The California Special

William Barstow Strong, president of the Atchison from 1881 to 1889, assembled the nucleus of the Santa Fe system: The trunk lines from Chicago and Kansas City to Los Angeles and the Gulf of Mexico. It remained for his successor twice removed, the redoubtable Edward Payson Ripley, to flesh out the system. Ripley presided over the extension of the Atchison to San Francisco through the San Joaquin Valley and the building of the Belen Cutoff, today's "Transcon", which gave the Santa Fe an all-weather low-grade freight route through New Mexico. Once those pieces of the puzzle were in place Ripley turned his attention to Texas, where the Southern Pacific and to a lesser extent the Texas & Pacific had a stranglehold on traffic to the West Coast. At the time planning began for the Coleman Cutoff the major source of freight from Texas was still cattle, cotton and agricultural products. But by the time it was completed in March of 1914 the Texas oil boom was well under way and the state was quickly developing into a refining and manufacturing center. The line from Temple to Clovis slashed nearly 500 miles off a trip from Houston to California over Santa Fe rails and immediately turned the Atchison into a serious competitor for the Southern Pacific and its Sunset Route.

For more detail about the continuing service from Clovis to San Francisco, visit the San Francisco Chief page.

Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Ry.
June 6, 1954

Through Sleeper New Orleans-San Francisco

Connecting Train Number (Missouri Pacific Lines)

8 35A

New Orleans, LA (CT)

C R

7 15P

10 45A

Baton Rouge, LA

C R

5 10P

6 10P

367.4

Houston, TX (Union Sta.) (CT)

9 05A

Train Number

Daily

▼

Miles

(Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe)

Services

▲

Daily

6 45P

0.0

Houston, TX (Union Sta.) (CT)

8 15A

F 7 37P

39.4

Rosenberg, TX

7 15A

55.8

Wallis, TX

68.1

Sealy, TX

8 27P

79.8

Bellville Yard, TX

6 27A

81.2

Bellville, TX

8 50P

99.6

Brenham, TX

5 49A

114.9

Somerville, TX

9 29P

131.2

Caldwell, TX

5 10A

9 49P

147.7

Milano, TX

161.3

Cameron, TX

178.0

Rogers, TX

10 40P

191.4

Temple, TX

4 00A

Continuing Train Number (Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe)

10 50P

191.4

Temple, TX

3 45A

F11 02P

199.6

Belton, TX

F 3 28A

11 23P

216.7

Killeen, TX

F 3 09A

247.9

Lampasas, TX (Radio Junction)

F12 21A

266.9

Lometa, TX

F 2 12A

F12 46A

288.6

Goldthwaite, TX

F 1 47A

1 35A

323.6

Brownwood, TX

12 45A

Through Cars from Dallas/Fort Worth

112

Train Number (Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe)

111

8 15P

0.0

Dallas, TX

C R

7 45A

9 00P

31.0

Fort Worth, TX

C R

7 00A

Trains 111/112 continue to/from Oklahoma City and Chicago

10 20P

31.0

Fort Worth, TX

C R

6 30A

4 30A

235.6

Oklahoma City, OK

C R

1 15A

Connecting Train Number (Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe)

5 00A

235.6

Oklahoma City, OK

C R

1 00A

12 15P

634.6

Kansas City, MO

C R

5 45P

8 00P

1085.7

Chicago, IL

C R

10 00A

Continuing Train Number (Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe)

9 20P

31.0

Fort Worth, TX

C R

5 45A

F 9 42P

43.1

Primrose, TX

F 5 18A

F10 04P

56.2

Cresson, TX

5 01A

10 28P

70.9

Granbury, TX

4 28A

F10 43P

80.8

Tolar, TX

4 07A

F10 55P

89.5

Bluffdale, TX

3 52A

11 19P

106.7

Stephenville, TX

3 20A

11 48P

120.5

Dublin, TX

2 48A

12 25A

142.6

Comanche, TX

2 03A

F12 55A

156.1

Blanket, TX

F 1 36A

1 25A

173.2

Brownwood, TX

1 00A

Trains 77/78 continue to/from San Angelo

2 30A

173.2

Brownwood, TX

12 05A

6 10A

270.3

San Angelo, TX (CT)

8 50P

Continuing Train Number (Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe)

2 00A

323.6

Brownwood, TX

12 25A

345.0

Santa Anna, TX

2 41A

353.5

Coleman, TX

11 35P

3 21A

384.7

Lawn, TX

10 55P

3 29A

390.6

Tuscola, TX

10 46P

F 3 35A

395.6

Buffalo Gap, TX

F10 39P

3 45A

401.8

View, TX

10 32P

4 25A

438.0

Sweetwater, TX

9 50P

(Panhandle & Santa Fe)

4 45A

438.0

Sweetwater, TX

9 40P

465.3

Hermleigh, TX

F 9 10P

5 32A

477.0

Snyder, TX

8 55P

487.1

Dermott, TX

F 8 41P

504.9

Justiceburg, TX

F 8 23P

6 18A

520.1

Post, TX

8 07P

536.6

Southland, TX

F 7 50P

6 50A

544.0

Slaton, TX

7 40P

6 55A

7 35P

7 15A

559.3

Lubbock, TX

C R

7 15P

7 30A

7 00P

7 55A

570.9

Shallowater, TX

6 33P

8 14A

583.4

Anton, TX

6 14P

8 39A

596.0

Littlefield, TX

6 00P

8 53A

603.5

Amherst, TX

5 42P

9 07A

610.9

Sudan, TX

5 32P

9 32A

626.8

Muleshoe, TX

5 11P

10 10A

648.8

Farwell, TX—Texico, NM

4 40P

10 30A

658.1

Clovis, NM (CT)

