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Super Chief

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For other uses, see Super Chief (disambiguation)}}}.
A view of the Super Chief being serviced at the Albuquerque, New Mexico depot in March of 1943. Note the presence of a headlight "blackout shield" (a Civil Defense requirement as the train operated in the Pacific Coast region).
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A view of the Super Chief being serviced at the Albuquerque, New Mexico depot in March of 1943. Note the presence of a headlight "blackout shield" (a Civil Defense requirement as the train operated in the Pacific Coast region).

"Drumhead" logos such as these often adorned the ends of observation cars on the Super Chief.
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"Drumhead" logos such as these often adorned the ends of observation cars on the Super Chief.

A quartet of EMD FT locomotives powers train No. 17, the Super Chief, west of Trinidad, Colorado on September 1, 1946.
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A quartet of EMD FT locomotives powers train No. 17, the Super Chief, west of Trinidad, Colorado on September 1, 1946.

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 streamlined Super Chief (assigned train Nos. 17 & 18) was the first diesel-powered, all-Pullman sleeping car train in America, and it eclipsed the Chief as Santa Fe's standard bearer. The extra-fare Super Chief-1 commenced its maiden run from Dearborn Station in Chicago on May 12, 1936. Just over a year later, on May 18, 1937 the much-improved Super Chief-2 traversed the 2,227.3 miles (3,584.5 kilometers) from Los Angeles over recently upgraded tracks in just 39 hours and 49 minutes (averaging 60.8 miles-per-hour (90.0 km/h), often exceeding 100 miles-per-hour in the process).

With only one set of equipment, the train initially operated but once a week from both Chicago and Los Angeles. From that day forward the Super Chief set a new standard for luxury rail travel in America. At the height of its popularity, the trains of the Super Chief would make daily departures from both ends of the line. Adding to the train's mystique were its gourmet meals and Hollywood clientele.

Direct competitors to the Super Chief during its lifetime were the City of Los Angeles, a streamlined passenger train jointly operated by the Chicago and North Western Railway and the Union Pacific Railroad, and (to a lesser extent) the Golden State, a streamlined passenger train jointly operated by the Rock Island and Southern Pacific railroads. Santa Fe's route from Chicago to Los Angeles was the lengthiest of the high-speed, long distance trains of the day, making its way through mostly sparsely populated areas (which enhanced the train's already distinctive aura). The Santa Fe Super Chief was the last passenger train in the United States to carry an all-Pullman consist.

When Amtrak took over operation of the nation's passenger service on May 1, 1971 it ended the 35-year run of the Super Chief on the Santa Fe, though Amtrak would continue to use the name for another three years. In 1974 the Santa Fe forced Amtrak to drop the trains name due to a perceived decline in service. Amtrak replaced the train over the same route with its Southwest Limited. Later the Santa Fe compromised with Amtrak and the train became the Southwest Chief in 1984.

Contents

History

Timeline

The 'Super Chief makes a layover at Chicago's Dearborn Station in 1955. Santa Fe (and other occupant railroads of the terminal) mounted drumhead-like logos on the bumper posts in Chicago's Dearborn Station. The practice continued long after the company removed observation cars from its roster.
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The Super Chief'' makes a layover at Chicago's Dearborn Station in 1955. Santa Fe (and other occupant railroads of the terminal) mounted drumhead-like logos on the bumper posts in Chicago's Dearborn Station. The practice continued long after the company removed observation cars from its roster.

A print ad from the 1950s promoting the "new" Super Chief.
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A print ad from the 1950s promoting the "new" Super Chief.

The logo of the Super Chief.
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The logo of the Super Chief.


Equipment used

AT&SF diesel-electric units Nos. 1 and 1A are photographed at Los Angeles, California in May, 1936 in their original, as-delivered "golden olive" paint scheme.
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AT&SF diesel-electric units Nos. 1 and 1A are photographed at Los Angeles, California in May, 1936 in their original, as-delivered "golden olive" paint scheme.

