UP's 1956 Challenger Domeliner & More Buildings for the Victorville Layout

 

This time we'll cover the Union Pacific's Challenger Domeliner passenger train in Victorville from late l955 through 1956, and then we'll look at several weeks of work on my Victorville building models.

In this sixth and final report on the former LA Limited passenger train (now the Challenger Domeliner), I'll be using information kindly supplied again by UP researcher Jeff Koeller, as follows:

Union Pacific’s Challenger Domeliner 1955-1956

Milwaukee Road Era Brings Changes For The Challenger Domeliner

 

Effective October 30, 1955, the Milwaukee Road became Union Pacific’s new partner, replacing the Chicago & North Western, for handling the UP’s premier passenger trains between Chicago and Omaha. At this time, the Milwaukee discontinued their Midwest Hiawatha to Omaha but continued to operate the Chicago-Sioux Falls segment by combining these cars with train Nos. 107 and 108, the Challenger Domeliner, as far as Manilla, Iowa, 61 miles east of Council Bluffs. 

At Manilla, the Midwest Hiawatha’s Chicago-Sioux Falls coaches would be switched into their own train, and with the addition of a tap-cafe car, would be operated by the Milwaukee through Sioux City, Iowa, to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, 604 miles from Chicago. The procedure would be reversed for the eastbound trains. 

 

Challenger-Midwest Hiawatha No. 107 with Milwaukee Road Power Units 11-20-55

 

Wally Abbey was on hand to photograph Union Pacific streamliners on the Milwaukee Road on November 20, 1955, less than three weeks after the Milwaukee began handling the trains between Chicago and Omaha. Taken from the Coombs Road overhead bridge, west of Elgin, Illinois, this photo shows No. 107, the westbound Challenger-Midwest Hiawatha, powered by a four-unit lashup consisting of Milwaukee E7 20A, two F7 passenger B-units and a trailing E7, all still clad in Milwaukee orange and maroon colors. The first car is a UP baggage-express from series 5639-5663. Next are two Chicago-Los Angeles sleepers, including Alpine and Pacific-class cars. These are followed by a 1937 articulated dormitory-kitchen/diner, a Milwaukee lunch-lounge car, two UP leg rest coaches, and a Dome coach. Wallace W. Abbey photo, Center For Railroad Photography & Art (Abbey-03-075-01).

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Challenger-Midwest Hiawatha No. 107 “Going Away” 11-20-55

 

This excellent “going away” shot of the Challenger-Midwest Hiawatha approaching the small hamlet of McQueen, Illinois, provides the unique advantage of observing the two Milwaukee 52-reclining-seat coaches that comprise the Midwest Hiawatha section running from Chicago to Sioux Falls, South Dakota. These cars will be cut out at Manilla, Iowa, where a dining-buffet car will be added for the trip over the Milwaukee to Sioux City and Sioux Falls.  

 

Both Milwaukee coaches are equipped with Safety Car Heating & Lighting Company steam-ejector air conditioning systems, part of which apparatus can be seen at the vestibule ends of the roofs. Also, the cars have been recently upgraded with new K.F. Nystrom-designed 8-foot wheelbase trucks as evidenced by the truck notches in the side sills. Ahead of the Milwaukee cars is the typical Challenger-Domeliner coach section, which includes a 44-seat leg rest coach, a dome-coach, and two more leg rest coaches. Preceding the coaches is the Milwaukee Tip-Top-Tap lunch-lounge car. Wallace W. Abbey photo, Center For Railroad Photography & Art (Abbey-03-075-04).

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This consolidation was known on the Milwaukee Road as the “Challenger-Midwest Hiawatha Domeliner,” trains 107-207 and 208-108. Although the Challenger’s westbound “One Night en Route” schedule remained unchanged, the eastbound schedule was revised so that the previous 2:00 p.m. Los Angeles departure was moved to a much later 10:00 p.m. departure. This also resulted in changing the Chicago arrival time from 7:45 a.m. to 4:40 p.m., which allowed the Challenger-Midwest Hiawatha to operate over the Milwaukee during daylight hours in both directions. 

Except for the eastbound schedule change, Challenger Domeliner operations remained essentially the same as before the switch to Milwaukee Road. Both the 14 section Alpine-class and 10 Roomette-6 double bedroom Pacific-class sleepers continued to operate between Chicago and Los Angeles, although The Pullman Company assigned new line numbers 4373 and 4374, respectively, due to the Milwaukee’s new route and mileage. 

The Milwaukee Road contributed several cars to the Challenger Domeliner consists running between Chicago and Los Angeles. Baggage-express cars from series 1317-1329 and 1330-1336 (with conductor’s room and porthole window) built in 1947 at the Milwaukee Shops regularly operated in trains 107 and 108. Also, lunch-lounge cars 172-173 built in 1948 at the company shops alternated with UP cafe-lounge cars. These two Milwaukee cars (a.k.a. Tip-Top-Tap cars) were equipped with Waukesha air conditioning systems, which were preferred by UP for all their “Cities” trains. Milwaukee lunch-lounge cars 162-167, built by their shops in 1947, may have run occasionally but these cars had steam-ejector AC systems.  

