Union Pacific Passenger Service Timeline (1869-1971)

Index For This Page

This page was last updated on November 18, 2024.

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Wooden Era

(Unless noted, the following information for the wooden era was taken from Arthur Durbin's "Some Classic Trains")

May 15, 1869
UP and Central Pacific start the operation of passenger service, through from Omaha to Sacramento; 1,173 miles; 5 days, 7 hours

November 1869
Through service to Oakland started. The first through train was known as The Express.

1875
The Express was changed to either (depending on its direction) the Atlantic Express, or the Pacific Express, and given train numbers 1 and 2 on Central Pacific, and train numbers 3 and 4 on Union Pacific.

June 1883
Union Pacific announced new schedules and new trains between Omaha and Ogden. Train No. 1 was to be the westbound local mail train. Train No. 2 was to be the eastbound Atlantic Express. Train No. 3 was to be the westbound Pacific Express. And Train no. 4 was to be the eastbound local mail train. (Salt Lake Herald, June 20, 1883)

1886
Timetables published daily in local Ogden newspapers referred to Trains 1 and 2 as the Through Express, in both directions. (Ogden Herald, July 16, 1886)

November 13, 1887
Union Pacific inaugurated service of its Overland Flyer, between Omaha and Ogden, Utah, where passengers and through cars were transferred to the Central Pacific.

December 1887
Union Pacific was operating an eastbound and westbound Overland Flyer, along with a "morning overland train" and a "night overland train", with the following times at Ogden:

April 29, 1888
Due to the need to keep its schedule, which was decreased by two hours between Chicago and Ogden, the Overland Flyer, train no. 3, became a limited train between Council Bluffs and all points west, with only Pullman Palace sleeping cars. To maintain its schedule, the train was to run with a limited number of cars, and no day coaches would be run as part of the train. (Salt Lake Herald, April 28, 1888; Deseret News, May 2, 1888; Ogden Standard, May 5, 1888)

December 5, 1888
Golden Gate Special started as one of the nation's first deluxe passenger trains. Golden Gate Special was not a financial success, and service ended in May 1889.

June 1889
Train no. 1 (westbound) and No. 4 (eastbound) between Ogden and Kansas City was known as the Overland Flyer, and included through Pullman sleepers and Pullman Buffet cars, and reclining chair cars. Train no. 2, the eastbound Atlantic Express, and train no. 3, the westbound Pacific Express, were equipped with Pullman Buffet cars, and Pullman Tourist (second class) cars. There were direct connecting cars for these four trains between Salt Lake City and Ogden. (Salt Lake Herald, June 14, 1889)

1890
Union Pacific began running its Overland Limited, a luxury train that ran between Omaha and San Francisco in 71 hours. (Union Pacific web page, "A Brief History of Union Pacific Passenger Trains", accessed on October 12, 1996)

November 17, 1895
UP changed the name from the Overland Flyer to the Overland Limited. SP met UP's Overland trains at Ogden with its connecting westbound trains operating as the Pacific Express and eastbound trains as the Atlantic Express.

November 18, 1895
The first Overland Limited traveled from Omaha to Cheyenne, 516 miles, in 13 hours, being the first train to travel between the two cities in one day. The speed was reported as 55 miles per hour. On this same day, Union Pacific began operating a new Fast Mail train between Omaha and Ogden, on the schedule of the old No. 1, the Overland Flyer. (Salt Lake Herald, November 19, 1895)

The first train of the new Pacific Limited arrived at San Francisco, from Chicago, on November 20, 1895, covering the distance in "practically" three days, instead of the previous three and a half days. (Salt Lake Herald, November 21, 1895)

January 2, 1896
Pullman began operating a new "composite" car west of Chicago for the first time, as part of the Overland Limited. The car is a combination of a buffet, bar, library, smoking room and barber shop. (Salt Lake Herald, January 3, 1896)

(The Salt Lake Tribune of January 4, 1896 referred to the new car as being the first Wagner car to ever enter Salt Lake City as part of a regular train. The library had book shelves with popular books and magazines available, and a couple desks, with stationary "handsomely engraved, En route via the Overland Limited.")

1902
The Overland Limited was refurbished with $2 million worth of new wooden cars, each with steel underframe and concrete floor to provide safety and stability.

October 24, 1905
"Will Reduce The Running Time -- Los Angeles, October 24. -- The Los Angeles, San Pedro and Salt Lake Railroad has decided to reduce the running time of its through passenger trains between Los Angeles and Salt Lake to twenty-six hours, which will cut the running time between this city and Chicago to sixty-eight hours. The through limited train which will be put on by the Salt Lake-Union Pacific-Northwestern routes to Chicago, will be known as the "Los Angeles Limited," and the name will appear on every coach of the splendidly equipped train." (Oakland Tribune, October 24, 1905)

December 15, 1905
The Los Angeles Limited began operating between Chicago and Los Angeles.

1906-1909
The first all-steel arch-roof passenger car was built for SP in their Sacramento shop in July 1906. UP's first all-steel arch-roof car was built by UP at Omaha in April 1907. These two cars were the first and were test cars to determine the manufacturing proceedures of this entirely new design. SP's second all-steel arch-roof car was completed in July 1909, and UP's second car was completed in August 1909. This was also when mass production of the all-steel arch-roof cars began by Pullman. (see "Soulhern Pacific Passenger Cars Volume 1: Coaches and Chair Cars, pages 10-29)

Before The Streamliner

March 1932
New low cost meals on Union Pacific dining cars announced. This had reference to lowering of meal rates on The Columbine, Mountain Bluebird, Portland Rose and Pacific Limited.

April 1932
Inaugurated Cafe-Observation car service Portland-LaGrande, and later extended to Salt Lake-Butte service. Discontinued July 1937 when replaced with diner-lounge cars; no change in meal service.

February 1933
Parlor cars with buffet lunch service inaugurated on Trains 561 & 562 between Portland and Seattle; discontinued October 1933.

March 1933
Dining car prices reduced on through trains and were made uniform, with breakfasts at 50 to 75 cents; luncheons 75 cents to $1.00; dinners $1.00 to $1.25.

1st Train (M-10000)

February 12, 1934
The three-unit fully-articulated M-10000, the first streamlined internal-combustion passenger train, was delivered to Union Pacific at the Pullman plant at Pullman, Illinois; on February 11, 1934, the train had made two trial runs between Pullman, Illinois, and Michigan City, Indiana.

(Read more about M-10000, known as the 1st Train, includes train consists)

February 12, 1934
The three-unit fully-articulated M-10000, the first streamlined internal-combustion passenger train, was delivered to Union Pacific at the Pullman plant at Pullman, Illinois; on February 11, 1934, the train had made two trial runs between Pullman, Illinois, and Michigan City, Indiana.

When W. A. Harriman accepted delivery of M-10000 at Pullman, Illinois, on February 12, 1934, he announced that UP had ordered of one six-car train and two nine-car trains. (Railway Age, Volume 96, page 269)

The Competition

April 9, 1934
"Pioneer Zephyr" was delivered to CB&Q by the Budd Company, as the first diesel-powered streamlined train; a record breaking trip between Chicago and Denver was completed on May 26, 1934; the train entered regular revenue service on November 11, 1934 between Kansas City and Lincoln, Nebraska, by way of Omaha; a fourth car was added in June 1935; the train remained in regular service until March 20, 1960. (see also: Railway Age, April 14, 1934)

February 15, 1934
M-10000 was exhibited at Union Station in Washington, D.C.

March 2, 1934
Leaving from Omaha, Nebraska, M-10000 began touring the United States, covering 12,625 miles on 14 railroads and visiting 65 cities; a special invitation-only round trip was made on March 1, 1934 between Omaha and Columbus, Nebraska (88 miles one way)

March 9, 1934
The nationwide tour included a side trip from Las Vegas to Boulder Dam. During its layover at Las Vegas, Nevada, on March 9th, Union Pacific was given permission to operate the M-10000 over the Six Companies' government railroad out to the face of Boulder dam, which was then under construction. After stopping briefly at Boulder City, where the train was opened for tours, it was posed for publicity photos passing through a huge 30-foot diameter penstock pipe, then made its way out to the face of the dam.

April 11, 1934
M-10000 returned to Omaha

April 19, 1934
M-10000 made its first revenue trip, a special move for the Omaha Chamber of Commerce between Omaha and Gering, Nebraska (445 miles)

May 12, 1934
Overland Trail, the first streamlined sleeping car, was delivered and displayed with M-10000 at the Chicago Century of Progress; the train was displayed at Chicago from May 12 to July 12, 1934 ("Overland Trail" was later added to M-10001)

2nd Train (M-10001)

October 2, 1934
M-10001 was delivered as a six-unit (later seven-unit), fully-articulated train; returned to Pullman for improvements in December 1934.

