Passenger Trains > Giants-Royals (Athletics) World Series

Back in the early 50's, what premier passenger train would the well heeled travel
between SF and KC ? I don't find any direct trains from UP, SF, or any other western roads
but maybe was there a pax train of combined carriers? Or would the trip require a sleeper
set out from one train to be picked up by another?

They might have taken the PRR Congressional Limited between NY and Philly pre 1954. But also could have taken the Royal Blue on the B&O (how appropriate that would be now!) But then the chances of the early 50s Athletics being in the World Series was minimal. In 1954 the Athletics finished 60 games out of first place behind Cleveland, but only 3 games behind Baltimore. They moved to KC the next season. The 1954 NY Giants swept that Cleveland Team for the World Series. 1957 was their last season in NY.

So in the early 50s no need to take a train KC to SF, no teams their. Perhaps early 60s????



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/19/14 12:16 by Tominde.

Santa Fe would be the way to go. From 1954 on it would have been the San Francisco Chief. Earlier there were through Pullmans on the California Limited.

Another option would have been the City of St. Louis, which had through Pullmans to Oakland as well.

Of course there could not have been a San Francisco-Kansas City World Series back then. The Giants were in NY through the 57 season and the Athletics did not move from Philadelphia to Kansas City until 1955.

From 1958 summer timetables: Depart Kansas City on Santa Fe's San Francisco Chief at 10:50pm, arrive Oakland second day at 2:20pm, bus to San Fran.
On the Union Pacific: depart Kansas City on City of St. Louis at 9:40pm and connect the next day to the Southern Pacific in Ogden, arrive Oakland Pier at 3:05pm for ferry connection to S.F.
No thru cars show on UP/SP service from City Of St. Louis in 1958 but 1953 Official Guide showed at thru St. Louis-S.F. sleeper, don't know when it was dropped.

Of course there were other options available via Los Angeles with a change of trains.

Both the U.P and Santa Fe services lasted until Amtrak.

One other option: the CB&Q from KC to Omaha, then the CZ onward to Oakland.

Latebeans Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> From 1958 summer timetables: Depart Kansas City
> on Santa Fe's San Francisco Chief at 10:50pm,
> arrive Oakland second day at 2:20pm, bus to San
> Fran.
> On the Union Pacific: depart Kansas City on City
> of St. Louis at 9:40pm and connect the next day to
> the Southern Pacific in Ogden, arrive Oakland Pier
> at 3:05pm for ferry connection to S.F.
> No thru cars show on UP/SP service from City Of
> St. Louis in 1958 but 1953 Official Guide showed
> at thru St. Louis-S.F. sleeper, don't know when it
> was dropped.

Not sure about what was going on in 1958, but a look at the SP October 25, 1959 timetable showed through sleepers and chair car between St. Louis and Oakland (SP listed San Francisco, but the train terminated at Oakland) via the City of St. Louis via KC and the San Francisco Overland. The Overland was the connection for the St. Louis - Oakland cars until it was discontinued. The Overland was combined with the City of San Francisco at times during is final period of operation.

The pre-San Francisco Chief carrier of through cars to the Bay Area was a northern section of the Grand Cayon.

Cliff
>
> Of course there were other options available via
> Los Angeles with a change of trains.
>
> Both the U.P and Santa Fe services lasted until
> Amtrak.

Odd that the original poster made no mention of the Series, even more so, given the thread title. There were well healed travelers in the early '50s. So, another option would be to take the Colorado Eagle to Denver and change there for a train to SF. Or change train in Pueblo and take the Royal Gorge to Salt Lake City, and change there to a train to SF. Having lived through this era, it always excites me to look back on all that was possible then. One could even start out on the Golden State to El Paso, and change to ATSF for the trip to SF. The UP and ATSF options out of KC have already been discussed. There were many trains up to Omaha for transfer to the numerous possibilities out of there. I still love to curl up with an old Official Guide and dream up a nice vacation trip, as my late Dad did so many times for our family "back in the day". This, being only the second occurance of an all wild card World Series, has the oddsmakers confused. I'm not aware of another Series where there was no betting favorite....both teams are assigned the same odds 10/11. Both teams have compelling stories, KC is on a roll, but SF is hot too, and has displayed a huge talent for causing the opponent to hand over sufficient runs for SF to ring up another improbable win. The Giants have too much more presence on the big stage for KC....Giants win, and this one could go 7 games. I know there is a strong push against this, with the feeling KC will win in a sweep....but don't bet on it. AA

