"The Most Beautiful Train in the World"

[Virginian]

That was all the title given for a show on the local PBS station last night.  I figured it was probably about some European train, but I remembered in time to break into the football game and check right at the beginning.  The complete title was in fact, "The Daylight; The Most Beautiful Train in the World", taken straight from SP's advertising.  And all I can say is that it was GREAT.  Just wish there had been a little less talking over the sounds of the runbys of GS-2s, 3s, and lots of GS-4s.  Gave excellent history and personal recollections.  And one of the guys had a beautiful model of a GS-4 sitting in front of him.  I plan to keep an eye out for it in the future and make a DVD for a bit less than the $35 they had them available for, and wanted to give all the Daylight lovers a heads up, too.

[ndbprr]

You probably didn't miss much with the runby sound.  Most of it is dubbed in and could have been from any engine they had a recording of.  Nearly all footage is the result of us ameteurs and RR publicity departments.  Unless Hollywood was involved sound was an extremely rare and costly addition.  I would be highly skeptical that they actually had movies with sound with the exception of video shot of the GS-4 in recent years using camcorders or the equivalent.

[Dave Vollmer]

The Daylight might be the "most beautiful train in the world" if it were being towed by a 5-stripe PRR GG1!

[jeffrey-wimberly]

The SP daylight of the old passenger train days was a very beautiful train, but the most beautiful train I've ridden would have to be 'The Orient Express' from Paris to Istanbul. Oh, what better way to spend 7 days than on a train. I'd like to do it again but the $5,000 price tag is out of my reach.

[Virginian]

I am pretty sure most of the actual train film was from SP's archives.  A lot of 3/4 from the front, scenic wide angle shots, all very professional looking, and you could tell the sound went with the video because the chuffs were dead on at slow speed.  I could recognize "Miss Mellie's" voice clearly when they showed Olivia DeHavilland christening the new 1937 lightweight version of the Daylight in LA.

I am not an SP guy, N&W; my favorite passenger loco is the N&W J, but I also love the Daylight GSs, the UP's 800s, the SantaFe's 2900s, the Milwaukee's F-7s, the Alton's red Pacifics, the Southern's PS-4s, C&O's Greenbriers, GN's Ss, and NP's Northerns.  I even like NYC's Niagaras and some of Pennsy's stuff.  I saw 4449 in 'Freedom Train' garb and almost threw up.  Why anyone felt the need to change the Daylight scheme for that to celebrate America's birthday is beyond me.  And I felt the same about the Reading engine, even if it is only a dolled up 2-8-0 (TIC).

I am just a North American steam lover.

[tomikawaTT]

The Daylight might be the "most beautiful train in the world" if it were being towed by a 5-stripe PRR GG1!

True - as long as the N&W Powhatan Arrow wasn't standing on the next track!  (Anyone who thinks that the garish, angular GS-4 looks better than the smooth elegance of a J needs to check with an optometrist.)

Of course, that covers the most beautiful trains in the United States.  The world is a big place, and my vote goes to the Japan National Railways 151-class EMU sets (the original Kodama, and other limited express schedules.)

Just my .  Feel free to disagree.

Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - but not the 151-class)

[RR Redneck]

Us out west have all the gems in railroading. The only thing eastern railroads have over us is the J class.

[Piedsou]

As they say, 'Beauty is in the eye of the beholder", and in my case it wouldn't be a SP "Daylight".  I know this may sound sacrilegious to many, but I have never liked the Daylights.

The fact that it is an oil burner is one major factor.  Steam was made to run on wood or coal.  I also have never been fond of all-weather cabs on a steam locomotive.  The twin headlights look stupid to me.  The tender is just a box on wheels, set off only by color. The J's tender is much more stylized, giving the impression of speed and power. 

I'll certainly take a GG-1, an N&W J or a Southern Ps-4 over a Daylight any day.  For a streamlined 4-8-4, give me an N&W J and for an unstreamlined 4-8-4, I'll take an RF&P Governor or General.  You know they were special engines to be done both unpainted and painted in HO brass. This for a railroad that was only 100 miles long and that operated in just one state and D.C.

 Dale Latham

[Anonymous]

Let's not forget the image of a Great Northern S-2 class 4-8-4 muscling the Empire Builder between Breckenridge and Havre. As a little girl, I made the trip between Portland and Chicago many times, and it has certainly left a lasting impression on me. Also rode the Shasta Daylight several times, but it never impressed me quite as much.

[CAZEPHYR]

The Daylight might be the "most beautiful train in the world" if it were being towed by a 5-stripe PRR GG1!