(Read more M-10001, known as the 2nd Train, includes train consists)

October 22-25, 1934
The six-unit consist M-10001 (locomotive and five cars) traveled coast-to-coast from Los Angeles to New York in a record-breaking run traveling the 3,250 miles in 56 hours 55 minutes; on the Union Pacific mainline between Cheyenne and Omaha (508 miles) it had an average speed of 82.7 MPH with many stretches averaging over 100 MPH. One was the long standing speed record between Dix and Potter (9 miles) in 4 minutes 30 seconds or 120 MPH.

(The later twin trains "City of Denver" operated for years on the fastest schedule in regular service in the country--Denver to Chicago (1,048 miles) in a total time of 16 hours including eight station stops for an average of 65.5 MPH.)

December 1934
After several weeks of evaluation and redesigning, M-10001 was returned to Pullman for improvements, including a more powerful 1200 horsepower engine to replace its original 900 horsepower engine (which was installed in M-10002).

January 1, 1935
M-10000 entered revenue service on the 187-mile Kansas City-Salina, Kansas route. (Ranks and Kratville, The Union Pacific Streamliners, 1974, page 37)

January 1, 1935
City of Salina (1st Train) inaugurated daily between Kansas City and Salina (equipment retired December 16, 1941) (UP Passenger Service Timeline; PDF)

January 31, 1935
M-10000 entered service as the "City of Salina". (Wayner, Car Names Numbers and Consists, 1972, page 139; Kratville and Ranks, Motive Power of the Union Pacific, 1960, page 216)

April 1935
Select meal service announced for lunch and dinner meals, with lower priced combinations that were available prior to that time.

April 1935
New uniformed coach porter service was announced.

April 1, 1935
The following comes from Morgan County News, March 28, 1935:

Union Pacific Adds Two New Fast Trains -- New and additional train service from its Pacific coast terminals at Los Angeles, San Francisco and Portland to Chicago, Denver, Omaha and Kansas City is to be inaugurated April 1st, according to an announcement by Union Pacific headquarters in Omaha. the new train, to be known as the Pacific Limited, will use but two nights in its jump from any one of its three Pacific coast points to Chicago and Kansas City terminals. Travelers from Salt Lake, Denver and Cheyenne will need but one night in journeying to Chicago or Kansas City.

The new train will be thoroughly modern in all its appointments and completely air conditioned, will be the only train on any railroad departing in the mornings from Los Angeles, San Francisco or Portland and providing through service from these points to Chicago, Denver and Kansas City.

The westbound companion of the Pacific Limited will leave Chicago daily for the Pacific coast at 10:30 a. m. with but two nights en route and with no extra fare.

May 1935
Sleeper E. H. Harriman, delivered in October 1934 as part of the 2nd Train, was remodeled as a Kitchen Diner Lounge in May 1935, and included as part of the revised 2nd Train.

2nd Train (M-10001) [Revised]

May 23, 1935
The revised M-10001 (more horsepower, with added car) was accepted by Union Pacific at the Pullman plant, then it ran to the C&NW Station in Chicago for display, after which it ran to Omaha

UP's M-10001 was on public display as shown below:

June 4, 1935
M-10001 and its six-car train was christened as "City of Portland" on June 4th, at a ceremony at Portland, Oregon. (Ranks and Kratville, The Union Pacific Streamliners, 1974, pages 82)

June 6, 1935
M-10001 departed Portland, Oregon, bound for Chicago, on the inaugural run of the "City of Portland". (Kratville and Ranks, Motive Power of the Union Pacific, 1960, page 218; Railway Age, Volume 98, Number 23, June 8, 1935, page 875; Ranks and Kratville, The Union Pacific Streamliners, 1974, pages 82 and 343)

June 6, 1935
City of Portland (2nd train) inaugurated, operating every 6th day, 39 hours 45 minutes (equipment retired March 27, 1939)

July 1935
Low prices were announced for meals in the buffet cars on the City of Portland trains 1 and 2. Prices were given as 25 cents breakfast; 35 cents lunch; 50 cents dinner, with coffee or milk 5 cents.

July 8, 1935
Free pillows inaugurated on Trains 7 & 8; 17 & 18; 118 & 127. Prior to this, and during all of 1932, 1933 and 1934, pillow rental was 25 cents.

July 12, 1935
Low priced meal service inaugurated, 25-cent breakfast; 30-cent luncheon; 35-cent dinner.

July 24, 1935
Free pillow service extended to other trains, except Trains 27 & 28, although passengers riding on free transportation paid 25 cents for a pillow.

July 24, 1935
M-10001 derailed at Nugget, Wyoming, on July 24, 1935 due to a broken axle. The M-10001 and the entire 2nd Train were removed from revenue service until February 6, 1936 pending a move to Pullman in Chicago for an investigation and remedy for the broken axle. Test runs were made in Nebraska on January 29-31, 1936, and a positioning move was made on February 1st to position the train in Portland for the resumption of service on February 6th. A steam-powered train with standard equipment protected the schedule of the 38 round trips that were annulled during the period the 2nd Train was out of service. (Thomas R. Lee, "Union Pacific's M-10000 and the Early Streamliner Period 1934-1941," page 83-84)

August 1935
Announcement was made of separate coaches for women and children, free pillows and drinking cups and new types of lights.

August 1935
Low cost meal service announced for coach-tourist section of Train 7. These were the 25, 30 and 35 cent meals. Free pillows offered. Train designated as The Challenger.

August 16, 1935
M-10000 had a low-speed single-axle derailment in Kansas City Union Station on August 16, 1935. The M-10000 and the entire 1st Train were removed from service until October 6, 1935 pending an investigation and remedy for the broken axle. The remedy included new larger axles for the entire train. The delivery of the 3rd and 4th Trains was delayed to allow these new trains to also receive new larger axles. A steam-powered train with standard equipment protected the schedule during the period of 51 days that the 1st Train was out of service. (Thomas R. Lee, "Union Pacific's M-10000 and the Early Streamliner Period 1934-1941," page 84-87)

August 25, 1935
Pillow rental on Trains 27 & 28 was reduced from 25 cents to 10 cents.

August 31, 1935
Coach and tourist section of Train 7 was designated as "The Challenger".

August 31, 1935
Stewardess service was inaugurated August 31 on The Challenger trains 2nd 7 and 2nd 8 between Omaha and Los Angeles.

August 1935
Announcement was made of the lengthening of city ticket office hours, this being prompted largely by bus competition.

February 9, 1936
Pillows were offered all revenue passengers, and to persons traveling on free transportation, within reason (on instructions of President).

February 10, 1936
Size of pillows reduced from 17 x 24 inches, to 16 x 18 inches.

March 13, 1936
M-10000, known as "The Streamliner," was named "City of Salina" in a letter from W. M. Jeffers.

From The Union Pacific Streamliners, by Ranks and Kratville, 1974, page 39:

Contrary to popular belief, the M-10000 was neither lettered nor identified as the City of Salina for many months after its delivery. The public usually referred to it as "The Streamliner" as did the local Kansas newspapers. It was listed in the timetables as No. 99 and 100 and it was not until March 13, 1936 that a letter from W. M. Jeffers stated that henceforth the M-10000 would be known as the City of Salina and that "this train was to be lettered accordingly, using the same style lettering as is being used on the City of Portland."

April 18, 1936
Coffee shop service (plate service) inaugurated on conventional trains, which established moderately priced meals -- 45-cent and 65-cent breakfast; 65-cent luncheon; 50-cent and 85-cent dinner. (Discontinued on October 1, 1941)

May 1936
Coffee shop diners were placed in service on the Pacific Limited and Denver Limited, serving Challenger meals at 25, 30 and 35 cents as well as club meals.

May 1936
City of Los Angeles inaugurated May 15th. Stewardess service featured.

May 1936
Los Angeles Challenger renumbered Trains 717-718 (margin note: from 7 & 8) and operated through between Cheyenne and Los Angeles effective May 15th from Chicago and May 16th from Los Angeles.

3rd Train (M-10002)

May 15, 1936
City of Los Angeles (3rd train) started service, operating every 6th day, 39 hours 45 minutes (equipment consolidated in 1938 with "4th COSF"; withdrawn February 15, 1947)

May 16, 1936
M-10002 entered revenue service as the "City of Los Angeles." This is the first train to have two power units, and to have power units that can be uncoupled from their nine-car fully-articulated train.

(Read more about M-10002, known as the 3rd Train, includes train consists)

M-10000, M-10001 and M-10002 had the same car body cross-section, with tapered sides.

May 24, 1936
Assistant Stewards placed on Los Angeles Challenger.

May 31, 1936
Off-the-tray service of coffee and sandwiches discontinued on Challenger diners, but sale of lemonade, pop, ice cream cones, etc. continued.

New Design Motive Power

In June 1936, Pullman delivered to Union Pacific eight new locomotives that used a new design. These had straight sides and were not articulated with either each other, or with their trains.

