Sunset Limited
Encyclopedia
The Sunset Limited is a passenger train that for most of its history has run between New Orleans, Louisiana
and Los Angeles, California
, and that from early 1993 through late August 2005 also ran east of New Orleans to Jacksonville, Florida
, making it during that time the only true transcontinental passenger train in American history. From late August 2005 to the present, the train has remained officially a Florida-to-Los Angeles train, with the service between New Orleans and Orlando considered temporarily truncated due to the lingering effects of Hurricane Katrina
.
During fiscal year 2010, the Sunset Limited carried a total of 91,684 passengers, an increase of 16.4% from FY 2009's total of 78,775. The train carried the fewest passengers of any long-distance train in the Amtrak system. During FY 2010, the train had a total revenue of $9,962,415, a 20.4% increase from revenue of $8,272,084 during FY 2009.
, the Seaboard Air Line Railroad
, the Louisville and Nashville Railroad
, and the Southern Pacific Railroad
; they are now owned by CSX Transportation
, BNSF Railway
, and the Union Pacific Railroad
. The name Sunset Limited traces its origins to the Galveston, Harrisburg and San Antonio Railway, which was known as the Sunset Route as early as 1874.
The train uses the following route segments, identified here by the names of their original owners:
thru-cars are combined for the journey westward and split eastward.
A highlight of the trip is the crossing of the Huey P. Long Bridge
just west of New Orleans. The bridge is one of the longest railroad bridges in the United States
, at 4.5 miles (7.2 km); it takes the train 135 feet (41.1 m) above the Mississippi River
.
service on May 1, 1971, the Sunset Limited was operated by the Southern Pacific Railroad
. The Sunset Limited is the oldest named train in the United States still operating, having held the name since its inauguration in 1894. The Sunset Limited was Southern Pacific's premier train, built for luxury first-class long-distance travel. Initially the Sunset Limited was an all-Pullman
train, consisting only of sleeping cars and no coaches, running directly from New Orleans to San Francisco via Los Angeles
. In 1924 the train received new all steel cars, replacing the old wooden cars. From its beginning in 1893 until streamlining in 1950, all the train's cars featured 6-wheel trucks and were painted in dark olive green with black roofs and trucks.
A typical 1895 consist included:
A typical 1929 consist included:
A typical 1940 consist included:
In 1930, the route was cut back to Los Angeles, and the train lost its all-Pullman status for the first time. After the Great Depression
, in 1936, the train once again began running through to San Francisco and was also one of SP's very first trains to receive air-conditioning; in 1939, the train gained back its exclusive all-Pullman status. From 1939 to 1941 the train operated at its zenith, being equipped with air conditioning, featuring exclusively sleeping cars (All-Pullman status) and running the complete New Orleans to San Francisco routing via the magnificent coast line. The advent of the Second World War in December 1941 saw the train carry coaches again, and in January 1942 it was again cut back to Los Angeles. The Sunset Limited would never again be all-Pullman status, nor would it have the direct New Orleans to San Francisco routing.
The train was dieselized in late 1949, and upgraded to a streamliner
in August 1950. The Sunset Limited was the last among the big American luxury trains to be streamlined, and in 1950 the train was reintroduced in a completely new look, featuring stainless steel cars, painted in silver with red letterboards and white "Southern Pacific" lettering. All cars except the RPO-Baggage (which had 6-wheel trucks) were built with 4-wheel trucks, and the last car of the train was a sleeping car with a blunted rear end, featuring a lighted neon-sign with the train name on the rear door. Until 1950 the train was pulled by 4-6-2 Pacific type and 4-8-4 GS-1 Northern
type steam locomotives between New Orleans and El Paso, and by 4-8-2 MT-4 Mountain
type and 4-8-4 GS-4 Northern
type steam locomotives between El Paso and Los Angeles/San Francisco. Occasionally even some 4-10-2 Southern Pacific
type and 4-8-8-2 AC class Cab Forward type steam locomotives could be seen pulling the train, especially on the western portion of its run. Steam occasionally appeared on the Sunset Limited until 1953.
After dieselization Alco PA A-A Unit
diesel locomotives powered the train between New Orleans and El Paso, and EMD E7
and E9
diesel locomotives in A-B-B sets pulled the train between El Paso and Los Angeles. Between 1950 and 1958 the diesel locomotives were painted in the Southern Pacific's "Daylight" scheme; in the 1960s and 70s EMD F7
diesel locomotives in SP's "Bloody Nose" scheme powered the train on the entire run.
