Southern Pacific
Last years of the Sunset
Southern Pacific locomotive
In the late 1960's,Southern Pacific was entering the last few years of operating trains numbers 1 and 2. The "Limited" had already been dropped from the name by 1966. In the schedule of October 30. 1966 it is called the "Streamliner Sunset".
The westbound Number 1 departed New Orleans at 12:01PM. It arrived the second morning in Los Angeles at 8:15AM. The train was chair car only as far as El Paso. Also there was no diner; only the "Automatic Buffet" car. From El Paso the Sunset became a first class train with the addition of sleeping cars and dining and lounge service.
El Paso, Texas 1n 1969
Above: Number 1 has stopped at El Paso on a October day in 1969. By this date, no diner or sleeper will be added here. Only an extra chair car.
Below: The Sunset emerges from the fog at Alpine, Texas October 23, 1969.


1966 Sunset schedule Sunset under dark clouds Dark clouds gather above the Sunset.

The schedule at left is for the 1966 eastbound number 2. From El Paso to New Orleans it was coach only along with the Automatic Buffet Car. Westbound, sleepers and a diner would be added at El Paso as the Sunset combined with Rock Island's Golden State on to Los Angeles.








Number 1 became Number 3 west of El Paso as the combined Sunset-Golden State
Number 39 was the Rock Island Imperial,the mail train that ran on the same route as the Golden State.
El Paso to Los Angeles 1966

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All photos from the webpage author's collection.



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