Union Pacific City of Los Angeles

Union Pacific City of Los Angeles
Name	City of Los Angeles
Caption	Union Pacific streamliner
Type	Passenger train
First	1936 (streamlined 1947)
Last	1971 (Amtrak 1971)
Successor	Amtrak Coast Starlight (partial)
Operator	Union Pacific Railroad
Start	Chicago
End	Los Angeles
Distance	2225mi
Frequency	Daily
Trainnumber	27/28

Union Pacific City of Los Angeles is a named streamlined passenger train operated by the Union Pacific Railroad between Chicago and Los Angeles through the mid‑20th century. It connected major hubs such as Cicero, Council Bluffs, Omaha, Denver (via connections), and Salt Lake City using equipment and routing associated with Pullman Company, Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad connections, and west‑side trackage rights. The train played a role in competition with named trains like the Santa Fe Super Chief, Rocky Mountain Rocket, and Southern Pacific Lark while serving corporate, military, and tourist passengers traveling to Hollywood, Long Beach, and Burbank.

History

The City of Los Angeles originated in the 1930s as part of Union Pacific's expansion of long‑distance services responding to the Great Depression and changing demands between Midwest and Pacific Coast markets, contemporaneous with streamliner introductions such as the City of San Francisco and City of Portland. Early equipment included heavyweight consists similar to those on prewar runs used by the Pullman Company and negotiated through agreements with the Chicago and North Western Railway and Southern Pacific Company for western terminals. Post‑World War II modernization echoed national trends in railroading reforms exemplified by the Railway Labor Act negotiations and the Interstate Commerce Commission oversight, prompting the 1947–1949 introduction of streamlined cars, stainless steel diners, and dome cars influenced by designs from Budd Company and American Car and Foundry Company. As intercity travel patterns shifted with the expansion of the Interstate Highway System and Douglas DC‑3 and later Boeing 707 air services, ridership declined, culminating with the formation of Amtrak in 1971 which absorbed or terminated many long‑distance Union Pacific services.

Route and Operations

The City of Los Angeles operated principally on Union Pacific mainline trackage from Council Bluffs/Omaha westward, interchanging with Chicago and North Western or Milwaukee Road for Chicago access, with coordinates of station operation at landmarks including Los Angeles Union Station, Chicago Union Station, Salt Lake City Depot, and intermediate stops like Las Vegas (via nearby connections), Reno, and Ogden. Scheduling aimed to compete with the Santa Fe’s streamliners by offering overnight and daylight schedules, utilizing Central Time Zone and Pacific Time Zone timetable coordination and cooperation with Southern Pacific Railroad for terminal trackage into Los Angeles and San Pedro. Operations involved coordination with Federal Railroad Administration‑era safety rules, timetables filed with the Interstate Commerce Commission, and usages of Automatic Train Control or similar signal systems in corridor segments.

Equipment and Consist

Consists transitioned from heavyweight cars to lightweight stainless steel articulated and non‑articulated cars supplied by Budd Company, Pullman‑Standard, and EMD‑powered locomotives including EMD E9, EMD F3, and later EMD GP9 sets for helper service. Passenger accommodations featured Pullman sleepers, reclining chair cars, tavern‑lounge cars, full‑service diners, and occasionally vista‑dome cars adapted from Railway Post Office and sleeper conversions; catering was managed under contracts involving Fred Harvey Company‑style service legacies and onboard culinary staff. Headend power and steam heat practices evolved with head‑end power transitions paralleled by other long‑distance trains like the 20th Century Limited and California Zephyr, while car numbers and reassignments reflected pool agreements with Pullman Company and interchange partners such as Southern Pacific Railroad and Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad.

Passenger and Freight Service Evolution

While primarily a passenger train, the City of Los Angeles era intersected freight operations via head‑end freight movements and baggage cars, reflecting mixed‑use practices similar to those on the Southwest Chief and Empire Builder. Postwar passenger demand growth gave way to modal competition from United Airlines and Trans World Airlines expansion and automobile volumes on Interstate 40 and Interstate 10, causing Union Pacific to restructure timetables, reduce through coaches, and increase reliance on postal and express contracts with United States Postal Service and Railway Express Agency. The train’s role shifted as mail contracts were lost during federal re‑bidding in the 1960s, mirroring declines experienced by the Amtrak transition, which redefined long‑distance passenger service planning with route consolidations such as the Coast Starlight and California Zephyr corridors.

Accidents and Incidents

Operational history includes incidents typical of transcontinental service: derailments on mountain grades near Sierra Nevada and Wasatch Range segments, collisions at grade crossings in urbanized corridors like Los Angeles County, and mechanical failures involving steam locomotive era equipment and later diesel traction. Investigations were conducted under the National Transportation Safety Board and predecessor bodies with reports citing signal failures, human factors linked to crews governed by the Railway Labor Act, and infrastructure issues involving Bridge and tunnel clearances under Los Angeles River crossings. Specific well‑documented events paralleled high‑profile accidents on contemporaneous trains such as the City of San Francisco derailment and informed regulatory changes in Positive Train Control advocacy.

Preservation and Legacy

Surviving cars and locomotives associated with the City of Los Angeles appear in collections at institutions such as the California State Railroad Museum, Illinois Railway Museum, Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, and private heritage railways like Union Pacific Heritage Fleet and Pacific Railroad Society excursions. Models and cultural depictions exist in publications by Railway Age, Trains magazine, and photographic archives tied to Harvey Houses and Hollywood travelogues, influencing preservation priorities alongside other named trains like the Super Chief and Southern Pacific Daylight. The train’s legacy persists in studies of intercity rail decline and revival, informing contemporary planning at agencies including Federal Railroad Administration and advocacy groups such as Rail Passengers Association and local metropolitan planning organizations.

Category:Named passenger trains of the United States Category:Union Pacific Railroad trains