A typical consist from the early 1950s included:
A typical consist between October 1970 and April 1971 (the last months under Southern Pacific's thrice-weekly operation):
During the decline in the 1960s the Sunset lost its "Limited" status, and more and more services on board were cut back, culminating in the elimination of the dining car, lounge car and all sleeping cars. By 1968, the once proud streamliner consisted of only three cars: a baggage car, a coach and an automat lunch counter car. The Sunset was even combined with the Golden State passenger train west of El Paso for a while. In October 1970, the Sunset stopped running daily between New Orleans and Los Angeles, running only three times a week, but with full dining and sleeping cars returning across the entire run. This was the state of the train when Amtrak took control in May 1971.
, which was operated between New Orleans and Jacksonville, Florida, by the Louisville and Nashville Railroad
and the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad
(previously the Seaboard Air Line Railroad
).
The tracks between New Orleans and Jacksonville remained unused by passenger trains from the Amtrak takeover until April 29, 1984, when an Amtrak train called the Gulf Coast Limited
, running between New Orleans and Mobile, Alabama
, began service; this train only lasted until January 6, 1985. Almost five years later, on October 27, 1989, the track segment between Mobile and Flomaton, Alabama
, came into passenger train use as part of the route of the Gulf Breeze, a new Amtrak train that was actually a Mobile section of Amtrak's New York-to-New Orleans Crescent; at Flomaton the train's route turned northeast towards Montgomery. The Gulf Breeze was discontinued in 1995. Meanwhile, on April 4, 1993, the entire New Orleans-to-Jacksonville route had gone into passenger train service with the extension of the Sunset Limited to Jacksonville and Miami, using the route of Amtrak's Silver Meteor
south of Jacksonville. The train's eastern endpoint was later cut back from Miami to Orlando due to the difficulties associated with turning the equipment in time if the trainset was delayed.
On September 22, 1993, the locomotives and some cars of the eastbound Sunset Limited derailed and fell off a bridge into water near Mobile, Alabama
, in Amtrak's worst train wreck
, the Big Bayou Canot train disaster
. 47 people died.
On October 9, 1995, saboteurs derailed the Sunset Limited near Harqua, Arizona by removing 29 spikes from a section of track, and short-circuited the signal system to conceal the sabotage.
On June 2, 1996, the Sunset Limited was rerouted to a more southerly route between Tucson, Arizona
, and Yuma, Arizona
, bypassing Phoenix, Arizona
, in order to accommodate the Union Pacific Railroad
's desire to abandon a portion of its Phoenix-to-Yuma "West Line". As of early 2006, however, the line had not yet been abandoned, and construction activities suggested that Union Pacific might reopen the line.
, as a result of damage to trackage in the Gulf Coast area caused by Hurricane Katrina
. In late October 2005, service was restored between San Antonio and New Orleans
, as the line through southwest Louisiana
had by that time been repaired.
As time has passed, particularly since the January 2006 completion of the rebuilding of damaged tracks east of New Orleans by their owner CSX Transportation
Inc., the obstacles to restoration of the Sunset Limiteds full route have been more managerial and political than physical. Advocates for the train's restoration have pointed to revenue figures for Amtrak's fiscal year 2004, the last full year of coast-to-coast Sunset Limited service. During that period, the Orlando-New Orleans segment accounted for 41% of the Sunset's revenue.
Section 226 of the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008
(H.R. 2095), signed into law by President Bush on October 16, 2008, giving Amtrak 9 months to provide Congress with a plan for restoring service that "shall include a projected timeline for restoring such service, the costs associated with restoring such service, and any proposals for legislation necessary to support such restoration of service."
