By the mid-1920s railroads in North America were moving into what we can safely consider the modern era. The steam locomotive was nearing its pinnacle of development with the success of Lima's "Super Power" A-1 Berkshire of 1925, which was quickly copied by the other two major locomotive builders Baldwin and Alco. All-steel passenger cars with "Vapor system" steam heat and electric lighting were now the norm, wood was on its way out, and air conditioning was just around the corner. Automatic block signals were becoming the standard for main line trackage and passengers were beginning to clamor for speed, speed, speed.

As of this writing I haven't been able to determine with certainty who first threw down the gauntlet. But there clearly was one thrown; make no mistake of that. The fall of 1926 would see no less than four new extra-fare trains introduced between Chicago and California: The San Francisco Overland Limited between Chicago and San Francisco and the Los Angeles Limited, the Golden State Limited, and the Santa Fe Chief between Chicago and Los Angeles. The first three were established trains reinvigorated with new equipment and a tight (by the standards of the day) 63 hour schedule, while the Chief represented an all-new entry. All four trains boasted that they saved patrons an extra business day of travel, and all four were introduced on the same day—November 14, 1926.

See advertisements for the new 1926 California trains from Chicago & North Western and Southern Pacific.


From the pages of the Official Guide, January 1927

Chicago & North Western Line heraldUnion Pacific System heraldSouthern Pacific Lines herald

The San Francisco Overland Limited

Chicago & North Western
Union Pacific System
Southern Pacific Lines
November 14, 1926

1 Train Number 2
Daily Miles (Chicago & North Western) Services Daily
8 10P Dp 0.0 Chicago, IL (North Western Station) (CT) T C Ar 11 00A
F 8.6 Oak Park, IL T C
F 97.9 Dixon, IL T C F
11 25P 138.1 Clinton, IA T C 7 40A
1 15A 219.4 Cedar Rapids, IA T C 5 55A
F 289.1 Marshalltown, IA T C F
50 Connecting Train Number 53
2 50A Dp 0.0 Des Moines, IA T C Ar 7 30A
3 50A Ar 34.5 Ames, IA T C Dp 6 35A
F 326.7 Ames, IA T C F
4 32A 340.2 Boone, IA T C 2 40A
5 50A 392.7 Carroll, IA T C F
8 00A 485.1 Council Bluffs, IA T C 11 10P
8 25A Ar 487.9 Omaha, NE T C Dp 10 45P
(Union Pacific)
8 40A Dp 488 Omaha, NE T C Ar 10 30P
9 35A 525 Fremont, NE T C 9 30P
10 35A 570 Columbus, NE T C 8 35P
12 01P Ar 632 Grand Island, NE T C Dp 7 25P
12 05P Dp Ar 7 20P
1 05P 674 Kearney, NE T C 6 22P
3 15P Ar 769 North Platte, NE (CT) T C Dp 4 25P
2 20P Dp North Platte, NE (MT) Ar 3 20P
5 20P 893 Sidney, NE T C 12 40P
7 50P Ar 995 Cheyenne, WY T C Dp 10 10A
107 Connecting Train Number 126
3 50P Dp 0 Denver, CO (MT) T C Ar 4 45P
5 07P Dp 47 La Salle, CO T C Ar 3 05P
5 27P Dp 52 Greeley, CO T C Ar 2 47P
7 20P Ar 106 Cheyenne, WY (MT) T C Dp 1 15P
8 00P Dp 995 Cheyenne, WY T C Ar 10 00A
9 50P Ar 1051 Laramie, WY T C 8 10A
9 55P Dp
1 10A 1168 Rawlins, WY T C 5 00A
4 09A 1287 Rock Springs, WY T C 2 00A
4 40A Ar 1302 Green River, WY T C Dp 1 30A
4 50A Dp Ar 1 20A
7 30A 1402 Evanston, WY T C 10 40P
10 30A Ar 1478 Ogden, UT (MT) T C Dp 7 55P
(Southern Pacific)
9 50A Dp 1478 Ogden, UT (PT) T Ar 6 35P
F 1502 Promontory Point, UT T F
F 1525 Lakeside, UT T F
F 1581 Lucin, UT T F
F 1592 Tecoma, NV T F
1 10P 1598 Montello, NV T 2 55P
F 1615 Cobre, NV T F
F 1652 Wells, NV T F
F 1656 Alazon, NV F
F 1670 Deeth, NV T F
F 1683 Halleck, NV T F
F 1704 Elko, NV T F
4 25P 1725 Carlin, NV T 11 29A
F 1734 Palisade, NV T F
F 1738 Gerald, NV
F 1751 Beowawe, NV T F
F 1784 Battle Mountain, NV T F
F 1826 Golconda, NV T F
F 1839 Weso, NV F
F 1842 Winnemucca, NV T C F
F 1861 Mill City, NV T F
7 48P 1875 Imlay, NV T 7 41A
F 1882 Humboldt, NV T F
F 1901 Oreana, NV T F
F 1915 Lovelock, NV T C F
F 1948 Parran, NV T F
F 1971 Hazen, NV T F
F 1983 Fernley, NV T F
F 1990 Derby, NV F
F 2013 Sparks, NV 4 15A
F 2016 Reno, NV T C 3 50A
F 2027 Verdi, NV T F
F 2037 Floriston, CA T F
F 2043 Boca, CA T F
F 2051 Truckee, CA T F
F 2066 Summit, CA T
F 2080 Cisco, CA T F
F 2087 Emigrant Gap, CA T F
F 2093 Blue Canon, CA T F
F 2102 Towle, CA T F
F 2104 Dutch Flat, CA F
F 2106 Gold Run, CA T F
F 2113 Cape Horn, CA F
F 2117 Colfax, CA T C F
F 2122 New England Mills, CA F
F 2125 W. Applegate-E. Applegate, CA F
F 2128 Clipper Gap, CA T F
F 2131 Bowman, CA F
F 2134 Auburn, CA T F
F 2139 Newcastle, CA T F
F 2142 Penryn, CA T F
F 2145 Loomis, CA T F
F 2148 Rocklin, CA F
F 2152 Roseville, CA T F
5 40A Ar 2170 Sacramento, CA T C Dp 9 25P
5 50A Dp Ar 9 15P
7 30A 2227 Port Costa, CA T 7 10P
8 16A Ar 2249 Berkeley, CA (University Ave.) Dp 6 38P
8 28A Ar 2253 Oakland, CA (16th St.) T Dp 6 31P
8 38A Ar 2255 Oakland Pier, CA T Dp 6 25P
9 10A Ar 2258 San Francisco, CA (Market St.) (via ferry) T C Dp 6 00P

