Following World War II, transcontinental sleeping car service direct from the East Coast to the West was introduced on several routes. While the Golden State and the Los Angeles Limited were paired with Pennsy and NYC's second-tier trains, Santa Fe's Chief drew the cream of the crop: The 20th Century Limited and the Broadway Limited.

For an example of streamliner-era competition, compare the schedule of this train against that of the Golden State from the same time period, on Track 9

From the pages of the Official Guide, December 1948

Santa Fe Railway herald

The Chief

Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Ry.
November 28, 1948

Through Sleepers New York-Los Angeles
25 Connecting Train Number (New York Central) 26
6 00P Dp 0.0 New York, NY (Grand Central Sta.) (ET) C R Ar 9 30A
9 00A Ar 960.7 Chicago, IL (La Salle St. Station) (CT) C R Dp 5 00P
29 Connecting Train Number (Pennsylvania) 28
6 00P Dp 0.0 New York, NY (Penn Station) (ET) C R Ar 9 30A
R 7 21P 85.9 North Philadelphia, PA C R D 8 01A
1 52A 439.3 Pittsburgh, PA (ET) C 1 26A
9 00A Ar 907.7 Chicago, IL (Union Station) (CT) C R Dp 4 30P
Through Sleeper Washington-Los Angeles
5 Connecting Train Number (Baltimore & Ohio) 6
1 00P Dp 0.0 Jersey City Terminal, NJ (ET) C Ar 1 20P
5 30P Dp 223.6 Washington, DC C R Ar 8 55A
12 20A Dp 519.6 Pittsburgh, PA (ET) C R Ar 2 03A
8 05A Ar 991.0 Chicago, IL (Grand Central Station) (CT) C R Dp 4 30P
19 Train Number 20
Daily Miles Services Daily
1 30P Dp 0.0 Chicago, IL (Dearborn Sta.) (CST) C R Ar 11 30A
F 37.5 Joliet, IL C F
F 89.6 Streator, IL C F
F 130.1 Chillicothe, IL C F
F 177.5 Galesburg, IL C F
5 35P 232.9 Ft. Madison, IA C 6 55A
5 45P 234.6 Shopton, IA 6 50A
F 312.7 La Plata, MO C F
F 347.3 Marceline, MO C F
386.4 Carrollton, MO C F
9 50P Ar 451.1 Kansas City, MO C R Dp 2 55A
10 15P Ar 2 40A
R12 15A 563.2 Emporia, KS C
1 35A Ar 636.2 Newton, KS C Dp 11 30P
1 45A Dp Ar 11 25P
2 20A 669.1 Hutchinson, KS C 10 42P
4 15A Ar 789.3 Dodge City, KS (CST) C Dp 8 57P
3 20A Dp Dodge City, KS (MST) Ar 7 52P
6 25A Ar 991.7 La Junta, CO C Dp 4 40P
9-90 Connecting Train Number
9 00A Dp 0.0 La Junta, CO C
10 45A Ar 63.9 Pueblo, CO C R
11 59A Ar 108.4 Colorado Springs, CO C R
2 00P Ar 183.2 Denver, CO (Union Depot) (MST) C R
6 35A Dp 991.7 La Junta, CO C Ar 4 30P
8 00A 1073.5 Trinidad, CO C 2 55P
9 00A 1096.3 Raton, NM C 1 55P
11 05A Ar 1206.3 Las Vegas, NM C Dp 11 47A
11 10A Dp Ar 11 42A
12 35P 1260.8 Glorieta, NM 10 22A
1 00P 1270.5 Lamy, NM (Santa Fe via bus) C 10 00A
2 20P Ar 1338.1 Albuquerque, NM C Dp 8 50A
2 30P Dp Ar 8 40A
5 05P 1499.2 Gallup, NM C 6 02A
7 00P Ar 1627.1 Winslow, AZ C Dp 3 57A
7 10P Dp Ar 3 47A
1685.5 Flagstaff, AZ (Phoenix via bus) C F
9 15P Ar 1719.4 Williams, AZ C Dp 1 41A
14 Connecting Train Number 15
4 15A Dp 0.0 Williams, AZ C Ar 10 20P
7 00A Ar 64.3 Grand Canyon, AZ (MST) C Dp 8 00P
9 15P Dp 1719.4 Williams, AZ C Ar 1 41A
10 05P Ar 1742.4 Ash Fork, AZ C Dp 12 42A
Through Sleeper Chicago-Phoenix
47 Connecting Train Number 42
1 00A Dp 0.0 Ash Fork, AZ C Ar 11 30P
3 00A Ar 57.1 Prescott, AZ C Dp 9 40P
6 21A Ar 139.6 Wickenburg, AZ C Dp 6 30P
8 00A Ar 193.7 Phoenix, AZ C Dp 5 00P
10 20P Dp 1742.4 Ash Fork, AZ C Ar 12 27A
11 05P Ar 1769.8 Seligman, AZ (MST) C Dp 11 48P
10 10P Dp Seligman, AZ (PST) Ar 10 45P
F 1857.5 Kingman, AZ C F
1 00A Ar 1918.8 Needles, CA C Dp 7 28P
1 10A Dp Ar 7 18P
F 2 32A 1988.7 Cadiz, CA
4 15A Ar 2086.4 Barstow, CA C Dp 4 35P
4 30A Dp Ar 4 28P
6 35A 2164.2 San Bernardino, CA C R 2 18P
F 2167.8 Rialto, CA C
F 2171.7 Fontana, CA
F 2176.6 Etiwanda, CA
F 2180.6 Cucamonga, CA C
F 2183.8 Upland, CA (Ontario) C F
F 2187.7 Claremont, CA C F
F 2189.6 Pomona, CA C F
F 2190.8 La Verne, CA C
F 2193.1 San Dimas, CA C
F 2197.3 Glendora, CA C
F 2199.8 Azusa, CA C
F 2205.3 Monrovia, CA C F
F 2207.1 Arcadia, CA C
F 2208.7 Santa Anita, CA
F 2210.9 Lamanda Park, CA C
7 55A 2214.6 Pasadena, CA (Long Beach via bus) C R 1 00P
F 2216.6 South Pasadena, CA C
F 2218.8 Highland Park, CA
8 30A Ar 2223.7 Los Angeles, CA (PST) C R Dp 12 30P
Through Sleeper Chicago-San Diego
74 Connecting Train Number 71
11 45A Dp 0.0 Los Angeles, CA (PST) C R Ar 10 45A
12 32P 36.1 Santa Ana, CA C 9 45A
1 28P 86.6 Oceanside, CA C 8 50A
2 30P Ar 127.9 San Diego, CA (PST) C R Dp 8 00A

