On April 25, 1971 a very special excursion was operated by the Southern Pacific, roundtrip between Oakland and Truckee, CA .
That train, the “Truckee Limited”, went down in the history books of California, for the passengers were riding their way into a chapter of America’s past.
On December 7, 1867, the first passenger special departed Sacramento with a group of dignitaries and guests for a ride over the very same route that our train was speeding toward back in 1971. The 1867 train was company owned and operated, property of the Central Pacific Railroad.
The Central Pacific became the Southern Pacific in 1898, although the corporate name of Central Pacific was still around in 1959. Passenger trains pioneered, improved, and then began to fade, finally reaching that special moment in 1971 as we rode this train to the end of an era.
May 1, 1971 was just another important date in the news of the day. On that date, just six days away from the date of our SP excursion, most if not all of America’s passenger trains were turned over to AMTRAK for operation under a nationalized type of system.
As our special SP train rolled along this Sierra route back in 1971, the most famous and historic of any found in America, the many passengers on the trip brought to a close some 104 years of railroad-owned and –operated special passenger trains.
While we already knew that we would be able to ride over this same route on AMTRAK trains, it would NEVER again be like the grand SP “Final Excursion” of April 25, 1971.

The “Truckee Limited” was powered by SP FP7A # 6459, assisted by her “sisters” ,
SP 6453, SP 8122, SP 8290, and SP 6448 in an “AABBA” arrangement. The operating crew that historic day consisted of P.R.Sesen, Engineer; L.L.Varner, Conductor; and L.E. Largent and R.M. Scott, Brakemen.
The train had a registered nurse onboard, Miss Pat Johnston. Three separate food cars were included in the special train, two SP diners and an Automatic Buffet Car. Those three cars were all staffed by the Southern Pacific and were provided for this special train by Mr. H.A. Purdy, Manager, SP Commissary Department.
The two full-length SP diners were conveniently located, and served complete meals for the dining pleasure of the excursion’s passengers. Entrée selections included Fillet of Sole a la Cascade, leading up to the special broiled steak dinner. Specially bottled California wines were available for the passengers pleasure. Champagne, domestic and imported, could be ordered from the Lounge cars. Dinners ranged from $ 3.00 to $ 7.00 !

The Automatic Buffet Car, located near the middle of the train, featured a variety of popularly priced snacks, from scrambled eggs with sausage to hot tray meals. Your selection included juices, milk, coffee, waffles, assorted sandwiches and hamburgers.
Prices ranged from 15-cents to $ 1.65 ! The Automatic Buffet Car was open upon departure from Oakland and remained open until arrival at Martinez in the evening.

The two dining cars served breakfast from 8:05am until 9:30am. Luncheon—Supper—Dinner (one bill of fare) was served from NOON until 7:30pm.

The forward lounge car was the Sunset Lounge. The mid-train lounge car was the Golden State. The Observation at the end of the train was the “Circumnavigators Club” (WK752) …

The ‘Circumnavigators Club’ was built by the Pullman Company at Calumet, Illinois. It is an 8-section, dining-lounge-observation car, complete with its own kitchen. All facilities necessary for long distance trips are found in this self-contained rolling hotel. The car escaped the modernization after World War II and is a classic example of the Pullman cars of the 1930’s. President Franklin D. Roosevelt traveled with this car in 1943 as he made a secret trip from Washington, D.C. to San Antonio, Texas, to visit military installations there.

The lounge cars were staffed by volunteers, as was the rest of the Truckee Limited crew, except for the operating and commissary crews.

Two fifteen minute photostops took place during this historic excursion. One was at COLFAX and the other was high above Donner Lake at “SNOWSHED 47”.
It was at Shed 47 that the famous “Play-in-the-Snow” scene played out. People throwing snowballs, people climbing on signal masts, people climbing on sheds, people going into sheds, you name it. Greatest SP excursion ever !! The UPRR would never have allowed it !

Special people, from among the many volunteers, helped make this final SP excursion a grand success. Folks like Ernie Nelson, LaVera Holmes, and Rob Leachman. Rob was our onboard piano player in one of the lounge cars. Also Dick Reynolds, Doug Ebert, Bill Kluver, Doug Morgan, Don Russell, John Plytnick and the ever so fantastic “Henry Luna” of Key Tours in Walnut Creek, CA.


Why am I telling you folks this long story, you ask ? Because I strongly feel that the “FINAL SP EXCURSION” is a story that needs to be re-told to all of YOU that missed out on what the rest of us experienced on that snowy day of April 25, 1971 . A story that’s as thrilling as it is historic. Twenty-two cars and FIVE (5) F7 locomotives in all of their glory !

Production is currently in the works for a grand motion picture documentary of the running of this truly historic trip: “THE TRUCKEE LIMITED” ……
Fully filmed in vivid Eastman color and including many interior and exterior scenes.
Cooking scenes in the dining car kitchens with SP Commissary crews at their finest.
Lounge car and baggage car scenes; Locomotives; Snow; and historic Truckee, CA.
Overall, it is pure ‘Southern Pacific’ as many of us remember from the 40’s and 50’s .

Over 1000 feet of film tells the story of the “Truckee Limited” which includes historic “bonus footage” of several historic railroad operations in Alameda and Mendocino counties dating from 1938 to 1965 ……The production includes the insertion of several ‘still photos’ contributed by six “rail notables” from the various Trainorders forums.
If you would like further information considering this historic SP documentary, please contact me direct at : keyrouteken@msn.com

Have a great week everybody !

KEN SHATTOCK
(aka “Key Route Ken”…)