UP's 1954-1955 City of LA Train in Victorville & Slow Layout Progress

In a previous entry we covered the Union Pacific's 1950-1954 City of Los Angeles train, so this time we'll visit the UP's 1954-1955 version of the train, when it had acquired its dome cars and more E8 diesels  Then we'll cover some slow progress in wiring my layout, and some help with models of Victorville buildings.

First, here's a color photo of UP's E8s with the City of Los Angeles train (see the full caption by Jeff Koeller below the photo):

This slightly down-on view shows No. 103, the westbound City of Los Angeles, running on 3-Track near Harriman, Wyo., on April 10, 1954. This new 42-mile line, opened for traffic on May 5, 1953, reduced the maximum ascending grade to 0.82 percent and allowed passenger trains such as this to surmount Sherman Hill without the use of a helper engine. 

Headed up by a 4,500 horsepower set of E8s, 926 and 926B, this day’s 14-car consist includes a 1953-built AC&F baggage-express car (note the multiple roof vents), a 1949 AC&F baggage-dormitory, two 44-seat Leg Rest coaches (either P-S or AC&F), a 1949 AC&F cafe-lounge, followed by two Coast-To-Coast sleeping cars (a Pennsy 10-6 in tuscan red and a UP Pacific-class 10-6 from the NYC), then a 1949 AC&F diner, a club car (probably LA-701, formerly Little Nugget), along with five trailing cars (four sleepers and an obs-lounge car).  Jack Pfeifer photo.

Here is a very helpful table created by Jeff Koeller, giving the COLA consist as of March,1955, followed by some footnotes:

Here now are more photos of the COLA train, supplied by UP researcher Jeff Koeller, followed by the captions he wrote.

Photographer Pfeifer was on hand the next day, April 11, 1954, to record E8 937 and a 1953-built sister unit (note the Farr-Air grills on both engines) in charge of another westbound COLA No. 103 consist about two miles east of Perkins, Wyo. (Mile Post 549.3). 

The location can be identified by eastward CTC signal No. 5474 at the right. UP signals are numbered within the nearest mile post to the east, making this location just west of M.P. 547. The last digit on the signal number is an “even” number for eastward trains (the westbound train pictured is governed by the signal shown just above the rear of the lead unit). 

The consist includes a 1942 5603-series baggage-express car (note the side sill step “notches” in the 4-inch replacement skirt), a 1949 AC&F baggage-dormitory, a pair of P-S or AC&F Leg Rest coaches, and a 1949 AC&F cafe-lounge ahead of the Coast-To-Coast sleepers (a UP Pacific-class sleeper from the PRR and a New York Central 10-6 in “eastern” Two-Tone gray). Jack Pfeifer photo.

C&NW E7 5017A and a matching E7 mate have No. 104, the City of Los Angeles, rolling eastward on the center track at the restricted speed of 60 MPH as the train negotiates the 4 1/2” super-elevated curve about a half mile west of Glen Ellyn, Illinois, in mid-1955. 

The first car is a 1953 AC&F baggage-express car (note the multiple roof vents), followed by a 1949 AC&F baggage-dorm, then a pair of 44-seat Leg Rest coaches, and a 1949 AC&F cafe-lounge. Tom Desnoyers photo, Krambles-Peterson Archives.

Photographer Desnoyers also captured this nice “going away” view of the 12-car COLA Domeliner on the curve at C&NW Mile Post 23, providing us a good look at the equipment in this typical 1955 consist. 

Bringing up the markers is an AC&F dome-obs-lounge, then two Coast-To-Coast sleepers (a UP Pacific-class car for the NYC and a Pennsy Pullman-Standard Rapids-class car in UP colors), then three Los Angeles to Chicago sleepers (a Pacific-class and two Ocean-class cars), an AC&F dome diner, and the 1949 AC&F cafe-lounge (which can be seen in the “coming” view). 

The AC&F Plan 9016 cars Ocean Sands and Ocean View, delivered in December 1954, were operated interchangeably with the Imperial-class sleepers in the COLA consists. Note that once the dome-obs-lounge cars began running on the COLA, the train no longer carried a club-lounge (these cars were used on the Challenger Domeliner). Tom Desnoyers photo, Krambles-Peterson Archives.

