Vintage Santa Fe TV Commercials

[dbaker3751]

CHICO LIVES!!

[iRECKONER]

"The abundance we take for granted in this country is something many people in less developed parts of the world could never imagine, much less hope to enjoy. HA HA

[iRECKONER]

1:18

[paperbacknovel]

Sante Fe delivers America's breadbasket. Never realized this.

[EricEbac22]

MilwaukeeSDman--

It was originally recorded by Judy Garland for a movie she made back in the 1950s; I believe it was "The Spirit of St. Louis", but I am not 100% sure.

[MilwaukeeSDman]

who iis the first song by?

[ripsnortinroy]

hear the one thing that dates this commercial? it's the clickety-clack of the trains as they go over the shorter rails of that era. Southern, i think it was, started laying 1/4 mile track sections and then welding those together. all roads do that now. just a bit of railroad lore.

[GrantYoung77]

Who is this song by?

[randomguy652]

Lets agree to send a letter to BNSF to change the lyrics for a new commercial using the song?

For their annversirary? Ask them to repaint some SD40-2's or GP38-2's?

[jimmyp42002]

@randomguy652 I think some of their remaining 30's or 35's would suit the Santa Fe much better than a 38-2, the SF only had a handfull of those units they got from the TP&W. They had more standard 38's though.

[randomguy652]

:-) The first one is so DAMN catchy!!!

[runawayfreak]

"With computerized speed and accuracy" 2:45 So why are all the trains hardly going over 30MPH :P

LOL I do kinda like these rail based commercials.

[Mcoov]

Was the first song a recording, or was it made specially for the commercial?

[Rtchugg]

Good one!! I like this!

[EricEbac22]

One thing I noticed about the last commercial in this first set is that the guy in the little golf cart-type vehicle looks like the actor who played Dr. Baker on "Little House on The Prairie".

[walkerbelle]

Boy does this bring back some memories! Thanks for sharing this, you just made my day! LOL

[4449ironhorse]

the santa fe was a good railroad that why i model it in n scale my grandfather was a enginer for the santa fe out out kanas city he ran a 2-8 -0

[7nordic]

How so typicial of era Americna railrading Santa fe and era advertsing so cute and classy

[Jooce1337]

2 people didn't get the time of day from the Atchison Topeka and the Santa Fe

[frankd1965]

I sure remember these commercials. especially this classic Johnny Mercer song from the 1945 film "The Harvey Girls". Second commercial sound likes Rod Serling

[TheNw1218]

0:06-1:05

on the atchison topeka and santa fe

[Bus7777]

This puts a smile on my face!

[jponcelo]

BNSF could re-release these commercials and make a killing. No one recognizes the degree to which they depend on railroad service even today.

[richardcwood]

I haven't seen these commericals for a long time, thanks for bringing them back.

[stickdog100]

These commercials were made because the railroad needed to advertise and show off their innovations, not because they wanted to show how "green" they were like BNSF.

[thetrainguru]

how did you record this

[jorgeniscool]

hwo did it take you to make this aweosme

[joeferrito]

BNSF oughtta paint a few units in the Blue-and-Yellow Freight scheme... hell, they've got Warbonnets! May the Santa Fe live forever. Screw Union Pacific.

[joshmeister4449]

my grand dad worked for them for 34 years

[OakViewFilms]

I miss the ATSF

[capnsean520]

I especially liked the Barstow clip. I used to head down to the yard when I was a kid just to railfan. Grandpa had a huge HO Scale layout in the garage in Barstow. Thanks Gramps! And especially thanks the GrizzlyFlats for posting the commercials!

[craftytiger]

ATSF is not SF on BN tracks. UP did not envie SF, especially since ATSF mishandled the finances. BN And SF merged. SF was a shawdow of itself at that time. I miss them both. But at least we still have BNSF.

[JoJoJopete]

Your crazy, the Santa Fe was still great at the time of the merger with the Burlington Northern.

[Mcoov]

But the merger made the two railroads even better.

[upcarknocker]

Love the old Shock Control boxcars.....

[hudson501]

I visited the Santa Fe headquarters in Chicago back in the 1970's and was told that these commercials were made by the Santa Fe, "in house". Not by an ad agency. If that's the case, pretty good TV advertisements by a railroad!

[SouthwestChief]

@hudson501

Santa Fe used the famous ad agency, Leo Burnett. So these could have been done by Leo Burnett.