 

Milwaukee Road Lunch-Lounge Car 173 

 

Milwaukee lunch-lounge cars alternated with UP club-lounges, providing similar services on the Challenger-Midwest Hiawatha. Shown on display at Milwaukee, Wis., on May 23, 1948, Tip-Top-Tap lounge car 173 was built by the Milwaukee Shops, along with sister car 172, for service in the Afternoon Hiawatha. After the Milwaukee’s new Super Domes began running in late December 1952, the lunch-lounge cars continued to operate for several months before being discontinued. Equipped with Waukesha air conditioning systems, cars 172 and 173 were repainted into UP colors in 1955 for operating in the Challenger-Midwest Hiawatha. Russell Luedke photo, W.F. Stauss collection.

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Motive Power

 

The Milwaukee ordered six ABA sets of EMD E9 diesels in 1955 for their contribution to joint service with Union Pacific, but deliveries of these units did not begin until February 1956. In the interim, UP E-units handled the City of Los Angeles, City of San Francisco, City of Portland, and City of Denver into and out of Chicago, but Milwaukee Road motive power was assigned to the Challenger-Midwest Hiawatha between Chicago and Omaha, where UP diesels took over. Various combinations of Milwaukee E7s and F7 passenger B-units could be seen on the Challenger-Midwest Hiawatha, all of which continued to operate in Milwaukee Road’s traditional orange and maroon colors. Eventually, Milwaukee painted all of their passenger diesels and cars in UP colors, but it took several months for the changeover to take place.  

 

Challenger-Midwest Hiawatha No. 107 Near Manilla on 4-21-56

 

Powered by UP E9s 958 and 970B, train No. 107, the westbound Challenger-Midwest Hiawatha, is shown approaching Manilla, Iowa, on April 21, 1956. Behind the engines is a Milwaukee RPO-baggage car. These cars apparently did not operate daily as some photos show the RPO, while others do not. Next is a Milwaukee baggage-express car, followed by an Alpine-class sleeper and a Pacific-class sleeper, then a UP articulated dorm-kitchen/diner. Jack Pfeifer photo. 

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Challenger-Midwest Hiawatha No. 107 Near Council Bluffs on 4-22-56

 

This nice down-on photo depicts the westbound Challenger-Midwest Hiawatha east of Council Bluffs, Iowa, on April 22, 1956. UP E9s 959 and 955B are in change of this day’s unusual consist that includes a Milwaukee baggage-express car, a UP baggage-dorm, the two Chicago-Los Angeles sleepers, a UP 4800-series diner, a Milwaukee Tip-Top-Tap lunch-lounge car, and at least two UP leg rest coaches. Whenever the regular UP articulated dorm-kitchen/diner was unavailable, a baggage-dorm and a single unit diner would substitute as shown in this view. Jack Pfeifer photo. 

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More Changes for The Challenger Domeliner

 

As passenger revenues continued to decline, Union Pacific was forced to consolidate services. The first of several such consolidations took place on April 29, 1956, when the Challenger Domeliner was merged with the Domeliner City of Los Angeles between Chicago and Los Angeles. This resulted in a completely new schedule for the Challenger, which included the discontinuance of the Chicago-LA 14 section and 10-6 sleepers. In addition, the COLA’s Minneapolis-St. Paul to Los Angeles American-class sleeper running in Line 4349 was shortened to an Omaha-Los Angeles routing. 

Also, within the revised consists, there was no place for the Midwest Hiawatha equipment. At this point, Milwaukee Road discontinued their service between Chicago and Sioux Falls, South Dakota, thus ending more than fifteen years of Midwest Hiawatha service that began on December 7, 1940, between Chicago and Omaha/Sioux City. 

New All-Coach Status for the Challenger Domeliner

 

The consolidation was short-lived, though, because on June 2, 1956, Union Pacific re-introduced separate City of Los Angeles and Challenger domeliners to be operated as all-Pullman and all-coach sections. This was a highly notable occasion, because it was the first time in its 20-year history that the City of Los Angeles did not carry coaches, finally giving it equal footing with AT&SF’s all-Pullman Super Chief. 

Meanwhile, the all-coach Challenger Domeliner was operated as a second section of the COLA as train Nos. 2-103 and 2-104, following close behind the COLA on the same time table schedule. This was essentially a summer season service, with the two trains becoming consolidated again on September 23, 1956. 

 

Challenger Domeliner No. 2-104 at Hermosa 9-1-56

 

After a brief period of being consolidated with the City of Los Angeles, the Challenger Domeliner became an all-coach second section of the COLA on June 2, 1956. It ran on the same schedule as the COLA and operated as train Nos. 2-103 and 2-104. The eastbound all-coach Challenger Domeliner is pictured crossing the 1945-built concrete bridge over the former westbound track, which was relocated in 1953 coinciding with the construction of new Track 3 over Sherman Hill. That’s the new westward track in the foreground. Motive power consists of UP E9s 903 and 965B, along with E8 945B, which are followed by a Milwaukee baggage-express car, two leg rest coaches, a dome coach, another leg rest coach, an articulated dorm-kitchen/diner, and a Milwaukee Tip-Top-Tap lunch-lounge car. R.H. Kindig photo.

