In the spring of 1948, Santa Fe extended its Chief franchise southward into the Lone Star State. The new Texas Chief would take over the spot on the timecard and the train number previously held by the "Fast Fifteen", a service operated by Santa Fe's Texas affiliate G. C. & S. F. between Oklahoma and Galveston. The train's speedy new schedule cut nearly a full half-day from the fastest Galveston-Chicago time Santa Fe had offered previously. The train's consist would be a mixture of equipment from three different builders: Budd, ACF, and Pullman-Standard, with some of the cars being hand-me-downs from earlier Chiefs. The dining cars are worthy of mention; they featured hammered copper murals with bluebonnets and a "Lone Star" motif which stretched the full length of the dining area and at least some of them continued in service with Amtrak years after the Texas Chief was no more than a fond memory.


From the pages of the Official Guide, December 1948

Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Ry. herald

The Texas Chief

Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe
November 28, 1948

15 Train Number 16
Daily Miles Services Daily
6 00P Dp 0.0 Chicago, IL (Dearborn Sta.) (CT) C R Ar 9 00A
6 48P 37.5 Joliet, IL C 8 00A
7 33P 89.6 Streator, IL C 7 05A
8 10P 130.1 Chillicothe, IL C 6 25A
8 55P 177.5 Galesburg, IL C 5 40A
9 50P 232.9 Ft. Madison, IA C 4 50A
10 00P 234.6 Shopton, IA 4 45A
F 312.7 La Plata, MO C F
F 347.3 Marceline, MO C F
1 30A Ar 451.1 Kansas City, MO C R Dp 1 10A
Through Sleeper Chicago-Tulsa
47 Connecting Train Number
2 00A Dp 0.0 Kansas City, MO
8 40A Ar 256.1 Tulsa, OK (CT)
1 50A Dp 451.1 Kansas City, MO C R Ar 12 50A
3 45A 563.2 Emporia, KS C 11 00P
4 50A Ar 636.2 Newton, KS C Dp 9 55P
5 00A Dp Ar 9 50P
5 35A 663.4 Wichita, KS C 9 15P
6 20A 701.9 Winfield, KS C 8 30P
6 40A 714.5 Arkansas City, KS C 8 15P
7 10A 740.0 Ponca City, OK C 7 40P
F 7 40A 772.7 Perry, OK C F 7 07P
8 10A 803.7 Guthrie, OK C 6 35P
9 00A 835.1 Oklahoma City, OK C R 6 00P
9 20A 852.9 Norman, OK C 5 35P
9 40A Ar 868.4 Purcell, OK C Dp 5 18P
9 45A Dp Ar 5 15P
F10 10A 890.4 Pauls Valley, OK C F 4 47P
11 05A 935.3 Ardmore, OK C 3 52P
11 24A 952.8 Marietta, OK C 3 30P
11 50A 975.2 Gainesville, TX C 3 06P
12 55P Ar 1039.7 Fort Worth, TX (Dallas via bus) C R Dp 2 00P
1 05P Dp Ar 1 50P
1 45P 1068.4 Cleburne, TX C 1 16P
3 00P 1142.6 McGregor, TX C 11 59A
3 27P Ar 1167.9 Temple, TX C Dp 11 32A
3 29P Dp Ar 11 30A
5 23P 1279.5 Bellville Yard, TX 9 38A
7 00P Ar 1359.3 Houston, TX (Union Station) C Dp 8 00A
7 10P Dp Ar 7 50A
8 15P Ar 1412.3 Galveston, TX (CT) C Dp 6 45A

Train 15 (Chicago-Galveston): 30 stops, 26:15, 53.8 MPHTrain 16 (Galveston-Chicago): 30 stops, 26:15, 53.8 MPH


EQUIPMENT

No. 15—Chicago to Galveston—Daily (Texas Chief).
Non Extra Fare Streamliner Service, Pullman and Chair Cars.
Courier-Nurse Service.


Lounge Car...Chicago to Galveston.

Sleeping Car...Chicago to Galveston—24 Duplex Roomettes.

Chicago to Galveston—6 Roomettes, 6-Section, 4 Double Bedrooms or 6 Double Bedrooms, 2 Drawing-room, 2 Compartments.

Chicago to Wichita—6 Roomettes, 6-Section, 4 Double Bedrooms.

Chicago to Oklahoma City—6-Section, 6 Roomettes, 4 Double Bedrooms.

Chicago to Tulsa—8-Section, 2 Compartments, 2 Double Bedrooms (on No. 47 from Kansas City).

Dining Car...Chicago to Galveston. (Fred Harvey service.) Breakfast 95c. and up; Luncheon a la carte; Dinner $1.50 and up; also a la carte service.

Chair Cars...Chicago to Galveston. (Ladies' Lounge and Men's Dressing-room.)


No. 16—Galveston to Chicago—Daily (Texas Chief).
Non Extra Fare Streamliner Service, Pullman and Chair Cars.
Courier-Nurse Service.

Lounge Car...Galveston to Chicago.

Sleeping Car...Galveston to Chicago—6 Roomettes, 6-Section, 4 Double Bedrooms or 6 Double Bedrooms, 2 Drawing-room, 2 Compartments.

Galveston to Chicago—24 Duplex Roomettes.

Oklahoma City to Chicago—6-Section, 6 Roomettes, 4 Double Bedrooms.

Wichita to Chicago—6 Roomettes, 6-Section, 4 Double Bedrooms.

Dining Car...Galveston to Chicago. (Fred Harvey Service.) Breakfast 95c. and up; Luncheon a la carte; Dinner $1.50 and up; also a la carte service.

Chair Cars...Galveston to Chicago. (Ladies' Lounge and Men's Dressing-room.)