This “going away” photo of train No. 103, the westbound City of Los Angeles Domeliner, is a good example of how the hind end of the COLA consists looked when running west of Omaha. The train is shown just after coming out of Sherman Hill’s Hermosa Tunnel on October 16, 1955. Ahead of the dome-obs-lounge car is the Minneapolis-St. Paul to Los Angeles sleeping car added at Omaha (this is a 1942 American-class sleeper with a 4-inch replacement skirt), then a pair of Pacific-class sleepers running in Coast-To-Coast service.  Robert F. Collins photo.

This picture is included with our study of City of Los Angeles motive power for 1954. It shows one-month-old E9 944 heading up First No. 6, the eastbound Mail & Express leaving Cheyenne, Wyo., for Council Bluffs on 6-15-54 (the green flags indicate a following section). 

Engine 944 and trailing E9 unit 953B represent not only the first E9s delivered to UP, but also the last group of UP passenger diesels to receive Harbor Mist Gray Trucks (E9 943-947, 950B-959B, built in May-June 1954). The E9s operated system-wide and could be found regularly on the COLA. Richard Townley photo.

This builder’s photo of UP E9 949 was taken in May 1955 at McCook, Illinois (the physical location of EMD’s manufacturing facility). At this time, UP elected to apply the 3M Scotchlite striping and lettering to their new diesels at the Omaha Shops, leaving only the paint scheme to the builder. 

This engine is part of the second group of E9s which introduced a new look for UP motive power and passenger equipment — silver painted trucks. E9 cab units 948-956 and booster units 960B-966B were delivered in May-July 1955. EMD photo.

Checking the COLA schedules through Victorville in these years (these trains did not stop there), the westbound train passed through town at 6:03 a.m. during 1954, but on Jan. 9, 1955, it changed to 6:33 a.m., and then on Aprl 29, 1956, it changed again to 6:28 a.m.  The eastbound train came through at 7:51 p.m. all through this time period.

I can avoid modeling these trains (when they require mostly brass passenger cars) by not operating during those early morning and late evening hours, or I can run these trains with the Walthers UP cars when those are appropriate.

Here now is a lot of excellent information on these trains, thanks again to UP researcher Jeff Koeller:

COLA Consists 1954-1955

The City of Los Angeles 5-consist rotation remained relatively static from March 1950 to late 1953 when the New York to Los Angeles Coast-To-Coast sleeping cars began to operate on the COLA. The first car (New York to Chicago via the New York Central) was shifted from the Los Angeles Limited to the COLA on August 1, 1953, then on January 10, 1954 (when the new Challenger Streamliner replaced the LA Limited), the second Coast-To-Coast sleeper (New York to Chicago via the Pennsylvania Railroad) began running on the COLA, along with the Minneapolis-St. Paul to Los Angeles 6-6-4 sleeper. 

Each Coast-To-Coast sleeping car line required seven 10 Roomette-6 Double Bedroom cars: UP provided 5 cars for each line, while NYC and PRR contributed 2 cars each. The NYC 10-6 sleepers came from their River-class cars built by PSCMCo in December 1948 (Plan 4123). For this service the cars retained their original “eastern” 2-Tone Gray scheme (dark gray carbody with light gray window band, and black roofs, trucks and under bodies). 

The PRR 10-6 sleepers came from their Rapids-class cars built by PSCMCo in December 1948 (Plan 4140) and by AC&F in September-October 1950 (Plan 9008). While operating in the Los Angeles Limited, the Pennsy sleepers retained their PRR tuscan red color schemes. This carried over into COLA service until 1955 when several of these cars were repainted into the UP yellow scheme. Known cars that received UP colors include Buffalo Rapids, Stoney Rapids and Tippecanoe Rapids. 

The through 6-6-4 sleeper from Minneapolis-St. Paul operated via the C&NW to Omaha, where it was transferred to the COLA. Built by PSCMCo in 1942, these American-class sleepers had the outer wings of their full-width diaphragms removed in the early 1950s. Also during this time (but at different shopping dates), the full center skirting was replaced with 4-inch straight skirts between the trucks. Note that additional American-class sleepers were built for UP and C&NW by AC&F in 1949, but these newer 6-6-4s most likely operated in Chicago-Pacific Coast service, not the Twin Cities line. 

