Railroaders' Nostalgia > Santa Fe Furlough specials 1950's

From about 1951 to 1958/59, Santa FE would operate military Furlough trains from Oceanside to Chicago for Christmas.

Like to hear from any crew member who may have been called to handle these trains. Handled by steam for the first couple of years as I recall.  Some heavyweight cars of any type, but in the end would be lightweight coaches.

Use Private messages if you prefer.

Ed

Keep em here this sounds like an interesting discussion

CB

mundo Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> From about 1951 to 1958/59, Santa FE would operate
> military Furlough trains from Oceanside to Chicago
> for Christmas.
>
> Like to hear from any crew member who may have
> been called to handle these trains. Handled by
> steam for the first couple of years as I recall. 
> Some heavyweight cars of any type, but in the end
> would be lightweight coaches.
>
> Use Private messages if you prefer.
>
> Ed

With no old timer to chime in yet, will do a post or two from my memory.

With the start up of the Korean  War,  the military did a major adding of troop training at the Marine Camp Pendelton near Oceanside California.
Christmas of 1952, saw a big demand from the troops to head east.  So Santa Fe put together a furlough train.
Passenger sales agents from Oceanside and San Diego would go on base a couple of weeks prior, taking ticket orders, that would be delivered a few days prior to departure. Ticket clerks were kept busy for a few days, with several hundred men traveling.

Santa Fe did a large promotion of special military fares in San Diego and Oceanside because of the number of military facilities.  This train allowed the special low fares to be used, along with any regular schedule train.

I remember well, the train coming through Corona CA, but do not recall if it was steam or diesel.  That's one question that I would like an answer.  Also what was the last year of operation?  I think it was Christmas of 1958, but could have been a year prior or later.

Another post later.

Thanks

Ed Von Nordeck

When the 1952 train arrived Corona, the traveling passenger agent sent a wire to Barstow Harvey House, to place all available sandwiches on board. !
While their was a full diner, the menu was from the Chief, which in those days was a high price affair, in place of an more economy type meal from the Grand Canyon.
The service men could not afford those prices all the way to Chicago.  Guess Fred Harvey did not get the word on type of travel.  After all, it was a sleeper !  train.

Far as I know, these military trains operated east of Atwood as a section of the Grand Canyon.  Assume also that with the diner, it was not intended that a stop be made at the Barstow Harvey House. 

Later trips had one of the Del Mar Snack cars, offeing Hamburgers and Hot Dogs, which went over very well. Do not know if an diner was operated in addition.
Return westbound travel was all on regular schedule trains, which I am sure saw extra sections of the Grand Canyon during the heavy Christmas Holiday season.

The first trips used heavyweight equipment, that I recall were sleepers in coach service.  Later years used lightweight chair cars.  From 1953, I was in the military my self, but belive that 1958 was the last year.

Same day as the special, train 24 and 124 handed only military, no civilans carried, except from Los Angeles to Corona and Riverside.  They were both heavyweight sleepers and I rode from LA to Corona,  in a 10 section-lounge car the only time I was in one.  As I recall, train 8, the mail train that night also handled some military travel.

Hope this was of interest.  Just wish someone could add to the story.

Ed Von Nordeck