M-10003 -- Cab and Booster unit; Spare; assigned to City of Denver in June 1937 as CD-07-A and CD-07-B

M-10004 -- Cab and Booster unit; assigned to City of San Francisco (4th Train); removed from service and stored, January to August 1938; entire train changed to City of Los Angeles in August 1938; motive power renumbered from M-10004 to LA-4 in July 1938; motive power removed from service and stored in January 1939; cab unit rebuilt to CD-06-C in August 1939; booster unit renumbered to CD-05-C in July 1939

M-10005 -- Cab and Booster unit; assigned City of Denver (5th Train); changed to CD-05-A and CD-05-B in June 1937

M-10006 -- Cab and Booster unit; assigned City of Denver (6th Train); changed to CD-06-A and CD-06-B in June 1937

M-10003

M-10003 was built at the same time as M-10005 and M-10006 (all delivered in July 1936), and was a spare locomotive set to protect the operating schedules of the City of Los Angeles and the City of San Francisco.

There were no cars assigned to the M-10003 locomotives.

M-10003 was renumbered to CD-07-A and B in June 1937

4th Train (M-10004)

June 14, 1936
City of San Francisco (4th train) began service, operated every 6th day, 39 hours 45 minutes (equipment consolidated in 1938 with "3rd COLA"; withdrawn February 15, 1947)

June 14, 1936
M-10004 entered revenue service as the "City of San Francisco."

(Read more about the 4th Train, includes train consists)

The motive power set M-10004, along with the spare motive power set M-10003, had the same car body cross-section, straight (vertical) sides.

The nine articulated cars of the 4th Train had tapered sides, like the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd trains.

The M-10004 locomotive was renumbered to LA-4 in July 1938 (replaced by E3s in March 1939); the LA-4 booster unit was renumbered as CD-05-C in July 1939 and the LA-4 cab unit was rebuilt to CD-06-C in August 1939.

5th and 6th Trains (M-10005 and M-10006)

These trains were the first Streamliners with separate motive power units, and a mix of single cars and two-unit articulated cars.

(Read more about M-10005, known as the 5th Train, includes train consists)

(Read more about M-10006, known as the 6th Train, includes train consists)

June 18, 1936
M-10005 and M-10006 entered revenue service as the "City of Denver," making the 1,048 mile trip between Chicago and Denver in 16 hours.

Locomotives M-10005 and M-10006, and the cars of the 5th and 6th trains had the same car body cross-section, with straight (vertical) sides.

October 1, 1936
Continental dinner service ($1.75) inaugurated on City of Portland streamliner. (Discontinued on December 31, 1941)

November 3, 1936
Continental dinner service ($1.75) inaugurated on City of Los Angeles streamliner. (Discontinued on December 31, 1941)

1937
Purchased 5 Challenger (D-K-D) Diners (Pullman-Standard) for Challenger.

1937
Purchased 12 women's coaches (Pullman-Standard) for Challenger (presently but 3 available; balance converted for lounge service).

1937
Purchased 28 48-seat coaches (Pullman-Standard) for Challenger.

1937
Purchased one COLA "7th train", 15 cars (Pullman-Standard)

1937
Purchased one COSF "8th train", 15 cars (Pullman-Standard)

January 25, 1937
Lounge Car Porters placed on lounge cars, Los Angeles Challenger.

April 24, 1937
Portable bars placed in lounge cars, Los Angeles Challenger. Removed on June 2, 1937.

April 27, 1937
Union Pacific Cookie Jar passed to children as complimentary between-meal snack.

July 8, 1937
The Forty-Niner made its initial run from Chicago to San Francisco. This train used Union Pacific's only streamlined steam locomotives, 4-6-2 number 2906 and 4-8-2 number 7002

July 25, 1937
Bar facilities built in lounge cars on Los Angeles Challenger.

September 1937
Announcement was made of the purchase by Union Pacific of the building at 6th and Olive streets, Los Angeles.

September 1937
Stewardess service was inaugurated on the Los Angeles and Overland Limited, and Portland Rose, effective September 15th.

September 15, 1937
San Francisco Challenger announced as separate train, with same schedule as Overland Limited. (referred to as "super-train")

Lounge cars placed in San Francisco Challenger, including Lounge Car Porters.

October 1937
Streamliner city ticket office opened in Denver.

October 1937
Washington D. C. office opened.

7th and 8th Trains - The New E2 Locomotives

December 1937
A total of 15 sleeper cars were delivered by Pullman for new City of Los Angeles and City of San Francisco service.

December 1937
A new City of Los Angeles, with locomotives LA-1, LA-2 and LA-3, was on public display at the following locations:

December 27, 1937
A new 14-car City of Los Angeles train, powered by the three-unit set of EMD E2 locomotives LA-1-2-3, joined the 3rd Train (M-10002; COLA)

1938
3rd COLA and 4th COSF trains partially consolidated, rebuilt and used alternately with 7th COLA 1937 to 1941 when 9th COLA train received. Remaining equipment from 4th train assigned to City of Portland service when 2nd train withdrawn.

January 2, 1938
A new 14-car City of San Francisco train, powered by the three-unit set of EMD E2 locomotives SF-1-2-3, replaced the 4th Train (M-10004; COSF).

By the time of its first anniversary on December 27, 1938, the City of Los Angeles will have traveled 282,165 miles. By the time of its first anniversary on January 2, 1939, the City of San Francisco will have traveled 274,854 miles. Neither train had been out of service at any time during the year of service. (Union Pacific press release dated December 24, 1938)

June 1938
Women's Travel Department, Los Angeles, opened June 16th.

August 18, 1938
The remodeled 13-car 4th Train (M-10004), with locomotives renumbered as LA-4, replaced the 3rd Train (M-10002) on the City of Los Angeles route.

December 1938
New Chicago city office at 1 South La Salle Street was opened.

December 1938
Union Pacific Research Kitchen was opened in Omaha Commissary Building. (Closed in June 1942)

1939
New escalators placed in service Omaha Union Station, effective month not given.

February 1939
Women's Travel Department in Chicago was inaugurated.

New E3 Locomotives (COLA)

March 1939
Union Pacific took delivery of an EMC E3A and E3B locomotive, numbered as LA-5 and LA-6, which replaced the two-unit LA-4 (ex M-10004) locomotive in City of Los Angeles service.

(The two-unit LA-4 (former M-10004) was removed from service and rebuilt into booster units CD-05-C and CD-06-C for the City of Denver trains.)

May 1939
New Los Angeles Terminal opened for service.

June 1939
New Omaha city ticket office featured with Women's Travel Department, effective June 15th.

June 1939
The entire M-10001 train was removed from service and stored; replaced in City of Portland service by M-10002, which had been replaced in City of Los Angeles service in August 1938.

June 1939
The 3rd Train (M-10002) replaced the 2nd Train (M-10001) as the City of Portland. The M-10001 power unit was rebuilt later in the year as CD-07-C

June 20, 1939
Women's Travel Department inaugurated in Denver office.

July 24, 1939
New Spokane city ticket office opened.

August 12, 1939
The City of San Francisco derailed on vandalized track near Harney, Nevada. A replacement train was put into service until the consist can be repaired. Five cars were completely destroyed and had to be replaced. This was the 8th Train, with E2s SF-1, SF-2 and SF-3 as motive power.

August 28, 1939
The replacement City of San Francisco train went into service; made up of the cab and booster E3 locomotives, LA-5 and LA-6, and 11 cars from other trains.

(Read more about the 1939 derailment of the City of San Francisco)

December 1939
The power equipment from M-10001 was removed and installed in a new car body, numbered CD-07-C for service on City of Denver

March 9, 1940
The opening of the Los Angeles depot as the world's first streamlined and air-conditioned railroad station was announced.

May 15, 1940
New San Francisco ticket office opened.

June 1940
New Portland city ticket office opened.

June 1940
Union Pacific changed the colors of its Streamliner trains from a combination of Armour Yellow and Leaf Brown, to Armour Yellow and Harbor Mist Gray. The first cars to receive the new colors came in July 1940 and were the damaged cars from the August 1939 derailment of the City of San Francisco, after they were repaired and returned to service.

9th and 10th Trains - Standard Locomotives and Cars

August 1940
Union Pacific took delivery of three pairs of EMC E6A passenger locomotives, painted Armour Yellow with Harbor Mist Grey, instead of Armour Yellow and Leaf Brown.

Six cab units: UP 7-M-1A and 7-M-2A, 8-M-1A and 8-M-2A, 9-M-1A and 9-M-2A

August 1940
Union Pacific took delivery of new E6 locomotives from EMC, painted in yellow and gray. These new locomotives were assigned to many of UP's lightweight non-City passenger trains. Additional new E6s were delivered in February and March 1941 and were assigned to the City of Los Angeles (9th Train) and City of San Francisco (10th Train).

