Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad diesel-electric twin unit Railcar set No. 1A/B. Built by St. Louis Car Company In Aug. 1935 and withdrawn in 1953.

This pioneering 'DMU' was built to haul the Santa Fe's new train, the 'Super Chief', for its first year from May 1936, a route of an astonishing 2,200 miles! Teething problems (and more suitable locomotives) quickly demoted the units to lesser and more realistic duties. Its striking livery was Olive Green with Cobalt Blue and Sarasota Blue stripes, separated by pinstripes of Crimson and Tuscan Red! Seen here at Redondo Junction in July 1937, monochrome does not really do it justice.

© Steve Armitage Collection