to operate over the Sunsets route west of San Antonio
, the train will still make use of Amtrak's bi-level Superliner
fleet but only as a stub train with thru-cars that come and go from Los Angeles
. Whether or not the Sunset name will remain is yet to be seen. What is known, though, comes from the July 2010 issue of Trains magazine in which the stub train will make use of the recent addition to the Superliner equipment, the Diner-Lounge car. However, according to the December 2010 issue, the plans were halted when Union Pacific
stated that in order to accomplish even a daily Sunset Limited, $750 million would need to be paid by Amtrak in order for proper infrastructure improvements. Also included in establishing daily service was an updated timetable, with a return to a late-night departure at 10:30 pm from Los Angeles and an earlier departure from New Orleans at 9:45 am. The schedule change would provide daylight service in Arizona (10:17 am eastbound and 6:49 pm westbound), cut transfer time from eastbound Sunset to northbound Texas Eagle to 50 minutes, cut eastbound San Antonio layover time to one hour, provide daylight service to Houston (11:58 am eastbound and 6:25 pm westbound), and restore both late-night service to New Orleans (9:00 pm) and a restored connection to the Coast Starlight
(5:05 am).
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
and Los Angeles, California
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...
, and that from early 1993 through late August 2005 also ran east of New Orleans to Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
, making it during that time the only true transcontinental passenger train in American history. From late August 2005 to the present, the train has remained officially a Florida-to-Los Angeles train, with the service between New Orleans and Orlando considered temporarily truncated due to the lingering effects of Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
.
During fiscal year 2010, the Sunset Limited carried a total of 91,684 passengers, an increase of 16.4% from FY 2009's total of 78,775. The train carried the fewest passengers of any long-distance train in the Amtrak system. During FY 2010, the train had a total revenue of $9,962,415, a 20.4% increase from revenue of $8,272,084 during FY 2009.
Route
The tracks used were once part of the Atlantic Coast Line RailroadAtlantic Coast Line Railroad
The Atlantic Coast Line Railroad was an American railroad that existed between 1900 and 1967, when it merged with the Seaboard Air Line Railroad, its long-time rival, to form the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad...
, the Seaboard Air Line Railroad
Seaboard Air Line Railroad
The Seaboard Air Line Railroad , which styled itself "The Route of Courteous Service," was an American railroad whose corporate existence extended from April 14, 1900, until July 1, 1967, when it merged with the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad, its longtime rival, to form the Seaboard Coast Line...
, the Louisville and Nashville Railroad
Louisville and Nashville Railroad
The Louisville and Nashville Railroad was a Class I railroad that operated freight and passenger services in the southeast United States.Chartered by the state of Kentucky in 1850, the L&N, as it was generally known, grew into one of the great success stories of American business...
, and the Southern Pacific Railroad
Southern Pacific Railroad
The Southern Pacific Transportation Company , earlier Southern Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Company, and usually simply called the Southern Pacific or Espee, was an American railroad....
; they are now owned by CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles...
, BNSF Railway
BNSF Railway
The BNSF Railway is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. It is one of seven North American Class I railroads and the second largest freight railroad network in North America, second only to the Union Pacific Railroad, its primary...
, and the Union Pacific Railroad
Union Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
. The name Sunset Limited traces its origins to the Galveston, Harrisburg and San Antonio Railway, which was known as the Sunset Route as early as 1874.
The train uses the following route segments, identified here by the names of their original owners:
| Route | Original owner | Current owner |
|---|---|---|
| Orlando, Florida Orlando, Florida Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States... –Sanford, Florida Sanford, Florida Sanford is a city in, and the county seat of, Seminole County, Florida, United States. The population was 38,291 at the 2000 census. As of 2009, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 50,998... |
South Florida Railroad South Florida Railroad The South Florida Railroad was a railroad from Orlando to Tampa, Florida, becoming part of the Plant System in 1893 and the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad in 1902.-History:... (ACL) |
CSX CSX Transportation CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles... |
| Sanford–DeLand, Florida DeLand, Florida DeLand is the county seat of Volusia County, Florida. In 2006, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated the city's population to be 24,375. It is part of the Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had an estimated population of 436,575 in 2006... |
Jacksonville, Tampa and Key West Railway Jacksonville, Tampa and Key West Railway The Jacksonville, Tampa and Key West Railway was a railroad and steamboat network in Florida, USA at the end of the 19th century. Most of its lines became part of the Plant System in 1899 and the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad in 1902.-History:... (ACL) |
CSX CSX Transportation CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles... |
| DeLand–Jacksonville, Florida Jacksonville, Florida Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968... |
