Los Angeles Limited
Encyclopedia
The Los Angeles Limited was a named passenger train in the United States. It was operated by the Union Pacific Railroad
from 1905 to 1954.
-to-Los Angeles
market. From Chicago to Omaha
the train was handled by the Chicago and North Western Railway
. Then the Union Pacific, which owned the train, took over to Los Angeles via Council Bluffs
, Cheyenne
, Ogden
, Salt Lake City, Las Vegas
and San Bernardino
.
train. During most of its operation it was an exclusive all-Pullman train, featuring only sleeping car
s for first class travel
.
The cars were painted with a black roof, dark Pullman-green body with yellow lettering, and black trucks. This paint scheme remained from 1905 to 1948. In 1948 the Union Pacific painted all of its heavyweight fleet in the yellow and light grey scheme to match their streamliner trains, so the heavyweight cars of the Los Angeles Limited became yellow in the last years of operation between 1948 and 1954. Only some headend equipment could be sometimes found in the two-tone grey "Overland" scheme.
In the beginning the heavyweight cars of the train were wood; after 1912 steel heavyweight cars started to replace the wooden cars. Until 1936 the Los Angeles Limited was the top train of the Union Pacific in strong rivalry to other Chicago to Los Angeles trains such as Santa Fe's California Limited, De Luxe, Chief, and the Southern Pacific's Rock Island Golden State Limited.
In 1930 the train started carrying coaches for the first time because of the Great Depression
. After the more economical secondary train Challenger was introduced in 1935, the train regained its all-Pullman status and once again became a very fine train; in 1936 it was the first Union Pacific heavyweight train to receive air conditioning. But in 1936 the Los Angeles Limited lost its prestigious premier status to the new City of Los Angeles
streamliner, which became the new Union Pacific flagship train. The Los Angeles Limited was downgraded to the secondary Chicago-to-Los Angeles train, but was still the only Union Pacific all-Pullman train on that route (the City of Los Angeles streamliner always carried some coaches). After the City of Los Angeles became a daily service in 1947 the train resumed handling coaches, this time forever. In 1948 lightweight streamliner cars with four-wheel trucks began appearing, usually not more than five.
Pacific types, while in the 1920s and 1930s the 4-8-2
Mountain type was the usual engine. In the last years 4-8-4
Northern types pulled the train east of Ogden while diesels were used west of there. Even the 4-10-2
Overland type steam locomotives appeared on occasion, especially between Salt Lake City and San Bernardino. On the Chicago & North Western 4-6-2 Pacific, 4-6-4
Hudson and 4-8-4 Northern types pulled the train.
Union Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
from 1905 to 1954.
History
Since its inauguration in 1905, the Los Angeles Limited was the flagship train of the Union Pacific and one of the finest long distance trains in the ChicagoChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
-to-Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
market. From Chicago to Omaha
Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
the train was handled by the Chicago and North Western Railway
Chicago and North Western Railway
The Chicago and North Western Transportation Company was a Class I railroad in the Midwest United States. It was also known as the North Western. The railroad operated more than of track as of the turn of the 20th century, and over of track in seven states before retrenchment in the late 1970s...
. Then the Union Pacific, which owned the train, took over to Los Angeles via Council Bluffs
Council Bluffs, Iowa
Council Bluffs, known until 1852 as Kanesville, Iowathe historic starting point of the Mormon Trail and eventual northernmost anchor town of the other emigrant trailsis a city in and the county seat of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, United States and is on the east bank of the Missouri River across...
, Cheyenne
Cheyenne, Wyoming
Cheyenne is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Wyoming and the county seat of Laramie County. It is the principal city of the Cheyenne, Wyoming, Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Laramie County. The population is 59,466 at the 2010 census. Cheyenne is the...
, Ogden
Ogden, Utah
Ogden is a city in Weber County, Utah, United States. Ogden serves as the county seat of Weber County. The population was 82,825 according to the 2010 Census. The city served as a major railway hub through much of its history, and still handles a great deal of freight rail traffic which makes it a...
, Salt Lake City, Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
and San Bernardino
San Bernardino, California
San Bernardino is a city located in the Riverside-San Bernardino metropolitan area , and serves as the county seat of San Bernardino County, California, United States...
.
Equipment
From the beginning, the train was equipped with cars that all rode on six-wheel trucks and, throughout its entire lifetime, the Los Angeles Limited remained a heavyweight train, never upgraded to a lightweight streamlinerStreamliner
A streamliner is a vehicle incorporating streamlining in a shape providing reduced air resistance. The term is applied to high-speed railway trainsets of the 1930s to 1950s, and to their successor "bullet trains". Less commonly, the term is applied to fully faired recumbent bicycles...
train. During most of its operation it was an exclusive all-Pullman train, featuring only sleeping car
Sleeping car
The sleeping car or sleeper is a railway/railroad passenger car that can accommodate all its passengers in beds of one kind or another, primarily for the purpose of making nighttime travel more restful. The first such cars saw sporadic use on American railroads in the 1830s and could be configured...
s for first class travel
First class travel
First class is the most luxurious class of accommodation on a train, passenger ship, airplane, or other conveyance. It is usually much more expensive than business class and economy class, and offers the best amenities.-Aviation:...
.
