This was part of a train set owned by the Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe called the Super Chief, transporting
passengers and their luggage between Chicago, IL, and Los Angeles, CA. The duration of the trip took thirty-nine hours one way to complete. The Super Chief was the first diesel-powered and all-Pullman passenger equipment in the United States. Interior artwork is credited to the Native American Heritage. Due to being the only train serving Arizona, California, Colorado, Kansas, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, & New Mexico along its route, the Santa Fe Super Chief only ran both directions once a week to allow time for maintenance and preparation. Once passengers were settled into their assigned bedrooms or roomettes, they were able to explore the publicly accessible areas of the train. At the rear of the Navajo, passengers were able to socialize and create a social environment. This was quieter than the bar because there was no bar in this rail car. Celebrities at the time were used to advertise the Santa Fe Super Chief. In the 1950s, Airlines were introduced, causing the railroads to lose business regardless of the services offered. The Navajo was retired from the Santa Fe in 1957 and was in storage until donated in 1966 to the National Historical Railway Society in Denver, CO. They used this car as a charter on the Santa Fe's last passenger train. When Amtrak was established in 1971, the Navajo was retired once again and moved to the Colorado Railroad Museum.