Southern Pacific Coast Daylight

Southern Pacific Daylight Train 98-99, Volume 1

by Richard K. Wright

If you get any SP Daylight book, this is THE Daylight book you want. Written by Richard K. Wright and published in 1970, this 7 pound 656 page manuscript is still the most comprehensive source on the SP Daylight. You will find 1000 black and white photos from the SP archives and many technical drawings. The information is so detailed that you could actually build a Daylight train if you wanted to. Though this book has “Volume 1” in the title, no other volume was written. It was Wright's intension to create 13 volumes about Southern Pacific named trains. In letters to customers that purchased his first book, Wright wrote that he was well under way with Volume 2 which was going to be about the Southern Pacific Cascade Train 11-12 and would be about 528 pages, however he never finished and no other volumes were published. Wright recently passed away on January 29, 2013 at the age of 75. Family members stated he always said “I’ve accomplished everything I set out to do.”

Click on the book to view inside.

The Official Pullman-Standard Library, Vol. 5, Southern Pacific Prewar Cars

by W. David Randall & William M. Ross

Another must have book. Written in 1989 by David Randall and William Ross, the book catalogs every SP prewar passenger car, including the Daylight. The book is a hard cover spiral bound book with 205 pages of black and white photos from the SP archives and private collections, as well as examples of SP advertisements and maps. It also has a nice index of SP passenger car numbers and related information.

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The Official Pullman-Standard Library, Vol. 6, Southern Pacific Postwar Cars

by W. David Randall & William M. Ross

This is the other volume you should get that covers SP postwar passenger cars, including the Daylight. Published in 1988, it is also a hard cover spiral bound book with 212 pages of black and white photos, SP literature, maps, and car number index.

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Daylight Reflections, A Pictorial Album

by Nils Huxtable

Published in 1987, this book has many great color photos of the Southern Pacific Daylight, both historical and today. 104 pages.

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Daylight Reflections, Volume One: From Daylight to Starlight

by Nils Huxtable

Published in 2002, Nils decided to write a second book ... though the “Volume One” can confuse people in my own opinion. Great color photos and good bibliography. 152 pages.

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Southern Pacific Passenger Trains

by Brian Solomon

One of many in the Great Passenger Trains series, this book is dedicated to the passenger trains of the Southern Pacific. Published in 2005, this 160 page book has a chapter dedicated to the Daylights.

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Southern Pacific Official Color Photography, Volume 1

by Anthony W. Thompson

Southern Pacific began to take color photographs relatively early. This book contains a large series of images from both 1939 and 1941 when amateur color photography was scarcely possible. Most of the photos taken by the SP were of new equipment at the time, trains and services, as well as photos to illustrate current operations for advertising or corporate use. Published in 2000, this 128 page book is full of vintage color photos of the Daylight. I especially like the color photos of the insides of the passenger cars.

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Daylight: 4449’s Family Album

by Kenneth G. Johnsen

This paperback book covers the Daylight engine history, wrecks and scrappings, as well as the rebirth of 4449 in the 1970s. Many black and white photos and illustrations. Published in 1984, 112 pages.

4449: The Queen of Steam

by Henry Brueckman and Jeffrey Moreau

This book covers the history of the 4449 engine. Many photographs. Very thick paper pages in sepia tone to give it that antique look. Published in 1983, 64 pages.

Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Volume 1: Coaches and Chair Cars

by the Southern Pacific Historical & Technical Society

Members of the Southern Pacific Historical & Technical Society decided to endeavor on a massive project that would result in a multi-volume set of books covering all of SP’s passenger equipment. For those interested in the Daylight passenger cars, this volume covers the Chair-Baggage, Articulated-Chair, and Chair cars. Full of black and white and color photos, illustrations, car diagrams, rosters, glossary, bibliography, and index. Published in 2003, 456 pages.

Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Volume 4: Dining Service Cars

by the Southern Pacific Historical & Technical Society

Members of the Southern Pacific Historical & Technical Society decided to endeavor on a massive project that would result in a multi-volume set of books covering all of SP’s passenger equipment. For those interested in the Daylight passenger cars, this volume covers the Dining, Coffee Shop, Triple Unit Dining cars, Hamburger Grill, and Automat cars. Over 970 images, 142 plans, rosters, bibliography, glossary, and index. Published in 2010, 576 pages.

Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Volume 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor Cars

by the Southern Pacific Historical & Technical Society

Members of the Southern Pacific Historical & Technical Society decided to endeavor on a massive project that would result in a multi-volume set of books covering all of SP’s passenger equipment. For those interested in the Daylight passenger cars, this volume covers the Tavern, Parlor, Parlor-Observation, and Dome cars. 818 black & white and color photos, 97 floor plans and drawings, bibliography, glossary and index. Published in 2012, 576 pages.

America’s Bicentennial Queen: Engine 4449

by Richard K. Wright

This paperback book commemorates the Bicentennial and the history of the Daylight 4449 engine and how it was refurbished for the Freedom Train. Borrowing from Wright’s previous book on the Daylight, it contains black and white photographs, technical drawings, and illustrations. Published in 1975, 52 pages.