September 26, 1940
Full dinner meal (65-cents) inaugurated on Los Angeles Challenger. (Discontinued on January 7, 1941)

1941
Purchased 30 81-foot Baggage cars (Pullman-Standard) for conventional trains.

1941
Purchased 10 30-foot RPO-Baggage cars (Pullman-Standard) for conventional trains.

1941
Purchased 30 48-seat coaches (Pullman-Standard) for conventional trains.

1941
Purchased 54 sleepers (gray) (Pullman-Standard) for conventional trains.

1941
Purchased one COLA "9th train", 15 cars (Pullman-Standard)

1941
Purchased one COSF "10th train", 15 cars (Pullman-Standard)

1941
Consolidated 4th train assigned to City of Portland.

February 1941
E3 locomotives LA-5 and LA-6 were renumbered 5-M-1-A and 5-M-2-B, to make way for the new set of E6s numbered as LA-4, LA-5, and LA-6.

February-March 1941
Union Pacific took delivery of two sets of new E6 locomotives from EMC, painted in yellow and gray. One set, a cab unit and two booster units, was numbered as LA-4, LA-5 and LA-6 and was assigned to the City of Los Angeles (9th Train). The second set, also a cab unit and two booster units, was numbered as SF-4, SF-5 and SF-6 and was assigned to the City of San Francisco (10th Train).

March 20, 1941
The new set of E6s numbered as SF-4, SF-5, and SF-6, on their first westbound trip, arrived at Oakland on March 20, 1941. They were serviced and made their return trip the next day. (Oakland Tribune, March 20, 1941, "today")

April 1, 1941
Slight increases became effective for Challenger meals, bringing them up to 35, 40 and 50 cents.

April 1, 1941
Prices of low-priced dining car meals increased; breakfast to 35 cents; luncheon to 40 cents; and dinner to 50 cents, due to increase in food costs, etc. No change in number of quantity of any items and no change in a la carte prices.

April 15, 1941
New office opened in New York.

July 1941
The cars from the 4th Train, without LA-4 locomotives, replaced the 3rd Train (M-10002) as the City of Portland.

July 1941
A new 14-car City of Los Angeles train (the 9th Train) entered service, powered by the three-unit set of EMD E6 locomotives LA 4-5-6.

July 10, 1941
Union Pacific discontinued sleeper service on the Twin Falls Branch in southern Idaho. The sleeper service had begun in March 1939. (Salt Lake Tribune, July 9, 1941)

August 1941
A new 14-car City of San Francisco train (the 10th Train) entered service, powered by the three-unit set of EMD E6 locomotives SF 4-5-6.

August 13, 1941
After being in storage since 1939, the empty car body of the M-10001 locomotive, and all of the articulated cars of the 2nd Train, were sold for scrap.

October 1, 1941
Prices of low-priced dining car meals increased; breakfast to 40 cents; luncheon to 50 cents; and dinner to 60 cents, also some slight increases in a la carte prices due to increase in food costs, etc.

December 16, 1941
M-10000 was removed from service and retired after running over 899,000 miles in revenue service.

From The Union Pacific Streamliners, by Ranks and Kratville, 1974 page 58:

Having outlived its economic usefulness, the City of Salina was withdrawn from service December 16, 1941. A national museum heard about the impending scrapping and sought to have Little Zip placed on exhibit on their grounds. W. M. Jeffers, however, decided that the train was too valuable a source of aluminum scrap to be placed in a museum. The fact that he held a prominent appointive post with the federal government at that time probably had considerable effect on this decision.

The City of Salina ran about 899,000 miles in revenue service before it was retired and sold for scrap to Aaron Ferer and Sons at Omaha February 13, 1942.

December 29, 1941
New city ticket office Spokane opened.

December 31, 1941
Continental dinner service discontinued on City of Los Angeles and City of Portland streamliners.

January 1, 1942
Victory dinner ($1.75) inaugurated on City of Los Angeles (discontinued on May 30, 1942) and on City of Portland (discontinued on May 31, 1942).

January 15, 1942
Prices of low-priced dining car meals increased; breakfast to 50 cents; luncheon to 60 cents; and dinner to 75 cents, due to increase in food costs, etc. No change in scope of menu.

February 13, 1942
M-10000 and its entire train set was sold for scrap to Aaron Ferer and Sons, Omaha, Nebraska.

April 12, 1942
M-10002 entered service between Portland and Seattle.

June 1, 1942
Pillow rental raised to 10 cents for each 12 hours, or fraction thereof. This on recommendation of the Western Passenger Association.

March 1943
M-10002 was taken out of service; some of the cars were scrapped, and others were transferred to M-10004 when it began running as City of Portland.

May 17, 1944
Mr. Robinson recommended to Mr. Jeffers daily streamliners to Los Angeles and San Francisco, and tri-weekly streamliners to Portland, post war.

September 13, 1944
Mr. Jeffers wrote to Mr. Charske about daily Streamliner possibilities.

November 14, 1944
Great Northern announced intention to operate daily streamliners between Chicago and North Pacific Coast.

December 1944
Union Pacific received its last new steam locomotive: FEF-3 Class 4-8-4 number 844.

August 6, 1945
Mr. Jeffers wrote Mr. Charske, attaching copies of letters by Messrs. Ashby and Rigdon about additional streamliner possibilities.

September 13, 1945
CB&Q-D&RGW-WP announced plans ordering six new streamlined trains to replace Exposition Flyer between Chicago and San Francisco.

September 13, 1945
Mr. Robinson wrote Mr. Ashby recommending: 1) restoration of conventional passenger train schedules as in effect in 1941, with Overland and Los Angeles Limited on 49-hour schedules; 2) operation of COLA, COSF, COP three times a week in each direction; 3) operation of a City of St. Louis daily; 4) order of sufficient new passenger equipment to take care of minimum requirements in these trains but none for overflow, protection, shopping, or for daily streamliner schedules.

October 29, 1945
UPRR invited four manufacturers to bid on 100 passenger cars.

February 28, 1946
Ordered 65 passenger cars from American car & Foundry Co. in line with initial recommendation in September 13, 1945, sleepers to be ordered later.

March 15, 1946
The following comes from Railway Age, January 26, 1946:

Sleeper Ban Off March 15 -- Removal of limitations on the operation of sleeping cars on regular trains has been definitely scheduled by the Office of Defense Transportation through an amendment, issued last week, to its General Order 53. That order, effective July 15, 1945, prohibited the continuance of sleeping car service in runs of 450 miles or less while the peak movement of returning service men has been in progress.

Subject to the ability of the Pullman Company to have the cars available for use, the amendment provides that sleeping car runs of 351 to 450 miles may be restored February 15. It is estimated that 334 cars now assigned to military use will be required to accomplish this restoration of regular service.

On March 1, subject to the same condition, sleeping car runs of 251 to 350 miles may be restored, involving the return to "civilian" operation of an additional 372 cars. On March 15 the ban is removed entirely, permitting sleeping car runs of 250 miles or less to be restored ; another 189 cars will be required to accomplish this.

While the complete revocation of these restrictions on sleeping car use contemplates the withdrawal from exclusive military service of the 895 sleeping cars made available when they were instituted, Director J. Monroe Johnson of the O. D. T. explained that conditions have so changed that there will still be available for military use more sleeping cars than were in such use during the peak movement of December, 1945. This situation results from the delivery of 1,200 troop sleeping cars on government order. While their completion by the manufacturers by the time scheduled, December 31, 1945, was prevented by strikes, 711 of these cars were ready for use January 16, and the entire 1,200 are expected to be in service before March 1.

At the same time, of course, troop movements will decrease in volume during the coming months, as the Army approaches the end of its program for the return of men from overseas.

Likewise effective March 15 will be the removal of the O. D. T. limitation on advance reservation of railroad passenger accommodations. This order—General Order 52—went into effect June 29, 1945, with a prohibition on the sale or allocation of either sleeping car or seat space of any type on passenger trains more than 5 days in advance of scheduled departure time. On September 9 that limitation was changed to 14 days, on which basis it will continue until March 15, when the order will be revoked, leaving the railroads to "make such arrangements as they please" as to the acceptance of advance reservations for passenger space.

Comment by Bill Polland, email dated October 15, 2018: "If you study the Pullman "History of Lines" information, many shorter routes were shown as discontinued due to ODT General Order 53.  In most cases, these car lines duplicated longer car lines on the same route or in the same train, but provided set-out car service for the convenience of some intermediate city that was served at late evening hours.  Some of these routes were never restored when ODT #53 was gradually rescinded; if the routes had been marginal performers earlier, the railroads often determined that they would not be viable with increasing automobile usage after the war ended.  Of the routes that were restored, many lasted only a couple of years and an even smaller number of the short routes survived until 1950."

May 3, 1946
Ordered 15 sleepers from American Car & Foundry Co., making total of 80 cars for trains detailed in "Post War Train Service Plan No. 6".

...Then They Ran Daily

June 2, 1946
Daily City of St. Louis service was established between St. Louis and Cheyenne in conjunction with the Wabash Railroad. This train was the only streamliner to be painted two-tone grey, due to its connections.

