Passenger trains from Dallas to L.A. in 1932

[MargaretT]

Hi there,

For a book I am working on about my father, I am trying to find out what passenger trains might have been operating between Dallas and L.A. in the early 30s. Does anyone know?

Thanks so much for any help anybody out there might be able to offer.

Best,

Margaret Talbot

[timz]

There never was a"train" from Dallas to LA-- i,e, a train that ran the whole way without being broken into pieces that were attached to other trains from other eastern points. Santa Fe trains ran Dallas to Clovis, where cars would be coupled into a train from Chicago, and no doubt T&P ran a train to El Paso that carried cars that would be carried to LA in a train from New Orleans. Do you want details about those?

[MargaretT]

Thank you. That's very helpful.  Yes, details about those would be great. 

[Deggesty]

I just looked in the January, 1930, issue of the Guide, and it shows a through St. Louis-Los Angeles sleeper and a through Memphis-Los Angeles sleeper via MP/T&P/SP that passed through Dallas. They left Dallas at 12:30 p.m. on the Sunshine Special, arrived in El Paso the next morning at 7:45, left at 9:40, on the Argonaut, and arrived in Los Angeles at 9:15 the next morning. Eastbound, the cars left Los Angeles at 6:15 p.m. on the Argonaut, arrived in El Paso at 8:oo the next evening, left El Paso at  8:15 p. m., on the Texan, and arrived in Dallas the next afternoon at 2:25. I do not know how long this through service lasted in the Thirties; at least one car may have survived through the Depression.

The AT&SFe showed no through service.

[Deggesty]

The St. Louis-L. A. car was a 10 section, 2 compartment, drawing room car; the Memphis L. A. car was a 12 section, drawing room car.

[timz]

Yeah, I was wrong about the SFe having a car from Dallas to LA-- Houston yes, Dallas no.

In late 1932 the schedule was about the same as given above (leave Dallas 1220 on the Sunshine Special) but the Argonaut didn't exist any more; the thru sleeper went west from El Paso on the Sunset Ltd, which still arrived LA on the second following morning.

(I was surprised to see the Sunset Ltd didn't run thru Phoenix in 1932.)

Do you want to know about 1933-34-35?

[Anonymous]

I lived in Dallas for many years.  A friend who grew up there recalled traveling to California as a young boy on the train in the 1950s.  He remembered that the train went from Dallas to Cleburne, Brownwood, New Mexico, and Los Angeles.  He believed it was on the Santa Fe. 

The Santa Fe operated The Angelo from Dallas to San Angelo (Nos. 77 and 78).  It began operations in 1931 and continued until 1965.  The train left Dallas at approximately 9:30 p.m. and arrived in Brownwood at 8:30 a.m.  There some cars from The Angelo were apparently switched to the California Special for the trip to Clovis and on to California.  

My friend remembered making the trip several times with his mother.  He does not remember whether he had to change trains in Brownwood or Clovis.  He and his mother rode coach.  Doing so did not turn him into a rail fan.  He remembers the trip as being long and tedious. 

[MargaretT]

This is very helpful. My father was an actor working in Dallas theater in 1932, who was discovered and brought out to Hollywood in February. I know he took the train, and I was trying to figure out which train he was likely to have gotten. Thanks everyone.

[wanswheel]

Los Angeles Union Station didn't exist yet.  Here are pictures of the Southern Pacific station

http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/assetserver/controller/item/examiner-m3332/EXM-P-S-LOS-ANG-CIT-BUI-265?v=hr

http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/assetserver/controller/item/chs-m1522/CHS-9055?v=hr

http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/assetserver/controller/item/chs-m20626/CHS-31242?v=hr

http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/assetserver/controller/item/examiner-m3336/EXM-P-S-LOS-ANG-CIT-BUI-696?v=hr

and the Santa Fe station.

http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/assetserver/controller/item/chs-m15332/CHS-2136?v=hr

http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/assetserver/controller/item/chs-m30108/CHS-37082?v=hr

Mike

[timz]

Sure enough, SFe did have a thru coach and sleeper from Dallas to LA in the 1950s. Not in the 1930s, tho. If you wanted to take SFe anyway, the Nov 1931 timetable shows leave Dallas at 2105, change trains at Brownwood next morning, get to Clovis that evening, arrive LA at 0730-- i.e. a day later than if you took T&P-SP via El Paso.

[richh]

Great pictures of SP & SF stations.   Do you know where they were located in LA?

[wanswheel]

Southern Pacific was on Central Ave at 5th St.   Santa Fe was on Santa Fe Ave. at 2nd St.

[schlimm]

Great old map!!  Thanks for these postings.