Nostalgia & History > SP's Truth in Advertising (In Spite of Itself)

Back in "The Day" the SP used this art work to advertise the Coast Daylight trains.  It depicts the Daylight passing Old Mission Santa Barbara (one of the 21 missions the Spanish Padres founded between 1769 and1833).  A nice illustration, but in truth the RR passes nowhere near Mission Santa Barbara- let alone coming down Mission Canyon, as shown!
However, the Coast Line does pass quite close to one of the 21- just across the street from Mission San Miguel in the Salinas Valley.  (My photo shows #11, at track speed, in San Miguel, CA)
So, almost in spite of itself, there was a tiny bit of truth in the SP's advertising.
SR

The road separating the SP RoW from the Mission church is old Highway 101, formerly El Camino Real- the road that first linked San Diego and The SF Bay Area in the 1700's.

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Great point!  I leave about a half mile from the SB Mission.  I remember seeing that ad, but never thought about its connection.

Trains up Mission Street, and across APS would be quite the sight though, right?
SR

I've got an old fruit crate with an SP label (somewhere.)  Thanks for sharing SR.

Kent in CArmel Valley

I need that first image as poster in my train room!  I loved visiting mission San Miguel on our family trips when I was in fourth grade and one my sisters a few years later. And each time we were there, the Coast Starlight would blast by on it’s way to LA.  So I think that’s why mission San Miguel is my favorite.  

Nathan

San Miguel is a photogenic to watch trains, for sure. Last time I was there, a little hole-in-the-wall place sold fresh, warm corn tortillas. Yum!

That certainly was one of SP's finer ad efforts. Some of their other ads really laid an egg.

EO

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hogheaded Wrote:
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> San Miguel is a photogenic to watch trains, for
> sure. Last time I was there, a little
> hole-in-the-wall place sold fresh, warm corn
> tortillas. Yum!
>
> That certainly was one of SP's finer ad efforts.
> Some of their other ads really laid an egg.
>
> EO

It looks like the train must have been late.

Pacific Railroad Society on Sept 22, 1957, operated excursion #116, Los Angeles to San Miguel  using train 91 overnight and return on train 98, which made a special stop for the group.

Train 91 departed LA at 1201 am, arrival 10:13 am.

Coaches and sleepers were operated on 91 and I believe breakfast service was provided by diner-observation 2900, a former T&NO Sunbeam car. Could be wrong on the use of this car however.