The cars were painted with a black roof, dark Pullman-green body with yellow lettering, and black trucks. This paint scheme remained from 1905 to 1948. In 1948 the Union Pacific painted all of its heavyweight fleet in the yellow and light grey scheme to match their streamliner trains, so the heavyweight cars of the Los Angeles Limited became yellow in the last years of operation between 1948 and 1954. Only some headend equipment could be sometimes found in the two-tone grey "Overland" scheme.
In the beginning the heavyweight cars of the train were wood; after 1912 steel heavyweight cars started to replace the wooden cars. Until 1936 the Los Angeles Limited was the top train of the Union Pacific in strong rivalry to other Chicago to Los Angeles trains such as Santa Fe's California Limited, De Luxe, Chief, and the Southern Pacific's Rock Island Golden State Limited.
In 1930 the train started carrying coaches for the first time because of the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
. After the more economical secondary train Challenger was introduced in 1935, the train regained its all-Pullman status and once again became a very fine train; in 1936 it was the first Union Pacific heavyweight train to receive air conditioning. But in 1936 the Los Angeles Limited lost its prestigious premier status to the new City of Los Angeles
City of Los Angeles
The City of Los Angeles was a streamlined passenger train that ran between Chicago, Illinois, and Los Angeles, California, via Omaha, Nebraska, and Ogden, Utah. Between Omaha and Los Angeles it ran on the Union Pacific Railroad; east of Omaha it ran on the Chicago and North Western Railway until...
streamliner, which became the new Union Pacific flagship train. The Los Angeles Limited was downgraded to the secondary Chicago-to-Los Angeles train, but was still the only Union Pacific all-Pullman train on that route (the City of Los Angeles streamliner always carried some coaches). After the City of Los Angeles became a daily service in 1947 the train resumed handling coaches, this time forever. In 1948 lightweight streamliner cars with four-wheel trucks began appearing, usually not more than five.
Ridership decline
In the early 1950s ridership on the Los Angeles Limited declined rapidly. Sleeping car passengers could enjoy more modern streamlined sleeping cars on a faster schedule on the City of Los Angeles, which took 39-3/4 hours Chicago to LA while the Los Angeles Limited needed 45 hours. In January 1954 the once-proud flagship was replaced by the new Challenger, with lightweight coaches and sleepers on a fast schedule.Pulling power
In the early years the train was pulled by 4-6-24-6-2
4-6-2, in the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles , six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and two trailing wheels on one axle .These locomotives are also known as Pacifics...
Pacific types, while in the 1920s and 1930s the 4-8-2
4-8-2
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 4-8-2 represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles , eight powered and coupled driving wheels on four axles, and two trailing wheels on one axle...
Mountain type was the usual engine. In the last years 4-8-4
4-8-4
Under the Whyte notation classification of steam locomotives, 4-8-4 represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles , eight powered and coupled driving wheels on four axles, and four trailing wheels on two axles .Other equivalent classifications are:UIC classification: 2D2...
Northern types pulled the train east of Ogden while diesels were used west of there. Even the 4-10-2
4-10-2
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 4-10-2 represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles , ten powered and coupled driving wheels on five axles, and two trailing wheels on one axle...
Overland type steam locomotives appeared on occasion, especially between Salt Lake City and San Bernardino. On the Chicago & North Western 4-6-2 Pacific, 4-6-4
4-6-4
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 4-6-4 represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles , six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and four trailing wheels on two axles .Other equivalent classifications are:UIC classification:...
Hudson and 4-8-4 Northern types pulled the train.
A 1929 consist
- A 4-8-2 Mountain steam locomotive
- Baggage Dormitory 2765
- 12-1 Sleeper "Dahlonega"
- 12-1 Sleeper "Nolando"
- 10-1-2 Sleeper "Lake Champlain"
- 10-1-2 Sleeper "Lake Crystal"
- 10-1-1 Sleeper "Columbia Gorge"
- Diner 307
- 10-1-1 Sleeper "Crown Point"
- 8-1-2 Sleeper "Centspur"
- 8-1-2 Sleeper "Centgarde"
- 6-3 Sleeper "Glen Campsie"
- 6-3 Sleeper "Glen Dee"
- Buffet LoungeLounge carA lounge car is a type of passenger car on a train, where riders can purchase food and drinks. The car may feature large windows and comfortable seating to create a relaxing diversion from standard coach or dining options...
Observation 1554
A consist between 1948 and 1954
- A 4-8-4 Northern steam locomotive
- Baggage
- Coach
- Coach
- Café Lounge
- 6-6-4 Sleeper (streamliner car)
- 6-6-4 Sleeper (streamliner car) (Minneapolis - Los Angeles via Chicago & North Western train #203 to Omaha)
- 6-6-4 Sleeper (streamliner car) (New York - Los Angeles via Pennsylvania Railroad Broadway Limited to Chicago)
- 6-6-4 Sleeper (streamliner car) (New York - Los Angeles via Pennsylvania Railroad Broadway Limited to Chicago)
- Diner
- 4-4-4 Sleeper (streamliner car)
- 12-1 Sleeper
- 12-1 Sleeper
- 10-2 Sleeper (Chicago - Omaha - Cedar City, summer season only)
- 10-2 Sleeper (Chicago - Omaha - West Yellowstone, summer season only)
- Buffet Lounge Observation