June 2, 1946
General change in passenger schedules including establishment of Streamliner City of St. Louis daily between St. Louis and Cheyenne.

August 1946
New E7 locomotives (13 total) were delivered from EMD:

September 29, 1946
The following is based on a report in The Mixed Train, published by The Camerail Club in Omaha.

A photo of the City of Los Angeles shows the rear car, the 6 section 6 roomette 4 bedroom sleeper "American Falls" with a blunt end.

A bit of research found that effective September 29, 1946, Union Pacific expanded the two COLA train sets from two to four, on a triweekly schedule that departed Chicago on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, arriving in Los Angeles on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. The same new schedule departed Los Angeles on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, arriving in Chicago on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. This was done by reducing the car count of the two train sets and moving those cars to the new two train sets along with reassigned "pool" cars.

The result was that two of the train sets would not have rear end lounge cars and that one train set would have three "American" series sleepers as the last cars of the train. On the rear sleeper, the railroad added a temporary blunt end that covered the end of the car and draped around the diaphragm. The reason for this cover was that the railroad felt it added to the "prestige of a Streamliner" in appearance and to match standards of design with the other train sets that had rear end lounges.

The same photo also showed the use of the old style marker lamps. Many observers have wondered if the red light in the tail sign actually worked, or if it was just for appearances. A magnified look at the photo suggests it is only a red lens with no electrical works behind it. When the COLA became a daily service on May 14, 1947, two coach cars (UP 5204 and 5208) were rebuilt to rear end lounge cars (UP 1522 and 1523) which were added to the two train sets that had no rear end lounge. UP 1522 replaced the "American Falls," which had its temporary blunt end removed and was returned to regular service.

(Read more about UP 1522 (2nd) and 1523 (2nd))

November 10, 1946
Streamliner sailings increased: COLA and COSF from 10 to approximately 13 departures a month (3 times a week) and COP from 5 to 6 departures a month.

November 18, 1946
Mr. Ashby called for schedules and equipment necessary for 1947 operation of daily all-Pullman and all-coach streamliners to Los Angeles and San Francisco, daily coach and Pullman streamliner to Portland and probable operation of Los Angeles and San Francisco Challengers on a "45-hour or on a 42-hour schedule".

January 4, 1947
Mr. Ashby decided to operate streamliners to Los Angeles, San Francisco and Portland, each with coach and Pullman account lack of sufficient light weight equipment.

February 1947
M-10004 was taken out of service.

February 15, 1947
Daily City of Portland service inaugurated with five equipment sets, cars being taken from the City of St. Louis, the Portland Rose, the Challenger, and by using five women's coaches converted into club-lounge cars and five conventional weight cars.

February 15, 1947
Consolidated 4th train withdrawn from City of Portland service.

April 1, 1947
"U. P. Main Lines Drop Old Tourist Sleepers -- Omaha. March 27 -- Tourist sleeping cars will be dropped from all main line Union Pacific trains operating between Chicago, Denver, Salt Lake City and/or Spokane, effective April 1, President G. F. Ashby announced today. Terming the cars "an antiquated, outmoded type of railroad equipment," Ashby said travelers henceforth will have their choice of streamliner service or modern coaches and standard sleeping cars in regular trains." (Ogden Standard Examiner, March 27, 1947)

May 14, 1947
Daily City of Los Angeles service was inaugurated with four equipment sets, doubling at each terminal; additional cars for the four trains were withdrawn from Streamliner City of St. Louis, the Los Angeles Limited, the C&NW "400" and one complete train and five Challenger (D-K-D) diners from City of Portland. Two additional women's coaches were converted into club-lounge cars.

June 1947
The following comes from the June 1947 issue of Trains magazine, Volume 7, Number 8.

Daily Los Angeles Streamliner -- Union Pacific's City of Los Angeles is now running every day, giving the first daily 39-3/4 hour coach and sleeping car service between Chicago and Los Angeles. (Santa Fe has been running its Super Chief alternate days [except the 31st of any month] for some time, giving a fast schedule daily, but all-coach one day, first-class the next. Both these trains will be daily when new equipment is delivered.)

The UP's move is the second step in a general revision of West Coast timings to furnish daily trains on either 1-1/2 day or 2-day schedules. The 2-1/2-day trains are being eliminated or speeded up, and the tourist cars which featured the slower trains are also going out. Portland service was revised first to meet the new Empire Builder time, Los Angeles changes were effective May 14, and San Francisco is no doubt next.

Almost unnoticed in the timetable changes is the obituary of the Los Angeles Challenger, original economy train and one of the most successful travel innovations of the depression years.

Also almost unnoticed by the public are numerous minor changes in train timing made by Union Pacific every so often since the general speedup of western service a year ago. UP has lengthened schedules promptly whenever it seemed a train was not making the time and has just as promptly shortened the time again when it could be regularly and safely met. We think this is smart railroading. Dependable performance is far more appreciated by the traveler than a fast timetable with bad on-time percentage.

UP Cuts Tourist Sleepers -- The tourist sleeping car gradually will be eliminated from trains of the Union Pacific and already all tourist cars have been discontinued on trains between Chicago, Denver, Salt Lake City, and Los Angeles or Portland. G. F. Ashby, president, announced that passengers today prefer the cars which operate in expedited service. "With the elimination of tourist cars, passengers will have their choice between Union Pacific streamliner service and modem coaches and standard sleeping cars in regular trains," said Mr. Ashby.

August 16, 1947
In Utah, Trains 1 and 2 (Los Angeles Limited), and Trains 103 and 104 (City of Los Angeles) were operated via the Ogden wye, instead of through Ogden Union Station. The action was protested by the Ogden Chamber of Commerce. (Union Pacific letter index card, on file Union Pacific Museum, Omaha, Nebraska; research completed May 1995) (Ogden Standard Examiner, August 25, 1947, "commencing today," with photos)

(Read more about Los Angeles train using the Ogden wye instead of Ogden Union Depot; from August 16, 1947 through April 13, 1949)

September 1, 1947
Daily City of San Francisco service was inaugurated with four equipment sets, doubling at each terminal; additional cars for the four trains were withdrawn from the Overland. Necessary to use two conventional weight diners, also operate the Overland with five equipment sets resulting in an 8:00 PM Chicago departure for No. 27.

"During the War and until November 1, and May 14, 1947 respectively, the San Francisco and Los Angeles Challengers had operated with a mixture of light and heavyweight equipment and steam power."

January 6, 1948
"Union Pacific ran its last regularly scheduled steam locomotive out of Los Angeles Union Station on January 6. It was at the head end of the second section of the Pony Express. UP now uses diesels on all through passenger trains between Los Angeles and Salt Lake City." (Trains magazine, March 1938, page 62)

February 1948
The M-10004 cars were put into storage.

February 25, 1948
Orders placed for 50 sleepers and 50 coaches following traffic department appeal for 165 additional light weight cars (85 sleepers, 59 coaches and 19 miscellaneous type cars) to completely complement our best through trains with modern equipment to meet competitors - See Messrs Seitz and Lynch joint recommendation July 8, 1947.

December 2, 1948
The Overland Route joint-ownership of the Streamliner fleet came to an end. Direct ownership of the equipment passed to UP, SP and C&NW based on the ratio of route miles operated. A total of 50 cars were jointly-owned by the three roads: six cars in the City of Portland; 13 cars in the City of Denver; 17 cars in the City of San Francisco; and 14 cars in the City of Los Angeles. UP took ownership of the cars in the City of Portland and City of Denver train sets, along with a majority of the cars in the 7th and 9th trains (City of Los Angeles) and the 8th and 10th trains (City of San Francisco). C&NW took ownership of 13 cars, and 10 cars went to SP.

1949
Union Pacific introduced railway mail service on the City of San Francisco streamliner train. (Ogden Standard Examiner, February 19, 1950)

"Introduction of railway mail service on the Union Pacific streamliner, City of San Francisco, which has speeded up mail delivery schedules by almost 24 hours between Chicago, Ogden, and San Francisco, was a major development during 1949. The new RPO (railway post office) cars were built at a cost of more than half a million dollars for the Union Pacific, Southern Pacific, and Chicago and North Western, joint operators of the City of San Francisco. The cars are actually rolling United States post offices, each divided into a distribution section 60 feet long for the sorting of mail and a storage section 21 feet long. Each car has a staff of six to eight postal employed."

April 13, 1949
In Utah, the operation of Trains 1 and 2 (Los Angeles Limited) and Trains 103 and 104 (City of Los Angeles), were resumed through Ogden Union Station. (Union Pacific letter index card, on file Union Pacific Museum, Omaha, Nebraska; research completed May 1995)

April 20, 1949
Passenger traffic suggestion to purchase 106 additional light weight cars (162 additional light weight cars if two all-coach streamliners are to be operated to California) for (1) operation of all-coach streamliners to Los Angeles and San Francisco, (2) extension of streamliner City of St. Louis operation through to Los Angeles, (3) to fill out Pacific Coast streamliners and best through trains with required types of cars and (4) to provide protection cars for shopping and emergency. When we are forced to operate a streamlined mail train, 30 head-end cars will be the minimum additional equipment.

