Southern Pacific Lines

Coast Line Division 

“The Route of the Octopus”

 
 

General Information

The Imperial History

Train 39 - 40

  1. This was the old El Paso and Northeastern train (Espee going north out of El Paso).




Imperial Train Consist

The Imperial Steam Motive Power


The Imperial Diesel Motive Power

1960

  1. Photos of the Imperial on the Rock Island in the 1960's came with an FP7.



The Imperial Passenger Car Equipment

1940’s

  1. Train 39: Consist

  2. Lounge

  3. Tucumcari-Chicago

  4. LA - El Paso

  5. Sleepers:

  6. -LA-Chicago 8 Sec, 5 BR

  7. -Phoenix-Chicago 6 Sec, 6 BR

  8. -LA-Memphis 10 Sec, 1 Dr, 2 Comp

  9. Diner:

  10. -Tucumcari-Chicago

  11. -Tucumcari-McAlister

  12. Hamburger Grill Lounge:

  13. -LA-El Paso

  14. Chair Cars:

  15. -LA-Chicago

  16. -LA-Memphis


1950’s

  1. In the 50s, when 39 & 40 were still passenger-carrying trains with chair cars, sleepers and a diner, the head-end was somewhat limited to SP and CRIP cars.


1953

  1. A pair of Daylight diners were assigned to 39-40 in 1953. The train had a single coach car at the end of a string of head end cars.


1955

  1. Photos show streamline trailer and container cars in the consist of long trains.


1956

  1. There were no food service or lounge cars between El Paso and Tucumcari in 1956 or 58. It did still have 2 or 3 sleepers, depending on when the Memphis car was dropped, in addition to coaches.

  2. Mike Tisdale


  4. The two SP cars, 2381 and 2390 had hot water boilers and Waukesha A/C and generators and, as a result, were fully self-contained.  A floor plan and good picture of train No. 40 is on page 383 in SP Passenger Cars Volume 1: Coaches and Chair Cars. 

  5. Jeff Cauthen


  1. From the Feb 1956 Guide:

  2. Train 39: Consist

  3. Lounge

  4. Chicago-Tucumcari

  5. El Paso-LA

  6. Sleepers:

  7. Chicago-LA 8 Sec, 5 BR

  8. Chicago-Phoenix 6 Sec, 6 BR

  9. Memphis-LA 10 Sec, 1 Dr, 2 Comp

  10. Diner:

  11. Chicago-Tucumcari

  12. McAlister-Tucumcari

  13. Hamburger Grill Lounge:

  14. El Paso-LA

  15. Chair Cars:

  16. Chicago-LA

  17. Memphis-LA


1958

  1. By 1958, the train had a single coach car at the end of a string of head end cars.


  3. It didn't become a head-end train until late 1958.  


  5. The Feb 1958 Guide still shows sleepers and meal service on 39-40, possibly through cars to Memphis. There was plenty of headend equipment, as well. Guides from 56 and 58, show the sleepers listed were 8-5s.


  7. There were no food service or lounge cars between El Paso and Tucumcari in 1956 or 58. It did still have 2 or 3 sleepers, depending on when the Memphis car was dropped, in addition to coaches.

  8. Mike Tisdale


1960

  1. Photos of the Imperial on the Rock Island in the 1960's with ATSF Fe-24 express box car, a Railway Express steel reefer, 4 "economy" baggage cars (one SP) and what looks like an SP GS-painted coach. The photo was taken in Topeka KS.

  2. Tim O'Connor


  4. The 39-40 headend cars varied across a number of connecting roads to the SP: T&P, MP, RI plus an occasional PRR car when the Imperial was a mail train. Wayner's Passenger Train Consists only has one listing for the Imperial out of Los Angeles on October 13, 1946 (page 38) and the only foreign car on the train is Rock Island 7007. It's listed as "baggage mail".


  6. Diners were not part of the consist between El Paso and Tucumcari since train was running late and night and in the early part of the next day. No need for them. So the eastward SP diner from LA was turned at El Paso and the westward RI diner from Chicago was turned at Tucumcari.


  8. During part of the 60s until the trains were abandoned, Nos. 39 & 40 served as an overnight freight train for TOFC and auto racks between LA and Phoenix. The freight cars were place between the locomotive and the passenger train cars (mail/express cars and a chair car). Since the freight cars used were not equipped for passenger train service (steam lines), the SP modified at least two lightweight chair cars that were used only between LA and Phoenix and other coaches were used east of Phoenix. When the SP started including freight cars into No. 39, a longer stop was made at Phoenix to allow for a departure to LA that allow better times for the TOFC service.

Paint


Reference

  1. See Beebe & Clegg, The Central Pacific & Southern Pacific Railroads, page 621. 


  3. SPH&TS Trainline Summer 2003

  4. Pat Bray did an article on the Imperial in the issue.  On page 24 it includes a list of cars assigned to the Imperial in 1956-1958.

  5. Jeff Cauthen


  7. SPH&TS SP Trainline  Summer 2013


Modeling the Imperial Passenger Car Equipment

Modeling Train 39-40 (1955)

  1. Use SP Harriman headend cars, and that occasional PRR express car. Also use Harriman 60' chair cars or Athearn 70' heavyweights. Typical train length is 5 or 6 cars pulled by a pair of  PA's and E's.


  3. Diners were not part of the consist between El Paso and Tucumcari since train was running late and at nigh. No need for them.



Specific Equipment Used on the Imperial

Sleepers

8-5 Sleepers

6-6 Sleepers

10-1 Sleepers

Modeling Sleepers


 
Southern Pacific Lines Modeling Imperial Passenger Train
General Info - The Imperial History Sunset Ltd Train Consist Steam Motive Power Diesel Motive Power Passenger Car Equipment Specific Equipment Used
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