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This is the rear cover from the June 2, 1956 UP public time table:

 

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Interestingly, there was enough passenger traffic to warrant operating separate all-Pullman and all-coach trains for the 1956-1957 holiday season. The trains ran in two sections starting on December 7, 1956, and continuing through January 16, 1957, except for December 24th and 25th, when consolidated 16-car trains were operated.  

Motive power during this period consisted of UP and Milwaukee EMD E9 3-unit 7,200 hp lashups in various combinations. UP E8s could also be utilized, but the railroad preferred the higher horsepower E9s on the Los Angeles trains as much as possible. 

Moving forward, the pattern of operating separate all-Pullman and all-coach sections during summer travel seasons and running consolidated trains during off-peak months continued for many years, even after the City of San Francisco was consolidated with the COLA in 1960. However, this report concludes our study of the Challenger Domeliner trains. 

 

Many thanks to Jeff Koeller for the above article about this 1955-1956 UP train, and for the entire series of six articles he has written for us on this train, from 1946-1956!

Checking my Santa Fe Employee Timetables from Oct. 30, 1955 through the middle of July, 1956, I find that  Train #107 came westbound through Victorville (without stopping) at 7:34 p.m., and it returned eastbound through town as #108 at 12:48 a.m.  So only #107 was sometimes a daylight train that I should try to model in HO. 

But on July 22, 1956, it was listed as Train 103 westbound, passing through Victorville without stopping at 6:28 a.m.  It was Train 104 eastbound, going through town at 7:21 p.m.   It kept to this schedule through the end of 1956, so this was mostly a daylight train in both directions that I should try to model in HO. 

For some notes about HO models to use for this train, see the previous blog entry on this train. 

 

Here now is my bi-weekly layout progress report from August 13, 2026: 

I've been in a long summer slump since my last layout report.  I've taken a break from laying tracks and spent a little time on building my first styrene model kit in years, as well as spending my usual time corresponding with friends about the models they've been building for me.

Let's start on July 29, when Bill Messecar sent me a couple of photos of the cement plant silos and headhouse that he had built from a Walthers kit, newly connected with a model of the adjacent Packing House that Don Hubbard had completed for me from another Walthers kit.  Bill turned Don's model around so the side with more windows would face the tracks, as seen here:

 

 

Here's a photo of the back side that will face away from the tracks:

 

The next part of this Southwestern Portland Cement Plant scene will be the two smaller silos that were added to the left of the Packing House, as seen here in a modern Google Street View photo (which includes a Trackmobile to move the covered hoppers into loading positions):

Craig Wisch is corresponding with me as we figure out the silo dimensions and the cardstock patterns to use on the silo surfaces.  We may also use this same tank size for the six older silos that were mostly hidden behind the cement silos that Bill built.

Another ongoing project is by Jon McWhirter, who has been looking for good (but inexpensive) models to use for the tall gantry towers that were at the Victorville Switching Station.  Here's his latest discovery, an inexpensive 3D printed model of a gantry, seen here lying on its side:

 

He has also found a possible model for the circuit breakers that were on the ground under the towers, as seen in this old photo:

As I said, I've taken a break from laying tracks, so I can get back to building a structure model for one of the scenes, which is the Shell Oil dealer that stood along the tracks beside the Standard Oil dealer.  I decided that I could use the oil tanks and their catwalk from this Walthers Trackside Oil Dealer kit:

The small oil-loading station for trucks (see above) could also be used.  So I jumped in and glued three tanks together (one tall one and two shorter ones) and added the catwalk and ladder, etc., as seen here (before painting) standing in the left part of the lot where Craig's Shell Oil Dealer building will stand (he shipped it to me recently):

In the photo above, you can see a prototype photo of the scene at the bottom, and above that you see Craig's model on the right and my unpainted model of three tanks on the left, and above that you see the instruction sheet showing that you can build the tanks taller or shorter, with a catwalk connecting them.

Here's a view of the same scene, but looking from the left side, with Standard Oil (built by Don Hubbard) and its three horizontal tanks in the background:

 

I then discovered that I should have painted the parts before gluing them all together, but I'm proceeding now with AI advice on how to wash and paint the parts, even after assembly.  Live and learn!

We'll see how far we all can get by the time of my next report, whenever that will be.

 

And here now is my bi-weekly layout progress report from Sep. 2, 2026:  

As I wrote last time, I've been in a long summer slump.  I've been taking a break from laying tracks, but I spent a little more time on building my first styrene model kit in years, as well as spending my usual time corresponding with friends about the models they've been building for me.

After my last report, I continued working on the  parts for Shell Oil scene -- hand-painting the catwalk on top of the three tanks, and gluing together and painting the parts of the truck fueling station and the gas pumps.

When dry, I placed them into the temporary scene on the staging deck of my layout.  Here's a view from the left side of the scene:

 

 

And here's a view from the right side:

 

I sent for and received some Shell Oil decals, and I plan to add those to the tanks the next time I visit Bill Messecar (who has more experience with such things).

Speaking of Bill, I attended one of his op sessions, along with Don Hubbard and Colin Kikawa, on Aug. 19.  Don and Colin worked on the Corona Turn, while Bill and I switched the San Bernardino yard.  I worked the left end of the yard, near the engine terminal, as seen here:

 

Bill switched the right end of the yard, by the Precooler plant, as seen here:

Then we all went out to lunch together and had some good conversations.

