Reservations had to be made weeks in advance. In its first year and a half the El Capitan ran at 80% capacity, superior to similar services. Santa Fe EMD F3A #19, assigned to that day's El Capitan, smashed through a concrete barrier at Los Angeles Union Station in January 1948 In regular operation passengers bound for the Grand Canyon would connect at Williams. On its inaugural run the El Capitan left the main line at Williams and traveled up the Grand Canyon Railway to Grand Canyon Depot. Unique in charging an extra fare despite being a coach train, it pioneered such features as 'RideMaster' seats optimized for sleeping.

Originally conceived as the Economy Chief, the name 'El Capitan' was chosen to commemorate the Spanish conquistadors it competed for passenger traffic with Union Pacific's Challenger. The fare from Chicago to Los Angeles was $5.00 above the $39.50 regular coach fare in 1938.

Like the Pennsylvania Railroad's Trail Blazer, it offered 'low-cost passage with high-speed convenience'. The El Capitan debuted on February 22, 1938, on a twice-weekly schedule, using two five-car sets of streamlined equipment built by the Budd Company.

The combined Super Chief / El Capitan, led by EMD F7s in Santa Fe's Warbonnet paint scheme, pulls into Track 10 at Los Angeles' Union Passenger Terminal ( LAUPT) on September 24, 1966.

Bootable el capitan