[jorgeniscool]

love the shots

[mkmcclure]

Santa Fe was always the class of the west. Everything UP wishes it were: smooth 90 mph track, great people, service, and a can-do attitude. BNSF is really ATSF quality with BN tracks added. Too bad the hq moved to TX.

[accordblack]

excellent!

good video!

[RailFanDavid]

i like these old ATSF commercials.

[DJRakow]

I remeber that CBS2 Chicago WBBM-TV ran these Santa Fe Commericals in the Chicago TV Market.

[ATSFMike]

In the first segment, they show a lot of the old black and red cinder-cone ballast on the tracks. Now when I lived in Bakersfield, and would build modules for the club layout, those so-called purists said I was out of my mind, the Santa Fe never had ballast that color on the tracks. Until I took a picture of it on an abandoned branch line near Ducor, Ca. Then they just halfway accepted my work. Well, I guess half a loaf is better than... when dealing with people like that. Mike in Fresno,Ca.

[ATSFMike]

Love those blue and yellow diesels. I miss them-even the older blue paint scheme. And all those nice red Shock Control boxcars- and without all the damn grafitti! Really wish for the day the Santa Fe makes a "comeback". I hope I'll live to see it. Mike in Fresno, Ca.

[XxXxkingxXxX2]

i love the santa fe

[sUpErShIeFbOy]

i like the part from 2:20

[Weiberts]

remember the atsf

[kingfrog59]

whos the song by?

[59swl]

Music by Harry Warren, lyrics by the great Johnny Mercer

[foxthorne]

Those two guys in the end of the video played in the tv show Little House on the Prairie

[ATSFMike]

Kevin Hagen, played Doc. Baker on Little House. Fine Actor. Wish they had television like they had back then, too. Mike in Fresno, Ca.

[MrBooojangles]

I prefer UK trains as I am from there, but I like your Amtrak and Santa Fe advert videos. I have favourited them.

We used to have a big coal industry in the UK until that bitch Maggie Thatcher shut them down about 30 years ago. Now all our coal comes from Poland I believe.

[jimmyp42002]

its amazing what all the railroad own even today, althouhg they don't name everything after the railroad today they still do own quite a bit of other stuff

[FlyBikes089]

coolest!

[trainpeeps]

i like that kids lionel set.

[mbgphoto79]

The four way meet was awesome!

[madnavigator]

I had no idea the ATSF was so diversified.

Don't know about the other stuff. But I know the BNSF still runs those coal unit trains; mostly out of the Powder River Basin, but there's a new line coming up out of the Bull Mountain Mine in Montana.

[LionelKid16]

The guy that was on the railcart. Didn't he play the Doctor on Little House?

[RailhaterPunisher]

ya he did

[golfingrobert]

they didnt do too much coal did they? just like a few different trains i think

[Espeelover]

they did alot in Raton Pass.

[atsf484number3751]

nice

[conrail4101]

I loved it!!!

[mt14l]

Glad to see even the length runner got to show off his MT19 speeder

[trainboy94]

Have you ever thought about selling those tapes????? I love them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

[trainlord11]

Wow cool commercials!

[trainsruleandroll]

sooo... whats the theme song called for these awsome santa fe commercials?

[OldsVistaCruiser]

With the exception of the cheesy 1970's stock music on the second commercial, the theme song for these commercials was "On The Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe", which was the 1946 Academy Award-winning song in the MGM musical, "The Harvey Girls", starring Judy Garland.

trainsruleandroll wrote:

sooo... whats the theme song called for these awsome santa fe commercials?

[HyperActive7]

Wow!! I'm impressed! Never knew Santa Fe had commercials like this.

[marshmallower]

I hope the little kid got to keep the train set!

[Espeelover]

hah hopfuly, those were sharpe curves!

I never new that ATSF had commarcials? cool!

[veronicafanDA]

If only BNSF could make ad's like this.

[linda86440]

I miss the chico and the SF logo, the beautiful harvey houses, etc. I am very proud of my family that worked for so many years for SF

[linda86440]

I am what Santa Fe called a railroad brat I live 6 miles north of needles california My dad worked for santa fe as an electrician my uncles & brother-inlaws cousins etc. all worked for SF. My husband also works for SF now called BNSF. It is not the same as it was when it was SF. It was like family and tradition then. The romance of the rails. I have rode the super chief when I was a little girl across country. It was marvelous! My husband has 32 years in now.

[Bellwestern80]

At 1:34, I see an F45, now that is old!

