The City of Salina, Union Pacific's Very First Streamlined Train

Of all of the Union Pacific's vast array of City trains the City of Salina was by far the least popular in the fleet, mostly due to the fact that it was retired and scrapped so early. However, it is included here for its historical significance, as it was the first streamliner to ever operated on a major Class I railroad and was greeted by incredible fanfare upon its debut. Also known as the M-10000 the train literally set the stage for the large fleet of streamliners that would later be operated by the Union Pacific. Today, the City fleet can still be witnessed, in a manner of speaking, as the UP’s official business train is not only decorated in the Cities’ classic livery but also includes the original equipment from them, right down to the two E9As and E9Bs that power it!

The Union Pacific’s City fleet is credited with being the first lightweight streamlined passenger train to operate in the United States. In 1934 the City of Salina, the first in the fleet, debuted as a three-car lightweight trainset that the Electro-Motive Corporation named the M-10000. The Union Pacific was so impressed with the train, and the response it received from the public, that it purchased seven more sets and the City fleet was born!

The City of Salina (known by UP personnel as “Little Zip”) has one significant claim to fame, it was Union Pacific’s very first streamlined City train and was originally known as the M-10000 before being designated as the City of Salina when the railroad began naming its City fleet. The M-10000 kicked off the streamliner concept in 1934 when UP introduced it in February of that year and was known to the public as The Streamliner. For its time the train was an entirely new and novel concept, looking somewhat like a sleek and shiny tube with no boxy features whatsoever (contrary to the standard coaches of the day).

The three-car, semi-articulated trainset (including the power car) built as a team effort between the Electro-Motive Corporation and Pullman-Standard topped out at 204 feet, was extremely light at just 124 tons, held 56 passengers, was powered by a 600-hp distillate engine power car, and could easily top 100 mph while cruising at-speed. The consist itself was simple; a baggage-RPO combined into the lead power car, a coach, and a coach-observation bringing up the rear.

The train was the first to feature Pullman's classic round-end observation design and became nearly standard on future observation cars built by the manufacturer. Aside from the train's historical significance as one of the first streamliners it also ushered in Union Pacific's now classic Armour Yellow livery, interestingly enough chosen for safety so that the M-10000 could be easily spotted.

Due to the success of the train around the country, the interest by the public, and its incredibly fast speeds, Union Pacific quickly ordered additional trainsets (which featured more amenities, cars, and accommodations) and the City fleet was born. The City of Salina, renamed so from its original M-10000 and Streamliner designation to more easily differentiate the Union Pacific's growing fleet of City streamliners of the later 1930s (in total the railroad owned seven M-10000 series trainsets), was a very short-lived train. Since it only served a small market of under 200 miles, Kansas City to Salina, Kansas, the train offered little in the way of revenue. So, after just eight years of operation the aluminum trainset was scrapped for the war effort in 1942. For more information regarding the City of Salina, its schedule, and consist please click here.

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Also, for more reading on streamliners like the City of Salina you might want to also consider the book Streamliners: History of a Railroad Icon from renowned author Mike Schafer who covers in detail most of the well known and remembered “classic” passenger trains to operate in the country. If you have any interest in such you should very much enjoy Mr. Schafer’s book. If you're interested in perhaps purchasing either (or both) of these books please visit the links below which will take you to ordering information through Amazon.com, the trusted online shopping network.

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