The San Diegan was one of the named passenger trains of the Santa Fe and a "workhorse" of the railroad. Its route ran from Los Angeles, CA to San Diego.

The Los Angeles-San Diego corridor (known as the "Surf Line") was to the Santa Fe as the New York-Philadelphia corridor was to the Pennsylvania Railroad. Daily traffic could reach a density of ten trains (each way) during the summer months. The first San Diegan ran on March 27, 1938, as one set of equipment making two round trips each way. A second trainset delivered in 1941 made possible four streamlined trains each way. In addition, a third set of heavyweight equipment made a fifth trip in each direction. During and after the Second World War, furlough business from San Diego's military bases necessitated extra (albeit heavyweight) sections of San Diegans, and racetrack specials to Del Mar added to passenger train miles.

Today the route of the San Diegan (the second busiest rail line in the United States) is served by Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner.

Equipment Used

Motive power consisted of a single 1,800 h.p. EMD E1 locomotive sporting the familiar "warbonnet" paint scheme. These units would, in time, be replaced by Alco PA and PB units and (towards the end of the Santa Fe passenger era) EMD F7 locomotives. Santa Fe's trio of Fairbanks-Morse (FM) "Erie-built " locomotives could also be seen occasionally running the line.

A lone pair of Budd-built 90-seat, self-powered Rail Diesel Cars (RDC's) were acquired for express service. They operated "back-to-back" as a single train unit from May 1952 until their destruction in January 1956.

In 1938, the rolling stock delivered for the San Diegan consisted of all lightweight stainless steel cars built by the Budd Company. The equipment used was as follows:

• Baggage-Mail car #3432
• "Chair" car / Coach (52 seats) #3070
• "Chair" car / Coach (52 seats) #3072
• "Chair" car / Coach (52 seats) #3089
• "Chair" car / Coach (52 seats) #3091
• "Chair" car / Coach (52 seats) #3137
• Tavern-Lunch Counter car #1398
• Round-end Parlor-Observation car #3240

Three additional coach units were added for weekend traffic. The San Diegan was also had nearly exclusive use of Santa Fe's Pullman-built (PPS) "pendulum" suspension chair car, #1100.

In June 1941 the railroad added a second eight-car trainset, also built by Budd, to handle the high demand for passage aboard the train. Its original consist was similar to the above save for an additional coach. Subsequent consists varied according to the traffic levels.

Timeline

• 1936: The Santa Fe orders a six-car train from Budd specifically for the initiation of San Diegan service.
• March 27, 1938: The Santa Fe inaugurates the San Diegan route, operating on a two hour and 45 minute schedule.
• June 8, 1941: A second lightweight train consisting of six coaches, a baggage-mail car, a tavern lunch-counter car, and a round-end observation car is added to the line.
• October 27, 1941: A fifth, steam-powered is added to the schedule due, in part, to the beginning movement of military personnel. This semi-streamlined train carries a full buffet car, a diner, and six coaches that had all previously run as the Valley Flyer between Oakland and Bakersfield.
• April 1943: The "over-the-road" time is lengthened to three hours due to increased military movements.
• May 1952: Two Budd-built RDC's are put into express service. The twin cars make two daily round trips on a two hour and 15 minute schedule.
• January 10, 1954: The use of round-end observation cars is discontinued in order to eliminate the need to "turn" trains.
• January 23, 1956: The RDC's derail in a high-speed accident at Redondo Junction, just south of the Los Angeles Union Passenger Terminal (LAUPT), killing 30 and seriously injuring 117.
• Summer 1956: Service on the line is reduced to six daily round trips.
• Summer 1958: Service is further reduced to five daily round trips and weekend extra trains.
• 1965: Service is further reduced to three daily round trips on a two hour and 55 minute schedule.
• May 1, 1971: Amtrak is formed and takes over operation of the San Diegan.

References

• Frailey, Fred W. (1974). A Quarter Century of Santa Fe Consists. RPC Publications, Godfrey, IL. .
• Strein, Robert, et al (2001). Santa Fe: The Chief Way. New Mexico Magazine. ISBN 0-937206-71-7.
• Wayner, Robert J., ed. (1972). Car Names, Numbers and Consists. Wayner Publications, New York, NY. .
• Zimmerman, Karl (1987). Santa Fe Streamliners: The Chiefs and Their Tribesman. Quadrant Press, Inc., New York, NY. ISBN 0-915276-41-0.

See Also

• Amtrak Pacific Surfliner
• Chief
• El_Capitan
• Super Chief

External Links

• Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway
• California State Railway Museum
• Santa Fe Railway Historical & Modeling Society