Jacksonville, Tampa and Key West Railway Jacksonville, Tampa and Key West Railway The Jacksonville, Tampa and Key West Railway was a railroad and steamboat network in Florida, USA at the end of the 19th century. Most of its lines became part of the Plant System in 1899 and the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad in 1902.-History:... (ACL) |
CSX CSX Transportation CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles... |
| Jacksonville–Chattahoochee, Florida Chattahoochee, Florida Chattahoochee is a city in Gadsden County, Florida, United States. The population was 3,287 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S Census estimates of 2005, the city had a population of 3,720. It is part of the Tallahassee, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Chattahoochee is... |
Florida Central and Western Railroad Florida Central and Western Railroad The Florida Central and Western Railroad was a railroad company that was the 1882 reincarnation of the Jacksonville, Pensacola and Mobile Railroad , which ran from Lake City, Florida, west to Chattahoochee, Florida The Florida Central and Western Railroad was a railroad company that was the 1882... (SAL) |
CSX CSX Transportation CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles... |
| Chattahoochee–Pensacola, Florida Pensacola, Florida Pensacola is the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle and the county seat of Escambia County, Florida, United States of America. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 56,255 and as of 2009, the estimated population was 53,752... |
Pensacola and Atlantic Railroad Pensacola and Atlantic Railroad The Pensacola and Atlantic Railroad was incorporated by an act of the Florida Legislature on March 4, 1881, to run from Pensacola to the Apalachicola River near Chattahoochee, a distance of about . No railroad had ever been built across the sparsely populated panhandle of Florida, which left... (L&N) |
CSX CSX Transportation CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles... |
| Pensacola–Flomaton, Alabama Flomaton, Alabama Flomaton is a town in Escambia County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 1,588.-Geography:Flomaton is located at .According to the U.S... |
Pensacola Railroad (L&N) | CSX CSX Transportation CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles... |
| Flomaton–Mobile, Alabama Mobile, Alabama Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest... |
Mobile and Montgomery Railway (L&N) | CSX CSX Transportation CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles... |
| Mobile–New Orleans, Louisiana New Orleans, Louisiana New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population... |
New Orleans and Mobile Railroad (L&N) | CSX CSX Transportation CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles... |
| New Orleans–Lafayette, Louisiana Lafayette, Louisiana Lafayette is a city in and the parish seat of Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, United States, on the Vermilion River. The population was 120,623 at the 2010 census... |
Morgan's Louisiana and Texas Railroad and Steamship Company (SP) | BNSF BNSF Railway The BNSF Railway is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. It is one of seven North American Class I railroads and the second largest freight railroad network in North America, second only to the Union Pacific Railroad, its primary... |
| Lafayette–Lake Charles, Louisiana Lake Charles, Louisiana Lake Charles is the fifth-largest incorporated city in the U.S. state of Louisiana, located on Lake Charles, Prien Lake, and the Calcasieu River. Located in Calcasieu Parish, a major cultural, industrial, and educational center in the southwest region of the state, and one of the most important in... |
Louisiana Western Railroad (SP) | BNSF BNSF Railway The BNSF Railway is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. It is one of seven North American Class I railroads and the second largest freight railroad network in North America, second only to the Union Pacific Railroad, its primary... |
| Lake Charles–Orange, Texas Orange, Texas Orange is a city in Orange County, Texas, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 18,643. It is the county seat of Orange County, and is the easternmost city in Texas. Located on the Sabine River at the border with Louisiana, it is part of the Beaumont–Port Arthur... |
Louisiana Western Railroad (SP) | UP Union Pacific Railroad The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman.... |
| Orange–Houston, Texas Houston, Texas Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ... |
Texas and New Orleans Railroad Texas and New Orleans Railroad The Texas and New Orleans Railroad is a former railroad in Texas and Louisiana. At one point the company was the largest railroad in Texas, with of trackage in 1934, but by 1961 there were only remaining when it was merged with parent company Southern Pacific.... (SP) |
UP Union Pacific Railroad The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman.... |
| Houston–El Paso, Texas El Paso, Texas El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States... |
Galveston, Harrisburg and San Antonio Railway (SP) | UP Union Pacific Railroad The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman.... |
| El Paso–Los Angeles, California 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... |
Southern Pacific Railroad Southern Pacific Railroad The Southern Pacific Transportation Company , earlier Southern Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Company, and usually simply called the Southern Pacific or Espee, was an American railroad.... |
UP Union Pacific Railroad The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman.... |
Timetable notes
Service on the Sunset Limited between Orlando and New Orleans has been suspended indefinitely. At San Antonio the Sunset Limited train and Texas EagleTexas Eagle
The Texas Eagle is a 1306-mile passenger train route operated by Amtrak in the central and western United States. Trains run daily between Chicago, Illinois, and San Antonio, Texas, and continue to Los Angeles, California, 2728 miles total, three days a week...
thru-cars are combined for the journey westward and split eastward.
