Sunbeam (passenger train)

Infobox rail line
name = "Sunbeam"
color =

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type = Inter-city rail
system = Texas and New Orleans Railroad
(Southern Pacific)|locale =
start = Houston, Texas
end = Dallas, Texas
stations =
routes =
ridership =
open = 1925
close = 1955
owner =
operator =
character =
stock =
linelength = convert|264|mi|km
tracklength =
notrack =
gauge = RailGauge|ussg
el =
speed =
elevation =


map_state = show

The "Sunbeam" was a named passenger train operated from 1925 to 1955 between Houston and Dallas by the Texas and New Orleans Railroad (T&NO), a subsidiary of the Southern Pacific Railroad (SP). cite web|url=http://www.dallasrailwaymuseum.com/dallashistory.html |title="A Brief History of Railroads in Dallas" |accessdate=2008-08-18 |work= Dallas Railroad Museum ] [ cite web|url=http://www.sunset-limited.com/lrs/Argonaut.html |title=The Argonaut |accessdate=2008-08-18 |work=The Louisiana Rail Site ] The train was designated number 13 northbound, and number 14 southbound.

Originally a heavyweight train, the "Sunbeam" was re-equipped on September 19, 1937 as a streamlined train sporting the Daylight paint scheme of parent Southern Pacific’s other named passenger trains. For motive power, the T&NO streamlined three P-14 class 4-6-2 Pacific locomotives and painted them and their Vanderbilt tenders in Daylight colors.

Initially, the streamlined "Sunbeam" was scheduled over the 264-mile route in 4 hours, 45 minutes. Beginning June 1, 1938, the schedule became non-stop between the two largest cities in Texas, and the scheduled time was trimmed by twenty minutes to 4 hours, 25 minutes (265 minutes) in each direction. This fast schedule was designed to meet the mile-a-minute timing of its competitors, the Burlington-Rock Island's "Texas Rocket" and "Sam Houston Zephyr".

The "Sunbeam" operated in tandem with its slower sibling, the "Hustler": "The two sets of equipment were dispatched from each terminal in the morning as the "Hustler", making all local stops along the way. Then, at the end of the line, they were turned and sent back as the mile-a-minute "Sunbeam" express." cite web|url=http://www.streamlinerschedules.com/concourse/track9/sunbeam195008.html |title=Streamliner Schedules: |accessdate=2008-08-18 |last=Eric H. |first=Bowen ] By 1950, flag stops at Ennis and College Station had been added to the Sunbeam's schedule.

With the advent of T&NO/SP's Diesel locomotive fleet in the postwar period, ALCO PA locomotives were often assigned to the "Sunbeam".cite book | last = Solomon | first = Brian | authorlink = | coauthors = | title = Southern Pacific Railroad | publisher = MBI Publishing | date = 1999 | location = | pages = 115 | url = | doi = | id = | isbn = 0760306141 ] The "Hustler" was discontinued in 1954, and the "Sunbeam" in 1955.

References

External links

* [http://www.streamlinerschedules.com/concourse/track9/sunbeam195008.html "Sunbeam/Hustler" 1950 schedule and consists at "Streamliner Schedules".]

Photographs

* [http://texashistory.unt.edu/permalink/meta-pth-28884 Photograph of the Sunbeam with streamlined Pacific locomotive and Vanderbilt tender, circa 1940, from The Portal to Texas History, University of North Texas Libraries.]
* [http://texashistory.unt.edu/permalink/meta-pth-28833 Photograph of the Sunbeam at Dallas in 1950, from The Portal to Texas History, University of North Texas Libraries.]
* [http://texashistory.unt.edu/permalink/meta-pth-28762 Photograph of the Sunbeam, lead by Alco PA units, en route to Houston in 1952, from The Portal to Texas History, University of North Texas Libraries.]
* [http://texashistory.unt.edu/permalink/meta-pth-28883 Photograph of the Sunbeam leaving Dallas on Oct. 5, 1952, from The Portal to Texas History, University of North Texas Libraries.]
* [http://texashistory.unt.edu/permalink/meta-pth-28882 Photograph of the Sunbeam leaving Houston on Aug. 9, 1953, from The Portal to Texas History, University of North Texas Libraries.]