The first motive power set on Super Chief-1 consisted of a pair of blunt-nosed, diesel-electric units (EMD 1800 hp B-B) designated as Nos. 1 and 1A. Santa Fe employees quickly hung the nicknames "One-Spot Twins" and "Amos & Andy" (from the popular radio show of the day) on the units, which were always paired and ran back-to-back. In a little over a year the EMD E1, a new and improved 3,600 hp (2.7 MW) streamlined diesel-electric locomotive set (one hood unit and the other a cabless booster unit) would be pulling Super Chief consists.

A variety of state-of-the-art locomotives (including ALCO PAs, EMD E6s, FTs, F3s, F7s, and FP45s, along with Santa Fe's only ALCO DL-109/110s and FM Erie-built units) would make their appearances on the line in the succeeding years. All wore the now-familiar Warbonnet paint scheme devised by Leland Knickerbocker of the GM "Art and Color Section" that debuted on the Super Chief-2.

The Super Chief-1's mostly-heavyweight original consist included:

In May 1937, the heavyweight equipment used on the Super Chief was replaced with all lightweight stainless steel cars built by the Budd Company (the heavyweight cars were placed back in service with the Chief). For the new lightweight train (the Super Chief-2), the equipment used was as follows:

The cramped, yet efficient galley aboard former Santa Fe dining car #1474, the Cochiti. The car (now restored to its mid-1940s condition) made its debut as a part of the Super Chief-2s inaugural consist.
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The cramped, yet efficient galley aboard former Santa Fe dining car #1474, the Cochiti. The car (now restored to its mid-1940s condition) made its debut as a part of the Super Chief-2's inaugural consist.

The sleeping cars in this consist were operated by Pullman but were owned by the Santa Fe. The car names were chosen to commemorate the Native American tribes, pueblos, and cities found along the railroad's route.

On February 26, 1938 the consist was modified somewhat:

The railroad also added another trainset (the Super Chief-2½) utilizing sleeping cars borrowed from the Chief in order to handle the high demand for passage aboard the train. Its original consist was as follows:

One of five All Aboard! 20th Century American Trains commemorative stamps issued by the USPS in August, 1999. Here, Locomotive #6 (an EMD E1 unit) is seen painted in the Super Chiefs distinctive Warbonnet livery.
One of five All Aboard! 20th Century American Trains commemorative stamps issued by the USPS in August, 1999. Here, Locomotive #6 (an EMD E1 unit) is seen painted in the Super Chief's distinctive Warbonnet livery.

On July 2 of that year the permanent Super Chief-3 consist was established:

Beginning in 1947, a typical Super Chief consist:

Santa Fe #19L, leading the Super Chief, comes to rest after smashing through a concrete barrier at the LAUPT in January, 1948.
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Santa Fe #19L, leading the Super Chief, comes to rest after smashing through a concrete barrier at the LAUPT in January, 1948.

A typical Super Chief consist from 1948 to 1951:

*NOTE: The nineteen "10-2-3" sleepers in the Blue series had a floorplan configuration unique to the Santa Fe.
In the 1940s and into the 50s, the Super Chief occasionally interchanged sleepers with other railroads in order to provide "coast-to-coast" sleeping car service. In those instances, sleepers from eastern connections would take the place of Regal– or Pine–series cars:

A typical Super Chief consist from 1951 to 1956:

Cars such as Pullman-built "Pleasure Dome"-Lounge #506, ordered specifically for the Super Chief in the early 1950s, remained in service well into the Amtrak era. The "handrail" radio antenna that runs along much of the car's roof is for the train's music system.
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Cars such as Pullman-built "Pleasure Dome"-Lounge #506, ordered specifically for the Super Chief in the early 1950s, remained in service well into the Amtrak era. The "handrail" radio antenna that runs along much of the car's roof is for the train's music system.

A typical Super Chief consist from the early 1960s (all-Pullman section):

A typical Super Chief consist from the late 1960s (combined with El Capitan):

The \"Hollywood mystique\"

A magazine ad extols the many virtues of traveling aboard the Santa Fe's Super Chief, "The Train of the Stars."
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A magazine ad extols the many virtues of traveling aboard the Santa Fe's Super Chief, "The Train of the Stars."

