RI/SP trains 43/44, the Californian, served as the secondary, maid of all work, trains between Chicago and LA, also handling Memphis to LA cars. In the early post war, at least, this train was very busy.
It may have been for that reason that the Imperial, RI/SP 39/40, was introduced in, I think, 1949, perhaps to handle the through end to end traffic. Initially, 43/44 continued to handle the Memphis connecting cars, and the train remained "full service"....meaning Pullman, dining and lounge service. It did not take long for the Memphis cars to be transferred to 39/40, reducing 43/44 to a mail train with rider coach, and did not take much longer to simply discontinue 43/44, and give the head end traffic to 39/40.
That equipment listing shown above is very impressive, but I have to question both it's accuracy (two diners and two lounge cars for 10 Pullmans, 220 passengers if every berth is occupied?), no through baggage cars for either section seems unlikely, as does this huge train (10 Pullmans, 11 coaches), on a daily basis.
The train shown seems very abbreviated as compared to the listing, around 13 - 14 cars...appears to be three Pullmans, or a lounge plus 2, behind the diner. So, I wonder if this is after the introduction of the Imperial?
These steam era photos never fail to beat my drum. And, by the way, that is a Daylight engine, or locomotive, leading what is most certainly not a Daylight (train).
AA