The eastbound Gold Coast Limited at Ogden Utah in 1952. Click to enlarge.
(Richard Steinheimer, Trains and Travel, W. Lenheim Collection)
GOLD COAST LIMITED
Not to be confused with the North Shore Line train.
The Gold Coast Limited was a Union Pacific passenger train that ran from Chicago to Los Angeles and San Francisco via the Overland Route. The all-Pullman train was inaugurated on November 14, 1926 and maintained a 68-hour schedule, 5 hours longer than the Overland Limited and the Los Angeles Limited. The train was jointly operated with the Chicago and North Western and the Southern Pacific.
Other than being a 5-hour slower train, the Gold Coast Limited still offered such amenities as a dining car, an observation-library car, a men's club (that featured drinks, cigarettes, and newspapers), a women's dressing room with maid service (manicures and hairdressing), a barber shop (for men and women, complete tonsorial services for men, shampoos for women), a shower bath (located in the observation car), a correspondence desk (where stationery was provided and stamps were made available), and, a Valet for men and women (clothes were sponged and pressed and given back the next morning).
In 1930 Union Pacific added tourist sleepers to the train, however, these were not as nice as the Pullmans and occupants were not allowed access to the observation car, which somewhat lowered the prestige of the train.
Affected by the Depression, the train was discontinued in 1931.
In 1947 the train name was revived and the new train featured both sleepers and coaches. This train ran until 1955 and is shown above.
A Gold Coast Limited booklet from 1926. Click image to download a 2.7-MB PDF of this 20-page booklet. (UP, C&NW, SP, courtesy StreamlinerMemories.info)
A 1926 ad featuring the New Gold Coast Limited. Click to enlarge. (Union Pacific Railroad, courtesy StreamlinerMemories.info)
A Union Pacific print ad for the Gold Coast from 1927. Click to enlarge. (Union Pacific Railroad, Public domain, W. Lenheim Collection)