The world-famous Super Chief was an almost-instant success among travelers who appreciated its modern, air conditioned equipment, high amenity levels, and smooth ride, all of which lent the train a certain "snob appeal." The train was staffed with top-of-the-line crews who were engrained in the best traditions of the railroad, and not only drew passengers from competing railroads but from other Santa Fe trains such as the Chief as well. Patrons took pleasure in the ability to "...Travel Santa Fe — all the way" to their destinations without the need to change trains, or at least railroads, en route.

The Super Chief quickly became "the" train to ride between Chicago and Los Angeles, much as New York Central's 20th Century Limited was the favored travel option of the time for the East Coast-bound. To acquaint passengers with the various points-of-interest located along the route, Santa Fe constructed a series of seven signs marking such notable features as the Continental Divide and Raton Pass.

Ventriloquist Edgar Bergen and his "sidekick" Mortimer Snerd pose in the cab of Santa Fe #51L, lead locomotive on the Super Chief, in 1946. The unit was one of several placed on public display at Los Angeles' Exposition Park prior to entering regular service.
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Ventriloquist Edgar Bergen and his "sidekick" Mortimer Snerd pose in the cab of Santa Fe #51L, lead locomotive on the Super Chief, in 1946. The unit was one of several placed on public display at Los Angeles' Exposition Park prior to entering regular service.

In the mid-1940s, company president Fred G. Gurley went to great lengths to solicit business from California's motion picture industry. To that end, a passenger agent was located in Hollywood specifically for the purpose of maintaining close contact with the movie studios. Furthermore, the train stopped at the Pasadena station solely for the purpose of allowing celebrities the opportunity to board or disembark away from the "hustle and bustle" of Los Angeles' Union Passenger Terminal (LAUPT). When the Santa Fe was notified that a particular celebrity was going to be traveling on board the Super Chief, a press release was issued to allow the media the opportunity to interview and photograph the star.

In time, the passenger list would resemble a veritable "who's who" of Hollywood stars: Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor, Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball, James Cagney, Judy Garland, and Bing Crosby (to name but a few) all rode the Super Chief. The train's appeal was not limited to those in the entertainment industry, though, as it also played host to Ronald Reagan, former presidents Harry S. Truman and Dwight D. Eisenhower, and their wives.

Three for Bedroom C

Silent film star Gloria Swanson and actor James Warren in a scene from the 1952 Warner Bros. film Three for Bedroom C, shot on board the Super Chief.
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Silent film star Gloria Swanson and actor James Warren in a scene from the 1952 Warner Bros. film Three for Bedroom C, shot on board the Super Chief.

In June, 1952 Warner Bros. Pictures released Three for Bedroom C, a romantic comedy starring Gloria Swanson, James Warren, Fred Clark, Hans Conried, and Steve Brodie. In the film, an aging movie star (Swanson) and her precocious daughter hide out in the compartment of a scientist (Warren) during a cross-country journey from New York to Los Angeles aboard the Super Chief.

Swanson's first color film also bears the distinction of being one of very few to be shot entirely aboard actual railroad equipment. Santa Fe transported actual passenger cars from the Super Chief to the production company's studio lot for filming. The film met with lukewarm reviews and did not, as had been hoped, revitalize Swanson's career. It did, however, nicely showcase the many features of the Super Chief, which many train buffs feel is the real star of the motion picture.

Playback

The Super Chief is mentioned in the second chapter of Playback (1958), the final, complete novel by Raymond Chandler to feature his iconic creation Philip Marlowe.

Dining aboard the Super Chief

The pantry aboard former Santa Fe dining car #1474, the Cochiti. Over a million meals were served in the car, which remained in service through the late 1960s.
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The pantry aboard former Santa Fe dining car #1474, the Cochiti. Over a million meals were served in the car, which remained in service through the late 1960s.

Most railroads began offering some form of meal service on their trains as an alternate to the poor fare typically found at trackside establishments even before the completion of the First Transcontinental Railroad. By the mid-1880s, dedicated dining cars were a normal part of all long-distance train consists departing from Chicago for points westward, save for those of the Santa Fe, who relied on America's first interstate network of restaurants to feed its passengers en route. The legendary "Harvey Houses," located strategically along the line, served top-quality meals to railroad patrons during water stops and other planned layovers and were favored over in-transit facilities for all trains operating west of Kansas City.