A highlight of the trip is the crossing of the Huey P. Long Bridge
Huey P. Long Bridge (Jefferson Parish)
The Huey P. Long Bridge in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, is a cantilevered steel through truss bridge that carries a two-track railroad line over the Mississippi River at mile 106.1 with two lanes of US 90 on each side of the central tracks....
just west of New Orleans. The bridge is one of the longest railroad bridges in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, at 4.5 miles (7.2 km); it takes the train 135 feet (41.1 m) above the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
.
Pre-Amtrak
Prior to the start of AmtrakAmtrak
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...
service on May 1, 1971, the Sunset Limited was operated by the Southern Pacific Railroad
Southern Pacific Railroad
The Southern Pacific Transportation Company , earlier Southern Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Company, and usually simply called the Southern Pacific or Espee, was an American railroad....
. The Sunset Limited is the oldest named train in the United States still operating, having held the name since its inauguration in 1894. The Sunset Limited was Southern Pacific's premier train, built for luxury first-class long-distance travel. Initially the Sunset Limited was an all-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....
train, consisting only of sleeping cars and no coaches, running directly from New Orleans to San Francisco via Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. In 1924 the train received new all steel cars, replacing the old wooden cars. From its beginning in 1893 until streamlining in 1950, all the train's cars featured 6-wheel trucks and were painted in dark olive green with black roofs and trucks.
A typical 1895 consist included:
- A 4-4-0 American steam locomotive
- Composite Baggage car with barber shop, bath and buffet smoker lounge El Indio
- 7 Drawing Room Sleeper with ladies´ parlor lounge El Piloto
- 10 Section 2 Drawing Room Sleeper El Dorado
- Dining Car Gourmet
- 6 Section 1 Drawing Room 3 Compartment Sleeper Cliola
- 14 Section 1 Drawing Room Sleeper Los Angeles
A typical 1929 consist included:
- A 4-6-2 Pacific or 4-8-2 Mountain steam locomotive
- Railway Post Office
- Baggage
- Buffet library baggage combination car
- 12-section, 1 drawing room sleeper Brazos
- 12-section, 1 drawing room sleeper Calaveras
- 12-section, 1 drawing room sleeper Pecos
- 12-section, 1 drawing room sleeper Tontos
- Diner
- 10-section, 1-drawing room, 2-compartment sleeper El Monte
- 10-section, 1-drawing room, 2-compartment sleeper El Norte
- 10-section, 1-drawing room, 2-compartment sleeper El Occidente
- 10-section, 1-drawing room, 2-compartment sleeper El Oriente
- 4-2 sleeper lounge observation Sunset Beach
A typical 1940 consist included:
- A GS-1 4-8-4 Golden State steam locomotive
- Railway Post Office
- Baggage
- Parlor Sleeper Abington
- 16 Section Tourist Sleeper Catlin
- 12 Section 1 Drawing Room Sleeper Alamo
- Coffee Shop Lounge
- Diner
- Lounge with barber shop, shower-bath and valet service
- 10 Section 1 Drawing Room 2 Compartment Sleeper Lake Ariana
- 10 Section 1 Drawing Room 1 Compartment Sleeper Prior Lake
- 8 Section 1 Drawing Room 2 Compartment Sleeper Des Plaines
- 6 Compartment 3 Drawing Room Sleeper Glen Aladale
- 6 Single Bedroom 2 Double Bedroom Sleeper Lounge Sun-Room Solarium Observation Mission Santa Ynez
In 1930, the route was cut back to Los Angeles, and the train lost its all-Pullman status for the first time. After the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, in 1936, the train once again began running through to San Francisco and was also one of SP's very first trains to receive air-conditioning; in 1939, the train gained back its exclusive all-Pullman status. From 1939 to 1941 the train operated at its zenith, being equipped with air conditioning, featuring exclusively sleeping cars (All-Pullman status) and running the complete New Orleans to San Francisco routing via the magnificent coast line. The advent of the Second World War in December 1941 saw the train carry coaches again, and in January 1942 it was again cut back to Los Angeles. The Sunset Limited would never again be all-Pullman status, nor would it have the direct New Orleans to San Francisco routing.
