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SIOUX CHIEF TRAINTEL postcard. Hunters Point, Civic Center, Montgomery Street, Rose Bowl (Rincon Hill behind Rose Bowl)

In 1962 -1963 Verle Thompson, a well known local radio personality in Sioux Falls, South Dakota purchased five former City Of San Francisco cars and placed together at the junction of highways I - 29 and 16 and opened as the SIOUX CHIEF TRAINTEL, the world's only exclusive Pullman Train - Motel.

The five cars were all custom built for the joint UP - SP - C&NW streamliner City Of San Francisco. The cars were purchased by the joint owners in 1945 after the court forced Pullman breakup. When the joint equipment agreement was dissolved in 1947, C&NW became owner of all these cars except Rincon Hill (SP). C&NW dissolved the joint operations with UP and SP and as of October 30, 1955 the Milwaukee Road handled the Streamliners east of Omaha to Chicago.

*Hunters Point was lettered Arcadia while at the Traintel. Apparently Verle had purchased Arcadia and it was damaged before delivery. Hunters Point was sent in it's place. It is not known if it was renamed before or after its' arrival.

**Montgomery Street had the seats removed and was used as the office.

***Rose Bowl was originally the Telegraph Hill from the 1938 City Of San Francisco. The original Rose Bowl was a 12 Duplex room - 5 Double bedroom car on the joint UP - C&NW streamliner City Of Los Angeles. More Roomette space was in demand on the City Of Los Angeles so Rose Bowl (7/22/41) and Telegraph Hill (7/16/41) exchanged trains and names. The newly renamed Rose Bowl was inserted inro the new LA-4-5-6 City Of Los Angeles trainset which began service July 1941.

The motel closed around 1975. The cars were sold in 1988.

Civic Center was purchased by a private party and moved to the San Francisco Bay area. It is currently on display at the Golden Gate Railroad Museum - Civic Center.

Hunters Point and Rose Bowl are now at Travel Town in Griffith Park Los Angeles, California.

Montgomery Street first moved to Portland Oregon before moving on to San Francisco, California in 1998. It is currently stored at the Golden Gate Railroad Museum - Montgomery Street.

Rincon Hill was repainted Southern Pacific Daylight colors, renamed Clackamas and used as a crew car for 4449 excursions.

How to move a passenger car    Vern Bruce Photos

	The cars were put on large dollies and trucked to a nearby railhead. Rose Bowl being lifted from the dolly.
	Rose Bowl was the first car out that week. The new owners coordinated the move and all went out at the same time in May 1990.
	The other end of RoseBowl shows the second crane used to liftt the car.
	The opposite sde of Rose Bowl is the side that was next to the Rincon Hill and was not repainted from the original TRAINTEL scheme.
	The unique and complex triple-bolster U-43-R trucks used on the LA-1 and SF-1 City of San Francisco trainsets

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