Union Pacific Streamliner Timeline

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This page was last updated on February 1, 2023.

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Timeline for 1st through 10th Trains, 1934-1953

(This is a work in progress; research continues.)

(This Streamliner timeline is included as part of the larger UP Passenger Serice Timeline)

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)

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

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.

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)

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

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)

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)

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

From 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."

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

From 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.

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

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).

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, 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, Union Pacific Streamliners, 1974, pages 82 and 343)

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)

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.

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

August 13, 1941
The empty car body of M-10001, and all of the articulated cars were sold for scrap

3rd Train (M-10002)

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.

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
M-10004 entered revenue service as the "City of San Francisco."

(Read more about M-10004, known as 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.

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

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.

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

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)

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)

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.

May 7, 1939
All UP passenger trains serving Los Angeles began using the newly completed Los Angeles Union Station. (Los Angeles Times, May 1, 1939)

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

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.)

Derailment in Nevada

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.

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

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.

9th and 10th Trains - Standard Locomotives and Cars

February 1941
E3 locomotives LA-5 and LA-6 were renumbered 5-M-1-A and 5-M-2-B

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).

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.

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, M-10001's cars were scrapped

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

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

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.

...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.

February 1947
M-10004 was taken out of service

February 15, 1947
Daily City of Portland service was established.

May 14, 1947
Daily City of Los Angeles service was established.

September 1, 1947
Daily City of San Francisco service was established.

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

April, 1951
The M-10004 cars were scrapped

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

(See Passenger Timeline for continued coverage, including sources)

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