Although Santa Fe did reluctantly join Amtrak, they DID have A LOT to say about the operation of Amtrak Trains # 3 & 4, The Super Chief - El Capitan. Amtrak's SDP-40F locomotive was basically a lower horsepower FP-45, and Trains # 3 & 4 were the only Amtrak trains to have THREE units regularly assigned to them. The passenger consists behind stayed almost purely Santa Fe too, until the late 1970's. ( I rode in a Super Chief Pleasure Dome on the Coast Starlight in August, 1979.)
Santa Fe had enough clout with NRPC that they even insisted Amtrak run a resurrected Chief, in the gas - crunch summer of 1973. Fred Frailey also reported that when John Reed toured an Amtrak - redecorated Hi - Level coach, he likened the red & purple interior to that of a French Whorehouse !!! This led to Santa Fe recalling their copyrighted ( for use on railroad passenger trains ) CHIEF names. So What's in a Name ??? Amtrak's Southwest Limited name was really close to a one - time Milwaukee Road name train : The Southwestern Limited !!!
Santa Fe contributed a well - maintained passenger car fleet to Amtrak, mostly Budd - built which NRPC preferred. The downside of SFe's passenger equipment was the steam - ejector air conditioning; difficult to maintain and not commonly used by other railroads. Still, the Santa Fe influence is seen today in Amtrak's SuperLiner fleet.