4 25P

Through Cars exchanged at Clovis with the Grand Canyon and San Francisco Chief

Connecting Train Number (Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe)

10 50A

10 25A

658.1

Clovis, NM (MT)

2 20P

2 45P

2 50P

3 05P

897.9

Belen, NM

10 15A

11 00A

8 50P

10 30P

1262.9

Williams, AZ

3 28A

Connecting Train Number (Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe)

4 15A

1262.9

Williams, AZ

10 20P

7 00A

1327.2

Grand Canyon, AZ (MT)

8 00P

Connecting Train Number (Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe)

8 50P

10 30P

1262.9

Williams, AZ

3 20A

9 45P

11 20P

1285.9

Ash Fork, AZ

2 15A

Connecting Train Number (Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe)

12 15A

0.0

Ash Fork, AZ

11 30P

6 15A

103.7

Phoenix, AZ (MT)

5 30P

Connecting Train Number (Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe)

9 45P

11 20P

1285.9

Ash Fork, AZ (MT)

2 15A

2 45A

5 35A

1629.9

Barstow, CA (PT)

6 15P

9 25P

5 50A

6 05P

8 00A

1710.0

San Bernardino, CA

C R

3 48P

10 00A

1782.2

Los Angeles, CA (Union Psgr. Tml.) (PT)

C R

1 40P

Connecting Train Number (Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe)

0.0

Los Angeles, CA (Connects at Fullerton)

C R

12 30P

127.9

San Diego, CA (PT)

11 45A

Connecting Train Number (Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe)

3 00A

6 30A

1629.9

Barstow, CA

6 00P

9 10P

6 40A

10 30A

1770.9

Bakersfield, CA

C R

2 15P

5 30P

Connecting Train Number (Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe)

6 45A

11 00A

1770.9

Bakersfield, CA

C R

2 05P

5 25P

1 05P

4 50P

2083.7

Oakland, CA (40th & San Pablo Ave.)

C R

8 10A

11 25A

1 30P

5 15P

2090.7

San Francisco, CA (Via Bus) (PT)

C R

7 45A

11 00A

NOTE: Train No.2 does not stop at Ash Fork or Williams, hence no connection is shown from Phoenix or the Grand Canyon.

Santa Fe

NEW ORLEANS, TEXAS AND CALIFORNIA VIA HOUSTON, TEMPLE AND CLOVIS.

Mo. Pac. No. 3—New Orleans to Houston.
No. 66—Houston to Temple. No. 75—Temple to Clovis.
No. 23—Clovis to California.
Daily. (California Special.)

Dining Car...New Orleans to Houston (on connecting train).

Lounge Car...Houston to Clovis. Clovis to Los Angeles.

Sleeping Car...Dallas to Los Angeles—6-Section, 6-Roomettes, 4-Double Bedroom. (On No. 112-77 to Brownwood).

New Orleans to Oakland—8-Section, 2-Compartments, 2-Double Bedroom. (On No. 1 Clovis to Oakland.)

Houston to Clovis—6-Section, 6-Roomettes, 4-Double Bedrooms.

Brownwood (from Dallas) to San Angelo—8-Section, Drawing-room, 2-Compartments. (On No. 77 Brownwood to San Angelo.)

Dining Car...Houston to Clovis.

Clovis to Los Angeles (Fred Harvey Service.)

Clovis to Oakland (On No. 1.)

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

Chair Car...Houston to Oakland. (No. 1 Clovis to Oakland.)

Dallas to Los Angeles.

New Orleans to Houston (on connecting train).

Fullerton to San Diego.

Barstow to Oakland (with change at Bakersfield).

No. 24—Los Angeles to Clovis.
No. 76—Clovis to Temple. No. 65—Temple to Houston.
Mo. Pac. No. 4—Houston to New Orleans.
(California Special.) Daily.

Lounge Car...Los Angeles to Clovis. Clovis to Houston.

Dining Car...Houston to New Orleans (on connecting train).

Sleeping Car...Los Angeles to Dallas—6-Section, 6-Roomettes, 4-Double Bedroom. (On No. 78-111 from Brownwood).

San Angelo to Brownwood (to Dallas)—8-Section, Drawing-room, 2-Compartments. (On No. 78 San Angelo to Brownwood.)

Clovis to Houston—6-Section, 6-Roomettes, 4-Double Bedrooms.

Oakland to New Orleans—8-Section, 2-Compartments, 2-Double Bedroom. (On No. 2 Oakland to Clovis.)

Dining Car...Los Angeles to Clovis.

Oakland to Clovis. (on No. 2.)

Clovis to Houston. (Fred Harvey service.)

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

Chair Car...San Diego to Fullerton.

Oakland to Houston. (No. 2 Oakland to Clovis.)

Los Angeles to Dallas.

Houston to New Orleans (on connecting train).

Oakland to Barstow (with change at Bakersfield).

LEGEND

Time:

A - A.M.

D - Train stops only to discharge passengers

F - Conditional (Flag) stop

I - Customs/Immigration inspection stop

M - Meal stop

N - Not a passenger stop

P - P.M.

R - Train stops only to receive passengers

Services:

A - Auto loading/unloading facilities (as freight)

B - Checked baggage is handled

C - Coupon station (Ticket office)

I - International border inspection station

M - Food service available

P - Telephone station

R - Rental cars available

T - Telegraph station

X - Checked baggage NOT handled

From the pages of the Official Guide, July 1954

Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Ry. June 6, 1954

Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Ry.
June 6, 1954