Santa Fe’s heavyweight California Limited, c1928-1938

 

Fred Klein, 2013

The California Limited was Santa Fe’s primary workshorse train on the Chicago to Los Angeles California run. It was inaugurated in 1892 soon after the line between those major cities was completed, and ran in some form until 1954 when other trains equipped with lightweight cars took over the business. After 1926-28, the train had a second tier status behind the Chief, introduced in 1926. In 1928 the California Limited was still an all-sleeper Pullman train. Refurbishment with steel heavyweight cars and Pullmans was completed in the mid-1920s. The train was similar to the one pictured here until 1938 when the Chief and Super Chief absorbed much of the deluxe sleeper service with new lightweight streamliners, and California Limited service was temporarily suspended. In the 1930s era when auto and plane travel were minor and almost everybody traveled by train, there was need for several different trains with different levels of Pullman sleeper service. Santa Fe’s heavyweight de Luxe and later the streamlined Super Chief were its leading trains, but there was an important place for mid-service trains like the California Limited.

 

The consist does not list any coaches in either the first or second sections, and other trains like the Scout and Grand Canyon handled coach traffic. After the war, the California Limited did include a coach section. As an upper-level train, the Limited does not have tourist sleepers either. Food service was by Fred Harvey. More information can be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Limited

 

The California Limited at Barstow, California c.1926. Postcard photo from Wikipedia.

 

Seven sections of Santa Fe’s California Limited awaiting departure from Los Angeles in the 1920s or 30s. E.L. DeGolyer photo collection from Worley’s Iron horses of the Santa Fe Trail page 290.

 

Seven sections of Santa Fe’s California Limited awaiting departure from Los Angeles in the 1920s or 30s. I wonder if these are the same trains seen from both ends. In any case there are a lot of happy fresh passengers that will look a little more exhausted after 2 ½ days of train travel. These trains could hold about 1250 passengers, that would require three 747-400 jumbo jets today. Santa Fe photo from Dubin’s Some Classic Trains page 238.

 

prototype car	proto#	maker	model car	model#	proto?
FIRST SECTION
4-8-2 steam locomotive	ATSF 3715	Bach-decal	4-8-2 steam locomotive	ATSF 3745	yes
Baggage-buffet-club	SF 1334 San Anselmo	Concor	Baggage-buffet-club	ATSF 1326	Yes, of 1937 version
10 sect-2 draw	Green Peak	Micro-decal	10 sect-1 draw-2 comp	Pull Antler Peak	yes
6 comp-3 draw	Glen Tarsan	Micro-decal	10 sect-1 draw-2 comp	Pull Gull Lake	substitut
12 sect-1 draw	Ondawa	Micro-decal	12 sect-1 draw	Pull McKeagues	yes
Diner	ATSF 1466	Con cor	Diner	ATSF 1464	yes
Dormitory-buffet-lounge	SF 1368 San Bartolo	Micro-decal	parlor  tourist car as dorm	Pullman 4010	substitut
		Micro-decal	28-1 Parlor as lounge	Pullman Bluebell	substitut
8 sect-1 draw-2 comp	Centash	Rivarossi	12 sect-1 draw	Pull Centacre	substitut
10 sect-1 draw-2 comp	Lake Nicaragua	Micro-decal	10 sect-1 draw-2 comp	Pull Moose Lake	yes
10 sect-1 draw-2 comp	Swan Lake	Micro-decal	10 sect-1 draw-2 comp	Pull Rice Lake	yes
10 sect-1 draw-2 comp	Sublette	Micro-decal	10 sect-1 draw-2 comp	P White Bear Lake	yes
Observation-3 comp-2 d	Central Mountains	Micro-decal	Observation-3 comp-2 d	Pull Crystal Bluff	yes
SECOND SECTION
4-8-2 steam locomotive	ATSF 3710	Bach-decal	4-8-2 steam locomotive	ATSF 3723	yes
		Fine N scale	50’ express wood refr	4022	yes
		Athern	50’ express wood refr	4018	similar
Baggage-buffet-club	SF 1330 Chief Santana	Rivarossi	Baggage-buffet-library	SF1348 San Vicente	yes
10 sect-1 draw-2 comp	Lake Winder	Micro-decal	10 sect-1 draw-2 comp	Pull Lake Kerr	yes
10 sect-1 draw-2 comp	Lake Kegonsa	Micro-decal	10 sect-1 draw-2 comp	Pull Lake Calliou	yes
10 sect-2 draw	Point Edward	Micro-decal	10 sect-1 draw-2 comp	Pull Storm Peak	yes
12 sect-1 draw	Islesboro	Micro-decal	12 sect-1 draw	Pullman Breton	yes
Diner	ATSF 1410	Rivarossi	Diner	ATSF 1418	yes
Dormitory-buffet-lounge	SF 1365 San Felipe	Micro-decal	tourist car as dorm	Pullman 4111	substitut
		Microtrains	28-1 Parlor as lounge	Pullman Natalie	substitut
12 sect-1 draw	McRaney	Micro-decal	12 sect-1 draw	Pull McCumber	yes
10 sect-1 draw-2 comp	Ochelata	Micro-decal	10 sect-1 draw-2 comp	Pull Lake Clark	yes
12 sect-1 draw	McCloskey	Micro-decal	12 sect-1 draw	Pull McCaleb	yes
Observation-3 comp-2 d	Central Provinces	Micro-decal	Observation-3 comp-2 d	Pull Crystal Bay	yes

