats) #2876
- Round-end Chair car / ObservationObservation carAn observation car/carriage/coach is a type of railroad passenger car, generally operated in a passenger train as the last carriage, with windows on the rear of the car for passengers' viewing pleasure...
(38 seats) #3197
Between 1954 and 1956, El Cap ran with virtually the same consist as is shown immediately above, save for the "Big Dome
Dome car
A dome car is a type of railway passenger car that has a glass dome on the top of the car where passengers can ride and see in all directions around the train. It also can include features of a coach, lounge car, dining car or observation...
"-Lounge that replaced the mid-train club-lounge car.
On July 15, 1956 a new, "Hi-Level" streamliner consist debuted:
- EMD F7EMD F7The EMD F7 was a Diesel-electric locomotive produced between February 1949 and December 1953 by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors and General Motors Diesel . It succeeded the F3 model in GM-EMD's F-unit sequence, and was replaced in turn by the F9. Final assembly was at GM-EMD's La...
A Locomotive #327L - EMD F7B Locomotive #327A
- EMD F7B Locomotive #327B
- EMD F7B Locomotive #44A
- EMD F7A Locomotive #44L
- BaggageBaggage carA baggage car or luggage van is a type of railway vehicle often forming part of the composition of passenger trains and used to carry passengers' checked baggage, as well as parcels . Being typically coupled at the front of the train behind the locomotive, this type of car is sometimes described...
#3521 - Baggage-DormitoryDormitoryA dormitory, often shortened to dorm, in the United States is a residence hall consisting of sleeping quarters or entire buildings primarily providing sleeping and residential quarters for large numbers of people, often boarding school, college or university students...
"Transition Car" 3480 - Hi-Level Step-down Chair car (68 seats) #536
- Hi-Level Chair car (72 seats) #714
- Hi-Level Chair car (72 seats) #722
- Hi-Level DinerDining carA dining car or restaurant carriage , also diner, is a railroad passenger car that serves meals in the manner of a full-service, sit-down restaurant....
(80 seats) #653 - Hi-Level "Top Of The Cap" LoungeLounge carA lounge car is a type of passenger car on a train, where riders can purchase food and drinks. The car may feature large windows and comfortable seating to create a relaxing diversion from standard coach or dining options...
(88 seats) #577 - Hi-Level Chair car (72 seats) #700
- Hi-Level Chair car (72 seats) #709
- Hi-Level Chair car (72 seats) #717
- Hi-Level Step-down Chair car (68 seats) #529
Santa Fe purchased enough "Hi-Level" equipment to create six complete, nine-car consists. Additionally, six of the railroad's older baggage-dormitory cars had a cosmetic fairing
Fairing
A fairing is a structure whose primary function is to produce a smooth outline and reduce drag.These structures are covers for gaps and spaces between parts of an aircraft to reduce form drag and interference drag, and to improve appearance.-Types:...
applied to the rear roofline in order to create the distinctive "transition" cars and maintain a streamlined appearance on El Capitan. The real transition cars were the 68-seat step down chair cars, which had a regular-height diaphragm at one end, and a high-level at the other. The dining cars rode on special six-wheel trucks due to their massive weight (all other cars rode on conventional four-wheel trucks). The "Big Domes" were transferred to the Chief pool.
A typical El Capitan consist from the late 1960s (combined with the Super Chief
Super Chief
The Super Chief was one of the named passenger trains and the flagship of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. It was often referred to as "The Train of the Stars" because of the many celebrities who traveled on the streamliner between Chicago, Illinois and Los Angeles, California.The Super...
):
- EMD FP45EMD FP45The EMD FP45 is a cowl unit type of C-C diesel locomotive produced in the United States by General Motors Electro-Motive Division. It was produced beginning in 1967 at the request of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, which did not want its prestigious Super Chief and other passenger...
Locomotive #104 - EMD FP45 Locomotive #101
- BaggageBaggage carA baggage car or luggage van is a type of railway vehicle often forming part of the composition of passenger trains and used to carry passengers' checked baggage, as well as parcels . Being typically coupled at the front of the train behind the locomotive, this type of car is sometimes described...
#3671 - Baggage #3553
- Baggage-DormitoryDormitoryA dormitory, often shortened to dorm, in the United States is a residence hall consisting of sleeping quarters or entire buildings primarily providing sleeping and residential quarters for large numbers of people, often boarding school, college or university students...
"Transition Car" #3478 - Hi-Level Step-down Chair car (68 seats) #549
- Hi-Level Chair car (72 seats) #731
- Hi-Level Diner (80 seats) #654
- Hi-Level LoungeLounge carA lounge car is a type of passenger car on a train, where riders can purchase food and drinks. The car may feature large windows and comfortable seating to create a relaxing diversion from standard coach or dining options...
(88 seats) #575 - Hi-Level Chair car (72 seats) #725
- Hi-Level Step-down Chair car (68 seats) #542
- SleeperSleeping carThe sleeping car or sleeper is a railway/railroad passenger car that can accommodate all its passengers in beds of one kind or another, primarily for the purpose of making nighttime travel more restful. The first such cars saw sporadic use on American railroads in the 1830s and could be configured...
Pine Cove (10 roomettes, 6 double bedrooms) - Sleeper Indian Mesa (11 double bedrooms)
- "Turquoise Room"-"Pleasure DomeDome carA dome car is a type of railway passenger car that has a glass dome on the top of the car where passengers can ride and see in all directions around the train. It also can include features of a coach, lounge car, dining car or observation...
"-Lounge #504 - Fred Harvey CompanyFred Harvey CompanyThe origin of the Fred Harvey Company can be traced to the 1875 opening of two railroad eating houses located at Wallace, Kansas and Hugo, Colorado on the Kansas Pacific Railway. These cafés were opened by Fred Harvey, then a freight agent for the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad...
DinerDining carA dining car or restaurant carriage , also diner, is a railroad passenger car that serves meals in the manner of a full-service, sit-down restaurant....
#600 (48 seats) - Sleeper Indian Flute (11 double bedrooms)
- Sleeper Palm Leaf (10 roomettes, 6 double bedrooms)
See also
- Amtrak Southwest ChiefSouthwest ChiefThe Southwest Chief is a passenger train operated by Amtrak on a 2256-mile BNSF route through the Midwestern and Southwestern United States. It runs from Chicago, Illinois, to Los Angeles, California, passing through Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and California...
- Passenger train service on the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
External links
- California State Railway Museum official website
- Santa Fe Railway Historical & Modeling Society official website
- Amtrak Coaches head North: NERAIL New England photo Archive — two former Santa Fe "Hi-Level" transition coaches in Amtrak livery, photographed traveling north through Bedford, New HampshireBedford, New Hampshire-Demographics:As of the Census of 2000, there were 18,274 people, 6,251 households, and 5,125 families residing in the town. The population density was 556.6 people per square mile . There were 6,401 housing units at an average density of 195.0 per square mile...
in April, 2003. - ATSF #107 (an EMD FP-45) with El Capitan at Albuquerque, New Mexico in August, 1969 photograph at the Dallas Railway Museum official website.
- "Day Coach Limited: New transcontinental trains are cheap, fast, and luxurious" article from the August 21, 1939 issue of Life Magazine featuring El Capitan and other contemporary cross-country trains.
- Passenger trains operating on the eve of Amtrak
- The 1956 El Capitan "Hi-Level" cars at Banks of the Susquehanna.com
- "Who Killed the Super Chief?" article at the Arizona Rail Passenger Association official website.