While I was there, Bill gave me his completed model of the Southwestern Portland Cement Plant main cement silos with the headhouse, and the adjacent Packing House, built by Don Hubbard.  When I got them home, I set them up on the staging deck, below the location where they will go on the upper deck.  They look great there!

Here's a view from the right end, showing the cement silos with the headhouse (along with the sign board made by Craig Wisch):

 

Here's a view from the other end, featuring the Packing House:

 

Here's one more view, from above:

(The silos in the background on the right were a gift built by Don Hubbard years ago, but will not be needed in the final scene.)

During all of this, my wife and I were very busy preparing for a Viking river cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest in September, but the rivers are too low in some places, so we've changed instead to the same cruise next May.

My cardstock-modeling friend In Victorville, Craig Wisch, has been having some medical issues, so he hasn't been able to make progress yet on the slightly lower silos needed for other parts of the cement plant scene.

I'm planning to use some leftover catwalk pieces from the Walthers Trackside Oil Dealer kit to add on top of the row of four oil tanks on my Union Oil scene (previously built by Craig), and I hope to do that very soon.

If you can help me in any way, please let me know.

UP's 1954-1955 Challenger Streamliner & More Buildings for the Victorville Layout

This time we'll cover the Union Pacific's Challenger Streamliner passenger train in Victorville from l954 through 1955, and then we'll look at four weeks of work on Victorville buildings and staging yard tracks.

In this fifth report on the former LA Limited passenger train, the UP has now changed the train's name to the Challenger Streamliner.  I'll be using information kindly supplied again by UP researcher Jeff Koeller, as follows:

 

Union Pacific’s Challenger Streamliner 1954-1955

Introduction

 

The new Challenger Streamliner began Chicago-Los Angeles service as Union Pacific train Nos. 107 and 108 on January 10, 1954, featuring the fastest westbound schedule for all UP trains to the Pacific Coast: 39 1/2 hours, “One-Night en route.” The eastbound schedule to Chicago was 39 3/4 hours, second morning arrival, the same as other UP Coast streamliners. 

 

 

Many writers have previously touted the Challenger Streamliner as a replacement train for the long-standing Los Angeles Limited; however, the new train was essentially a Los Angeles Limited that had been upgraded to full streamliner status with a new schedule and a new train name. In planning for this upgrading, the railroad’s “bucket list” might have looked like this:

• Establish a new five consist rotation with all-lightweight passenger equipment 
• Expand the number of coaches and replace the 1937-built UP 5300-5327 series cars, along with the C&NW coach-lounge car, with new 44-seat leg rest coaches
• Reduce the number of sleeping cars: 1) transfer the two Coast-to-Coast sleepers to the City of Los Angeles; 2) transfer the Minneapolis-St. Paul sleeper to the COLA; and 3) discontinue the Chicago to Los Angeles Line 337 heavyweight 14 section sleeper, effective 1-9-54
• Retain the two Chicago-Los Angeles sleeping cars for first class passengers
• Inaugurate a time-saving schedule: increase speed by reducing train length and limit intermediate stops (six on C&NW, nine on UP, and four on LA&SL, along with four conditional stops)
• Minimize passenger costs with no extra fare and budget priced meals
• Create a more marketable train name

The new train name, Challenger Streamliner, would have been familiar to many UP patrons who could remember the highly popular The Challenger economy trains that operated, often in two sections, between Chicago and Los Angeles from 1935 to May 14, 1947, and between Chicago and San Francisco from 1937 to September 30, 1947. But the 1954 Challenger Streamliner, being equipped entirely with lightweight equipment, bore little resemblance to the earlier secondary trains that consisted of a mixture of heavyweight and lightweight cars and Tourist sleepers. 

 

 

Train 108 “coming” at Devore on 1-10-54

Photographer Bill Middleton was on hand at Devore, California, on January 10, 1954, to record the first eastbound trip of the new Challenger Streamliner. This photo shows the train “coming” into view with sparkling clean UP E8 units 942-932B-937 heading up the train. Behind the engines are a baggage-express car and an articulated dormitory-kitchen/diner. 

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Train 108 “going away” at Devore on 1-10-54

Photos showing a train’s entire consist are rare, but in this “going away” view, the new Challenger Streamliner’s 11-car consist is nicely displayed as it crosses the dry Cajon Creek riverbed just northwest (railroad east) of Devore. From right-to-left can be seen Western and American-class sleepers, built by AC&F in 1949 and 1950. Ahead of the sleepers is a UP 5000-5006 series cafe-lounge car, preceded by four UP leg rest coaches, then a UP 1516-class club-lounge car trailing the DK-Diner, with the B-E car at the head end. Both photos, WD Middleton. 

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Train 108 End-of-Train Sleeper at Summit on 1-10-54

Master rail photographer Bob Hale also shot several photos of the Challenger Streamliner on its inaugural trip as it came through Summit, California, on 1-10-54. This view illustrates the drumhead, marker lamps, and Mars red warning light on the Western-class sleeper running in end-of-train service. The Challenger Streamliner consists typically did not include an observation car, until April 1955, after the new dome-obs-lounge cars had been delivered. RO Hale photo, MD McCarter coll. 