[moileman]

WATS DA SONG CALLED

[hudson501]

Back in the 1970's I was told by a Santa Fe employee at their then Chicago Michigan Ave. main headquarters that these TV spots were pretty much made by the Santa Fe themselves, not a hired ad agency.

[joeferrito]

Why were the trains on the left hand mainline in the first one?

[derailluver]

BNSF needs to make commercials. and where did u get the commercials? plz respond

[GrizzlyFlats]

These commercials are from an ancient Pentrex video tape which, if I recall, came free with another order. It hasn't been available since around 2000, but there's probably one on eBay now and then.

[white93taurusgl]

What is the title of the movie?

[GrizzlyFlats]

The title of the tape is "Those Great Railroad Commercials."

[frankd1965]

@derailluver I prefer ATSF over BNSF.

[RedLego391]

@derailluver

they made about 4-5

[ViagraMan2Us]

I find it interesting that the commercial about coal mentions "energy shortages, environmental problems, inflation". What are we experiencing now in the 2000's?

-Energy shortages

-Environmental problems

-Inflation (especially with $4 and soon to be $5 gas and diesel).

We need to take all those people laid off from the auto industry, and get them building locomotives, rolling stock, and laying more track. Rail is by far the most efficient means of land transportation, reducing our need for oil.

[derailluver]

ur right

[OldsVistaCruiser]

@ViagraMan2Us - The Union Pacific R.R. is the second-largest user of diesel fuel on Earth, next only to the U.S. Navy. How about electrifying all these main lines (high enough to double-stack) and vastly expanding the Auto-Train network?

[pele6922]

@ViagraMan2Us And we will continue to experience it year in and year out with no change because its not in the interest of the ownership class to change it. I remember the 1970s crisis and here we are again. They care as much about their fellow Americans as I do about the daily life of an Afghani or Iraqi; I honestly don't and neither do they.

[longlivethewtc]

Does anyone know what the background music is for these ads? I mean when they talk about unit trains, and the Santa Fe hoppers go by, specifically. Was this seque made just for these ads, or is it part of a song? Thanks. Thanks for putting these up as well.

[steal2nd]

it just doesnt seem the same without the warbonnets. gotta luv em^^

[white93taurusgl]

Which was your favorite. Warbonnet? Which I think BNSF should do like Union Pacific and make Heritage Units. Or did you like the Bluebonnet?

[steal2nd]

i like the warbonnet the best, but i like the war pumpkin better. maybe its because orange is the best color ever. heritage units for bnsf would be pretty cool

[white93taurusgl]

I live near a BNSF line. The warbonnets that they do have are in sad shape. They should do like Union Pacific purchase new locomotives and paint them like the railroads that made up union pacific.

[Chapas45]

ahh...that 4th commercial. when kaiser over in fontana actually served a purpose (the coal for the steel, that is).

[duramax6600]

I love this commercial. 5* and a favorite

[skarkot]

Thats awesome, When railraoding was in its prime!

[trainmaster500]

what do you mean by "was"? :-) In my opinion - the railroads are making a bigger comeback their prime has yet to be reached!

[skarkot]

back in the 40's aqll the way up into the 80's railraoding was great. So many different railroads and a lot of thme went everywhere. Now days everything is pinpointed ot certain areas of the country. All im saying is that its not how it used ot be.

[wyomingrailfan]

everything has changed. high tech stuff, and those ads I have to say are just corny, kinda like the UP ads a few years ago, but I never knew rr's had TV ads during the 70s.

nice video. everything, byt the way is not pinpointed as you say. there are plenty of indusrties spread out. I think the rr's are returning from a version of the dark ages to the renasiannse of railroading.

[OldsVistaCruiser]

Railroads weren't in their heyday in the 1940s to 1980s. In fact, from 1945 to the 1980s were the darkest hours for the American railroads.

Railroads faced competition from air travel in the postwar era and from the mid-1950s on, the Interstate system.

In fact, it was so bad that the Pennsylvania RR, once the largest corporation on earth, merged with a bitter rival.

The failure of the Penn Central only 3 years later brought down 6 more railroads, leading to the creation of Conrail.

[mt90945557]

@OldsVistaCruiser Well today, Interstates are getting more and more congested and pothole infested, The price of flying is fluctuating widely and the cost of gas is rising, so there is hope for railroading.

But yeah reading about the Pennsy merging with their rival is very depressing =(. My great grandfather worked for them.

RIP Pennsylvania Railroad!!!

[OldsVistaCruiser]

@mt90945557 - AutoTrain is one of Amtrak's biggest money-makers. Its phone number for a while was 800-SKIP-I-95.