Stanford White
Carmel Valley, CA

By the time ther Giants got to SF, they were flying to road games

Yes, I know. It was only before baseball expansion into the west(when both leagues were confined into an area between Boston and St Louis) that all baseball travel was by train. I wonder if the old PCL teams flew or took the train? You may note that my thread "essay" was about the times, early '50s, before baseball expansion, and related to general travel between those two cities. AA

Stanford White
Carmel Valley, CA

The Denver Bears were flying Frontier airlines in the early 1950's. That's my mom in the middle. The Denver Bears went on to become the Denver Zephyrs(rail content).

---

agentatascadero Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Odd that the original poster made no mention of
> the Series, even more so, given the thread title.
> There were well healed travelers in the early
> '50s. So, another option would be to take the
> Colorado Eagle to Denver and change there for a
> train to SF. Or change train in Pueblo and take
> the Royal Gorge to Salt Lake City, and change
> there to a train to SF. Having lived through this
> era, it always excites me to look back on all that
> was possible then. One could even start out on
> the Golden State to El Paso, and change to ATSF
> for the trip to SF. The UP and ATSF options out
> of KC have already been discussed. There were
> many trains up to Omaha for transfer to the
> numerous possibilities out of there. I still love
> to curl up with an old Official Guide and dream up
> a nice vacation trip, as my late Dad did so many
> times for our family "back in the day". This,
> being only the second occurance of an all wild
> card World Series, has the oddsmakers confused.
> I'm not aware of another Series where there was no
> betting favorite....both teams are assigned the
> same odds 10/11. Both teams have compelling
> stories, KC is on a roll, but SF is hot too, and
> has displayed a huge talent for causing the
> opponent to hand over sufficient runs for SF to
> ring up another improbable win. The Giants have
> too much more presence on the big stage for
> KC....Giants win, and this one could go 7 games.
> I know there is a strong push against this, with
> the feeling KC will win in a sweep....but don't
> bet on it. AA

Bochy will rule yet again....and this from a Dodger fan who attended a few games at Ebbets Field.

mp51w Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The Denver Bears were flying Frontier airlines in
> the early 1950's. That's my mom in the middle.
> The Denver Bears went on to become the Denver
> Zephyrs(rail content).

Great photo. Any idea who the manager (player?) is?

Masterphots, WOW! An actual surviving true blue Brooklyn Bum, I'm sure there are not many left. I cannot imagine the feelings of betrayal in New York when the news broke about the move west of the Giants and Dodgers. It still amazes me that anyone would or could adopt the Mets after that. But, this tragedy and disgrace has led to the huge growth of Major League baseball. And, for the San Francisco Giants, it won't be too many years before they have been in SF longer than New york....and that is a real mind twister for me. IF the NY Giants were started in 1880, that would be 78 years in New York. Giants have been in SF 57 years so far....and were SO close to leaving on several occasions....but now I do believe they can feel at home in that beautiful AT&T Park for a long stay. AA

Stanford White
Carmel Valley, CA

masterphots Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> mp51w Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > The Denver Bears were flying Frontier airlines
> in
> > the early 1950's. That's my mom in the middle.
>
> > The Denver Bears went on to become the Denver
> > Zephyrs(rail content).
>
> Great photo. Any idea who the manager (player?)
> is?

Was the four-leaf clover intended to bring good luck to the baseball team or the safety of their flight?