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Passenger Car Types and Details

 

The initial Challenger Streamliner consists had a baggage-express car at the head end, followed by the dorm-kitchen/diner and then a club-lounge car. Next came the coaches, typically four per consist, with a cafe-lounge car and the two Pullman sleepers bringing up the rear. 

 

The coaches were taken from a general pool of Union Pacific 44-seat leg rest coaches built by Pullman-Standard Car Manufacturing Co. in 1949 (series 5400-5449) and by American Car & Foundry Co. in 1953 (series 5450-5457). Also, from January through September 1954, AC&F added 30 more coaches to the pool (series 5438-5487). 

 

 

Train 107 in Rainbow Canyon on 4-15-54

The westbound Challenger Streamliner, No. 107, is approaching Boyd, Nevada, in the picturesque Rainbow Canyon on April 15, 1954. Located south of Caliente, the canyon was a favorite location for Union Pacific publicity photographers. A change in operational practice is evident in today’s train as the sleeping cars have been moved to the head end, just behind the baggage-express car. The first sleeper is a 1942 American-class car with most of its center skirting removed. Next is a Pacific-class sleeper which replaced the Line 4345 Western-class car on March 15, 1954. After this is an articulated UP dorm-kitchen/diner followed by a UP 1516-class club lounge and several 44-seat leg rest coaches. UPRR photo.

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Dining car service for coach passengers was provided by five sets of articulated dormitory-kitchen-dining cars (DK-Diners) that had been built in 1937 for the former Los Angeles Challenger trains, and which also operated in City of Los Angeles from May 1947-1950, as well as in the Los Angeles Limited from 1950-1954. Their continued use in the new streamliner required the venerable cars to be refurbished, including the removal of most of the original center skirting. 

 

It’s not known how often or if UP’s Dorm-Kitchen-Diners operated over the C&NW into Chicago. The first westbound Challenger Streamliner No. 107 leaving Chicago reportedly had sleeper Pacific Waters running as a dormitory car along with UP diner 4812 (AC&F 1949). See the consist on page 33 in Patrick Dorin’s book, Union Pacific’s Challenger, An Unusual Passenger Train 1935-1971.  

 

The relatively few photos located of the Challenger Streamliner between Chicago and Omaha usually have a C&NW diner just behind the head end sleeping cars. This car was normally in C&NW green and yellow colors (probably car 6955, PSCM 1950), but on occasion a C&NW diner in UP colors shows up from series 6956-6959 (AC&F 1949). Car 6956 is known to have operated in the train during mid-to-late 1955. In addition, a C&NW 3416-class coach-lounge car, released from Los Angeles Limited service, was placed just behind the C&NW diner, although the coach-lounge may not have run every day.  

 

 

Train 108 at Hermosa Tunnel on 7-4-54

This splendid down-on view shows No. 108, the eastbound Challenger Streamliner, emerging from the east portal of Sherman Hill’s Hermosa Tunnel on Independence Day 1954. Note the American Flags, a Iong-standing UP tradition for the 4th of July holiday. This photo provides an interesting perspective of the various rooftop details on 1953-built E8 diesels 932-932B-934B, plus the nine roof vents typical of baggage-express cars in series 5631-5638 (AC&F 1953). Just behind the B-E car is an Alpine-class sleeper that replaced an American-class car in Line 4345 on June 8, 1954. The consist also has a third sleeping car running in Summer Season service between Omaha and Los Angeles in Line 4315. RH Kindig photo. 

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UP club-lounge cars from the Los Angeles Limited also continued to operate in the new streamliner. These were former women’s coaches, built in 1937 for the Challengers, but which had been rebuilt in 1947 to 1516-class club-lounge cars for City of Portland and City of Los Angeles daily service trains. These cars were later replaced with newer River-class club-lounge cars (AC&F 1949). 

 

Although primarily designed for coach passengers, the new train continued to handle a pair of Chicago to Los Angeles sleeping cars, both of which previously operated in the Los Angeles Limited. These included a Pullman Line 4345 American-class sleeper (PSCM 1942 or AC&F 1950) and a Pullman Line 4346 Western-class sleeper (AC&F 1949-1950). 

Food and lounge service for the Pullman passengers came from a group of UP cafe-lounge cars in series 5000-5006 (AC&F 1949). Cafe-lounge cars LA-611 and LA-612, originally built for the City of Los Angeles (PSCM 1941), were also available, along with C&NW cafe-lounge cars 7800-7802 (AC&F 1949), but these cars regularly ran in the Cities trains. 

 

Equipment Changes

 

An evolution of passenger car changes on the Challenger Streamliner began with UP’s April 25, 1954 public time table. One of the leg rest coaches was now operating between Omaha and Los Angeles, and while the cafe-lounge car is not shown; that car is curiously listed under the COLA equipment section as a “Diner Lounge Car” serving the same “Budget prices meals” with the same prices as the dining cars in the Challenger Streamliner.

In the UP June 20, 1954 time table, the cafe-lounge car returns to the Challenger Streamliner in the form of a “Diner Lounge Car” operating between Omaha and Los Angeles, while at the same time, the COLA now has a Cafe-Lounge car serving the same “Challenger meals” as the dining cars in the Challenger Streamliner. Subsequently, by the November 7, 1954 time table, the Challenger Diner Lounge car is not listed. 