The train was dieselized in late 1949, and upgraded to a streamliner
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...
in August 1950. The Sunset Limited was the last among the big American luxury trains to be streamlined, and in 1950 the train was reintroduced in a completely new look, featuring stainless steel cars, painted in silver with red letterboards and white "Southern Pacific" lettering. All cars except the RPO-Baggage (which had 6-wheel trucks) were built with 4-wheel trucks, and the last car of the train was a sleeping car with a blunted rear end, featuring a lighted neon-sign with the train name on the rear door. Until 1950 the train was pulled by 4-6-2 Pacific type and 4-8-4 GS-1 Northern
Southern Pacific class GS-1
The GS-1 was a 4-8-4 Northern type steam locomotive that served the Southern Pacific Railroad and its Texas subsidiary the Texas and New Orleans Railroad from 1930 to 1956. They were built by Baldwin Locomotive Works and were numbered 4400 through 4409...
type steam locomotives between New Orleans and El Paso, and by 4-8-2 MT-4 Mountain
4-8-2
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 4-8-2 represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles , eight powered and coupled driving wheels on four axles, and two trailing wheels on one axle...
type and 4-8-4 GS-4 Northern
Southern Pacific class GS-4
The GS-4 was a streamlined 4-8-4 Northern type steam locomotive that served the Southern Pacific Company from 1941 to 1958. They were built by the Lima Locomotive Works and were numbered 4430 through 4457...
type steam locomotives between El Paso and Los Angeles/San Francisco. Occasionally even some 4-10-2 Southern Pacific
4-10-2
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 4-10-2 represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles , ten powered and coupled driving wheels on five axles, and two trailing wheels on one axle...
type and 4-8-8-2 AC class Cab Forward type steam locomotives could be seen pulling the train, especially on the western portion of its run. Steam occasionally appeared on the Sunset Limited until 1953.
After dieselization Alco PA A-A Unit
ALCO PA
ALCO PA refers to a family of A1A-A1A diesel locomotives built to haul passenger trains that were built in Schenectady, New York in the United States by a partnership of the American Locomotive Company and General Electric between June, 1946 and December, 1953...
diesel locomotives powered the train between New Orleans and El Paso, and EMD E7
EMD E7
The EMD E7 was a , A1A-A1A passenger train locomotive manufactured by General Motors' Electro-Motive Division of La Grange, Illinois. The cab version, or E7A, was manufactured from February, 1945 to April, 1949, and 428 were produced. The booster version, or E7B, was manufactured from March, 1945...
and E9
EMD E9
The EMD E9 was a , A1A-A1A passenger train-hauling diesel locomotive built by General Motors' Electro-Motive Division of La Grange, Illinois between April 1954 and January 1964. 100 cab-equipped lead A units were produced, along with 44 cabless booster B units. All were for service within the...
diesel locomotives in A-B-B sets pulled the train between El Paso and Los Angeles. Between 1950 and 1958 the diesel locomotives were painted in the Southern Pacific's "Daylight" scheme; in the 1960s and 70s EMD F7
EMD F7
The 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...
diesel locomotives in SP's "Bloody Nose" scheme powered the train on the entire run.
