Santa Fe de Luxe
Encyclopedia
The Santa Fe de Luxe was the first extra-fare named passenger train on the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
.
The de Luxe (meaning something luxurious, or elegant) was inaugurated on December 12, 1911 on a seasonal weekly schedule between Chicago, Illinois, and Los Angeles, California
. It was the first of Santa Fe's passenger trains to carry the slogan "Extra Fast - Extra Fine - Extra Fare." The train was conceived by company president Edward Payson Ripley
as the Santa Fe equivalent to the highly renowned 20th Century Limited
(New York Central) and Broadway Limited
(Pennsylvania Railroad
).
The trip between the two terminals took 63 hours, and the sixty passengers paid a surcharge of $25 each way. Passengers could only board at the terminal points, in Kansas City
, or at the Williams, Arizona
, station (where those heading to the Grand Canyon
disembarked and boarded a train of the Grand Canyon Railway
in order to reach their destination).
Upon arriving at Summit Station at the crest of Cajon Pass
in California, eastbound passengers were presented with orchid corsages (for the ladies) and engraved pigskin
wallets (for the men). On the westbound run, ladies received a bouquet of flower
s and a basket of California oranges
, while the men received the customary wallet.
With the outbreak of World War I
, the Santa Fe sought to eliminate its redundant lines. As the de Luxe was not considered essential to the war effort, it was withdrawn from service on May 1, 1917.
almost a year to design and build the 12 heavyweight all-steel
underframe cars that comprised the two identical consists of the de Luxe, one of which was as follows:
The cars were lavishly furnished, and were outfitted with "ice-activated" air conditioning (the first passenger train in the United States
to be so equipped) and electric lighting. Drawing room passengers slept in brass beds, as opposed to the usual berths.
The trains were pulled by 4-6-2
"Pacific"-type steam locomotives.
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway , often abbreviated as Santa Fe, was one of the larger railroads in the United States. The company was first chartered in February 1859...
.
The de Luxe (meaning something luxurious, or elegant) was inaugurated on December 12, 1911 on a seasonal weekly schedule between Chicago, Illinois, and Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
. It was the first of Santa Fe's passenger trains to carry the slogan "Extra Fast - Extra Fine - Extra Fare." The train was conceived by company president Edward Payson Ripley
Edward Payson Ripley
Edward Payson Ripley , sometimes referred to as Edward P. Ripley or E. P. Ripley, was the fourteenth president of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway.- Youth and education :...
as the Santa Fe equivalent to the highly renowned 20th Century Limited
20th Century Limited
The 20th Century Limited was an express passenger train operated by the New York Central Railroad from 1902 to 1967, during which time it would become known as a "National Institution" and the "Most Famous Train in the World". In the year of its last run, The New York Times said that it "...was...
(New York Central) and Broadway Limited
Broadway Limited
The Broadway Limited was the Pennsylvania Railroad's premier named passenger train, operating daily in each direction between New York City and Chicago, via North Philadelphia. It replaced its predecessors, the Pennsylvania Limited and the Pennsylvania Special...
(Pennsylvania Railroad
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
).
The trip between the two terminals took 63 hours, and the sixty passengers paid a surcharge of $25 each way. Passengers could only board at the terminal points, in Kansas City
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
, or at the Williams, Arizona
Williams, Arizona
Williams is a city in Coconino County, Arizona, United States west of Flagstaff. Its population was 2,842 at the 2000 census; according to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 3,094. It lies on the route of Historic Route 66, Interstate 40, and the Southwest Chief Amtrak...
, station (where those heading to the Grand Canyon
Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon is a steep-sided canyon carved by the Colorado River in the United States in the state of Arizona. It is largely contained within the Grand Canyon National Park, the 15th national park in the United States...
disembarked and boarded a train of the Grand Canyon Railway
Grand Canyon Railway
The Grand Canyon Railway , is a passenger railroad which operates between Williams, Arizona, and Grand Canyon National Park South Rim.-Santa Fe Ownership:...
in order to reach their destination).
Upon arriving at Summit Station at the crest of Cajon Pass
Cajon Pass
Cajon Pass is a moderate-elevation mountain pass between the San Bernardino Mountains and the San Gabriel Mountains in Southern California in the United States. It was created by the movements of the San Andreas Fault...
in California, eastbound passengers were presented with orchid corsages (for the ladies) and engraved pigskin
Leather
Leather is a durable and flexible material created via the tanning of putrescible animal rawhide and skin, primarily cattlehide. It can be produced through different manufacturing processes, ranging from cottage industry to heavy industry.-Forms:...
wallets (for the men). On the westbound run, ladies received a bouquet of flower
Flower
A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to effect reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism for the union of sperm with eggs...
s and a basket of California oranges
Orange (fruit)
An orange—specifically, the sweet orange—is the citrus Citrus × sinensis and its fruit. It is the most commonly grown tree fruit in the world....
, while the men received the customary wallet.
With the outbreak of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, the Santa Fe sought to eliminate its redundant lines. As the de Luxe was not considered essential to the war effort, it was withdrawn from service on May 1, 1917.
Equipment used
It took the Pullman CompanyPullman Company
The Pullman Palace Car Company, founded by George Pullman, manufactured railroad cars in the mid-to-late 19th century through the early decades of the 20th century, during the boom of railroads in the United States. Pullman developed the sleeping car which carried his name into the 1980s...
almost a year to design and build the 12 heavyweight all-steel
Steel
Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
underframe cars that comprised the two identical consists of the de Luxe, one of which was as follows:
- BaggageBaggage carA baggage car or luggage van is a type of railway vehicle often forming part of the composition of passenger trains and used to carry passengers' checked baggage, as well as parcels . Being typically coupled at the front of the train behind the locomotive, this type of car is sometimes described...
-Club-LoungeLounge carA lounge car is a type of passenger car on a train, where riders can purchase food and drinks. The car may feature large windows and comfortable seating to create a relaxing diversion from standard coach or dining options...
(also included a barber shop and library) #1328 San Gabriel - Fred Harvey CompanyFred Harvey CompanyThe origin of the Fred Harvey Company can be traced to the 1875 opening of two railroad eating houses located at Wallace, Kansas and Hugo, Colorado on the Kansas Pacific Railway. These cafés were opened by Fred Harvey, then a freight agent for the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad...
DinerDining carA dining car or restaurant carriage , also diner, is a railroad passenger car that serves meals in the manner of a full-service, sit-down restaurant....
#1434 - SleeperSleeping carThe sleeping car or sleeper is a railway/railroad passenger car that can accommodate all its passengers in beds of one kind or another, primarily for the purpose of making nighttime travel more restful. The first such cars saw sporadic use on American railroads in the 1830s and could be configured...
(7 drawing rooms) Walpi - Sleeper (7 drawing rooms) Pima
- Sleeper (7 compartments, 2 drawing rooms) Piute
- Sleeper (7 compartments, 2 drawing rooms) Vaca
- ObservationObservation carAn observation car/carriage/coach is a type of railroad passenger car, generally operated in a passenger train as the last carriage, with windows on the rear of the car for passengers' viewing pleasure...
-Parlor El Quivira
The cars were lavishly furnished, and were outfitted with "ice-activated" air conditioning (the first passenger train in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to be so equipped) and electric lighting. Drawing room passengers slept in brass beds, as opposed to the usual berths.
The trains were pulled by 4-6-2
4-6-2
4-6-2, in the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles , six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and two trailing wheels on one axle .These locomotives are also known as Pacifics...
"Pacific"-type steam locomotives.
See also
- Passenger train service on the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway