Coast Daylight (SP train)

Southern Pacific Coast Daylight route
Legend
 Distance Station
0 San Francisco
30 mi (48 km) Palo Alto
47 mi (76 km) San Jose
114 mi (183 km) Salinas)
San Luis Obispo Tunnel
248 mi (399 km) San Luis Obispo
367 mi (591 km) Santa Barbara
404 mi (650 km) Oxnard
Santa Susana Pass
464 mi (747 km) Glendale
San Joaquin Daylight
470 mi (760 km) Los Angeles

Coast Daylight was a passenger train originally run by the Southern Pacific Railroad (SP) between the cities of Los Angeles and San Francisco, California, via SP's Coast Line. In the eyes of many the "most beautiful passenger train in the world," it featured a stunning red, orange, and black color scheme.

Contents

Background

The streamlined Daylight began running in March, 1937, hauled by GS-2 steam locomotives. It was the first of the Daylight series that also included the San Joaquin Daylight, Shasta Daylight, Sacramento Daylight, and Sunbeam. The Coast Daylight continued to run behind steam until January 7, 1955, long after most streamliners had been powered by diesel. On May 1, 1971 Amtrak took over and rerouted their Coast Daylight to Oakland so it could continue north to Portland.

A second train known as the Noon Daylight ran on the same route between 1940 and 1949, with a suspension during World War II. The original Coast Daylight was informally known as the Morning Daylight during this time.

In 1949, the Noon Daylight was replaced by an overnight train known as the Starlight using the same equipment. In 1956, coaches from the Starlight were added to the all-Pullman Lark and the Starlight was discontinued in 1957. Amtrak later revived the train name for its Los Angeles to Seattle service known as the Coast Starlight.

On August 26, 1999: The United States Postal Service issued 33-cent All Aboard! 20th Century American Trains commemorative stamps featuring five celebrated American passenger trains from the 1930s and 1940s. One of the five stamps featured an image of a GS-4 steam locomotive pulling the red-and-orange train along the California Pacific Coast.

The train is also the subject of the railroad documentary, "Daylight: The Most Beautiful Train in the World." hosted by Michael Gross. The documentary features early color images and color films from within the train and as it travels along its route. Passengers fondly reminisce about their travels aboard the train, about the striking coastal scenery, and about the fine amenities available at the height of rail passenger era. The narrative is accompanied by large collection of contemporaneous photographs and films, including personal black-and-white films showing life aboard the train.

The documentary covers the time period from 1937 to 1971. This is the time period when the route and equipment were owned and operated as a business venture of the Southern Pacific Railroad. It begins with the train being ordered in 1935 in spite of the ongoing depression, entering service in 1937, operating through World War II, replacing steam locomotives with diesel power in the 1950s, and finally the demise of the train due to the declining rail passenger traffic. After World War II, declining revenues forced SP to cut costs through a series of austerity measures.

One significant change was that the train's layout was reconfigured to eliminate the dining cars. These were replaced in favor of Automat cars. The Automat cars offered prepared food from vending machines instead of fresh, made-to-order meals in the dining cars. These cars saved money by eliminating all of the train's culinary personnel. This was a utilitarian configuration which allowed for seating, for baggage, and for the Automat car. This configuration was used until the train was discontinued.

In 1971, Amtrak took over operation of the route along the Pacific coast, expanding the route northward to Portland and Seattle.

In 2008 it was announced that the "Coast Daylight" will resume service, allowing a flexible passenger itinerary, in 2011.

Equipment used

Passenger cars

A typical 1946 passenger car consist:

*Note: 20 cars was the maximum consist, if demand was there.

A typical 1970 passenger car consist:

Locomotives

There are only two surviving locomotives that were used on the Coast Daylight. They are Southern Pacific 4449, a GS-4 steam locomotive which also served as the Bicentennial American Freedom Train engine from 1975 to 1976, and Southern Pacific 6051, an EMD E9 diesel locomotive.

Steam Locomotives
Class Wheel arrangement
(Whyte notation)		 Locomotive Numbers Years of Daylight Service Retired Current Disposition
GS-2 4-8-4 4410–4415 1937–1941 1956 No survivors
GS-3 4-8-4 4416–4429 1938–1942 1957 No survivors
GS-4 4-8-4 4430–4457 1941–1955 1958 One survives; 4449
GS-5 4-8-4 4458 & 4459 1942–1955 1958 No survivors
Diesel Locomotives
Builder Model Locomotive Numbers Years of Daylight Service Retired Current Disposition
ALCO PA 6005–6016, 6019–6045, 6055–6068 (A units);

5910–5915, 5918–5924 (B units)

 1953–1968 1968 No survivors
EMD E7 6000–6004, 6017 (A units);

5900–5909, 5916 & 5917 (B units)

 1953–1968 1968 No survivors
EMD E8 6018 1954–1968 1968 No survivors
EMD E9 6046–6054 1954–1971 1971 One survives; 6051
EMD FP7 6446–6462 1953–1971; All but 6462 sold to Amtrak in 1971. Early 1980s (with Amtrak) No survivors
EMD SDP45 3200–3209 1967–1971; leased by Amtrak until 1976. Early 1990s No survivors

See also

References

External links