“Train travel approaches perfection” on the Golden State, gushes the ad on the front cover of this timetable. The ad mentions El Paso, Douglas, Tucson, Chandler, Phoenix, and Palm Springs as important destinations between Kansas City and Los Angeles. Click … Continue reading
“When Old Man Weather gives you the cold shoulder, there’s only one thing to do,” says the advertisement on the front cover of this timetable: “hie yourself off to Southern Arizona or California, where Nature has done such a noble … Continue reading
The front page ad on this edition promotes not only the Golden State and Rocky Mountain Rocket but also the Twin Star Rocket, which went between the Twin Cities (in the North Star state) and Houston (in the Lone Star … Continue reading
The Golden State was “the train to the Southwest,” says the front cover ad, “where the sun shines in Arizona and southern California.” As savvy ticket agents might tell travelers, the Santa Fe might also have gone through Arizona, but … Continue reading
According to Classic Trains magazine, the last Rock Island steam locomotive was retired in December 1953. In anticipation, the railroad introduced a new timetable cover showing Diesels pulling both passenger and freight trains. Click image to download a 19.7-MB PDF … Continue reading
“For complete travel satisfaction,” says the front cover of this timetable, “you can rely on the Rockets. The Golden State and the Rockets were Rock Island’s premiere trains, so since yesterday’s October 1952 timetable advertised the Golden State on its … Continue reading
The front cover of this timetable promotes the “extra fare Golden State” as a “delightful” way of getting to “southern Arizona or California.” As noted here before, the Golden State was slower to California than the City of Los Angeles … Continue reading
In 1951, the Rock Island’s passenger trains were completely Dieselized while it still used both steam and Diesels for hauling its freight trains. At least, that’s the implication of this cover (which is the back cover), which shows multiple Diesels … Continue reading
As previously mentioned here, in 1926 the Santa Fe introduced the Chief, which went between Chicago and Los Angeles in 63 hours, five hours faster than previous trains. The railroad also charged a $10 extra fare (about $175 in today’s … Continue reading
What a difference a few years makes! Since yesterday’s 1931 timetable, whose cover was a throw-back from 1910, the Rock Island had entered the streamlined era, leading to a complete makeover of the railroad and its advertising. The orange cover … Continue reading