In the early-to-mid 1950s, COLA end-of-train observation car assignments continued to evolve with the former City of San Francisco cars Nob Hill and Russian Hill (renamed Hoover Dam in 1951) having been reassigned to the COLA in 1949. These cars, along with regular COLA cars Sun Valley and Baldy Mountain, covered the COLA 7th, 9th, 16th and 17th Trains. 

The Pullman-owned 1936-built articulated car set Bear Flag and California Republic had been running on the hind end of the 21st COLA since early 1948, but after more and more frequent shoppings, they were replaced in May 1951 by a UP Pacific-class sleeper and the NYC-owned sleeper-obs-lounge car Royal Crest. This was a temporary assignment that was arranged by The Pullman Company in co-operation with NYC, who needed the car returned in time for New York to Florida train service for the 1951-1952 winter season. 

Unfortunately, Royal Crest was destroyed (along with a Pacific-class sleeper) on November 12, 1951, when the City of San Francisco, traveling at an estimated 77 mph, slammed into the hind end of the COLA at Wyuta, Wyoming, in a visibility-impaired snow storm. The COLA had stopped to ascertain the indication of a snow and ice covered line-side signal and was moving about 10 mph when the collision occurred. 

A substitute train was quickly assembled that included PRR sleeper-obs-lounge car Federal View, which was in turn replaced by PRR sleeper-obs-lounge car Samuel Vaughn Merrick on November 23, 1951. This was in accordance with the prior agreement to return Royal Crest to the NYC. Samuel Vaughn Merrick was subsequently painted in UP colors at UP’s East Yard shops in Los Angeles and continued to operate in the 21st COLA until being replaced by a new dome-obs-lounge car in February 1955. 

Other COLA hind-end changes during this time included removing sleeper-obs-lounge cars Hoover Dam and Baldy Mountain for servicing. These cars were replaced by PRR sleeper-obs-lounge cars Metropolitan View and Federal View on May 14, 1954 and July 26, 1954, respectively. Both PRR hind end cars continued in COLA service until being replaced by new dome-obs-lounge cars in early 1955. 

Domeliners

Beginning in February 1955 the COLA received their fantastic new AC&F-built Astra-Dome cars. The UP-owned obs-lounge cars and the PRR-owned sleeper-obs-lounge cars were replaced by dome-obs-lounge cars on the hind end. At this time, the COLA mid-train club-lounge cars were also discontinued (these cars continued to operate on the Challenger Streamliner). In addition, the new dome-dining cars replaced the 1949 AC&F-built 4800-series diners. Keep in mind that the new dome-chair cars were assigned to the Challenger, not the COLA. 

COLA Motive Power 1954-1955

After UP’s second group of E8s arrived in 1953, the preferred motive power arrangement for the COLA was 3-unit sets of E8s (with an occasional E7 mixed in). Then, in May-June 1954, UP took delivery of EMD’s new 2,400 HP model E9, road numbers 943-947 (cab units) and 950B-959B (booster units). These higher horsepower engines were generally used on the COLA, with E8s being mixed in as needed. 

The 1954-built E9s were also the last UP passenger diesels with Harbor Mist Gray trucks, as the second group of E9s, built in May-July 1955 came with the new standard silver-painted trucks. These E9s were numbered 948-956 (cab units) and 960B-966B (booster units). 

Modeling the 1954-1955 COLA

Many of the cars required to model the COLA in HO Scale during the early-to-mid 1950s era have been produced by Walthers. See the chart for specific details, but note that many of these models were released with silver-painted trucks. All UP passenger cars prior to late 1955 should have Harbor Mist Gray trucks (silver-painted trucks are appropriate for 1956 and later consists). Note that even though Walthers has recently announced the AC&F Club-Lounge car, but it is not yet available as of Dec. 2024. 

Concerning modeling the unique COLA hind end obs-lounge and sleeper-obs-lounge cars, these have only been produced as older brass models, and although they are somewhat hard to find, they do show up on eBay and at brass dealers occasionally. 

Modeling a COLA Domeliner is relatively simple because Walthers has produced HO Scale models of all the necessary cars. Again, if a pre-1956 COLA is desired, the trucks need to be gray, not silver. 

