 | This articlerelies largely or entirely on asingle source. Relevant discussion may be found on thetalk page. Please helpimprove this article byintroducing citations to additional sources. Find sources: "Californian" train – news ·newspapers ·books ·scholar ·JSTOR(July 2025) |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Service type | Inter-city rail |
| Status | Discontinued |
| Locale | Southern California,Arizona,New Mexico,west Texas,Kansas,Missouri,Iowa andIllinois |
| First service | January 3, 1910 (1910-01-03) |
| Last service | January 9, 1955 |
| Former operators | Southern Pacific Rock Island |
| Route | |
| Termini | Los Angeles Chicago |
| Technical | |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)standard gauge |
TheCalifornian was a passenger train of theSouthern Pacific on its route betweenLos Angeles andEl Paso, Texas, and over connecting lines as far asChicago. Trains numbered 1 and 2 with standard and touristsleepers from Los Angeles began service on January 3, 1910, over theEl Paso and Southwestern Railroad (EPSW) from El Paso toTucumcari, New Mexico, and thence over theChicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad (Rock Island) initially toKansas City, and extended to Chicago on February 26, 1915. Southern Pacific assumed control of the EPSW in 1924. TheGreat Depression caused cancellation of theCalifornian on September 21, 1930, retaining service as far asCalexico, California, as theImperial trains 13 and 14. ACalifornian of modern economychair cars and tourist sleepers resumed service between Los Angeles and Chicago on January 3, 1937, as trains numbered 43 and 44. On May 18, 1947, trains 43 and 44 were renamed thePassenger as far as Tucumcari, connecting with Rock Island trains 111 and 112 toOklahoma City andMemphis, Tennessee. Trains 43 and 44 between Los Angeles and Tucumcari were renamed theCherokee from March 13, 1949, until the name was dropped when the train becamehead-end cars only with a single rider coach on July 8, 1951. Trains 43 and 44 last ran on January 9, 1955.[1]
Passenger trains of theSouthern Pacific | ||
|---|---|---|
| Named trains |
|  |
| Daylights | ||
| Overland Route | ||
| See also | ||
Named trains of theChicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad | ||
|---|---|---|
| Rockets |
| .svg) |
| Other named trains |
| |