Train 19: 24 stops, 45:00, 49.7 MPHTrain 20: 22 stops, 45:00, 49.7 MPH



Note: All times in this time table are Standard Time. It appears from other information (specifically, the Southern Pacific timetables) that California observed Daylight Savings Time during this period. Expect local time in California to be one hour later than times shown here.

COAST-TO-COAST SLEEPING CAR SERVICE
New York, Washington, Chicago, Kansas City
and California, via the Santa Fe Chief


Through Sleepers between New York and Los Angeles, via New York Central 20th Century Limited and Pennsylvania Railroad Broadway Limited East of Chicago—thence, via the Santa Fe Chief...Through Sleeper between Washington and Los Angeles, via Baltimore & Ohio Capitol Limited to Chicago, thence the Santa Fe Chief.

EQUIPMENT—Lightweight Streamlined Standard Sleeping Cars only.

No. 19—Daily (The Chief). Completely Air-Conditioned.
Valet, Maid-Barber Service, Men's and Women's Shower Bath and Radio, Maid-Manicure Service. Extra Fare from Chicago and Kansas City $10.00. (Federal Tax not included.)

Baggage Lounge Car...Chicago to Los Angeles.

Sleeping Cars...Chicago to Los Angeles—17 Roomettes.

New York to Los Angeles—2 Drawing-rooms, 4 Compartments, 4 Double Bedrooms and 10 Roomettes, 5 Double Bedrooms. (Via N. Y. C. Train 25 to Chicago.)

New York to Los Angeles—2 Drawing-rooms, 4 Compartments, 4 Double Bedrooms. (Via P. R.R. Train 29 to Chicago.)

Washington to Los Angeles—6-Sections, 6 Roomettes, 4 Double Bedrooms. (Via B. & O. Train 5 to Chicago.)

Chicago to Phoenix—8-Sections, 2 Compartments, 2 Double Bedrooms (on No. 47 from Ash Fork).

Club Lounge Car...Chicago to Los Angeles.

Dining Car...Chicago to Los Angeles. (Cafe-Lounge Car Ash Fork to Phoenix.) (Fred Harvey Service.)

Sleeping Car...Chicago to San Diego—8-Sections, 2 Compartments, 2 Double Bedrooms (on No. 74 from Los Angeles).

Observation Car...Chicago to Los Angeles—4 Drawing-rooms, 1 Double Bedroom.

Santa Fe Parlor-Lounge Car...Los Angeles to San Diego (on connecting train).


No. 20—Daily (The Chief). Completely Air-Conditioned.
Valet, Maid-Barber Service, Men's and Women's Shower Bath and Radio, Maid-Manicure Service. Extra Fare to Kansas City and Chicago $10.00. (Federal Tax not included.)

Baggage Lounge Car...Los Angeles to Chicago.

Sleeping Cars...Los Angeles to Chicago—17 Roomettes.

Los Angeles to New York—2 Drawing-rooms, 4 Compartments, 4 Double Bedrooms and 10 Roomettes, 5 Double Bedrooms. (Via N. Y. C. Train 26 from Chicago.)

Los Angeles to New York—2 Drawing-rooms, 4 Compartments, 4 Double Bedrooms. (Via Pennsylvania R.R. Train 28 from Chicago.)

Los Angeles to Washington—6-Sections, 6 Roomettes, 4 Double Bedrooms. (Via B. & O. Train 6 from Chicago.)

Phoenix to Chicago—8-Sections, 2 Compartments, 2 Double Bedrooms (on No. 42 to Ash Fork).

Club Lounge Car...Los Angeles to Chicago.

Dining Car...Los Angeles to Chicago. (Cafe-Lounge Car Phoenix to Ash Fork.) (Fred Harvey Service.)

Sleeping Car...San Diego to Chicago—8-Sections, 2 Compartments, 2 Double Bedrooms (on No. 71 to Los Angeles).

Observation Car...Los Angeles to Chicago—4 Drawing-rooms, 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 Train 19, THE CHIEF, westbound, advance reservations may be made from scheduled and conditional stops Hutchinson and east thereof to Lamy, Albuquerque, Williams, Ash Fork, Barstow and beyond, also from Lamy, Albuquerque and Williams to Barstow and scheduled stops beyond.

On Train 20, THE CHIEF, eastbound, advance reservations may be made from Monrovia, Pomona, Claremont and Upland to Albuquerque, Lamy and Hutchinson and from Albuquerque and Lamy to schedule stops Hutchinson and east.

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.