Train 1 (Chicago-San Francisco): 27 stops, 63:00, 35.8 MPHTrain 2 (San Francisco-Chicago): 28 stops, 63:00, 35.8 MPH

(Chicago & North Western Notes)


CHICAGO & NORTH WESTERN RY.

SLEEPING, PARLOR, DINING AND CHAIR CAR SERVICE.
West and Northbound.

No. 1—DAILY.
San Francisco Overland Limited. (The Overland Route.)
(For Standard Sleeping Car passengers only. Extra fare.)

Chicago to San Francisco

Club Buffet Car. Valet and maid service, barber and bath. Telephone at Terminal.

Observation Sleeping Car (3-Compartment 2 Drawing-room).

6-Compartment 3 Drawing-room Sleeping Car.

12-Section Drawing-room Sleeping Cars.

Dining Car.


SLEEPING, PARLOR, DINING AND CHAIR CAR SERVICE.
East and Southbound.

No. 2—DAILY.
San Francisco Overland Limited. (The Overland Route.)
(For Standard Sleeping Car passengers only. Extra fare.)

San Francisco to Chicago.

Club Buffet Car. Valet and maid service, barber and bath. Telephone at Terminal.

Observation Sleeping Car (3-Compartment 2-Drawing-room).

6-Compartment 3-Drawing-room Sleeping Car.

12-Section Drawing-room Sleeping Cars.

Dining Car.


All first-class, one-way or round-trip tickets, including clergy, unless endorsed to the contrary, will be honored on San Francisco Overland Limited trains Nos. 1 and 2 (extra fare trains), and also on Gold Coast Limited trains Nos. 27 and 28 (no extra fare). Reduced fare tickets issued account charity, employes [sic], D. V. S., or drovers, caretakers, homeseekers or second-class tickets, and live stock contracts, will not be honored on Trains 1, 2, 27 or 28, except that tickets of those classes, reading from Chicago to points beyond Ames, Ia., will be honored on Gold Coast Limited train No. 27 when passengers occupy space in Hawarden sleeper. Passengers will not be carried locally on C. & N. W. Ry. on Trains 1 or 2, except between Chicago and Council Bluffs or Omaha.

(Union Pacific Notes)

UNION PACIFIC SYSTEM—The Overland Route
UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD COMPANY
OREGON SHORT LINE RAILROAD COMPANY
OREGON-WASHINGTON RAILROAD & NAVIGATION COMPANY
LOS ANGELES & SALT LAKE RAILROAD COMPANY


EQUIPMENT

TRAINS NOT SHOWN CARRY NO SLEEPING CARS.

Westbound

No. 1—San Francisco Overland Limited. Daily.
Extra Fare All-Pullman Train. Consult Agent.

Club Car...Chicago to San Francisco (barber, valet and bath).

Observation Sleeping Car...Chicago to San Francisco—Drawing-rooms, Compartments (maid service, hairdresser).

Standard Sleeping Cars...Chicago to San Francisco—6 Compartments, 3 Drawing-rooms.

Chicago to San Francisco—12-Sections, Drawing-room.

Dining Car...Serving all meals, Chicago to San Francisco.


Eastbound.

No. 2—San Francisco Overland Limited. Daily.
Extra Fare All-Pullman Train. Consult Agent.

Club Car...San Francisco to Chicago (barber, valet and bath).

Observation Sleeping Car...San Francisco to Chicago—Drawing-rooms, Compartments (maid service, hairdresser).

Standard Sleeping Cars...San Francisco to Chicago—6 Compartments, 3 Drawing-rooms.

San Francisco to Chicago—12-Sections, Drawing-room.

Dining Car...Serving all meals, San Francisco to Chicago.


(Southern Pacific Notes)

SOUTHERN PACIFIC LINES
OVERLAND ROUTE, VIA OGDEN.


EQUIPMENT.

WESTBOUND.
No. 1—San Francisco Overland Limited. Daily.
Extra Fare Train.

(Barber, valet, shower baths, ladies' lounge, maid.)

Club Car...Chicago to San Francisco.

Standard Sleeping Car...Chicago to San Francisco—12-Sections, 1 Drawing-room.

Chicago to San Francisco—6 Compartments, 3 Drawing-rooms.

Observation Sleeping Car...Chicago to San Francisco—3 Compartments, 2 Drawing-rooms.

Dining Car.


EASTBOUND.
No. 2—San Francisco Overland Limited. Daily. Extra Fare Train.
(Barber, valet, shower baths, ladies' lounge, maid.)

Club Car...San Francisco to Chicago.

Standard Sleeping Cars...San Francisco to Chicago—12-Sections, 1 Drawing-room.

San Francisco to Chicago—6 Compartments, 3 Drawing-rooms.

Observation Sleeping Car...San Francisco to Chicago—3 Compartments, 2 Drawing-rooms.

Dining Car.