Union Pacific Streamliner City of Portland

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This page was last updated on March 2, 2025.

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City Of Portland

Train Dates Motive Power
2nd train June 5, 1935 to June 1939 M-10001
3rd Train June 1939 to July 1941 M-10002
4th Train July 1941 to February 15, 1947 LA 4A and LA 4B
  February 15, 1947 to May 1, 1971 (daily) general service pool

The following comes from Kratville's Union Pacific Streamliners, page 98:

In July, 1941 the second 17-car City of Los Angeles (COLA) with units LA 4-5-6 was delivered and replaced the M-10004 on the Los Angeles run. The displaced M-10004 in turn humped the M-l0002 (the original City of Los Angeles) from its Portland-Chicago run. The M-10002 was stored until April 12, 1942 when it became the 5-times a month Portland-Seattle connection of the City of Portland (M-10004). The seats in the section sleepers Cinema and Boulder Canyon were sold as parlor car seats on this daylight run. The M-10002 went into storage again in March, 1943 except for the 12201, 10404, 12760 which were scrapped and the sleeper Cinema which was transferred to the M-10004. In February, 1946, the chair car 10403 was renumbered CP-408 and with the sleeper Boulder Canyon was transferred to the M-10004. The M-10002 was stricken from the equipment register in 1947 when the diner-lounge 10301 was scrapped and the two power units were sold to Northrup-Hendy Co.

Steve Orth wrote in an email dated February 14, 2006:

UP had 15 Dome Observation Lounge cars in the 9000 series that were bought in 1955. Five were for the COP. The end of train cars proved to be an operational pain, so they were *all* converted to mid-train configuration in October 1956. If you want to model the COP anytime from Nov 1956 on, you will want the mid-train cars.

The end of the train was brought up by a sleeper with a tail light hanging on the gate across the diaphragm. Consist listings that I have show a 6-6-4 American sleeper in the 1950s and a 10-6 Pacific sleeper in the late 1960s. Not as elegant as a observation car, but more practical.

The Union Pacific public timetable dated January 1, 1969 showed the following train consist.

The Union Pacific public timetable dated June 2, 1969 showed the following train consist.

The Union Pacific public timetables dated September 7, 1969, and December 7, 1969, both show the City of Portland as part of the combined trains between Chicago and North Platte (where the City of Denver was separated), then from North Platte to Green River (where the City of Portland was separated). The Dome Lounge car and the Dining car were both restored as part of the combined train's consist.

A photo of the City of Portland, departing westward from Cheyenne on February 12, 1969, showed a reduced consist, and the following comments.

-- In 1969, the City of Portland, Train 105, still ran separately from the City of Everywhere and left Cheyenne westbound in mid-morning.

--- (Read more about the "City of Everywhere")

-- The consist of the six-car train in the above photo was baggage-dorm, dome coach, coach, diner or cafe-lounge, first-class dome-lounge and sleeper.

-- It has a single Pacific (10-6) sleeper, but a dome lounge and a dome coach, plus what appears to be a full diner.

-- By April 24, 1969, it was down to six cars: this consist minus the dome lounge.  And, dining was in a cafe-lounge rather than a dining car.

-- Off season consists were lean, starting in 1967. Generally always carrying a Dome lounge and Dome coach, although I remember seeing a photo of a consist without the dome lounge. Meal service was down to a cafe lounge.

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