Arizona Limited

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The Arizona Limited was a streamliner train operated by the Southern Pacific and Rock Island Line from 1940 until 1942 on the route from Chicago, Illinois to Los Angeles, California via Tucumcari, New Mexico and Phoenix, Arizona. Its advertisements were aimed at travelers wanting to get away from their winter weather conditions.

The Arizona Limited was a unique train in that it was assembled prior to World War II. During its first season, December 1940 – April 1941, it pulled cars such as the lightweight Pullman sleepers ("Imperial Banner", "Imperial Clipper", "Imperial Guard" and the "Imperial Throne"). These cars provided for four compartments, four double bedrooms and two drawing rooms. The Arizona Limited's consist also contained the West's first all-one-room car which had no classes, just one large seating area. The Arizona Limited also pulled the streamlined observation car, "The American Milemaster", which was had been on display at the 1939 World's Fair, and the "Muskingum River", the all stainless steel sister car to the Milemaster.

In the Arizona Limited's second season from 1941–1942, the Milemaster and the Muskingum were replaced with the two-car set comprising the observation car "California Republic" and the duplex sleeper car "Bear Flag2, which previously served on the Union Pacific's Forty-Niner.

The Arizona Limited made its final run in 1942 following US Federal Government restrictions on seasonal train operations.