 

The GG1's were also in a class all their own, much like the Daylight.  I got to see the 4835 leaving Washington DC in 1980.  That is the one that was repainted into the orginal B Green with the stripes and it was a classic.   A Tunscan red GG1 with the Stainless steel cars on the Congressional train was great looking also.  

The problem with calling any train the most beautiful in the world is we all see beauty in a different light, or we would all want to be married to the same woman.  The nice things about trains is we can more than one for our favorite.

I believe the first Daylights were way ahead of their time in 1937 when the orange and Red colors representing the sunrise and sunsets came along with the black trimming the roof.   Most trains in those days were dark green or black and a few had green jacketing on the boilers, but the actual colorful diesel streamliners were yet to come.       

  Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.  

[CP5415]

Now, if you were going by todays trains, The Canadian wins hands down.

 Nothing but stainless steel, except the locomotives, running from Ontario to British Columbia.

A lot nicer looking than Amtrak, but that's my opinion.

Gordon

[TwinZephyr]

The 1875 Baldwin 8-26 C 78 certainly deserves consideration.

[AntonioFP45]

Now, if you were going by todays trains, The Canadian wins hands down.

 Nothing but stainless steel, except the locomotives, running from Ontario to British Columbia.

A lot nicer looking than Amtrak, but that's my opinion.

Gordon

For modern trains, I have to agree with you.  VIA's stainless steel fleet is (or soon to be "was") gorgeous.  Don't forget though that VIA spent millions of dollars rebuilding their Budd cars some years back instead of purchasing new cars (Amtrak did the same thing back in the 1980-83 period with their Budds as well) . Inspite of VIA's critics, imho, it was well worth it.  I have downloaded a number of web photos of VIA trains and they're all beautiful.  Two of the VIA interior shots that I have put Amtrak's Superliner interiors to shame.

A Canadian gentleman at my club explained to me that inspite of bueracratic red tape and politics, VIA receives better funding and support than Amtrak ever will. 

Though not very likely to will come true, one of my dreams is to ride a VIA "Budd" consist before they all completely dissappear.

[Harley-Davidson]

I believe that the original Orient Express and the Rehingold (Europe) were, among few others, the most beautifuls.

[tmcc man]

The Daylight might be the "most beautiful train in the world" if it were being towed by a 5-stripe PRR GG1!

Couldn't agree with you more, Dave.

[msowsun]

Here is a nice shot of the CPR "Canadain" form "Old Time Trains".

http://www.trainweb.org/oldtimetrains/CPR/travel/obsvparkcar.jpg

[MidlandPacific]

I'll put in a good word for pre-Grouping British steam: the color schemes they had were really something - the Caledonian painted some of its passenger engines blue, and one of the southern lines - the South Eastern & Chatham or the London, Brighton & South Coast, I can't remember which - painted locomotives ochre (a sort of deep yellow) - which must have taken some serious daily cleaning.

[Virginian]

I think that because of my engineering background that I cannot truly look at anything (other than women) without considering the mechanical workings.  And maybe I get 'impressed' confiused with thinking something is beautiful, too.

Nah..... a Y6b is beautiful.

[Harley-Davidson]

Dale, me too never liked the Daylights, seems a circus train (sorry).

[twhite]

As a native Californian, I'll throw in my 2-cents worth.  The Daylights--at least the most famous of them--tend to be a strictly "California" thing, and growing up with them, I was always impressed with a color scheme that, though it may seem gaudy to others, pretty much expressed California AT THE TIME.  Oranges and red sunsets. 

As to "The Most Beautiful Train in the World" moniker--though I think the Daylights are spectacular (and I'll certainly argue the merits of the locomotives, if nothing else), but "Most Beautiful?"  That's in the eye of the beholder.  I've got quite a few trains that I'd consider "Most Beautiful", and they include the "Powhattan Arrow", the "Empire Builder" and "North Coast Limited."  Heck, I even get all warm and fuzzy when I see color photos of the Rio Grande "Royal Gorge" when they got the ex-Chessie cars and decked them out in Rio Grande Gold and silver, and were still being pulled by an 1800 class Northern. 

So, we're ALL right.

Tom

[AntonioFP45]

The Daylights were absolutely gorgeous trains.  Everyone has his/her tastes in color but as a tech that deals with automotive/industrial paint products, imho, Southern Pacific picked a real winner for a paint scheme.

As a kit I always looked forward to seeing on TV the opening them to "The Adventures of Superman" (color version) and seeing those beautiful Daylight E7s zipping by with an SP streamliner.  

Guys, the marketing strategy, concepts, and the name  Daylight  cued one's imagination into what colors SP would obviously use. 

[Kurn]

   The B&O Cincinnatian,with the streamlined P-7d,must have been a sight to behold.My favorite.