Meanwhile, effective March 15, 1954, a Pacific-class 10 roomette-4 double bedroom sleeper (Budd 1949-1950) replaced the Western-class car in each consist. Then, on June 8, 1954, an Alpine-class 14 section sleeper (AC&F 1954) replaced the American-class car in each trainset. Around this time, the sleeping cars were re-located to the front of the train, running directly behind the baggage-express car. 

Summer Season Sleeping Cars

 

The June 20, 1954 time table shows the Challenger Streamliner with an Omaha to Los Angeles sleeping car with “Dbl. Bdrms., Rmttes., Sections.” This is the summer season American-class sleeper that operated in Pullman Line 4315 from June 8, 1954 to September 11, 1954 (inclusive). Interestingly, the westbound car deadheaded from Chicago to Omaha, while the eastbound car ran all the way from Los Angeles to Chicago. On July 1, 1954 the extension to Chicago was dropped and the line was shortened to just Omaha-LA in both directions. 

The 1955 summer season was similar, with Line 4315 being “resumed” on June 10, 1955 between Omaha and Los Angeles. The line was then extended to/from Chicago on July 1st, with the service being discontinued on September 13, 1955. Detailed information for these summer season operations came from the Pullman “History of Lines” books at the Newberry Library in Chicago. 

The Challenger Domeliner

 

Beginning in December 1954, AC&F delivered ten Astra Dome Coaches, the first five of which were assigned to the Challenger (7000-7004) with the accompanying new title, Challenger Domeliner. Note that the Challenger also had the distinction of being the first UP train equipped with dome cars. The Chicago to Los Angeles dome coach is reflected in the January 9, 1955 public time table, along with standard leg rest coaches now operating Chicago-Los Angeles, Omaha-Los Angeles, and Las Vegas-Los Angeles. 

 

Train 107 on the C&NW near Ames on 4-9-55 

On the C&NW between Chicago and Omaha, the Challenger Domeliner with fewer cars and could easily be handled by a pair of EMD E-units. Here is westbound No. 107, led by C&NW E8 5028A with a trailing E7 unit, just west of Ames, Iowa, on April 9, 1955 (the photo is looking east from the Minnesota Ave overhead bridge). The 8-car consist includes a 5639-5663 series B-E car, two sleepers, and a C&NW diner in green/yellow colors, a dome coach, and two leg rest coaches, followed by a dome-obs-lounge car on the rear. At Omaha Union Station, the motive power will be changed to UP units, and the C&NW diner will be replaced with an articulated UP DK/Diner, along with the addition of another leg rest coach. WD Middleton photo.

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Train 107 in Rainbow Canyon in 1955

Another UP publicity photo taken in the Rainbow Canyon area shows No. 107, the westbound 10-car Challenger Domeliner powered by an ABB set of E8s led by engine 934. Bringing up the end-of-train markers is a new Astra Dome-Observation-Lounge car. The operation of these cars was short-lived as they were transferred to the City of St. Louis on May 9, 1955, thus ending the only period in which trains 107 and 108 had some type of observation car on the rear. From left-to-right, the consist also includes a leg rest coach, a dome coach, two more leg rest coaches, a DK/Diner, a Pacific-class sleeper and an Alpine-class sleeper, along with the B-E car at the front. UPRR photo.

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Following the arrival of the dome coaches, AC&F delivered 15 Astra Dome Observation Lounge cars in February-March-April 1955. The last five of these cars (9010-9014) were to be in operation on the Challenger Domeliner by April 1st. The April 24, 1955 time table includes the dome observation lounge car with a note indicating it was “for sleeping car passengers;” however, since the Pullman sleepers were still operating at the head end, it would’ve been a long walk to access the dome-obs-lounge car at the rear of the train (it was the only lounge car listed in the train’s equipment section). 

 

This rather awkward situation undoubtedly led to the dome observation lounge cars being transferred to the City of St. Louis on May 9, 1955, which was a much better fit, as the COStL handled its sleeping cars at the back of the train. After this, the Challenger Domeliner re-acquired the Omaha to Los Angeles cafe-lounge car for sleeping car passengers, and also continued to operate an Omaha to Los Angeles club-lounge for coach passengers. 

 

 

Train 107 at near Creastline in 1955

Located near the eastern boarder of Nevada, Crestline, elevation 5993-feet, is the highest spot on the LA&SL route, except for the branch line to Iron Mountain. About two miles north of Crestline is Horseshoe Bend, a large 143-degree curve that allowed an entire consist to be photographed as in this view looking north. In this 1955 photo, UP E9 947 and two B-units pose with No. 107, the westbound 10-car Challenger Domeliner. After the dome-obs-lounge cars were transferred to the City of St. Louis, the Challenger Domeliner acquired a River-class club-lounge car (AC&F 1949) as shown here positioned behind the DK/Diner and ahead of the three leg rest coaches. Dome coach 7004 is on the rear of the train. UPRR photo. 