 

 

The prototype consist of the California Limited in the table departing Winslow Arizona westbound on October 30, 1932 is from Wayner’s Passenger Train Consists 1923-1973. In this heavyweight steam era, trains were limited to 12-14 cars or so and multiple sections were the rule. This depression-era train has 2 sections, but 7-section trains were common later in the 30s. Helper engines were not required in this high desert district but they were used on Raton and Cajon passes.

 

The California Limited is a good train to model in N scale because most of the cars have prototypical N scale models available. The new micro-trains Pullman cars fill most of this train. Most of the California Limited sleepers were 12-section-1-drawing room or 10-section-1-drawing room-2-compartment Pullman cars, and these are presently (2012) the only plastic heavyweight sleepers available in N scale. The 6-3, 8-1-2, 10-2 and dormitory cars in the California Limited require substitutions. The railroad makes substitutions and modelers can too. Pullman owned and staffed the cars, but typically certain sets of cars were assigned to the Santa Fe. I used Pullman car names true to the type of car when possible if decals are available. Many names may have been used elsewhere on the Santa Fe or other railroads around the country. I did not kitbash or re-arrange windows as some hobbyists do. It is a personal choice, but I find window and car-name differences in heavyweight and dark Pullman-green cars less noticeable in N scale. There is a lot of detailing one can do to trains like this including trucks, weathering, window shades, etc., but the train is a good starting point for a basic modeler.

 

FIRST SECTION, Power and head end

 

The train was pulled by a 4-8-2 mountain steam locomotive. Santa Fe owned 25 mountains built by Baldwin from 1918 to 1921 to USRA design. The model prototype is a USRA1919 Baldwin heavy mountain made by Bachmann. This 2007 model is highly detailed, runs smoothly and is a good puller. The locomotives used in Arizona may have been oil burners, rather than coal burning Bachmann model. Santa Fe did have access to coal fields in New Mexico, but only oil was used in California. Other differences between the Santa Fe prototype (before changes made in the late 30s) and model are small to my eye: for instance Santa Fe mounted the bell on top behind the stack and the model has it on the front. I added decals to an undecorated Bachmann model.

 

The prototype train starts with the baggage-buffet car #1334 San Anselmo. The model is a factory decorated Concor car. The model is of the 1937 rebuilding (in which some windows were blocked) of this type of baggage-buffet car (see my prototype page http://www.trainweb.org/fredatsf/protopass1.htm). In this 1932 train, the prototype cars were named in the San series and not just numbered. Thus the model lettering (including yellow instead of gold) would be appropriate for a later car.

