Can you identify this Santa Fe passenger train?

[jrbernier]

  These are E1 units.  The headlight is recessed into the nose.  The EA and TA engines had a similar headlight arrangement. 

  Originally, #8 & #9 were assigned to the Golden Gate trains.  #5 & #6 were assigned to the El Capitan trains.  This looks like a posed company publicity photo.  The El Capitan was initially a 5 car train, and the Golden Gate was a 6 car train.

Jim

[Shreve Rail]

I think it is so cool how you guys figured this thing out!!

That's what teamwork is all about!

I love it!

[timz]

Forgot that Otto Perry showed us the El Cap baggage car, with the crew-bunk windows that are missing in the Golden Gate pic

 http://photoswest.org/photos/00002126/00002127.jpg

[THE.RR]

wanswheel

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=177108

I'm not sure about a truck light on the fireman's side, but many locos have lights under the engineers side of the cab.  This gives him a clear view of the ties when starting in the dark or fog.  If the tie moves, you are moving.  If the tie stays put the drivers are spinning.

Phil

[lrh442]

You guys are great!  I've had this picture for 30 years, and never knew anythig about it.  As was surmised, this is a photo of a framed picture beneath glass.  The phantom building in the back is indeed the reflection of a window with curtains and mini-blinds (kudos for sleuthing that out!).  Not sure what is being referred to as the light above the front truck.  There is significant camera flash glare right beneath the cab, though.

[wanswheel]

Mystery solved, excellent. I have no idea about the light on the front truck.

http://memory.loc.gov/pnp/habshaer/ca/ca1300/ca1312/photos/012256pv.jpg

[Texas Zepher]

wanswheel

A picture of a picture through a picture window reflecting City Hall?

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=177108

Now, that is a cool picture.  Do you know if the light over the front truck is always on or is that a special parked & maintenance thing?  I've never noticed them before.

I would guess that is a US district court house in the back ground.  Looks exactly like the one in St. Louis and one other I've run across somewhere.  But that is definitely not what is in the photo, the angles and lower structure is all wrong. Trust me, I've had years of formal photo interpretation classes.

edit edit - silly me.  Tens of Santa Fe books sitting on my shelves.....  Sure enough I have the exact photo.  Page 84 of Santa Fe's Early Diesel Daze by McCall.  

This is a Santa Fe publicity shot of the train The Golden Gate taken at Fresno CA.  February 25, 1938.  Apparently right before its first revenue run.

Consist is:
Locomotive #8
Baggage Chair car #3490
Chair car #3115
Chair car #3117
Lunch-Counter-Tavern-Diner #1501
Parlor-Observation #3243


 

[wanswheel]

A picture of a picture through a picture window reflecting City Hall?

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=177108

[Texas Zepher]

tomikawaTT

It also appears that the thin cloud cover was airbrushed onto the sky - not quite obscuring a building with a pyramidal tower.

I think that is the reflection of a window with open venetian blinds (making the lines) and curtains drawn back at the center sides of the window (making the point).  Of course that would mean this photo was taken behind some sort of glass, but the position with respect to the track would indicate not.  ???  Or maybe it is an internal reflection from the developing lamp and the lines are the internal reflection of the focusing accordian.  In that case I don't know what would make the triangle shape though.  Internal lens reflections are usually hexigonish shaped.

If they were airbrushing the photo or using other dark room tricks, they most certainly would have taken care of the flash glare just under the engineer's window.

Edit edit - I see it now.  This is a photo of a photo.  All the glare and the funny triangle things are NOT in the original photo.  That explains everything.  The triangle IS a window reflecting in the picture frame glass.

[Texas Zepher]

passengerfan

The Baggage Crew Dormitory car is definitely from the El Capitan

Totally agree there.  The large baggage door being way down on one end is another characteristic.  These are the cars that later got the transition hood added for the hi-level 1955 cars.

[Deggesty]

Road Fan

It appears that the locomotives headlight is missing from its housing on the nose.  Would a railroad send a passenger train out that way?

Thanks,

Road Fan

 

I think the headlight is in there. Remeber, this is an early E, and various changes were made before the 7's, 8's and 9's, which are most familiar to us were produced.

Johnny

[passengerfan]

The Baggage Crew Dormitory car is definitely from the El Capitan they had no windows in the dormitory section. The number 8 diesel was originally assigned to the Kansas Cityan/Chicagoan before being reassigned to the Oakland -Bakersfield trains. I to believe that the train consist in the photo was put together for publicity photo op.

