The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-10-27
Los Angeles to Chicago Now In
6S 1-2 Hours.
CUTS $50 MINUTES IN Time
Average Speed of 33 Miles In
cluding All Stops.
Flag of Truce Announced From
Topeka Offices.

The flag of truce is waving over the
general offices of the Rock Island and
Santa Fe in Topeka today. The
transcontinental speed war between
the three great coast lines, the Salt
Lake, the Santa Fe and the Rock Is
land has been settled. 1t has ended
in an agreement to the effect that
each road will make the distance be-
tween Chicago and Los Angeles in
6S1 ~ hours.
The battle among the motive pow
er efforts and the passenger depart
ments of the three roads began a few
days ago when the Salt Lake an
nounced cut of 2h hours on the
Los Angeles Limited, eastbound. This
created CONSERVATION in the general
offices of the Santa Fe and Rock Is
land in Topeka and Chicago. Their
running time, Los Angeles to Chi
cago, was 2 u hours longer than that
of the Salt Lake.
Passenger and operating officials
were called together hastily. A plan
of battle was originated. Time cards
were marked and remarked. Leaving
time on the coast was investigated.
Connections and departures were
thrown together in a time card pot
and boiled down to the last operating
minute. Grades and track conditions
were considered.
Same Schedule Is Used.
The new schedule was first ar
ranged by the Rock Island. James A
Stewart, general passenger agent of
the road in Topeka, announced today
that beginning November I6 his road
would operate the Golden State Limit
ed, one of Americas finest trans, be-
tween Los Angeles and Chicago in
6S " hours. This is cut of 2 " hours
from the present running time.
Now comes ]. M. Connell, general
passenger agent of the Santa Fe, with
an announcement of time card meet
ing in the Topeka offices next week.
At this meeting it is predicted that the
Santa Fe will meet the 6SH hour run
from the coast to the great lakes. I'm
less further cut is made by the Salt
Lake, the time will stand for the win
ter run of the three palaces" across
the country.
The speed war has resulted in a run
of 6S1s hours from Los Angeles to
Chicago, eastbound and from Chicago
to Los Angeles, westbound. Hhe pres
ent eastbound time is II hours.
The Salt Lake train is operated by
the San Pedro, Salt Lake & Los An
geles railroad, the Union Pacific and
the Northwestern. The San Pedro
from Los Angeles to Salt Lake City,
the Union Pacific from Salt Lake City
to Omaha and the Northwestern from
Omaha to Chicago. The Golden State
Limited of the Rock Island Lines is
OpoTdleQ over the ROCK
Chicago to Tecumcari, N. M, the Ell
Paso & Southwestern to Tucson and
the Southern Pacific to Los Angeles.
The Santa F'e uses it's own line from
one terminal to another, being the
only railroad under one management
from Chicago to the coast.
The Santa Fe line is 2,261 miles.
Chicago to Los Angeles; the Rock
Island, 1880, and the Salt Lake, 2,310
miles. The average speed, including
stops, changing of engines, water.
coal, etc, is 80 " miles an hour.
In addition to the battle against
time the three. roads are boasting of
their superior service and comforts.
The Golden State Limited, an all-steel
train for more than a year, and the
Santa Fe with new all-steel cars for
the first trips this season.
The Rock Island Topeka to Los
Angeles, is 52-hour run and the
Santa Fe 54 hours.