David B. Jones Special

The David B. Jones Special was a one-time, passenger train operated by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway from Los Angeles, California, to Chicago, Illinois, at the request of David Benton Jones. David B. Jones was suddenly taken ill with cancer[1] at his winter home[2] "Pepper Hill" in Montecito, California.[3] This special rushed him to his Chicago physicians and surgeons at an average speed of 50 miles per hour (80 km/h).[4] This run was completed three minutes faster than the more famous 1905 Scott Special. Although not part of the speed run, the train continued on to David B. Jones' summer home in Lake Forest, Illinois.

Overall trip summary

The train left La Grande Station at Los Angeles at 11:33 PM May 5, 1923, Pacific Time and arrived in Chicago at 12:50 AM on May 8 Central Time. The 2,232-mile (3,592 km) journey was completed "in exactly 47 hours and 27 minutes."[5] The actual running time was only 44 hours and 51 minutes[6] which deducts time spent for stops such as those for coal and water and the 55-minute delay caused by the breakdown of a Union Pacific locomotive ahead of the special at Nebo, California.[6] The running time was therefore three minutes less[note 1] than the Scott Special. Thus, the average speed was 47 mph (76 km/h) and the average running speed was 50 mph (80 km/h). It was "a phenomenal run when compared with the regular Santa Fe limited time of sixty-eight hours and thirty minutes."[7] The $11,000 special thus saved about 20 hours over the time of the regularly scheduled train. ($11,000 is equivalent to $196,700 in present-day terms.[8]) "Mr. Jones' daughter, Gwendolyn[note 2] Jones; his brother [Thomas D.], a doctor and two nurses accompanied him on the trip."[10]

Speed and time over selected segments

The special train traveled over selected segments as follows:[note 3] F. M. Gillette, engineer, and W. L. Evens, fireman on locomotive 1370 ran between Los Angeles and Barstow, California-141.4 miles (228 km)—on the Los Angeles Division in 3 hours and 26 minutes. This included:

• 34 minutes in the first 13 miles (21 km) to Lamanda Park, Pasadena, California, due to a slow order, and
• 16 minutes taking water and testing the air brakes, and
• 27 minutes climbing a "stiff" mountain grade (Cajon Pass).[11]

The 432-mile (695 km) run between Seligman, Arizona, and Albuquerque, New Mexico, on the Albuquerque Division was scheduled for 12 hours, but completed in 9 hours and 32 minutes.[12]

"The stretch between Dodge City and Newton, Kansas, was covered at 65 miles per hour [(105 km/h)]."[13]

The Special covered the 455.3 miles (733 km) between Argentine, Kansas, and Chicago in 7 hours and 45 minutes at about 60 mph (97 km/h). This was "thirty minutes faster than the Scott Special."[note 4]

After arriving in Chicago

"Upon arrival here [Chicago] it was switched back over the Northwestern track to Lake Forest, arriving there at 3:46 p.m. This switchback, however, is not counted in making the record."[10]

Legacy

The run "was in the nature of staging a comeback at the aviation record in the non-stop flight from New York to San Diego last week."[14] However, the run was only marginally faster than the Scott Special.

Notes

1. But notice that the Scott Special traveled 2,265 miles (3,645 km) between Los Angeles and Chicago; The Jones Special traveled 2,232 miles (3,592 km) between the same cities.
2. Actually, her name was Gwenthalyn Jones.[9]
3. This account has been derived from various newspaper accounts. No comprehensive account has been found.
4. Actually, it was twelve minutes faster.[14]

References

1. "Another Speed Record Broken".
2. "Zinc Industry Founder Dead...".
3. Wilson 2002, p. 13.
4. "Jones Special Another Notable Santa Fe Run". {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help) This article has 3 paragraphs on the Jones Special; 2 paragraphs on the Scott Special; and 1 paragraph each on the Nellie Bly; B. P. Cheney, Jr; C. P. Huntington; A. R. Peacock; H. P. Lowe; and Charles W. Clark specials.
5. "Jones Special Another Notable Santa Fe Run". {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help) This should be 47 hours 17 minutes with the two-hour time-zone difference. Some newspapers accounts use the erroneous 27-minute figure; others use the correct 17-minute value.
6. "Jones Special Another Notable Santa Fe Run". {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
7. "Life Rests with Speed of Special...".
8. 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved February 29, 2024.
9. "Social Register summer 1919". {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
10. "Record for Rail Speed is Smashed...".
11. "[Among Ourselves] Redondo Junction...". {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
12. "[Among Ourselves] Winslow...": 89. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
13. "Special Train Speeds 2,230 Miles to Doctor...".
14. "Record Made of Chicago Special...".

• Onderdonk (care division foreman), M.P. (June 1923). "[Among Ourselves] Redondo Junction". The Santa Fe Magazine. 17 (7 (June)). Chicago, IL: Santa Fe Magazine: 79. Retrieved 7 September 2009 – via Google Books.
• Erickson (care roundhouse foreman), Charles (June 1923). "[Among Ourselves] Winslow". The Santa Fe Magazine. 17 (7 (June)). Chicago, IL: Santa Fe Magazine: 88–89. Retrieved 7 September 2009 – via Google Books.
• "Another Speed Record Broken". Logansport, Indiana Pharos-Tribune. 8 May 1923. p. 13.
• "Jones Special Another Notable Santa Fe Run. Average Speed of More Than Fifty Miles an Hour Maintained in Remarkable Run Across the Continent". The Santa Fe Magazine. 17 (7 (June)). Chicago, IL: Santa Fe Magazine: 27. June 1923. Retrieved 7 September 2009 – via Google Books.
• "Life Rests with Speed of Special. Ill Millionaire Private Train is Breaking Time in Chicago Dash". Los Angeles Times. 8 May 1923. p. 12.
• "Record for Rail Speed is Smashed. Sick Chicago Millionaire Carried to Chicago Home Under "Scotty's" Time". Los Angeles Times. 9 May 1923. p. 13.
• "Record Made of Chicago Special. Average of Fifty Miles An Hour Covered On Run From Los Angeles". Fresno Bee. 9 May 1923. p. 5.
• "Social register: Contains the summer address where it differs from the winter address of the residents of New York, Washington, Philadelphia, Chicago, Boston, St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Cleveland ... [etc.]. summer ..." Social Register Summer 1919. XXXIII (75). Bowling Green, [KY?]: Social Register Association: 436. June 1919. Retrieved 7 September 2009 – via Google Books.
• "Special Train Speeds 2,230 Miles to Doctor. David B. Jones, Ill, Pays $11,000 for Los Angeles-Chicago Trip to Family Physician". New York Times. 8 May 1923. p. 25.
• Wilson, Richard Guy (2002). "The Styles of David Adler". In Thorne, Martha (ed.). David Adler, architect: the elements of style. New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press. pp. 13–33. ISBN 978-0-300-09702-3.
• "Zinc Industry Founder Dead. D. B. Jones Passes Away at Lake Forest. Magnate Became Ill Here Last May. Was Rushed East on Train That Cost $11,000". Los Angeles Times. 24 August 1923. p. 16.