 

The first sleeper is a 10-section-1-drawing room-2-compartment Pullman modeled by a correct micro-trains 10-1-2 car, lettered with microscale decals. The next car in the prototype consist is a 6-compartment-3-drawing room car, but I use a micro-trains 10-1-2 because that is what is available. You see opposite sides of this car in the picture above. The closely-paired windows are sections (upper and lower berth enclosed with curtains) and you see 5 of them opposite each other on each side. The 4 small windows together are the hallway side of the car where the drawing room and compartments are located.

 

Sleepers and a diner

 

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The next sleeper is a 12-section-1-drawing room Pullman. It is a decaled micro-trains model. The diner was built by Pullman for the Santa Fe in 1930. The Rivarossi-Con cor model is prototypical for the Santa Fe (see http://www.trainweb.org/fredatsf/protopass1.htm) and is of the type used on the California Limited. The next prototype car should be a dormitory-buffet-lounge owned by the Santa Fe. This car is not available in N scale and I substitute a 14-section tourist sleeper for the crew and a 28-seat parlor car for a generous buffet-lounge. The car I use as a dormintory car is a micro-trains parlor car decaled as a tourist sleeper. Note that the 7 paired-windows of the parlor car are similar to those on a 14-section sleeper. The parlor car would have had a small beverage area for the (Pullman) attendant or bar tender.

 

More Pullmans and observation

 

The next group of sleepers includes a 12-1 Pullman substituting for an 8-1-2 in the prototype train. This is a decaled and weathered Rivarossi model and is not the best replacement for a first class car. Next are three 10-1-2 Pullmans, all are decaled micro-trains cars. The last car is a 3-compartment-2-drawing room-observation car with a 3-2-obs micro-trains model. Santa Fe used different but similar models of 3-2-obs cars including plan 3950D (Silver series, 1924); plan 3959 (Central series, 1926, in the prototype consist) and plan 3959B (Crystal series, 1929, the micro-trains model).

 

SECOND SECTION, Power and head end

 

The second section of the California Limited was also pulled by a 4-8-2 mountain steam locomotive. The model prototype is a USRA Baldwin light mountain made by Bachmann. This model is highly detailed, runs smoothly and is a good puller. I added decals to an undecorated Bachmann model.

 

I added two wood, express refrigerator cars that were not in the published consist. Santa Fe carried a limited number of express cars in its longer passenger trains. If the express cars were few, were empty or were switched out for re-icing when the locomotive was exchanged at a station stop, an express car or two would not slow the train down. The first car is a custom painted Fine-N-scale model, and the second is a factory decorated, factory weathered Athern model.

 

The prototype train starts with the baggage-buffet car #1330 Chief Santana. The model is a decaled Rivarossi car “San Vicente”. The model is of the 1937 rebuilding (in which some windows were blocked) of this type of Santa Fe baggage-buffet car.

 

Four sleepers

 

Four Pullman sleepers preceded the diner. As in the prototype train, three 10-1-2’s were followed by a common 12-1.  All cars are from Micro-trains and have been re-decaled.

 

A diner and more sleepers

 

The diner was built by Pullman for the Santa Fe in 1930. The Rivarossi-Con cor model is prototypical for the Santa Fe (see http://www.trainweb.org/fredatsf/protopass1.htm) and is of the type used on the California Limited. The next prototype car is a dormitory-buffet-lounge owned by the Santa Fe. This car is not available in N scale and I substitute a 14-section tourist sleeper for the crew and a 28-seat parlor car for a generous lounge. The car I use as a crew dormitory is a Micro-trains 12-1 Pullman car decaled as a tourist sleeper. The micro-trains parlor car is Pullman plan 3416 and I’m not sure if this type of car was ever used on the Santa Fe. Next is 12-1 Pullman like in the prototype train.

 

More Pullmans and an observation

 

The train ends with 10-1-2 and 12-1 Pullman sleepers, and a Pullman 3-2 observation. All of these are prototypical to the Santa Fe and are micro-trains models.

 

 

 

References

Dubin, Arthur, Some Classic Trains, Kalmbach, 1964.

Kratville, William, Steam Steel & Limiteds, Kratville publications, 1967.

Wayner, Robert. Passenger train consists 1923-1973, Wayner Publications.

Worley, E.D., Iron horses of the Santa Fe Trail, Southwest railroad historical society, 1965.

 

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