City of Denver (train)
The City of Denver was a 1936 to 1971 by the Union Pacific in cooperation with the Chicago & North Western ( in 1955 with the Milwaukee Road) powered luxurious overnight passenger train between Denver, Colorado and Chicago. The westbound train was running under No. 111 while train no. 112 reversed in direction east. Around 1940 was the "City of Denver " with 118.9 km / h average speed as the world's fastest long-distance train scheduled on a 1,000- mile distance.
Shortly after the "City of Los Angeles " and " City of San Francisco " had commenced operations to California, launched on 18 June 1936, the two trainsets M- 10005 and M- 10006 and the Betriebsreservere M- 10003, the fifth Union Pacific streamlined train as "City of Denver " the night train service on the 1688 km long route from Chicago to Denver and shortened the previous journey times by 11 ¾ hours to 16 hours.
With its introduction came the "City of Denver " in the competition for the " Denver Zephyr" quick- unit trains of konkurrienden Burlington Route, which had taken up the traffic on the with 1664 km slightly shorter route already on 31 May 1936 and their own overnight connection in offering 16 or 16 ½ hours.
1939 changed the same type M- 10004 - power car after use at the " City of San Francisco " and " City of Los Angeles " in the "City of Denver " service. Taking into account of machinery parts of the decommissioned M- 10001, the locomotives now on to the three -part drive units CD -05, CD -06 and CD -07 to be re- compiled.
Having to 1947, the competition between " Denver Zephyr" and "City of Denver " had the timetables reduced to up to 15 hours and 35 minutes, imposed the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC ) as a railway supervisory authority at all distances without automatic train a speed limit of 128.7 km / h (80 mph). This ended on the 901 km long UP route between Omaha and Denver, one of the most demanding American Fernzugfahrpläne the 1940s.
By January 1953, the 1936 -built power heads excreted service is terminated and EMD E8 locomotives took over the promotion of the "City of Denver ". From 30 October 1955, the traffic went east of Omaha from the C & NW on the Milwaukee Road.
On December 14, 1961, the heaviest traffic accident occurred in Colorado, as the " City of Denver " collided on a level crossing in Auburn with a school bus and 20 children were killed.
With passage of the Amtrak passenger train service ended on May 1, 1971, the operation of the "City of Denver ".