The Santa Fe's Scout led by 4-8-2 No. 3706, pulling 12 cars and leaving Belen, New Mexico, April 6, 1940.
(Photo by Otto Perry, Fair use, Title 17, Section 107, via W. Lenheim Collection)
SCOUT
The Scout was one of the named passenger trains of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. It started as train Nos. 1 (westbound) & 10 (eastbound) between Chicago, Illinois and Los Angeles, California. Inaugurated on January 16, 1916, this "budget" heavyweight train had tourist sleeping cars with upper and lower berths, "chair" cars (coaches) and an open-end observation car.
The train was assigned Nos. 1 & 2 in 1920 and reverted to Nos. 1 & 10 a year later. In summer 1926 it left Chicago at 1115 and arrived Los Angeles at 0900 three days later, running via Ottawa Jct, Amarillo and Fullerton. In November 1939 it left at 2045 and arrived 0700, sixty hours on the same route except via Pasadena.
The Scout made its last run in circa June of 1954, however, this date is possibly incorrect*.
Courier Nurse aboard the Scout, 1941. (Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)
Pullman passenger's lounge on the Scout, 1941. (Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)
A Scout chair car, 1939. (Santa Fe Railway, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)
History
Timeline
- January 19, 1916: The Scout commences operation.
- 1920: The eastbound Scout is assigned No. 2, but becomes No. 10 the following year.
- January 4, 1931: The Scout is discontinued during the Great Depression. Thereafter, economy service was provided by the Hopi, the Missionary, and the Navajo.
- May 10, 1936: The "new" (renovated) Scout resumes. The westbound trip was completed in 60 hours, 15 minutes, while the eastbound schedule was reduced to 58 hours, 35 minutes.
- June 1954: The Scout is withdrawn from service.*
Scout Club Car, 1939. (Santa Fe Railway, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)
Scout Dining Car, 1937. (Santa Fe Railway, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)
Scout Dining Car, 1939. (Santa Fe Railway, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)
Major stations
Major stations on the main itinerary to Los Angeles Union Station:
- Chicago, Illinois
- Kansas City, Missouri
- Wichita, Kansas
- Amarillo, Texas
- Clovis, New Mexico, point from which sections diverted to Carlsbad Caverns
- Belen, New Mexico, a short distance south of Albuquerque
- Williams, Arizona, transfer point for bus connection to Grand Canyon
- San Bernardino, California
- Pasadena
- Los Angeles
Scout Pullman compartment, 1939. (Santa Fe Railway, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)
Scout Sleeping Car, 1939. (Santa Fe Railway, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)
Scout Sleeping Car in day mode, 1937. (Santa Fe Railway, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)
Oakland section major stations
West of Barstow, in eastern California, a second section departed northwest to the California Central Valley and Oakland:
- Bakersfield
- Fresno
- Merced
- Stockton
- Richmond
- Berkeley
- Oakland
The Scout Ladie's Lounge, 1937. (Santa Fe Railway, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)
Print ad featuring Scout Dining Car, 1940. (Santa Fe Railway, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)
Club Car on the Scout. (Santa Fe Railway, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)
Overview
Service type: Inter-city rail
Status: Discontinued
Locale: Western United States
First service: January 16, 1916
Last service: June 1954*
Former operator: Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway
Route Termini: Chicago, Illinois / Los Angeles, California, and Oakland, California
Service frequency: Daily
Train numbers: 1 (westbound); 2 (eastbound)
On-board services
Seating arrangements: Chair Cars (1946)
Sleeping arrangements: Sections, Double Bedrooms, Compartments, Drawing room, Tourist sleeper (1946)
Catering facilities: Dining car
Observation facilities: Dormitory Lounge Car
Technical
Track gauge: 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)
Vintage signage for the Scout.
(Santa Fe Railway, W. Lenheim Collection)