El Capitan (train) - Equipment Used

Equipment Used

The initial equipment roster (two separate "pocket streamliner" consists) was as follows:

• EMC E1A Locomotives #5 – #6
• Baggage-Dormitory-Chair car (32 seats) #3480 – #3481
• Chair car (52 seats) #3103 – #3104
• Lunch Counter-Diner #3105 – #3106
• Chair car (52 seats for women and children) #3105 – #3106
• Round-end Chair car / Observation (50 seats) #3198 – #3199

A typical El Capitan consist in the late 1940s:

• EMD F3A Locomotive #23L
• EMD F3B Locomotive #23A
• EMD F3B Locomotive #23B
• EMD F3A Locomotive #23C
• Baggage-Mail #3405
• Chair car (44 seats) #2891
• Chair car (44 seats) #2864
• Lunch Counter-Diner #1599
• Chair car (44 seats) #2911
• Chair car (44 seats) #2888
• Club-Lounge #1347
• Chair car (44 seats) #2865
• Chair car (44 seats) #2905
• Lunch Counter-Diner #1553
• Chair car (44 seats) #2876
• Round-end Chair car / Observation (38 seats) #3197

Between 1954 and 1956, El Cap ran with virtually the same consist as is shown immediately above, save for the "Big Dome"-Lounge that replaced the mid-train club-lounge car.

On July 15, 1956 a new, "Hi-Level" streamliner consist debuted:

• EMD F7A Locomotive #327L
• EMD F7B Locomotive #327A
• EMD F7B Locomotive #327B
• EMD F7B Locomotive #44A
• EMD F7A Locomotive #44L
• Baggage #3521
• Baggage-Dormitory "Transition Car" 3480
• Hi-Level Step-down Chair car (68 seats) #536
• Hi-Level Chair car (72 seats) #714
• Hi-Level Chair car (72 seats) #722
• Hi-Level Diner (80 seats) #653
• Hi-Level "Top Of The Cap" Lounge (88 seats) #577
• Hi-Level Chair car (72 seats) #700
• Hi-Level Chair car (72 seats) #709
• Hi-Level Chair car (72 seats) #717
• Hi-Level Step-down Chair car (68 seats) #529

Santa Fe purchased enough "Hi-Level" equipment to create six complete, nine-car consists. Additionally, six of the railroad's older baggage-dormitory cars had a cosmetic fairing applied to the rear roofline in order to create the distinctive "transition" cars and maintain a streamlined appearance on El Capitan. The real transition cars were the 68-seat step down chair cars, which had a regular-height diaphragm at one end, and a high-level at the other. The dining cars rode on special six-wheel trucks due to their massive weight (all other cars rode on conventional four-wheel trucks). The "Big Domes" were transferred to the Chief pool.

A typical El Capitan consist from the late 1960s (combined with the Super Chief):

• EMD FP45 Locomotive #104
• EMD FP45 Locomotive #101
• Baggage #3671
• Baggage #3553
• Baggage-Dormitory "Transition Car" #3478
• Hi-Level Step-down Chair car (68 seats) #549
• Hi-Level Chair car (72 seats) #731
• Hi-Level Diner (80 seats) #654
• Hi-Level Lounge (88 seats) #575
• Hi-Level Chair car (72 seats) #725
• Hi-Level Step-down Chair car (68 seats) #542
• Sleeper Pine Cove (10 roomettes, 6 double bedrooms)
• Sleeper Indian Mesa (11 double bedrooms)
• "Turquoise Room"-"Pleasure Dome"-Lounge #504
• Fred Harvey Company Diner #600 (48 seats)
• Sleeper Indian Flute (11 double bedrooms)
• Sleeper Palm Leaf (10 roomettes, 6 double bedrooms)