However, you had to drive through the worst parts of I-95 (congestion, tolls, potholes and construction) along the Northeast Corridor to reach the terminus in Lorton, VA.

There should be extensions of AutoTrain service to the Boston area as well as westward from Lorton to the Los Angeles area.

[cagorrie]

Thanks for posting them, they`re excellent !

[RCdash9]

Yeah cool. That was life before 9/11 when nobody gave shit about security.

[EWM27]

quite possibly one of the best vids on the tube

[R160A]

The second commercial was my favorite. And what i it that they're saying. On the what of Topeka and the Santa Fe?

[bogusacct]

"the Atchison, Topeka, and the Santa Fe". ATSF.

[R160A]

So, does that mean that the full name of the Santa Fe was tha Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe? Just like the full name of the New Haven was the New York, New Haven, and Hartford?

[EWM27]

yes, thats right

[Zebrails]

Milwaukee Road: Chicago, Milwaukee, St.Paul & Pacific.

Older North Western, Chicago & North Western/ Chicago, St.Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha.

Soo Line: Minneapolis, St.Paul, Saulte Saint Marie.

Burlington: Chicago, Burlington, & Quincy

[59swl]

GN: Great Northern

NP: Northern Pacific

SP&S: Spokane, Portland and Seattle

Three of the railroad lines, along with the Burlington formed BN in 1970

[diazpepe]

is awesome in 2:49 see 4freight trains and many locomotives

the last time i was a freigth train was 6 months ago

in my region chile the freigth train pass on night very late 2 am to 6 am and are sd35 with some flatcars and containers because the passenger train is very frecuent on the day

great santa fe video im a railfainer of north american trains!

[coyoteatquiznos]

LOL, these made me smile, esp. the overly upbeat jingle in the first one.

[white93taurusgl]

What's scary is I have that jingle stuck in my head.

[coyoteatquiznos]

If you've ever watched Tom & Jerry, there's an episode where Jerry starts dancing on the felts in Tom's piano to play that song. The score also played "On the AT&SF" to open an episode with a circus train. Those were the first times I heard the song and never made the connection to the Santa Fe Railway... until I saw this video. C=

[derailluver]

what are u talkin' 'bout?

[skarkot]

im saying that the train companies are FUCKED UP!

[chessie93]

I Like Those Lionel Santa Fe Trains

[thetrainman407]

GREAT VIDEO!

[AODProds]

That Leslie SuperTyfon horn was pretty cool at 2:20.

[chessie93]

I liked it at all times. Great Video. 5 Stars!

[anavelgato2004]

cool vids

thxs man

[Treyvs]

I love this! I wish I had it

[NSNCRailfan]

Wow!! That's a classic!

I've just got a Santa Fe Warbonnet, here in North Carolina.

[OldsVistaCruiser]

Being from the East Coast, I wonder if BNSF has updated the song, "On The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe"?

"We can take your freight all the way

On the Burlington Northern Santa Fe!"

[TexasPacific]

or...

"We can take you freight all the way

on the BNSF Railwaayyyy

[adam1234a]

BNSF SUCKS! Santa fe is  wats up! screw bn!

[railmogul2]

yeah, screw BN! there just dragging santa fe down!

[adam1234a]

LETS go spray paint some Pumpkins into WarboNnets !!!!!!

BNSF SUCKS GIVE US BACK THE CIGAR BAND!

[pitts64]

Sounds like Boxcar Willie!!!!

[1961sd]

Yeah Santa Fe was the best, rode the Super Chief in the late '60's, it was still immaculate when the other roads were way down hill.

[likestallwomen]

Santa Fe was some railroad, and growing up with that and Southern Pacific it'll always be 1 2 punch! And yeah, get some passenger train comercials on Santa Fe's "Tribe" they were one of the few that went 1ST class all the way to Amtrak!

[ericn32]

Love the A.T.& S.F. Railway- would be great to see some passenger ads.

By the way: it sucks that Amtrak didn't pick up the LA- San Francisco portion of the City of San Francisco route. Anyways, I've always had a unique admiration of the Santa Fe.

[adam1234a]

dude thank you this is soo cool !! screw BN

this is where its at

[milespost]

Does anyone have access to vintage commercials from various railroads regarding their passenger service? I remember seeing Santa Fe spots with a blend of cartoon and real footage of Chico and ATSF passenger trains.

[heine71]

Dick Marx (father of 1980's-1990's pop singer Richard Marx) did the music for the 1970's Santa Fe train TV commercials.