The Union Pacific introduced the City of Las Vegas on December 18, 1956. The service initially used General Motors' experimental Aerotrain trainset, but the Union Pacific ended their lease within a year due to maintenance and performance problems including needing a helper engine to climb Cajon Pass.[1]: 87 The train continued with standard streamlined cars in UP's Armour Yellow paint, leaving Los Angeles in the morning and returning in the evening.
On September 24, 1961, the name was changed to Las Vegas Holiday Special, when the consist and frequency were reduced. Service ended altogether on June 15, 1968.[2]
The GM Aerotrain included nine cars: three 40-seat coaches, a bar-lounge, a "Chuck Wagon" buffet, three more 40-seat coaches, a 36-seat coach. The Union Pacific replaced the Aerotrain with conventional equipment on September 15, 1957. The new eight-car consist included a mail car, two 48-seat coaches, a lunch counter-dinette, a "Pub" buffet-lounge, and three more 48-seat coaches. These cars were drawn from a variety of sources. The coaches were built by Pullman-Standard in 1942 for the San Francisco Overland Limited. The lunch-counter dinette was part of a set of four (numbered 4000–4003) built by American Car and Foundry for the City of St. Louis in 1951. The dinette portion seated 16 while the counter area seated 21 along a 42-foot (13 m)-long countertop. The "Pub" was originally coach #5201, part of a set of twelve (5200-5211) built by Pullman-Standard for the Challenger in 1937.[3]: 148–169
^Wayner, Robert J., ed. (1972). Car Names, Numbers and Consists. New York: Wayner Publications. OCLC 8848690.
Further reading
Kawala, Dana. (2006). "8 pike-size passenger trains: Union Pacific trains 115 and 116." Model Railroader73 (3) 65.
April 18, 2023
city, vegas, train, city, vegas, streamlined, passenger, train, operated, union, pacific, railroad, between, vegas, nevada, angeles, california, operated, from, 1956, 1968, several, trains, operate, with, experimental, general, motors, aerotrain, although, thi. The City of Las Vegas was a streamlined passenger train operated by the Union Pacific Railroad between Las Vegas Nevada and Los Angeles California It operated from 1956 to 1968 It was one of several trains to operate with the experimental General Motors Aerotrain although this experiment was short lived After 1961 the train was known as the Las Vegas Holiday Special City of Las VegasOverviewService typeInter city railStatusDiscontinuedLocaleWestern United StatesFirst serviceDecember 18 1956Last serviceJune 15 1968Former operator s Union Pacific RailroadRouteTerminiLos Angeles CaliforniaLas Vegas NevadaTechnicalTrack gauge4 ft 8 1 2 in 1 435 mm Contents 1 History 2 Equipment 3 See also 4 References 5 Further readingHistory EditThe Union Pacific introduced the City of Las Vegas on December 18 1956 The service initially used General Motors experimental Aerotrain trainset but the Union Pacific ended their lease within a year due to maintenance and performance problems including needing a helper engine to climb Cajon Pass 1 87 The train continued with standard streamlined cars in UP s Armour Yellow paint leaving Los Angeles in the morning and returning in the evening On September 24 1961 the name was changed to Las Vegas Holiday Special when the consist and frequency were reduced Service ended altogether on June 15 1968 2 Equipment EditSample consistSeptember 15 1957 5728 Mail car 5360 coach 48 seats 5339 coach 48 seats 4000 lunch counter dinette 1502 Pub buffet lounge 5353 coach 48 seats 5352 coach 48 seats 5332 coach 48 seats Main article Aerotrain GM The GM Aerotrain included nine cars three 40 seat coaches a bar lounge a Chuck Wagon buffet three more 40 seat coaches a 36 seat coach The Union Pacific replaced the Aerotrain with conventional equipment on September 15 1957 The new eight car consist included a mail car two 48 seat coaches a lunch counter dinette a Pub buffet lounge and three more 48 seat coaches These cars were drawn from a variety of sources The coaches were built by Pullman Standard in 1942 for the San Francisco Overland Limited The lunch counter dinette was part of a set of four numbered 4000 4003 built by American Car and Foundry for the City of St Louis in 1951 The dinette portion seated 16 while the counter area seated 21 along a 42 foot 13 m long countertop The Pub was originally coach 5201 part of a set of twelve 5200 5211 built by Pullman Standard for the Challenger in 1937 3 148 169 See also EditPassenger train service on the Union Pacific RailroadReferences Edit Solomon Brian 2000 Union Pacific Railroad Osceola Wisconsin MBI ISBN 0 7603 0756 3 UP Passenger Train Timeline 2004 10 07 Retrieved 2009 10 12 Wayner Robert J ed 1972 Car Names Numbers and Consists New York Wayner Publications OCLC 8848690 Further reading EditKawala Dana 2006 8 pike size passenger trains Union Pacific trains 115 and 116 Model Railroader 73 3 65 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title City of Las Vegas train amp oldid 1115910805, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
