The Morning Daylight was two separate trains, #98 and #99. Each operated as a unit train and cars were not normally added or removed, but for extra capacity, chair car pairs were added. The two trains left San Francisco and Los Angeles at 8am, passed each other in the neighborhood of San Luis Obispo, and arrived around 6pm.
Cars are as follows:
Car Type
|
Car Number
|
Parlor Observation, Antenna
|
# 2955
|
Articulated Chair (187-1765)
|
# 2464 & 2463
|
Articulated Chair (187-1766)
|
# 2482 & 2481
|
History:
Coast Daylight (SP)
The Coast Daylight was a passenger train originally run by the Southern Pacific Railroad (SP) between the cities of Los Angeles and San Francisco, California, via SP's Coast Line. In the eyes of many, the "most beautiful passenger train in the world" featured a stunning red, orange, and black color scheme.
The Coast Daylight had its inaugural run on March 1, 1937 and was hauled by GS-2 steam locomotives. It was the first one of the Daylight series of the Southern Pacific passenger trains that also included the San Joaquin Daylight, the Shasta Daylight, the Sacramento Daylight, and the Sunset Limited.
The Coast Daylight ran behind steam from March 1937 until it was dieselized on January 7, 1955. After dieselization, the train continued to run until 1971, when Amtrak took over service and rerouted their Coast Daylight to Oakland. A second train known as the Noon Daylight ran on the same route between 1940 and 1949, with a suspension during World War II. In 1949, the Noon Daylight was replaced by an overnight train known as the Starlight using the same equipment.
In 1956, coaches from the Starlight were added to the all-Pullman Lark and the Starlight was discontinued in 1957. Amtrak revived the train name for its Los Angeles to Seattle service known as the Coast Starlight.
Feature Included:
1953 Post-war Version
|
Operating Full-width, Sprung Diaphragms |
Unskirted Cars |
Prototypically Accurate Match with PCM SP GS-4 Locomotives and |
Lettered "Southern Pacific" |
PCM Alco PA/PB Locomotives |
Beautifully Detailed, Accurate Passenger Cars |
Observation Car: Lighted Drumhead & Marker Lights |
Authentic Design, Paint and Color Schemes |
Body Composition: ABS |
Many Separately Applied Details Including Hand Rails |
Chassis Composition: ABS |
Detailed, Properly colored interiors |
(2) Kadee-compatible operating metal knuckle couplers. |
Lighted Interiors |
Compatible Tracks: Code 70, 83, 100 Rail |
Operational Exterior Lighting (where applicable) |
Recommended Minimum Radius: 22" |
Prototypically Accurate Articulated Cars (where applicable) |
|
Antennae (where applicable) |
|
Locomotives used on the Coast Daylight
There are only two surviving locomotives that were used on the Coast Daylight. They are Southern Pacific 4449, a GS-4 steam locomotive which also served as the Bicentennial American Freedom Train engine from 1975 to 1976, and Southern Pacific 6051, an EMD E9 diesel locomotive.
These are sold out. Bachmann Trains is offering a GS4 4-8-4 # 4449 (160-50201) and #4446 (160-50202) if you want it for pulling your cars.
Steam Locomotives:
Class Wheel arrangement (Whyte notation) Locomotive Numbers Years of Daylight Service Retired Current Disposition
GS-2 4-8-4 4410-4415 1937-1941 1956 No survivors
GS-3 4-8-4 4416-4429 1938-1942 1957 No survivors
GS-4 4-8-4 4430-4457 1941-1955 1958 One survives; 4449
GS-5 4-8-4 4458 & 4459 1942-1955 1958 No survivors
This Is Post War Train # 98