The City of Portland headed by an EMD E6A locomotive. Click to enlarge.
CITY OF PORTLAND
The City of Portland was a named passenger train on the Union Pacific Railroad between Chicago, Illinois, and Portland, Oregon. The first trip left Portland on June 6, 1935, using the streamlined M-10001 trainset.
With only one set of equipment, the train left each terminal six times a month. A broken axle derailed the trip that left Chicago on July 23, 1935, and the repaired train resumed service with the trip leaving Portland on February 6, 1936. In May 1936 it started running five times a month instead of six, allowing more time in Chicago between trips. (In July 1935 it was scheduled to arrive Chicago at 9:30 AM and leave at 6:15 PM the same day.)
It was the first streamliner with sleeping cars and the first streamliner running from Chicago to the Pacific coast; its 39-hour-45-minute schedule became the standard. (In April 1935 the fastest train took 59 hr 20 min Chicago to Portland.) The M-10001 was withdrawn in March 1938 and replaced with another articulated trainset, the former City of Los Angeles M-10002. In July 1941 M-10002 was replaced with a train powered by the EMC E3 set inherited from City of Los Angeles pulling the former M-10004 cars, with some former M-10001 cars added. Service was expanded following the war as the train was joined, then replaced, by full-size trains powered by E6 and E7 locomotives. The train was the first of the 40-hour Coast streamliners to run daily, in February 1947. Starting in October 1955 the Milwaukee Road was used instead of 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 takeover of Union Pacific's passenger services by Amtrak. The route roughly follows the trail of the defunct Amtrak route, the Pioneer, except that the latter diverted to Ogden, Utah, while the City of Portland did not enter Utah.
In addition to baggage, coach, and sleeping cars, about 1955 the City of Portland added an Astra Dome 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.
A Gallery of City of Portland Postcards
Postcard photo of a chair car on the Union Pacific Railroad. Click to enlarge. (Union Pacific Railroad, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)
Postcard photo of the dining car of Union Pacific's City of Portland. Click to enlarge. (Union Pacific Railroad, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)
Postcard photo of the upper level of a Union Pacific Astra Dome car. These cars were part of the City of Los Angeles and City of Portland trains. Click to enlarge. (Union Pacific Railroad, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)
Postcard photo of a Union Pacific Astra Dome. Click to enlarge. (Union Pacific Railroad, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)
Postcard photo of the Union Pacific streamliner City of Portland. Click to enlarge. (Union Pacific Railroad, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)
The City of Portland postcard. Click to enlarge. (Union Pacific Railroad, Colourpicture Publishers, Inc., Boson, MA, Public Domain, via StreamlinerMemories.info.)
Major cities served
Prior to 1955:
Chicago, Union Station
Cedar Rapids, Union Station
Omaha, Union Station
Boise, Union Pacific Depot
Portland, Union Station
Following 1955 rerouting via Milwaukee Road:
Chicago, Union Station
Marion station (Cedar Rapids via bus connection)
Omaha, Union Station
Boise, Union Pacific Depot
Portland, Union Station
Following 1959 rerouting:
Chicago, Union Station
Marion station (Cedar Rapids via bus connection)
Omaha, Union Station
Denver, Union Station
Boise, Union Pacific Depot
Portland, Union Station
General Motors advertisement for its new line of Winton diesel engines. Union Pacific's M-10001, shown in the ad, was the first train to be equipped with the new version. The train was delivered to the railroad in late 1934, when it set the record from Los Angeles to New York. However, it did not enter regular service until May 1935 as the City of Portland, following some rebuilding at Pullman. Click to enlarge. (General Motors, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)
Postcard photo of the streamliner City of Portland from Union Pacific Railroad, dated sometime between circa 1939 and circa 1943 . The train had a similar locomotive from 1935-1939. In 1943, this type of locomotive was permanently replaced on the service. Click to enlarge. (DOPS, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)
Overview
Service type: Inter-city rail
Status: Discontinued
Locale: Northwestern United States, Midwestern United States
First service: June, 1935
Last service: April, 1971
Former operators: 1935-1955: Union Pacific Railroad and Chicago and North Western Railway; 1955-1971: Union Pacific and Milwaukee Road
Route Termini: Chicago, Illinois / Portland, Oregon; alternate section to Seattle, Washington
Distance traveled: 2,263 miles (3,642 km) (1954)
Train numbers: 105 (westbound); 106 (eastbound)
On-board services
Seating arrangements: Leg rest coaches
Sleeping arrangements: Open sections, roomettes, double bedrooms, drawing rooms and compartments (1954)
Catering facilities: Dining car
Observation facilities: Club lounge car
Technical
Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)
Postcard depiction of the Union Pacific streamliner City of Portland. The train was advertised as the first streamliner offering Pullman service, postmarked 26 May 1939. (Union Pacific Railroad, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)
Postcard photo of the City of Portland. Click to enlarge.
(Union Pacific Railroad, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)