Nevertheless, the Super Chief included dining cars, staffed by Fred Harvey Company personnel, as part of its standard passenger car complement right from the outset. The units typically operated as "semi-permanent" two-car sets, one containing 36 seats at 12 tables in four-and-two seating arrangements, and the other equipped with a slightly larger galley, a passenger lounge, and dormitory facilities for the train crew (a staff of 3-4 cooks and 6-7 stewards was required for a three-day trip). With upwards of 300 passengers traveling at any given time, as many as eight or ten dinner seatings were required to feed everyone on board; when the 600-series dining cars were introduced in the 1950s, the seating capacity was increased to 48 at 16 tables in an effort to reduce wait times.

When Santa Fe rolled out its new "Pleasure Dome"-Lounge cars in 1951, the railroad introduced the traveling public to the Turquoise Room, promoted as "The only private dining room in the world on rails." The room accommodated 12 guests, and could be reserved anytime for private dinner or cocktail parties, or other special functions. The room was often used by the era's celebrities and dignitaries while traveling on the Super Chief. As was the case on other railroads, dining car service proved to be a losing proposition financially. Santa Fe, more than any of its competitors, took the concept of using onboard meal service as a "loss leader" to the highest level in order to attract and retain customers. Consequently, the name Super Chief became synonymous with the finest fare available on wheels.

Menu

The Continental cuisine offered aboard the Super Chief went beyond the typical American fare found on other trains, and often rivaled that served in many five-star restaurants, befitting the train's upscale clientele. A "Wake-Up Cup" of coffee was brought to one's private bedroom each morning, on request, a service exclusive to the Super Chief. Breakfast and lunch were served à la carte, while dinner could be ordered either à la carte or table d'hôte.

The elaborate dinner offerings generally included caviar and other gourmet delicacies, cold salads, grilled and sauteéd fish, sirloin steaks and filet mignon, lamb chops, and the like. For the truly discerning palates, elegant champagne dinners were also an option. Ironically, one of the Super Chief's most popular signature dishes was the AT&SF version of pain perdue, simply and appropriately named [Santa Fe French Toast].

Mimbreño china

Modern reproductions of the Santa Fe's famed "Mimbreño"–pattern china, developed for use aboard the Super Chief.
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Modern reproductions of the Santa Fe's famed "Mimbreño"–pattern china, developed for use aboard the Super Chief.

The decor, linens, and other dining car accoutrements reflected the same Southwestern flair that was prevalent throughout the rest of the train. Mary Colter (architect, Indian art expert, and 35-year veteran of the Fred Harvey Company) designed the china and silverware used on the Super Chief. Colter, who also designed the interiors of Fred Harvey’s opulent La Fonda, La Posada, and El Tovar hotels, based her dinnerware motif on the Native American pictographs of animals and geometric patterns left behind on clay pots by the ancient inhabitants of the [Rio Mimbres Valley] in southwestern New Mexico, around 1100 A.D..

The "Mimbreño" pattern was produced between 1936 and 1970 by the Onondaga Pottery Co. of Syracuse, New York under its better-known trade name, Syracuse China. The bottoms carried the inscription "Made expressly for Santa Fe Dining Car Service." These distinctive pieces made their debut on the dining car Cochiti in 1937. Used on the Super Chief and other named trains until the end of Santa Fe passenger service in 1971, original Mimbreño dinnerware can still be found today in service on BNSF Railway business cars.

Mimbreño has been dubbed "the oldest of all railroad china" as its design concept dates back nearly ten centuries. Demand for surviving original pieces has created a substantial collector's market, and led to the issuance of authorized reproductions in recent years.

Trivia

References

See also

External links

A map depicting the "Grand Canyon Route" of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway circa 1901.
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A map depicting the "Grand Canyon Route" of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway circa 1901.

May 19, 1937: Train No. 17, the Super Chief-2, in the midst of its first revenue run with new stainless steel cars. Photographed east of Trinidad, Colorado.
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May 19, 1937: Train No. 17, the Super Chief-2, in the midst of its first revenue run with new stainless steel cars. Photographed east of Trinidad, Colorado.

 

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