Sunset Limited, Southern Pacific Ry. /

"Taken at Fingal, Cal., where the world-renowned "Sunset Limited" trains pass each other. One runs on a side track, and the other dashes by at a high rate of speed. Switch is then turned, and the train passes on, slowly receding from view. 150 feet"--Edison films catalog, no. 94, March 1900, p. 21.
"Southern Pacific Company series: The Southern Pacific Company ("Sunset Route") offers special inducements to winter travelers, by reason of its southern route, thereby avoiding the extreme cold of the winter months. Its course lies through a section of the country that presents a variety of beautiful and picturesque natural scenery. It is also the direct route to the popular resorts of Southern California, thereby making it a favorable route for tourists. The following subjects were taken by our artist while traveling over the very extensive lines of the Southern Pacific Railroad Co., to whom we are indebted for many courtesies, and without whose co-operation we should not have been able to bring before the public these animated photographs of interesting and novel scenes"--Edison films catalog, no. 105, July 1901, p. 43.
13551 U.S. Copyright Office
Copyright: Thomas A. Edison; 24Feb1898; 13551.
Camera, Frederick Blechynden.
Duration: 1:09 at 30 fps.
Paper print shelf number (LC 1881) was changed when the paper prints were re-housed.
Additional holdings for this title may be available. Contact reference librarian.
In the N.H. Darton's Guidebook of the Western United States, Part F, Southern Pacific Lines, 1933 (Geological Survey Bulletin 845, viewed online at the National Park Serivice website), Fingal is referred to as a railroad siding, rather than a town. On sheet 28, a map of part of the railroad line, Fingal siding appears to be about five miles west of Palm Springs.
Filmed ca. mid-January 1898, in Fingal, California.
Available also through the Library of Congress Web site as digital files.
Sources used: Copyright catalog, motion pictures, 1894-1912; Musser, C. Edison motion pictures 1890-1900, p. 384; Niver, K. Early motion pictures, p. 317; Edison films catalog, no. 94, March 1900, p. 21 [MI]; Edison films catalog, no. 105, July 1901, p. 43 [MI]; National Park Service WWW site, viewed October 28, 2014.
Early motion pictures : the Paper Print Collection in the Library of Congress / by Kemp R. Niver. Library of Congress. 1985.