May 1949
"The same old story -- The Post Office Department has just released its balance sheet for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1948, and once again it tells the same old story. For example, the average postage per piece of non-local first-class mail carried by surface transportation (which means railroads) was 3.23 cents. The railroads' share of that was less than a fifth of a penny. The average piece of domestic air mail brought in 6.73 cents and the air lines' share of that was better than 5 cents. The net result of this activity is fairly obvious. On all surface non-local first-class mail the Post Office Department netted a profit of $103.6 million — and it lost $27 million on domestic air mail. So much for the old slogan, 'All first-class mail by air.' -- Willard V. Anderson, editor" (Trains magazine, May 1949, page 11)

September 9, 1949
In Utah, the "Union Station - Go By Train" sign was erected on the east-facing roof of Ogden Union Station. (Union Pacific letter index card, on file Union Pacific Museum, Omaha, Nebraska; research completed May 1995)

April 1, 1950
Union Pacific purchased the Train of Tomorrow, getting its first dome cars, including the very first dome diner and dome sleeper

June 18, 1950
The Train of Tomorrow cars entered service between Portland and Seattle

May 1950
UP received the first of 46 E8 locomotives (18 cab units and 28 cabless booster units) from EMD. (Deliveries continued through 1953)

(Read more about UP's E8s and E9s)

April 1951
The M-10004 cars were scrapped

April 1951
The City of St. Louis entered service running through to Los Angeles

March 26, 1952
Union Pacific announced that all passenger equipment will be painted in Streamliner colors of Armour yellow and Harbor Mist grey

1953
CD-05 (M-10005, 5th Train), CD-06 (6th Train, M-10006) and CD-07 train sets were retired from City of Denver service and scrapped

January 1, 1953
The joint contract agreement for the City of Denver trains, owned jointly by Union Pacific and Chicago & North Western, came to an end. The agreement had been in effect since June 4, 1943. (Union Pacific Streamliners, page 367)

January 15, 1953
The three prewar City of Denver trainsets were removed from service. Two makeup trains covered the route until January 1954, when the railroad introduced a new consist, comprising both rebuilt and new equipment. (Welsh, Union Pacific's Streamliners, page 110)

July 1953
"City of Denver junked -- Two famous old streamliners - the Chicago & North Western-Union Pacific City of Denver - have been put out to pasture after piling up over 12 million miles between them on the 1048-mile overnight haul between Chicago and Denver. The 14-car 3600 h.p. articulateds, notable for the grilled noses of their custom diesels, have been scrapped and their place taken by pool equipment pending a decision to buy new streamliners for the run." (Trains magazine, July 1953, page 6)

January 29, 1953
A letter of instruction dated January 29, 1953 was issued to end the use of C&NW locomotives west of Omaha, and UP locomotives east of Omaha on all 'City' Streamliner trains. The change was to take place progressively from February 4th through February 7th, allowing all C&NW locomotives to be moved eastward to Omaha, and all UP locomotives to be moved westward to Omaha.

(Read the text of the letter)

January 10, 1954
The Los Angeles Challenger was re-established between Chicago and Los Angeles with streamlined equipment and diesel power. It replaced the Los Angeles Limited which had operated since December 17, 1905 between Los Angeles and Chicago." (Ranks and Kratville, The Union Pacific Streamliners, page 327)

May 1954
UP received the first of 69 E9 locomotives (35 cab units and 34 cabless booster units) from EMD. (Deliveries continued through 1963)

(Read more about UP's E8s and E9s)

1955
Union Pacific added dome coaches, diners and observation lounges to the City of Los Angeles, City of Portland, and Challengers.

"The City of Portland received one of each type for its 5 trainsets, while the new Challenger streamliner received 5 dome coaches and 5 dome observations. The City of Los Angeles was originally assigned 5 dome observations and 5 dome diners. UP stopped using its famous "Streamliners" moniker and began using the term "Domeliners" to describe its trains so equipped. Shortly after they arrived, the dome observation cars assigned to the Challenger were shifted to the City of St. Louis." (Welsh, Union Pacific's Streamliners, page 108)

January 1955
"Now that all of its routes are protected by fast, non-extra-fare streamliners, Union Pacific is dropping two familiar names from its timetable -- the Denver-Los Angeles Pony Express, and the Chicago-San Francisco Gold Coast. Incidentally, removal of the Coast will be somewhat simultaneous with the complete streamlining of the San Francisco Overland on the same route for the first time in its 67-year life." (Trains magazine, January 1955, page 12)

January 9, 1955
Omaha to Portland Trains 11 and 12, The Idahoan, were discontinued.

"On January 9, 1955, despite the protest of partner Wabash Railroad, trains 11 and 12, the Idahoan, no longer carried through cars. The train had carried through City of St. Louis cars between Green River, Wyoming, and Portland, Oregon, and it had also carried cars destined beyond Portland to Seattle. With the change, the City of St. Louis became strictly a St. Louis-Los Angeles train with other through cars only for Oakland. Due to this cessation of through cars, all direct passenger service between St. Louis and the Pacific Northwest came to an end." (Welsh, Union Pacific's Streamliners, page 113)

The San Francisco Overland was also discontinued as a through train to Chicago. San Francisco Overland was changed to operate Oakland to St. Louis; all Oakland to New York sleepers were transferred to City of San Francisco.

(Read more about the San Francisco Overland train)

October 30, 1955
Union Pacific terminated its arrangement with the Chicago and North Western for the streamliners to operate over the C&NW from Omaha to Chicago, and began operating over the Milwaukee Road. On the same day, the first train operating over Milwaukee Road rails, was the eastbound City of Denver operating as an extra, arriving at Chicago Union Station from Omaha. (Ranks and Kratville, The Union Pacific Streamliners, page 327)

December 1955
"Four railroad brotherhoods have asked the I.C.C. to step in to prevent the shift of UP's streamliners from Chicago & North Western to the Milwaukee Road. The unions say 1250 C&NW employees would be adversely affected and "hundreds" would be laid off. Previously, C&NW on-line towns had protested the move but the Commission replied that it had no jurisdiction in the matter." (Trains magazine, December 1955, page 10)

1956
The Dome Observation-Lounges were remodeled for mid-train use.

"In October 1956, the dome observation cars were remodeled with blanked-out rear windows and the addition of diaphragms to allow them to be operated in mid-train service." (Welsh, Union Pacific's Streamliners, page 109)

June 2, 1956
"As of June 2, Challenger became an all-coach train while City of Los Angeles went all Pullman. Previously, the two Chicago-L.A. streamliners had been consolidated." (Trains magazine, July 1956, page 14)

December 18, 1956
The City of Las Vegas began revenue service with the leased General Motors Aerotrain

September 15, 1957
The City of Las Vegas began using conventional equipment

1958
Additional Dome Coaches were purchased and added to the City of St. Louis.

"In 1958, 6 more dome coaches arrived to equip the City of St. Louis. Built to ACF's design, Pullman-Standard completed them. Five of the cars were owned by UP, while a sixth was owned by the Wabash." (Welsh, Union Pacific's Streamliners, page 108)

February 1958
City of Portland routing was changed from North Platte direct to Cheyenne, to an indirect routing from North Platte to Denver by way of the Julesburg cutoff, then from Denver to Cheyenne.

January 1, 1959
Union Pacific passenger trains between Seattle and Portland began using trackage rights over Spokane, Portland & Seattle tracks between Vancouver, Washington, and Portland Union Station. The route was south from Vancouver, to North Portland Junction (1.83 miles), crossing the Columbia River by way of a double-track steel bridge shared with Northern Pacific. From North Portland Junction UP trains operated over SP&S tracks to Portland, entering the union depot from the west. This change allowed UP trains to enter the depot from the west, and depart headed east to points on UP's system.

Prior to this change, trains to and from Seattle had used the joint NP-SP&S-UP line from Vancouver to North Portland Junction, then continued along UP's own tracks through Peninsula Junction, through the Peninsula tunnel to St. Johns Junction, past UP's Albina yard, crossing the steel bridge crossing of the Willamette River, and into Portland union depot headed west. This resulted in switching moves at the depot to properly place through-cars traveling between Seattle and points east.

The operations before the change were covered in UP Oregon Division employee timetable No. 36 (September 28, 1958) and SP&S Terminals Subdivision No. 127 (April 15, 1958). The operations after the change were covered in UP Oregon Division employee timetable No. 37 (January 11, 1959) and SP&S Terminals Subdivision No. 128 (January 1, 1959).

