Union Pacific City of Las Vegas, 1957-1967

Fred Klein, 2010, 2016

In September, 1957, the Union Pacific replaced its’ experimental Aerotrain (leased from GM) with a train of conventional cars that could be varied according to demand. The newer, conventional City of Las Vegas could be more easily integrated with railroad operations. The train was mostly used by Los Angeles gamblers planning to stay overnight in Las Vegas, because the 1 hour layover did not afford much time before the afternoon return trip to LA. The fact that the food cars had coaches in front and back of the train meant the train did not have to be reversed for the return trip, and only the locomotive was turned. The UP did keep the free buffet meal service that was a popular feature of the 1956-1957 City of Las Vegas. In 1962 the train was renamed “The Las Vegas holiday special”. The number of cars was reduced in the 1960s. By the mid 1960s, patronage began to fall off because automobile air conditioning and the completion of Interstate 15 made car travel easier. In 1967, the City of Las Vegas service was combined with the City of Los Angeles travelling the same route. The consist of this train is described by Jeff Asay in article on The City of Las Vegas in The Streamliner magazine, summer 2010.

 

The somewhat reduced City of Las Vegas on July 4, 1961 at Cahon Pass. This train has only 4 coaches, no lunch-buffet car and no baggage car. Photo by T.M. Hotchkiss in the March 2006 Model Railroader, page 65.

 

Factory decorated models of Union Pacific prototypes are available for the E8 locomotives, baggage car and coaches. Kato used Union Pacific prototypes for its passenger car sets, which were introduced in the early 1990s. As usual, the specialized lunch-buffet and lounge cars can’t be bought factory made, but kits are available. In the mid to late 60s, train lengths got shorter, but the food and lounge cars remained.

 

 

 

Power and first coach section

 

Power was usually two E8s or E9s. If only one locomotive was used, the train would be a short 5-car train, or would require a helper over Cajon Pass. I only have one E8 locomotive here. The model (UP 926) is from Kato. A baggage car was almost always used. Two or three 44-seat coaches then were used in normal sized trains. The baggage car and coaches are also Kato models.

 

Lounge and food section

 

The lunch-buffet car (UP 4000) was inherited from the City of St Louis. The opposite side of this car is nearly solid (only two windows), where the buffet (formerly lunch) counter sat. The model is a custom painted American Model Builders kit. The lounge car (here named Columbia River) was inherited from the City of Denver. The model is a custom painted kit made from M&R metal sides.

 

Coach section

 

The last part of the train had 2 or 3 coaches.  Again, they are Kato models from various UP car sets.

 

 

REFERENCES

Asay, Jeff, The City of Las Vegas, The Streamliner, summer 2010.

Hediger, Jim. 8 pike-sized passenger trains, Model Railroader, March 2006, page 65.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_of_Las_Vegas

Ranks, Harold E. and William W. Kratville, The Union Pacific Streamliners, Kratville publications, 1974.

 

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