The Way it Was in the 1940's

[MrFSS]

I came across an old Super chief booklet in my rail stuff collection. Thought it was interesting as no dome cars are shown, so this must be from at least the 40's. It is the same type booklet Amtrak puts in the sleeper rooms about the particular train you are on and the route, etc. Thought some might like to look at how it was years ago. Note the schedule at the end of the pictures. Super Chief was twice weekly!

 

[JoanieBlon]

How funny! There were two BARBER SHOPS onboard the train! :lol: AND each of them seems to have a shower. Aside from the crew's shower, these seem to be the ONLY ones on the train. Were they for men's use only? :unsure: AND...WHY was there a SOFA in the men's restroom, but NONE in the ladies'? <_<

 

[PerRock]

the ladies room looks like it has a make-up table (whatever those things are called). My guess is that the train varries slightly and you wouldn't have 2 barber shops on one train. The drawings also have the train having two observation cars; which you normally wouldn't have on a train.

peter

 

[Guest]

Thanks Tom! We talk about trying to keep ONE Lounge on todays trains and these had THREE!! Of course in this day and age such things as computerized/on line reservations and "hotlines" would freak out the old time passenger agents who used to actually make reservations via mail or even in one to one/face-to-face meetings!

The Rail museum in Temple,Texas is mostly Santa Fe and has alot of historical literature/railroad paraphanelia and equipment etc. etc. I never got to ride the Chief or SuperChief much to my regret,interesting that they stressed speed from CHI-LAX but the time isnt that different today! :blink:

 

[MrFSS]

the ladies room looks like it has a make-up table (whatever those things are called). My guess is that the train varies slightly and you wouldn't have 2 barber shops on one train. The drawings also have the train having two observation cars; which you normally wouldn't have on a train.

peter

You're correct. The car diagrams are all that were available. Every car wasn't on every train. And, they just didn't worry about taking showers in those days as we do in this day and age.

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

Thanks for sharing this, Tom.

Domes were not invented until about 1946 and Santa Fe did not buy any until about 1950, or so I think.

Those diagrams were meant to show the various kinds of equipment on the various trains. It is not meant to be an exact consist for any one train, thus,no, no train had two rear end observations.

That thing about not running daily was, I think, because not that much equipment had been delivered yet. Streamlining was a new concept and the rairoads needed to see that it would work before ordering tons of new equipment.

Train departures were sometimes advertised as "sailings", like an oceanliner, before they became daily.

And, yes there were very very few showers until Amtrak ordered its own new equipment.

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

Adding to my post above, Tom, I suspect these might actually be very late 1930 publications. That is when streamlining and diesl power began, as a trickle.

Also, I think the Union Pacific RR also used the term "sailings" for it's City of LA, Ciy of SF etc trains prior to their becoming daily.

Also keep in mind that this was merely the original lightweight streamlind equipment, these trains got newer equipment down the road.For example in later years they did not have much of anything in the way of sections. And as I said in the post prior to this, they did get domes later.

 

[Ispolkom]

AND...WHY was there a SOFA in the men's restroom, but NONE in the ladies'? <_<

Wasn't the men's restroom where you went to smoke on a sleeper? That might explain the sofa. I pity the poor guy who got the upper bunk in the baggage compartment, though.

 

[acelafan]

I really enjoyed looking at those old advertisements. Gotta love all the cigarette stands...mmmmm...healthy!

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

AND...WHY was there a SOFA in the men's restroom, but NONE in the ladies'? <_<

Wasn't the men's restroom where you went to smoke on a sleeper? That might explain the sofa. I pity the poor guy who got the upper bunk in the baggage compartment, though.

I think the womens room had two vanities where the mens room had a sofa. I would not take it too seriously though since a major dfference between the old trains and those today was the lack of uniformity. A railroad could build anything and call it anything. For example there were some bedroom floor plans which had two chairs instead of one sofa.

Smoking used to be everywhere. There were ashtrays by our coach seats and our sleeper seat whereas today we put cups. In more recent years,perhaps smoking was confined to restrooms. Though an ex smoker myself I really do not remember.

 

[DowneasterPassenger]

About 4 hours faster than the Southwest Chief today, with a later departure from Chicago, 7:15 pm vs. 3:15 PM.