1959 Operational Changes in Portland Area

During the 1950s and earlier, Union Pacific's passenger trains between Portland and Seattle used UP's trackage rights over the Northern Pacific, a holdover from UP's earliest days operating between the two cities when operations began in January 1910. Due to the track layout, with UP's tracks being north of the Willamette River, UP passenger trains passed Albina yard eastbound, but upon crossing the steel bridge over the Willamette River, entered Portland Union Station headed west.

This meant that UP maintained separate motive power and passenger equipment for the runs between Portland and Seattle. In the early 1940s, UP's M-10002 Streamliner was used as a dedicated train for the Portland-Seattle connection in 1942-1943. In the late 1940s and early 1950s this usually included EMD F3s and F7s.

In mid-1950 UP assigned its newly acquired former GM Train Of Tomorrow to operate as Trains 457 and 458, the informally named "City of Seattle," after UP's purchase of the train earlier in 1950. The dedicated train went into service on the Portland-Seattle route on June 18, 1950. In the later years, after the Train of Tomorrow cars were reassigned to other UP trains, the Portland-Seattle trains used general-pool passenger equipment and the unique Fairbanks-Morse Erie-built diesel locomotives.

January 11, 1959
The City of Denver and City of Portland were combined and operated via Denver. The combined train ran a Nos. 111-112 between Chicago and Denver, and as Nos. 105-106 between Denver and Portland. (Ranks and Kratville, The Union Pacific Streamliners, page 153 and 515)

The January 1959 consolidation of the City of Denver with the City of Portland, and the longer route by way of Denver, changed the Portland train's departure time from Chicago from 5 p.m., to 3 p.m. to provide the normal early morning arrival in Portland. (Trains magazine, February 1964, pages 44 and 47, "When Two Trains Equal One")

July 1959
Union Pacific ended the use of steam locomotives in regular service

June 1, 1960
The following comes from The Union Pacific Bulletin, No. 324, May 1960; Published monthly by the Union Pacific Railroad Passenger Traffic Department, Omaha, Nebraska.

Beginning June 1 the CHALLENGER Domeliner will operate as an all coach, all "leg rest" train between Chicago and Los Angeles. As an all coach train it will include coaches from the Domeliner CITY OF LOS ANGELES, which for the summer season will be an All-Pullman train. Supplementing the assigned dome equipment, the CHALLENGER will have a Super Dome for the daylight operation during the most scenic portion of the trip, between Cheyenne, Wyo., and Salt Lake City, Utah. The CHALLENGER will be equipped with the latest type leg-rest coach seats, a regular dining car, club lounge car plus the new coffee shop-lounge car between Los Angeles and Omaha.

A through Pullman sleeping car will be added to the Streamlined "Portland Rose" to operate from Kansas City to Portland, this service to begin June 13 from Portland and June 15 from Kansas City. Similarly, trains No. 5-7 and 6-8 between Los Angeles and Omaha will carry a through Pullman beginning June 13. In both cases these Pullmans will be the four bedroom, six roomettes and six section type.

June 20 is the date set for the beginning of our Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park service as well as our service to the Southern Utah-Arizona National Parks.

September 25, 1960
The City of Los Angeles and City of San Francisco were combined between Chicago and Ogden. (Jeff Asay, Union Pacific in the Los Angeles Basin, page 401)

May 1962
Union Pacific was to continue running its City of Las Vegas, as train numbers 115 and 116, daily between Los Angeles and Las Vegas. The fare was reported as $16. (Western Railroader, Volume 25, Number 5, Issue 269, May 1962, page 7)

June 1962
The City of Las Vegas was renamed the Las Vegas Holiday Special

April 12, 1964
The City of St. Louis was combined with the City of Los Angeles between Ogden and Los Angeles. (Jeff Asay, Union Pacific in the Los Angeles Basin, page 403)

November, 1964
The last two Train of Tomorrow cars were retired

July 5, 1965
Union Pacific stopped using train numbers in the locomotive indicators.

The following comes from David Seidel, from an email dated June 28, 2009:

"Union Pacific discontinued the use of train number in locomotive indicators. The last train to use train numbers was train #28 that arrived in Omaha. From now on the locomotive number will be displayed and not the train number. The Union Pacific was one of the last railroads to still be using train numbers."

The date of this report was July 5, 1965. Train #28 departed North Platte just after midnight and arrived Omaha 7:00 am - the end of its run. Since the 5th was a Monday, I am guessing the change was effective at 12:01 am, Monday, July 5, 1965.

January 27, 1967
Railway Post Office service ended between Ogden and Los Angeles, on trains 103 and 104, and trains 5 and 6. (Trains magazine, May 1967, page 50; Ranks and Kratville, The Union Pacific Streamliners, page 518)

April 1967
Union Pacific participated in the national "Discover America" advertising campaign to promote tourism and travel in America. In addition to other advertising, Union Pacific used the "Discover America" logo on menus for meals on board its streamliner passenger trains. An example was a City of Los Angeles menu dated April 1968 in the collection of David Seidel, and the subject of a recent email discussion.

The "Discover America" ad campaign started with an April 15, 1967 proclamation by President Lyndon Johnson (Presidential Proclamation No. 3780), and was described by Milwaukee Road in its bi-monthly magazine:

"Discover America" Campaign
A "Discover America Planning Week" Apr. 16-22 will focus on encouraging vacation travel to and within the United States on a year-round basis. The campaign signals a special effort to support DISCOVER AMERICA the program established by Presidential proclamation for the dual purpose of retaining travel dollars and providing people of other countries with a better understanding of the USA. The promotion will be dramatized through radio, TV and billboard advertising, and a variety of other media, such as bumper stickers, a campaign button and official theme song. (The Milwaukee Road Magazine, Volume 55, March-April 1967, Number 1, page 2)

According to a news article in New York Times on March 10, 1967, the campaign was to begin with the voice of Gregory Peck urging radio listeners and television viewers to "This year ... Discover America." The campaign was the result of a Congressional resolution during a recent budget battle and was intended to encourage travel and tourism. A private corporation was established, called "Discover America, Inc.", with headquarters in the Chrysler Building, funded by an association of airlines, railroads, automobile, airplane, rubber and gasoline manufacturers, along with funds from the Hertz car rental company and the Hilton, Leaming and Sheraton hotel chains. The national campaign included a 40-minute film narrated by actor Burgess Meredith, and a "Discover America" theme song that was sent to parade bands, choral groups and television and radio stations.

August 7, 1967
The Las Vegas Holiday Special was discontinued

September 24, 1967
The combined City of Portland and City of Denver stopped operating through Denver, and a separate City of Denver was operated as a "stub" train between Denver and North Platte. (Ranks and Kratville, The Union Pacific Streamliners, page 518)

October 11, 1967
"The Southern Pacific shut down its portion of the Streamliner RPO operations on October 11, 1967 when the last RPO car left Oakland pier on the COSF." (Ranks and Kratville, The Union Pacific Streamliners, page 518)

October 12, 1967
The U. S. Postal Service canceled the mail contract with U. S. railroads. (Jeff Asay, Union Pacific in the Los Angeles Basin, page 403)

October 11-12-13, 1967
The U. S. Post Office discontinued Railway Post Office service between Omaha, Ogden and San Francisco. RPO service was discontinued specifically on SP mail trains 21 and 22 between Ogden and San Francisco, and UP mail trains 5 and 6 between Omaha and Ogden, along with trains 101 and 102 (City of San Francisco) and trains 103 and 104 (City of Los Angeles). (U. S. Post Office letter dated September 21, 1967, from Postmaster in Ogden, Utah, to all affected employees, courtesy of Bob McKeen)

The last trip of RPO "Mobile Unit" service was on the following dates, on the following trains:

After the mail contracts were lost in 1967, the UP began to downgrade the passenger trains and the City of Denver ran only as an independent train from Denver to North Platte, where it joined up with the "City of Everywhere" train. The Official Guide from July 1966 shows it running as an independent train and the full equipment running the whole route of the train. (Trainorders.com, April 30, 2012)

May 1968
According to the May, 1968 Official Guide, trains through Cheyenne and Laramie included:

September 7, 1968
The City of St. Louis was combined with the City of Los Angeles between Cheyenne and Ogden

1969
The Wabash portion of the City of St. Louis was dropped and the Union Pacific renamed the train the City of Kansas City

January 1969
"Milwaukee Road wants to consolidate its two Chicago-Omaha streamliners, the City of Denver-City of Portland and the City of Los Angeles-City of San Francisco. UP presumably will follow suit west of Omaha if the petition is O.K.'d" (Trains magazine, January 1969, page 16, "Arrivals & Departures")

January 1, 1969
"January 1, 1969, the Pullman Company ceased operating sleeping cars in the United States. The sizable UP sleeper fleet was now operated and staffed by the participating railroads (Pullman's maintenance of cars continued until August 1969)." (Welsh, Union Pacific's Streamliners, page 123)

June 30, 1969
Trains 5 and 6, the Mail and Express, was discontinued. (Jeff Asay, Union Pacific in the Los Angeles Basin, page 404)

City of Everywhere

1969
The following comes from Union Pacific's 1970 annual report:

Passenger Traffic Decline Continues -- Union Pacific has sought persistently every means of reducing losses on passenger operations while adjusting services in response to the ever-declining traffic.