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Train 108 near Laramie on 9-3-55

This photo of Train 108, the eastbound Challenger Domeliner, near Laramie, Wyoming, on September 3, 1955, shows an unusually long 14-car consist powered by E9 950 and two B-units. At the front is a baggage-express car, followed by an Alpine-class sleeper, a Pacific-class sleeper, and an Angel Island-class 2-4-4 sleeper (PSCM 1941) operating in Summer Season service. After the sleeping cars is an AC&F 1949 diner for the sleeping car passengers, with the kitchen to the rear. Next is the standard DK/Diner along with a River-class club-lounge (AC&F 1949). The last six cars include leg rest coaches and a dome coach (the second to the last car). Otto Perry photo, OP-19296

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Motive Power

 

The Challenger Domeliner was one of UP’s premier passenger trains, and it received the latest EMD model E8s and E9s, usually in 3-unit combinations. On the relatively flat C&NW between Chicago and Omaha, Nos. 107 and 108 were powered by 2-unit EMD diesel sets, usually in an E8-E7 lashup. 

 

 

UP E9 951 at Council Bluffs on 7-4-55

As one of Union Pacific’s premier passenger trains, the Challenger Domeliner always rated the latest motive power available. Two-month old EMD E9 951 and mate are shown idling on the ready track at UP’s Council Buffs engine terminal, just prior to heading over to Omaha Union Station as power for train No. 107 on July 4th, 1955 (note the American flags). After the Domeliner arrives from Chicago via the C&NW, the UP engines (probably a 3-unit set) will replace the North Western diesels, which will go to their own Council Bluffs engine terminal for servicing.

Engine 951 is from UP’s second group of E9s, series 948-956 delivered in May-June 1955, which represent the first UP diesels with aluminum painted trucks. Equipped with a Pyle-National headlight, the unit has red classification lights displayed, perhaps indicating that the engine set is not to be moved. Lou Schmitz photo.

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Trains Moved to The Milwaukee Road

 

After months of negotiations with C&NW over equipment equalization and poor train performance, the Union Pacific decided to move its passenger fleet running between Chicago and Omaha to the Milwaukee Road. Chicago Union Station would become the new eastern terminal for the Challenger Domeliner and the “Cities” fleet effective October 30, 1955. 

 

Although the future looked bright for this partnership, train consolidations began within six months, thus beginning a pattern for maintaining passenger service in light of decreasing ridership and increased operating costs. In the next installment we will look at how this affected the Challenger Domeliner consists and operations. 

 

Many thanks to Jeff Koeller for the above article about this 1954-55 UP train!

Here's his added table listing some possible HO models for this train:

Here are some additional notes on other possible (less expensive) models, sent to me by Robert Rogers:

 

"Most of my 1950's UP models are:  Balboa/Westside brass, only the baggage, dome & RPO come close, then AHM /Rivarisi did baggage (wrong trucks), dome coach and diner (I don't know if the diner is correct but it IS a nice stand in). They PAINTED everything in UP colors, but I think only those three cars were prototype correct.

Then, Walthers did 6-6-4, 4-4-2, & 10-6 sleepers,  coaches, the heavier baggage cars (with 6 wheel trucks), and all the correct dome cars (3 types), and Rivariosi did one number for the LW coaches. So, I've picked up the 'easy stuff' over the last 45 years but only in the last year snagged E-9's to pull it.  

Other plastic LW cars were the E& B Valley 4-4-2 and 6-6-4 sleepers (no interiors). I don't know about the rest of the Eastern Car Works line (which appear to be the same molds as E & B Valley--both are only available on the secondary market now)."

 

Thanks to Robert for these added notes on possible HO models. 

 

Checking my Santa Fe Employee Timetables for 1954-55 (until Oct. 30, 1955), I find that the train (#107) came westbound through Victorville (without stopping) at 7:34 p.m., and it returned eastbound through town  as #108 at 4:45 p.m.  So this was a daylight train that I should try to model in HO. 

 

Here now is my bi-weekly layout progress report from July 5, 2026: 

Now that I'm back home from Minneapolis, I thought that I'd jump right in with more work on the layout tracks, but that hasn't happened yet.  But I did do some studying of the A Yard throat tracks and found that I need to cut and fit some slightly longer filler tracks to close some gaps in the rails.

Here's a new photo of the side of the throat, with lots of markers where fixes need to be made for Tracks A1 through A10:

 

And here's a view from the narrow part of the yard throat, leading into Tracks A1 through A10: 

I hope to make all these corrections and connections in the coming week.

In other news, I visited my friend Bill Messecar on Friday and got a shot of the row of cement silos he has built, which will be front and center at the cement plant scene.  He did some beautiful work on creating a headhouse over the tops of the silos, using the conveyor pieces from the big cement plant kit and adding windows in them:

 

 

To the left of the silos will stand the Packing House, which our friend Don Hubbard has been busy constructing from the Walthers Red Wing Milling kit, which looks like this in the cover photo:

 

 

Craig Wisch in Victorville has been busy building me a cardstock model to represent the building of the Shell Oil dealer.  Here is the only ground-level photo we have, showing part of the building with its loading dock:

 

Here is the cardstock kit that Craig is using as a starting point:

 

I have space for an 11" x 11" lot at the front of my layout scene, as shown with the white paper square here (to the left of the Standard Oil lot):

 

Moving along to Jon McWhirter and his Switching Station scene with the tall gantry towers, here's his photo from two weeks ago, showing two versions of the gantry towers standing on the cutout of the available space:

 

But he's thinking that these models are too expensive and too laborious to build, so now he's considering getting simpler gantries from a kit like this on eBay:

 

He says, "The two existing gantries (in the first photo) may be usable in some fashion on the layout.  This is the last attempt at a truly prototypical look, and then the plan is to 'punt' and use the ones from eBay (above)."   So we'll see what happens next.

