City of Portland
Encyclopedia
The City of Portland was a named passenger train operated by the Union Pacific Railroad
and Chicago and North Western Railway
between Chicago, Illinois, and Portland, Oregon
. It started in June 1935, using the refurbished M-10001
streamliner
trainset; with only one set of equipment the train left each of its terminals five times a month (or six, for the first few months). It was the first of the Chicago-to-Coast streamliners, and its 39 hour 45 minute schedule became the standard. The M-10001 was withdrawn in 1939 and replaced with another articulated trainset-- but still just one. The train was the first of the 40-hour Coast streamliners to run daily, in February 1947. In 1955 the Milwaukee Road assumed the service, replacing the Chicago and North Western between Chicago and Omaha; from January 1959 until 1967 the train ran via Denver. The train was discontinued May 1, 1971, with the inception of Amtrak
. The route roughly follows the trail of the defunct Amtrak route, the Pioneer
.
In addition to baggage
, coach, and sleeping car
s, during the mid-1950s the City of Portland added a dome
coach, dome observation
lounge and dome dining car
to each consist. The dome dining cars were unique to Union Pacific and were only operated on this train and the City of Los Angeles
. The dome cars were particularly popular as the train traveled along the scenic Columbia River
, outside of Portland.
Service between Chicago and Portland is now provided by Amtrak
's Empire Builder
.
Union Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
and Chicago and North Western Railway
Chicago and North Western Railway
The Chicago and North Western Transportation Company was a Class I railroad in the Midwest United States. It was also known as the North Western. The railroad operated more than of track as of the turn of the 20th century, and over of track in seven states before retrenchment in the late 1970s...
between Chicago, Illinois, and Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
. It started in June 1935, using the refurbished M-10001
M-10001
The Union Pacific Railroad's M-10001 was a record breaking diesel-electric streamliner train built in late 1934 by Pullman-Standard with an engine from General Motors Electro-Motive Corporation and General Electric generator, control equipment and traction motors...
streamliner
Streamliner
A streamliner is a vehicle incorporating streamlining in a shape providing reduced air resistance. The term is applied to high-speed railway trainsets of the 1930s to 1950s, and to their successor "bullet trains". Less commonly, the term is applied to fully faired recumbent bicycles...
trainset; with only one set of equipment the train left each of its terminals five times a month (or six, for the first few months). It was the first of the Chicago-to-Coast streamliners, and its 39 hour 45 minute schedule became the standard. The M-10001 was withdrawn in 1939 and replaced with another articulated trainset-- but still just one. The train was the first of the 40-hour Coast streamliners to run daily, in February 1947. In 1955 the Milwaukee Road assumed the service, replacing the Chicago and North Western between Chicago and Omaha; from January 1959 until 1967 the train ran via Denver. The train was discontinued May 1, 1971, with the inception of Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
. The route roughly follows the trail of the defunct Amtrak route, the Pioneer
Pioneer (Amtrak)
The Pioneer was a passenger train run by Amtrak from Seattle, Washington to Chicago, Illinois via Portland, Oregon, Boise, Idaho, Salt Lake City, Utah, Denver, Colorado and other intermediate points.- History :...
.
In addition to baggage
Baggage car
A baggage car or luggage van is a type of railway vehicle often forming part of the composition of passenger trains and used to carry passengers' checked baggage, as well as parcels . Being typically coupled at the front of the train behind the locomotive, this type of car is sometimes described...
, coach, and sleeping car
Sleeping car
The sleeping car or sleeper is a railway/railroad passenger car that can accommodate all its passengers in beds of one kind or another, primarily for the purpose of making nighttime travel more restful. The first such cars saw sporadic use on American railroads in the 1830s and could be configured...
s, during the mid-1950s the City of Portland added a dome
Dome car
A dome car is a type of railway passenger car that has a glass dome on the top of the car where passengers can ride and see in all directions around the train. It also can include features of a coach, lounge car, dining car or observation...
coach, dome observation
Observation car
An observation car/carriage/coach is a type of railroad passenger car, generally operated in a passenger train as the last carriage, with windows on the rear of the car for passengers' viewing pleasure...
lounge and dome dining car
Dining car
A dining car or restaurant carriage , also diner, is a railroad passenger car that serves meals in the manner of a full-service, sit-down restaurant....
to each consist. The dome dining cars were unique to Union Pacific and were only operated on this train and the City of Los Angeles
City of Los Angeles
The City of Los Angeles was a streamlined passenger train that ran between Chicago, Illinois, and Los Angeles, California, via Omaha, Nebraska, and Ogden, Utah. Between Omaha and Los Angeles it ran on the Union Pacific Railroad; east of Omaha it ran on the Chicago and North Western Railway until...
. The dome cars were particularly popular as the train traveled along the scenic Columbia River
Columbia River
The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state...
, outside of Portland.
Service between Chicago and Portland is now provided by Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
's Empire Builder
Empire Builder
The Empire Builder is a passenger train route operated by Amtrak in the Midwestern and Northwestern United States. It is Amtrak's busiest long-distance route and busiest daily train, carrying more than 500,000 travelers annually since 2007. Overall, it is the railroad's 10th-busiest line. Before...
.
See also
- Passenger train service on the Chicago and North Western Railway
- Passenger train service on the Union Pacific Railroad