During the year, after lengthy hearings, one train between Omaha and Los Angeles was discontinued with the approval of the Interstate Commerce Commission. This action, plus consolidation of other trains, will effect an annual saving of over 1.5 million passenger train-miles and a reduction in out-of-pocket expenses of $3.5 million.

Sleeping car services formerly provided by the Pullman Company were taken over by the railroads in mid-1969, and significant economies were effected subsequently by the Union Pacific.

Many of the problems of the national passenger train situation can be resolved by enlightened legislation; and a number of bills have been introduced recently in Congress to provide continued and improved rail passenger service where it is needed and to bring some relief to railroads.

September 7, 1969
The City of Los Angeles, City of San Francisco, City of Portland, City of Denver, and City of Kansas City (ex-City of St. Louis) were all combined into a single train, known by railfans as the "City of Everywhere." Between Cheyenne and Green River, the City of Everywhere ran as a fully combined train. At times the train could reach as many as 27 cars and six E-units in an A-B-B-B-B-A locomotive consist unmatched by any other railroad.

The City of Denver was separated from the train at North Platte.

The City of Portland westbound segment was switched out at Green River, Wyoming, and a diner and lounge were added for the trip to Portland. The switching action was reversed for the eastbound trains, and the diner and lounge laid over in Green River.

The City of San Francisco was separated from the City of Los Angeles at Ogden, and the City of Los Angeles continued on to its destination city.

Ranks and Kratville wrote in The Union Pacific Streamliners, page 519:

Continued tremendous financial losses with no prospects for improvement caused the final contraction of Streamliner operations September 7, 1969. From this time on No. 103 (WB) from Chicago carried the COD cars to North Platte. The COD Nos. 111·112 operated between there and Denver. No. 103 set out (and No. 104 picked up) cars for Nos. 9·10 (COStL ) at Cheyenne and did the same for the COP at Green River, Wyoming. COSF cars were handled at Ogden as before. It was indeed the City of Everywhere.

October 1969
Official Guide from October 1969 lists a Cafe-Lounge on the City of Denver from North Platte to Denver. The earlier train also carried a Cafe-Lounge as part of the consist in addition to the Dome diner from Chicago to Denver. (Trainorders.com, April 30, 2012)

March 1970
The City of San Francisco was reduced to tri-weekly operation

April 1970
"The Official Guide, at a glance, seems more affluent than it is because although trains have been combined, their names survive. Prime example: The City of Portland, City of Denver, Challenger, City of Los Angeles, and City of San Francisco all depart Chicago on the Milwaukee Road at 6 p.m. (and arrive there at 11:59 a.m.) on one consist." (Trains magazine, April 1970, page 9)

"All-Time Champion -- The Overland Route now has the all-time champion name for a passenger train. One locomotive hauling one string of cars in each direction between Chicago and North Platte, Nebraska, is known officially as the Domeliner City of San Francisco, Domeliner City of Los Angeles, Domeliner City of Portland, Challenger, and City of Denver. Since all that won't fit on a drumhead sign to hang on the rear car, why not borrow the Burlington's old advertising slogan and call the whole operation Everywhere West." (Trains magazine, April 1970, page 50, Robert Wayner letter to the editor)

Mid 1970
"City of Denver and Pan American (not a UP train) have lost their sleepers." (Trains magazine, September 1970, page 10, "Arrivals & Departures")

The June 1970 Official Guide shows no UP Trains 111/112, and the following car assignments:

October 30, 1970
President Nixon signed what was known as the "Railpax" legislation. "He then appointed eight incorporators who were given from January 1 to May 1, 1971 to organize the company, decide on its routes and services, make contracts with the railroads, and get the show on the road." (Railroad magazine, April 1972, page 37)

April 1971
The following comes from Trainorders.com, April 4, 2019:

The combined City train east of Green River was 17 cars, typically with 5 E units (April 1971).  There was a surge of passengers on the city trains in the last few weeks before Amtrak, which accounted for part of the various train sizes.

Four cars were removed from the combined train and added to train 105.  Train 105 departed Green River with seven cars, the three in photo 1 and four from the combined train.

The combined train continued on to Ogden as a 13 car train separate from 105 City of Portland.  At Ogden the combined train was further split into 103 City of Los Angeles (8 cars) and 101 City of San Francisco (4 cars).  Espee added several cars to 101 at Ogden for the run to Oakland.  A boiler car was removed at Ogden accounting for the 13th car of the combined train. 

May 1, 1971
Amtrak began operation; no Union Pacific trains were retained in the Amtrak schedule, however due to the Denver & Rio Grande Western choosing not to join Amtrak, the San Francisco Zephyr used Union Pacific tracks between Denver and Ogden and was the only Amtrak train to be hosted by Union Pacific at the time.

The following comes from the National Archives:

The National Railroad Passenger Corporation (also know as Amtrak) was established by the Rail Passenger Act of 1970 (84 Stat. 1327). The objective of the Act was to provide the United States with viable intercity rail passenger service, correct problems stemming from years of deterioration, and establish its proper place within the national transportation system. This was to be accomplished by consolidating national passenger rail service in a for­profit corporation. Amtrak was thus incorporated in the District of Columbia on March 30, 1971. The Corporation was governed by a Board of Directors. It consisted of first eleven, then fifteen members. Eight members were appointed by the President. Three members would be elected by the stockholders, with that number rising to a total of seven as the number of common­stock shares in the corporation increased. Amtrak rail service began on May 1, 1971.

May 1, 1971
The following comes from Union Pacific's 1971 annual report:

Amtrak Takes Over Intercity Passenger Service -- On May 1, 1971 , the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) assumed from participating railroads responsibility for providing intercity passenger service. As a participating carrier, Union Pacific consequently discontinued all regularly scheduled passenger service. However, Amtrak contracted with the Railroad for operation of a regularly scheduled train running three times weekly between Denver, Colorado and Ogden, Utah, and for the right to call upon the Railroad to provide additional intercity passenger service desired by Amtrak. To date, Amtrak has called upon the Railroad to operate a few special passenger trains; some between Los Angeles, California and Las Vegas, Nevada and others between Los Angeles and Sun Valley, Idaho. For the first six months of operation, according to the Associated Press, Amtrak's best on-time performance was provided by Union Pacific which ran 94.2 percent of its trains on time.

Most of Union Pacific's former passenger car fleet, one of the best in the industry, has been sold. About 65 cars are being held for conversion to various types of company service cars.

Relief from the passenger train deficits had a favorable effect on net income in 1971 and is expected to have greater impact in future years. As reported to the ICC, losses solely related to Union Pacific's passenger service in 1970 aggregated $21 .2 million and on a fully distributed cost basis, $32.8 million. Establishment of a reserve to recognize the cost of joining Amtrak is discussed in the Financial Review on page 21.

The following comes from The Mixed Train, Issue 2021-4, published by Camerail Club:

Here is a rundown of the passenger trains operating in the Omaha and Kansas City area on May 1, 1971.

  • Trains 103-104, Cities trains, Omaha-Denver, Los Angeles, Oakland, Portland;
  • Trains 9-10, City of Kansas City, Kansas City-Cheyenne;
  • Trains 117-118, Kansas City-Denver (mixed);
  • Trains 93-94, North Platte-South Torrington (mixed);
  • Trains 79-80, Columbus-Spalding, (tri-weekly, ride in caboose);
  • Trains 81-82, Columbus-Albion (tri-weekly, ride in caboose);
  • Trains 95-96, Kearney-Stapleton (tri-weekly, ride in caboose)

Sources

Based in part on the research of David Seidel. Portions were originally presented in a different format in his self-published book, "Union Pacific Passenger Equipment". (Read more about David Seidel's book)

Based in part on a timeline presented on the now-defunct web site of Robert West. Used with permission. Mr. West's original timeline was in turn credited as being compiled from Ranks' and Kratville's "The Union Pacific Streamliners."

Based in part on the timeline information for UP's passenger trains between 1932 and 1949, taken from a 10-page internal UP document dated May 28, 1949. (Received as photocopy from Union Pacific public relations department, July 1988) (PDF; 10 pages; 3.5MB)

Ranks, Harold E., and William W. Kratville. The Union Pacific Streamliners. (Kratville Publications, Omaha, Nebraska.) First printing 1974; fifth printing 1992.

More Information

Union Pacific 1st Train through 10th Train -- Information based, in part, on the research of David Seidel and Dick Harley; basic date and consist information

Streamliner Timeline -- A narrative chronology of events concerning UP's Streamliner trains, 1934 to 1953; known as the 1st Train through the 10th Train.

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