S. Soho & Co BRASS Golden State Valle Vista CRI&P Coach Car HO Scale Painted use

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Golden State Golden Vista Valle Vista Coach, Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific versionBRASSMade in Japan. Imported by S. Soho & Co.Used. HO Scale. In S. Soho & Co. box but with handwritten notes on the label, see photo 12.Has windows installed, windowshades partially drawn, and kadee couplers.---From Wikipedia:The Golden State Limited was a named passenger train operating between Chicago and Los Angeles from 1902–1968 by the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad (“Rock Island”) and the Southern Pacific Company (SP) and predecessors. It was named for California, which was, in many cases, called the “Golden State”. In the early years of the train, the drumhead , or lighted sign at the end of the observation car of the train, was done primarily in orange, with colored drawings of oranges on glass backlit by train lighting.The Golden State had the advantage of transcontinental travel at a relatively low altitude, crossing the Continental Divide at about 4,400 feet (1,300 m) near Lordsburg, New Mexico , thus avoiding severe winter weather, particularly snowfall. (Highest elevation en route was 6600+ feet, further east in New Mexico.) Low altitude was an advantage for patients with lung problems and other illnesses, particularly tuberculosis, for which no antibiotics were available until after World War II. The other major central transcontinental routes both reached elevations of more than 7,000 feet (2,100 m) — the Santa Fe near Flagstaff and the Union Pacific near Sherman Hill , Wyoming .In addition, the Southern Pacific (after 1924) directly served the Arizona winter resort, golf course, sanatorium and dude ranch areas of Tucson and Phoenix, Arizona as well as Palm Springs , California, the winter home playground of many Hollywood movie stars.The Golden State route had the disadvantage of having a weak connecting and somewhat over-extended granger line (the Rock Island) serving farmland shippers, combined with the prosperous (and dominant) Southern Pacific who also had the Overland Route from San Francisco to Chicago as almost direct competition. Equipment The Golden State received regular upgrades to equipment, as it was the premier train on the Chicago-Los Angeles route. Beginning in 1924 Golden -series observation cars were assigned to the train. These 3-compartment, 2-drawing room observations became famous in the Pullman fleet as the most modern and luxurious equipment available and were also operated on the Santa Fe (Silver series) and New York Central (Central series).Starting in 1940, 8-section, 5-double bedroom rebuilt heavyweight Clover -series cars appeared on the Golden State.During 1926-29 and after 1948 the Golden State was an extra-fare train, supposedly to account for the costs of the luxury service and the reservation system for chair car seating. In later years the extra fare became something of a joke as service deteriorated badly. Extra fare for Pullman accommodation Los Angeles to Chicago was $10 in 1948, adding perhaps 10% to the total fare. The $3.50 extra fare for chair car passengers had the advantage of individual reserved seats and modern, leg rest, air-conditioned coaches. If you did not want to pay the extra fare, the slower secondary trains (see below) were available. The additional costs in a non-computer era for coach seat reservations were substantial; however, a nationwide reservation system for Pullman (sleeping car) passengers had been in effect for many decades.Shortly before World War II three streamlined dining cars ( Yucca , Saguaro and Ocotillo ) were built by Budd for service on the train. These cars were placed on the Twin Star Rocket in 1945 and late returned to Golden State service.Two-tone grey, smooth-sided 4-4-2 (four double bedroom, 4 compartment, 2 drawing room) and 6-6-4 (6 sections, 6 roomettes, 4 double bedrooms) Pullman sleeping cars were assigned to the train beginning in 1942. Later that year, additional 4-4-2 sleepers from the discontinued Arizona Limited and Treasure Island ... read more

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