Those Daylight 4-8-4’s

by Robert J. Church

This book delves into the backgrounds and operations of all GS locomotives including the latter day ex-Cotton Belt series. Many black and white and a few color photographs, technical drawings, plus two large fold-out sheets with detailed diagrams of a GS-1, GS-2, GS-3, GS-4/5, GS-6, and tenders. Semi-glossy pages with an interesting rough texture to them. Published in 1976, 130 pages.

Southern Pacific Daylight Locomotives

by Robert J. Church

This is an updated book on the 1976 original by Robert J. Church. Contains many of the same illustrations with a lot of extra material and text. This book contains not only extensive photographic coverage of GS class 4-8-4 locomotives, but also construction photos, publicity photos, lettering diagrams, and more. Some color photographs. Published in 2004, 424 pages.

Southern Pacific Passenger Trains, Volume 2: Day Trains of the Coast Line

by Dennis Ryan and Joseph Shine

This book has many black and white and color photographs of SP passenger trains, including the Daylight. Also included are many illustrations, ads, menus, and consist listings. Published in 2000, 190 pages.

Southern Pacific Passenger Trains, Volume 1: Night Trains of the Coast Route

by Dennis Ryan and Joseph Shine

This book has many black and white photographs of the SP night trains, including the Lark, Sunset Express, Sunset Limited, The Coaster, and Starlight. Also included are many illustrations, car diagrams, and consist listings. Published in 1986, 400 pages.

Southern Pacific Daylight Steam Locomotives

by Kenneth G. Johnsen

Part of the TrainTech series, this paperback book covers the steam engines of the Daylight trains. Over 250 black and white photographs, including illustrations, drawings, maps, and SP ads. Published in 2006, 112 pages. I found the print quality of this book only fair, they had the look of a Xerox copy, like the pages were first scanned for final printing, however a high resolution was used so it does not look too bad.

Southern Pacific’s Coast Line

by John R. Signor

John Signor has a knack for writing, illustrating, and map making. He has drawn on many historical sources, including the extensive files of the railroad itself, to produce this outstanding book on SP’s coast line route history. The book is illustrated with hundreds of photographs, many unpublished, and with railroad graphics and ephemera, the book also includes the author's own fine maps. Published in 1994, 314 pages.

Southern Pacific’s Coast Line Pictorial

by John R. Signor

This is a continuation of Signor’s work in the 1994 book. He had so much material that was left out of the first book, he decided to publish a second book on the subject. This volume is pictorial in nature, and has nearly 600 photographs, 140 of them in color, and few never published before. The book includes work of many prominent photographers, but none is more eminent than Richard Steinheimer, the most respected American railroad photographer and particularly known for his superb images of the Southern Pacific, including 85 photos of the Coast Line. Drawings, bibliography, and index are also included. Published in 2000, 296 pages.

BOOKS

Some of the books listed here are out of print. You can usually find a used copy for sale on Ebay or doing a used book search on Amazon or AddAll. I find AddAll your best bet when looking for used books.

VIDEOS

There are many videos/DVDs on the Southern Pacific. One good source for railroad DVDs is Pentrex. The following are a few videos on the internet that I really like and thought I would share.

Daylighting the Padres’ Trail

by the Southern Pacific Railroad

In 1937 the Southern Pacific created a promotional film about the new Coast Daylight train. I like the fact that you can see how the new Daylight train performed inside and out. Great historical shots along the coastal route, some areas still have not changed.

Check it out by clicking the image.

This is My Railroad

by the Southern Pacific Railroad

This film, made in 1949 by the Southern Pacific, gives a look inside their operations moving passenger and freight trains throughout their system. Filmed in color, you can see Daylights to Black Widows from Tehachapi to Mt. Shasta.

Check it out by clicking the image.

Dangerous Playground

by the Southern Pacific Railroad

Another film by the Southern Pacific, this one made in the 1950‘s, is geared toward children to show them that a rail yard and railroad tracks are a dangerous place to play. I like the scene where the kids throw rocks at the trains and crawl under cars! Some funny corny stuff today, but it does have a serious message to kids ... and great organ music!

Check it out by clicking the image.

SP 4449 July 5, 2009, Highball into Shelby, MT

by Skip Weythman

When I watched this video for the first time, I was amazed at the quality of the shots. Skip Weythman uses some type of steady-cam for his camera while chasing the Daylight train in his car. His camera is so steady that when he zooms in to see the detail of the moving drivers, the clarity is so amazing with very little jiggling. He has multiple videos of the Daylight, so check them out!

Check it out by clicking the image.

LINKS

Here are some of my favorite links to share. Some are book sites that might help you find a used book.

Arizona Hobbies SP Books https://www.arizonahobbies.com/southern-pacific-books

Ron's Books https://www.ronsbooks.com

RPC Publications (business sold) http://www.rpcbooks.com/

SPH&TS Books https://sphts.org/product-category/books/

Karen's Books https://www.karensbooks.com/store/products/Browse.php?CategoryID=12

McMillan Publications https://www.mcmillanpublications.com/

Papa Ben's Books https://www.papabens.com/reports/books/by_date.php

The BookMine https://www.bookmine.com/

Railroadbooks.biz https://railroadbooks.biz/