The California Limited was one of the named passenger trains of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway.

The line was conceived by company president Allen Manvel as a means to "signify completion of the basic Santa Fe system."

Manvel felt he could attract business and enhance the prestige of the railroad with daily first-class service from Chicago to the West Coast.

The California Limited was withdrawn on June 15, 1954, giving it the longest tenure of any train on the Chicago–Los Angeles run of the Santa Fe.

[2]: 73 [3]: 41  The weekly extra-fare Santa Fe de Luxe in 1911 overshadowed the California Limited, but it remained a popular train.