Last Wednesday I made my first trip in months to visit my brass painter, Gary Jordan, up in Mukilteo.  I asked him to pose by his beautiful double-deck layout again:

I picked up the loco he had painted and repaired for me some months earlier, the Hallmark model of the Santa Fe's big 2-10-4 #5000, nicknamed "Madame Queen."  Here's his photo of the completed model:

 

Another steam loco I acquired recently was the new BLI model of a postwar UP 2-8-8-0 "Bull Moose," as seen here, posed by the model of the cement plant kiln that Bill Messecar had built for me recently:

 

That's all I have for this time.  As I said, I need to get back to work on the yard tracks and turnouts every day from now on. 

 

And here now is my bi-weekly layout progress report from July 20, 2026: 

I was finally able to get back to work on the throat tracks at the left end of my 10-track staging yard, called the A Yard.  I thought I would have to cut some longer tracks to reach all the turnouts, but I was able to make the existing tracks fit well enough.  I used my putty knife to spread a little caulk under each loose section of track, and under all the loose ties I needed to file down and slide under the rail joiners where the track sections meet.

Here's a photo I shot while Track A4 was being glued down, before I added the water bottles as weights:

 

I was able to connect all ten tracks to their turnouts at the yard throat, as seen here, looking from the throat to the ten tracks (ignore the loose D Yard tracks off to the left -- I still need to work on those):

 

Here's a view of the completed A Yard throat, looking from the other direction:

 

 

Meanwhile, I received a box from Craig Wisch in Victorville, with his completed cardstock model of the cement plant's Warehouse, and the large Sign Board that was outside the plant.  I placed them in front of my growing cement plant scene (on the A Yard tracks):

 

They look wonderful!

Last Wednesday I attended another op session at Bill Messecar's beautiful Santa Fe layout, along with Don Hubbard and Colin Kikawa.  Here we see Don and Colin working on switching the Santa Fe's "Bull Dog" freight train at Corona, on its way from LA to San Bernardino:

 

 

Meanwhile, Bill and I were switching cars in the San Bernardino yard, and we posed by the Precooler there (on the left), along with Don (on the right):

 

Speaking of Don, he's been working hard on building the Packing House for the cement plant scene, using the Red Wing Milling kit (I showed the cover of the kit last time).  He sent me a couple of photos, first showing the kit's front side, with a loading dock:

And then showing the back side: 

I think the back side looks closer to the real Packing House, as it has more windows, so I've asked if he can turn it around and put the loading dock on this side.  He's also working with Bill to have the Head House (which is on top of of Bill's row of silos, as pictured here last time) connect with the top of the Packing House.

Returning now to Victorville, Craig Wisch has been completing his cardstock model that will stand in for the Shell Oil dealer's building, which we only have partial photos of.  Here's his recent photo of the front of the model:

 

Here we see the rear, which will face the tracks: 

 

And here is the front and the right side:

 

This will be another beautiful addition to my Victorville scene!  I plan to build some plastic oil tanks from the Walthers Trackside Oil Dealer kit to stand to the left of this building.

My local friend Jon McWhirter is still trying out various kits that he could use to model the tall gantries at the Victorville Switching Station.  Here's his latest photo showing two of the gantries that look the most like the real thing:

 

I'm very thankful for all the work he's been doing on that project.

My final topic this time is the steam train ride I went on yesterday (Sunday), to celebrate my birthday (which is today, July 20).  My wife Diane and son Steven rode along with me down to Elbe, WA, which is about a 95-minute drive, to the Mount Rainier Scenic Railway.  My daughter Cyndi and her partner Tim met us there, and we all rode the 3:30 p.m. train east to Mineral and back (a round trip on the train of an hour and 15 minutes).

When we arrived at Elbe, we saw the steam loco, Polson Logging Co. 2-8-2 #70, backing toward its train:

 

I got another shot after it had coupled on:

 

Here's an action shot as it chugs across the road and up to the depot for passenger loading:

 

We had planned to ride standing up in the open car behind the loco, as usual, but that car had a problem and had been removed from the train, so we stood in the baggage car instead, looking out the open baggage doors.  Here are Diane and me:

 

And on the other side of the car, here are Steven, Cyndi, and Tim:

 

It was fun to hold on to the door frames as the car was rocking back and forth!  At one point we got a good view of Mount Rainer behind the hills:

 

After about 30 minutes, we arrived at Mineral, where the railroad's shops are located:

 

This is where the loco uncouples from the train and pulls ahead, as seen here from the front door of our baggage car: 

 

Then it backs around the train, as seen here from a side door: 

 

And then it pulls the train backwards on the return trip to Elbe.  Here we see it rounding a curve: 

 

Here's a view of the end of the depot at Elbe, after we deboarded:

 

Here's one final shot, showing the Heisler logging loco #10 on display at the other end of the depot: 

 

We had a great time, and then we drove back home, stopping for dinner along the way.

 

If you can help with my layout project in any way, please let me know.

 

Thanks, 

John Thompson