A typical consist from the early 1950s included:
- An A-A Set of Alco PA-1 or an A-B-B Set of EMD E-7 diesel locomotives, both painted in Daylight colors
- Railway Post Office/Baggage
- Baggage Dormitory
- Partitioned Coach
- Coach
- Coach
- Coffee Shop Lounge Pride of Texas
- Coach
- Coach
- 10-roomette, 6-double bedroom sleeper
- 10-roomette, 6-double bedroom sleeper
- Diner Audubon
- Lounge French Quarter
- 10-roomette, 6-double bedroom sleeper
- 10-roomette, 6-double bedroom sleeper
- 10-roomette, 6-double bedroom blunt ended sleeper
A typical consist between October 1970 and April 1971 (the last months under Southern Pacific's thrice-weekly operation):
- An A-B-A Set of EMD FP-7 units or a SDP-45 diesel locomotive, painted in the "Bloody Nose" scheme
- Box Car Baggage Express
- Baggage Dormitory
- 10-6 Sleeper
- 10-6 Sleeper (Southern Railway through car New York - Los Angeles via the Crescent Limited)
- Lounge French Quarter
- Diner Audubon
- Coach
- Coach
- Coffee Shop Lounge Pride of Texas
- Coach
- Coach
During the decline in the 1960s the Sunset lost its "Limited" status, and more and more services on board were cut back, culminating in the elimination of the dining car, lounge car and all sleeping cars. By 1968, the once proud streamliner consisted of only three cars: a baggage car, a coach and an automat lunch counter car. The Sunset was even combined with the Golden State passenger train west of El Paso for a while. In October 1970, the Sunset stopped running daily between New Orleans and Los Angeles, running only three times a week, but with full dining and sleeping cars returning across the entire run. This was the state of the train when Amtrak took control in May 1971.
Amtrak
Amtrak retained the Sunset unchanged, while it dropped the Gulf WindGulf Wind
The Gulf Wind was a streamlined passenger train inaugurated on July 31, 1949 as a joint operation by the Louisville and Nashville Railroad and the Seaboard Air Line Railroad...
, which was operated between New Orleans and Jacksonville, Florida, by the Louisville and Nashville Railroad
Louisville and Nashville Railroad
The Louisville and Nashville Railroad was a Class I railroad that operated freight and passenger services in the southeast United States.Chartered by the state of Kentucky in 1850, the L&N, as it was generally known, grew into one of the great success stories of American business...
and the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad
Seaboard Coast Line Railroad
The Seaboard Coast Line Railroad was a former Class I railroad company operating in the Southeastern United States beginning in 1967. Its passenger operations were taken over by Amtrak in 1971...
(previously the Seaboard Air Line Railroad
Seaboard Air Line Railroad
The Seaboard Air Line Railroad , which styled itself "The Route of Courteous Service," was an American railroad whose corporate existence extended from April 14, 1900, until July 1, 1967, when it merged with the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad, its longtime rival, to form the Seaboard Coast Line...
).
The tracks between New Orleans and Jacksonville remained unused by passenger trains from the Amtrak takeover until April 29, 1984, when an Amtrak train called the Gulf Coast Limited
Gulf Coast Limited
The Gulf Coast Limited was a passenger train operated by Amtrak in the southern United States. It ran daily from Mobile, Alabama to New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal in New Orleans, Louisiana.- History :...
, running between New Orleans and Mobile, Alabama
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
, began service; this train only lasted until January 6, 1985. Almost five years later, on October 27, 1989, the track segment between Mobile and Flomaton, Alabama
Flomaton, Alabama
Flomaton is a town in Escambia County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 1,588.-Geography:Flomaton is located at .According to the U.S...
, came into passenger train use as part of the route of the Gulf Breeze, a new Amtrak train that was actually a Mobile section of Amtrak's New York-to-New Orleans Crescent; at Flomaton the train's route turned northeast towards Montgomery. The Gulf Breeze was discontinued in 1995. Meanwhile, on April 4, 1993, the entire New Orleans-to-Jacksonville route had gone into passenger train service with the extension of the Sunset Limited to Jacksonville and Miami, using the route of Amtrak's Silver Meteor
Silver Meteor
The Silver Meteor is a 1389-mile passenger train route operated by Amtrak in the Silver Service brand, running from New York City, New York, south to Miami, Florida, via the Northeast Corridor to Washington, D.C., thence via Richmond, Virginia; Fayetteville, North Carolina; North Charleston, South...
south of Jacksonville. The train's eastern endpoint was later cut back from Miami to Orlando due to the difficulties associated with turning the equipment in time if the trainset was delayed.
On September 22, 1993, the locomotives and some cars of the eastbound Sunset Limited derailed and fell off a bridge into water near Mobile, Alabama
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
, in Amtrak's worst train wreck
Train wreck
A train wreck or train crash is a type of disaster involving one or more trains. Train wrecks often occur as a result of miscommunication, as when a moving train meets another train on the same track; or an accident, such as when a train wheel jumps off a track in a derailment; or when a boiler...