Al - in - Stockton

[tomikawaTT]

It also appears that the thin cloud cover was airbrushed onto the sky - not quite obscuring a building with a pyramidal tower.  Not being familiar with the cities on the route, was there a moderately tall building in LA with a steep pyramid 'steeple' visible from the tracks?

Chuck

[Road Fan]

It appears that the locomotives headlight is missing from its housing on the nose.  Would a railroad send a passenger train out that way?

Thanks,

Road Fan

 

[wjstix]

Keep in mind this appears to be a posed picture, probably set up by the ATSF's publicity department to show off their new streamlined equipment and passenger diesels. It may not actually represent any particular train.

[passengerfan]

AT&SFEL CAPITANChicago – Los Angeles(February 22, 1938)2,223 miles The Santa Fe inaugurated a pair of Coach streamlined trains on the same fast 39-3/4 hour timing as the Santa Fe’s finest the all Pullman SUPER CHIEF between Chicago and Los Angeles beginning February 22, 1938. Like the SUPER CHIEF the EL CAPITAN was an Extra Fare Extra Fast train. These two trains each consisted of five cars pulled by a single EMC 1,800 HP E1A. The five car Budd built consists had a capacity of 186 passengers initially and grew from that point with the addition of 60-seat Budd built coaches borrowed from the SCOUT pool. With two complete consists the Santa Fe was able to provide every third day departures from both Chicago and Los Angeles. In later years the EL CAPITAN would grow to become America’s most popular and finest all coach streamlined train. FIRST CONSIST 5 EMC E1A 1,800 HP Diesel Passenger Cab Unit 3480 Baggage 12 Crew Dormitory 32 Revenue seat Coach 3103 52 Revenue seat Coach 1505 14 seat Lunch Counter 24 seat Dining Car 3104 52 Revenue seat Coach 3198 50 Revenue seat Coach Observation SECOND CONSIST 6 EMC E1A 1,800 HP Diesel Passenger Cab Unit 3481 Baggage 12 Crew Dormitory 32 Revenue seat Coach 3105 52 Revenue seat Coach 1506 14 Seat Lunch Counter 24 seat Dining Car 3106 52 Revenue seat Coach 3199 50 Revenue seat Coach ObservationAT&SFSAN DIEGANLos Angeles – San Diego(March 27, 1938)128 miles The Santa Fe inaugurated the first lightweight streamlined SAN DIEGAN train on March 27, 1938 scheduled for two daily round trips between Los Angeles and San Diego. The new six car streamlined train provided revenue coach seating for 152 and revenue Parlor seating for 32. The new train was an instant success running full on both daily round trips scheduled for 2-1/2 hours in each direction with scheduled stops at Santa Ana, Oceanside, and Del Mar. Additional scheduled stops were added to the SAN DIEGAN schedules with the first timetable change. The consist was built by Budd and the power was a single EMC E1A.  SAN DIEGAN CONSIST 7A EMC E1A 1,800 HP Diesel Passenger Cab Unit 3400 Baggage 30’ Railway Post Office Car 3102 48 Revenue seat Coach 3113 52 Revenue seat Coach 3114 52 Revenue seat Coach 1500 14 seat Lunch Counter 20 seat Tavern Lounge Car 3240 32 Revenue seat Parlor Observation

The San Diegan did not have a straight baggage coach in the early years.

Al - in - Stockton

[timz]

On our screens it isn't clear whether the train is only five cars. In the original pic it's five for sure?

In 1938 Santa Fe put seven new diesel trains onto four routes: Wayner says the two El Capitan consists both started out with five cars (but the first car should have some crew-bunk windows that we don't see here); the one San Diegan was five cars, and could be this train for all I know; the two Golden Gate trains and the two Chicagoan/Kansas Cityan trains were both seven cars, says Wayner.

All were powered by E1 diesels as in the pic. It all looks new, so 1938 is the obvious guess at the date, but I doubt anyone can help you with the locale.

[passengerfan]

Appears to be one of the two El Capitan trains  of February 1938. These were the only five car streamliners launcxhed about that time. Each train was comprised as follows.

Baggage 13 Crew Dormitory 32 Seat Coach with conductors desk.

52-seat Coach

14-Seat Lunch Counter 24 Seat dining Car

52-seat Coach

50-seat Coach Observation

Al - in - Stockton

 

 

[lrh442]

Can anyone identify this pasenger train, the locale, or approximate date? (I hope I'm doing this correctly - it's the first image I've tried to include).  In case the photo is not clear, the E unit is numbered 8 and there are 5 cars.  Thanks!