The Super Chief in the 1950’s and 1960’s was considered to be the top notch luxury train of that era. A free trip on it?

To make a short story long, I was working at Folland Aircraft, Southampton in 1956. The Government was trying to rationalise (screw up) the aircraft industry by making fewer firms, with the large ones absorbing the smaller ones. We had designed and built a very successful small Fighter/Trainer which was superior to its larger rival from Hawker Aircraft in Kingston, Surrey.

The Government said that if we sold out to Hawkers, there will be big orders. If not, you will get nothing. Kingston was not attractive to me. I was very friendly with our Chief Designer who had come from Bristol Aircraft and had told me that he was going back there to take over a new supersonic airliner. If I followed him, then he would give me a “slice of it”.It was a very attractive offer but at that time I was an “Associate Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society” which carried great weight in the USA aircraft industry and I was mulling over an offer from Lockheed Aircraft in Los Angeles. They made the best offer – pay for everything and at that time there was a lot of talk about going into Space. A very attractive technical thing.
So in February 1957, we – my wife and two daughters aged 11 and 4 - boarded the S.S.” United States” at Southampton. It was the fastest ship on the Atlantic run at 36 knots plus. (An aside – I found that if you used terms like “Sharp end”, “Blunt end” and “Boat”, it made the staff cringe.) Due to some meteorology concomitant inexactitudes, the ship spent the best part of a day at 4 knots. At least, I know what 70ft waves look like, but let’s not bring that up!

A Representative from Lockheed met us in New York and put us into a great hotel. I went to the window to gaze out from the 27th Floor and discovered vertigo. Yuck! The following evening, the Representative took us across the road to the Penn Station. Whilst the “Super Chief” started from Chicago, two Pullman Cars were attached to the “Pennsylvania Broadway Limited” which ran the 850 miles to Chicago.

A conductor looked at our tickets which seemed to be a long piece of paper and then after taking a deep breath, launched into a speech of welcome. “I welcome you to the Pennsylvania Railroad. I am the onductor, my name is ---. The car attendant is --- and so on.” As I stood open mouthed gazing at this dark uniformed man with golden buttons, I could hear Dorothy saying “Oh Toto, we are not with British Rail anymore”.

We were put into a Drawing Room that would sleep six, so the four of us were comfortable. It had its own bathroom, swivel armchairs to view the passing scenery. As the train left at 6p.m., there was nothing to see after the lights of the cities faded to blackness. I had arranged with the car attendant for a 7a.m. call. It never came. We wanted an early breakfast. I opened the door at 8a.m. Just as the attendant was about to knock. For a moment, we gazed at each other like hypnotised rabbits. I said the call was for 7a.m. He laughed and said “You forgot to set your watch back one hour.” Greenhorn was I !

We arrived at La Salle Station at about 9a.m. and were told to leave the train for a day as the cars had to be shunted at Dearborn Station to join the “Super Chief”. We could leave our stuff in safety in the car, but get lost until joining the train again at Dearborn at 6p.m. Now I have heard of Indian monsoons and rainy seasons, but I kid you not, Chicago was having a monsoon in its rainy season. I thought Niagara Falls had been moved.

We wondered what to do, and went to the then famous “Marshall Fields” store, where I learned a lot about housecoats! In the afternoon, we went to a movie and then to the station in time to get settled in our car, ready for the train to pull out at 7p.m.,for the 2,224 miles run to Los Angeles. This must have been very tiring for my girls. The 11 years old understood what was going on and was very helpful but the 4 years old must have been very bewildered but still managed to be good.

Another night run with not much to see. But we were settled by the gentle sway of the car on its good trucks (bogies).

The locomotive was a popular EMD type series E and F. They were considered the Rolls Royce of Diesels. The train was often 16 cars in length with five or six units pulling it. There were two vista dome lounge cars and some low level lounge cars equipped with reclining chairs and settees. There was upper and lower level dining. The train was known as “The Train of the Stars” - I never saw any of the Hollywood crowd but the prices on the menus reflected this. Silverware and linen on the tables with fresh flowers which were renewed each day. The table cloths were changed for each customer sitting.

After another night run, we arrived in Dodge City at 7a.m.. That day we passed slowly through many small towns – I mean “through” as the towns were built around the railroad. At 10a.m., we crossed the boundary between Colorado and New Mexico through a long tunnel at the highest point on the run - a climb of 2,040 ft and 7,622ft above sea level. In steam days, a helper locomotive was stationed there to assist in the climb. From there on through New Mexico, it was so dry that water had to be shipped in for the steam locomotives.

There was nothing to see except sandy scrub and many animal tracks. After 5p.m., we arrived in Albuquerque for a brief stop. It was an Indian type town with souvenirs on sale. The train was covered in red sandstone dust and two big machines went along each side and washed the train back to its pristine condition.

At 7.20p.m., we crossed the Continental Divide – 7,247ft high and 1,469 miles along the run. It was a night time run again until we reached Pasadena at 7.55a.m. Now for sunny California and at 8.30a.m., Los Angeles. Sunny? They were in the midst of their monsoon as it usually is in February. The Representative who met us had quite a job as he kept having to try alternative roads as many underpasses were flooded.

Finally, we were deposited in a hotel at Hollywood and Vine and the next day we started our new life in the States. The great long distance trains were gone when jet travel became available. Dearborn Station is a derelict rusty relic. Amtrak does run long distance trains over the same route but not with the luxury of the past. I doubt if conductors welcome passengers aboard as mine did on that journey.

Now 50 years on, I have my own 1.6” to the ft scale “Super Chief”. (see below). All electric, 30volts, 4DC motors and weighs over1,000 lbs. It can haul 30 adults up a 3% (1:33) grade with ease.