, the Big Bayou Canot train disaster
Big Bayou Canot train disaster
The 1993 Big Bayou Canot train wreck was the derailing of an Amtrak train on the CSXT Big Bayou Canot bridge in northeast Mobile, Alabama, USA, killing 47 and injuring 103, on September 22, 1993. It is the deadliest train wreck in Amtrak's history...
. 47 people died.
On October 9, 1995, saboteurs derailed the Sunset Limited near Harqua, Arizona by removing 29 spikes from a section of track, and short-circuited the signal system to conceal the sabotage.
On June 2, 1996, the Sunset Limited was rerouted to a more southerly route between Tucson, Arizona
Tucson, Arizona
Tucson is a city in and the county seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States. The city is located 118 miles southeast of Phoenix and 60 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. The 2010 United States Census puts the city's population at 520,116 with a metropolitan area population at 1,020,200...
, and Yuma, Arizona
Yuma, Arizona
Yuma is a city in and the county seat of Yuma County, Arizona, United States. It is located in the southwestern corner of the state, and the population of the city was 77,515 at the 2000 census, with a 2008 Census Bureau estimated population of 90,041....
, bypassing Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
, in order to accommodate the Union Pacific Railroad
Union Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
's desire to abandon a portion of its Phoenix-to-Yuma "West Line". As of early 2006, however, the line had not yet been abandoned, and construction activities suggested that Union Pacific might reopen the line.
Katrina and aftermath
On August 28, 2005, the Sunset Limited route was truncated at San Antonio, TexasSan Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
, as a result of damage to trackage in the Gulf Coast area caused by Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
. In late October 2005, service was restored between San Antonio and New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
, as the line through southwest Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
had by that time been repaired.
As time has passed, particularly since the January 2006 completion of the rebuilding of damaged tracks east of New Orleans by their owner CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles...
Inc., the obstacles to restoration of the Sunset Limiteds full route have been more managerial and political than physical. Advocates for the train's restoration have pointed to revenue figures for Amtrak's fiscal year 2004, the last full year of coast-to-coast Sunset Limited service. During that period, the Orlando-New Orleans segment accounted for 41% of the Sunset's revenue.
Section 226 of the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008
Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008
The Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008 is a United States federal law, enacted by Congress to improve railroad safety. It was signed into law by President George W. Bush on October 16, 2008. Among its provisions, the most notable was the mandate requiring positive train control on most of the US...
(H.R. 2095), signed into law by President Bush on October 16, 2008, giving Amtrak 9 months to provide Congress with a plan for restoring service that "shall include a projected timeline for restoring such service, the costs associated with restoring such service, and any proposals for legislation necessary to support such restoration of service."
Future service
Future service on the segment east of New Orleans has not yet been determined, but according to Brian Rosenwald, an Amtrak executive, and what he has said in New Orleans, there will be something by 2012, even though implementation could be later. Furthermore, from the same meeting, due to the plans to restructure the Texas EagleTexas Eagle
The Texas Eagle is a 1306-mile passenger train route operated by Amtrak in the central and western United States. Trains run daily between Chicago, Illinois, and San Antonio, Texas, and continue to Los Angeles, California, 2728 miles total, three days a week...
to operate over the Sunsets route west of San Antonio
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
, the train will still make use of Amtrak's bi-level 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...
fleet but only as a stub train with thru-cars that come and go from Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. Whether or not the Sunset name will remain is yet to be seen. What is known, though, comes from the July 2010 issue of Trains magazine in which the stub train will make use of the recent addition to the Superliner equipment, the Diner-Lounge car. However, according to the December 2010 issue, the plans were halted when Union Pacific
Union Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
stated that in order to accomplish even a daily Sunset Limited, $750 million would need to be paid by Amtrak in order for proper infrastructure improvements. Also included in establishing daily service was an updated timetable, with a return to a late-night departure at 10:30 pm from Los Angeles and an earlier departure from New Orleans at 9:45 am. The schedule change would provide daylight service in Arizona (10:17 am eastbound and 6:49 pm westbound), cut transfer time from eastbound Sunset to northbound Texas Eagle to 50 minutes, cut eastbound San Antonio layover time to one hour, provide daylight service to Houston (11:58 am eastbound and 6:25 pm westbound), and restore both late-night service to New Orleans (9:00 pm) and a restored connection to the 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...
(5:05 am).