This is the definitive postwar edition of the Super Chief. It featured the first dome cars to enter service between Chicago and Los Angeles, the famous "Pleasure Dome" cars with the "Turquoise Room" dining area which could be reserved for private dinner parties. 

Read two feature articles on the 1951 Super Chief from Railway Age

Pleasure Dome car diagram and photos

Sleeping Car diagram and photos

Observation-Lounge car diagram and photos.

Streamliner Memories has excellent information on the Pleasure Domes and Turquoise Room, as well as period advertisements.

Santa Fe printed and distributed this "Along Your Way" brochure as a route guide covering essentially all of its named passenger train routes. [NOTE: 48 page PDF file, 76 megabytes!]

From the pages of the Official Guide, March 1951

Santa Fe Railway herald

The Super Chief

Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway
February, 1951

17 Train Number 18
Daily Miles Services Daily
7 00P Dp 0.0 Chicago, IL (Dearborn Station) (CT) C R Ar 1 45P
RF 177.5 Galesburg, IL C DF
11 05P 234.6 Shopton, IA Dp 9 35A
2 35A Ar 451.1 Kansas City, MO C R Dp 5 50A
2 45A Dp Ar 5 35A
5 45A Ar 636.2 Newton, KS C Dp 2 35A
5 50A Dp Ar 2 30A
N 8 03A Ar 789.3 Dodge City, KS (CT) C Dp N12 18A
N 7 06A Dp Dodge City, KS (MT) Ar N11 15P
9 52A Ar 991.7 La Junta, CO C Dp 8 30P
9 57A Dp Ar 8 25P
N12 12P 1096.3 Raton, NM C N 6 02P
N 2 00P Ar 1206.3 Las Vegas, NM C Dp N 4 18P
N 2 03P Dp Ar N 4 15P
3 47P 1270.5 Lamy, NM (Santa Fe via bus) C 2 38P
5 05P Ar 1338.1 Albuquerque, NM C Dp 1 35P
5 15P Dp Ar 1 25P
N 7 42P 1499.2 Gallup, NM C N10 52A
N 9 27P Ar 1627.1 Winslow, AZ C Dp N 9 05A
N 9 32P Dp Ar N 9 00A
N12 41A Ar 1769.8 Seligman, AZ (MT) C Dp N 6 09A
N12 43A Dp Ar N 6 07A
N 2 01A Ar 1918.8 Needles, CA (PT) C Dp N 2 15A
N 2 11A Dp Ar N 2 05A
4 55A Ar 2086.4 Barstow, CA C Dp 11 35P
5 05A Dp Ar 11 30P
7 03A 2164.2 San Bernardino, CA C R 9 40P
8 12A 2214.6 Pasadena, CA (Long Beach via bus) C R 8 30P
8 45A Ar 2223.7 Los Angeles, CA (PT) C R Dp 8 00P
74 Connecting Train Number 77
11 30A Dp 0.0 Los Angeles, CA (PT) C R Ar 6 00P
2 15P Ar 127.9 San Diego, CA (PT) C R Dp 3 15P

Train 17 (Chicago-Los Angeles): 16 stops; 39:45; 55.9 MPHTrain 18 (Los Angeles-Chicago): 16 stops; 39:45; 55.9 MPH


Santa Fe

Super CHIEF Only 39¾ HOURS
Between CHICAGO, KANSAS CITY and CALIFORNIA

EQUIPMENT—Completely Air-Conditioned
Lightweight Streamlined Extra Fare Train. Sleeping Car Passengers Only.


No. 17—Daily—The Super Chief.
Valet, Barber Service and Shower Bath. Radio and recorded musical programs. Extra Fare from Chicago and Kansas City, $15.00. (Federal Tax not included.)

Dormitory Lounge Car...Chicago to Los Angeles.
Sleeping Car...Chicago to Los Angeles—2 Drawing-room, 4 Compartments, 4 Double Bedrooms. (3 Cars.)
Chicago to Los Angeles—10 Roomettes, 6 Double Bedrooms. (2 Cars.)
Turquoise Room-Pleasure Dome Lounge Car...Chicago to Los Angeles.
Dining Car...Chicago to Los Angeles. Serves all meals. (Fred Harvey service.)
Sleeping Car...Kansas City to Los Angeles—10 Roomettes, 6 Double Bedrooms. (Ready to occupy 9:30 p.m.)
Observation Car...Chicago to Los Angeles—4 Drawing-room, 1 Double Bedroom.
Santa Fe Parlor-Lounge Car...Los Angeles to San Diego (on connecting train).

No. 18—Daily—The Super Chief.
Valet, Barber Service and Shower Bath. Radio and recorded musical programs. Extra Fare to Kansas City and Chicago, $15.00. (Federal Tax not included.)

Dormitory Lounge Car...Los Angeles to Chicago.
Sleeping Car...Los Angeles to Chicago—2 Drawing-room, 4 Compartments, 4 Double Bedrooms. (3 Cars.)
Los Angeles to Chicago—10 Roomettes, 6 Double Bedrooms. (2 Cars.)
Turquoise Room-Pleasure Dome Lounge Car...Los Angeles to Chicago.
Dining Car...Los Angeles to Chicago. Serves all meals. (Fred Harvey service.)
Sleeping Car...Los Angeles to Kansas City—10 Roomettes, 6 Double Bedrooms. (May be occupied at Kansas City until 8:00 a.m.)
Observation Car...Los Angeles to Chicago—4 Drawing-room, 1 Double Bedroom.
Santa Fe Parlor-Lounge Car...San Diego to Los Angeles(on connecting train).

RULES FOR THE SUPER CHIEF, TRAINS 17 AND 18, AND FOR THE CHIEF, TRAINS 19 AND 20. Extra fare of $15.00 on The Super Chief and $10.00 on The Chief will be charged between Chicago or Kansas City and California points. Only first-class tickets will be honored. Proportionate extra fares will apply between other points at which these stop to take on or discharge passengers.

On Trains 17 and 18, THE SUPER CHIEF, no tickets will be honored except between Chicago and Kansas City, Newton, La Junta, Lamy, Albuquerque, Barstow, San Bernardino, Pasadena and Los Angeles; Kansas City and La Junta, Lamy, Albuquerque, Los Angeles, Pasadena, San Bernardino or Barstow; between Newton or La Junta and Lamy, Albuquerque, Barstow, San Bernardino, Pasadena and Los Angeles; and between Lamy or Albuquerque and Barstow, San Bernardino, Pasadena, and Los Angeles:—Exception—when Pullman conductor, or agent at terminal has unsold space at train time passengers will be accommodated to or from La Junta. Train 17 and 18 will also stop at Galesburg to receive or discharge passengers for or from Barstow, San Bernardino, Pasadena or Los Angeles. Time shown at other intermediate stations is for information only.

Other travel may be carried only between intermediate points which are regular stops for these trains as indicated herein, provided Pullman conductor or agent at terminal has unsold Pullman space at train time which can be assigned to passenger through to destination.





The train as shown here would only operate unchanged for less than three years. In early 1954 the barber shop and shower bath service would be discontinued and the extra fare reduced to $7.50. By 1956 the classic round-end observation cars would be rebuilt with square ends for mid-train use. And in 1958, the Super Chief would be operationally combined with the all-coach El Capitan...although the two halves of the train would continue to be marketed separately for as long as they continued under Santa Fe ownership.