Also, the UP dome-obs-lounge cars were modified in 1956 for mid-train operation by plating over the rear facing windows and adding a rear diaphragm (this car should have silver trucks). Walthers has produced these cars in both the original version (with a COLA tail sign and gray trucks) and the 1956-era diaphragm-equipped dome-lounge car. Again, see the chart for specific details. 

UP E8 and E9 models have been produced extensively by a number of HO Scale manufacturers including brass importers. They are typically painted and lettered, although some older brass models require custom painting. 

The next COLA report will cover the consolidated COLA-Challenger Domeliner starting on April 29, 1956, then moving to the first-time-ever, all-Pullman, summer season COLA beginning on June 2, 1956. These trains will include some of the new cars built in 1955-1956 that Walthers has released such as: PS 5 DBR-Buffet-Lounge “City” series; PS 5-2-2 “Ocean” series sleeper and; PS 11 DBR “Placid” series sleeper.

Below we'll cover several weekly Victorville layout progress reports for the weeks ending Nov. 24, Dec. 1, and Dec. 8.

The week ending Nov. 24 was mostly a lost week, as the "bomb cyclone" hit my part of the greater Seattle area and knocked out power for several days or more.  At my home, the power went out on Tuesday afternoon, returned on Thursday evening, then was out again for the first half of Friday.  My wife and I survived by driving to the nearest mall that still had power and eating hot meals in their packed food court.  Luckily, all the food in our freezers survived the outage.

Meanwhile, back in Victorville, my friend Craig Wisch talked with a museum researcher who located a 1972 local newspaper article about the congregation that occupied the church in the Barrio from 1947-1968.  The article included the best photo of the building that we have seen:

Craig used the better images of the windows and doors to complete his model, with some artistic license.  He sent me a photo of his nearly completed model:

I was thrilled to see this!  I'm not sure what his next project might be -- stay tuned.

I made no layout progress that week (again), but I had some fun running the two test train around the two mainlines after the power returned to our house.  Here's a going-away shot of the Santa Fe 2-8-2 freight train, posed beside my Seattle Mariners train (I have also have a Seattle Seahawks Super Bowl train -- yes, I collect some goofy trains, not just prototypical trains):

Here's the Santa Fe PAs train of Army hospital cars rounding the curve there, posed beside some of the Victorville buildings that my friends have been building for me:

I hoped to get back on track in the next week, despite the other activities going on.

The week ending Dec. 1 was another slow week for me, partly interrupted by two bedroom remodelings going on, and partly interrupted by hosting a family Thanksgiving meal.  I did get to run two trains around the double tracks while the family was here!

I trade lots of emails every day with Craig Wisch in Victorville, as we discuss buildings that used to stand in the Barrio across the tracks from the town, and which he may be willing to model for me.

This week Craig has added a new roof to his model of the church in the Barrio, as seen here:

He said that he still plans to add a canopy over the front door.

We are also looking at the second-hand store at 4th and E Street, which looked like a classic Old West store.  Here's a fuzzy close-up from the background of a train photo, with the tanks of the propane dealer in the foreground:

And we are trying to learn about Zaragosa Hall, a meeting hall farther west in the Barrio.  Craig is also interested in Bower's Drugstore, which stood at the corner of 7th and D Street in the downtown area (which would not be within the limits of my layout edges).

I drove to visit Bill Messecar on that Thursday morning, to deliver some very old Walthers passenger car kits that we are jointly selling, and while there I shot a photo of his workbench, where he is modeling the Rosso Cafe that stood in the Lower Narrows:

I brought home and posed a Sunset brass Santa Fe 2-8-2 that I had bought from him:

During that week I tested my BLI 2-8-2 in both directions on both mainlines.  Here it is beside Craig Wisch's model of the Lime Rock plant:

And here it is as it passes beside the F Yard in the staging room (with the Mojave Northern 0-6-0T on the next track over):

But the testing of the 2-8-2 revealed a lot of problems at the turnouts, where the loco would often go clunking over the frog areas and stall there if not going fast enough (the frogs are not yet powered).  I'll need to do a lot of work to fine-tune the turnouts, it seems.

I was busy in the first half of the week ending Dec. 8, finally completing my Nov. 17 blog entry about the 1954-56 Super Chief and adding the three weeks of layout reports up to Nov. 17

Bill Messecar paid me a visit on Friday, but I had no projects ready for him to help me with, so instead we discussed the state of my layout progress and what to do next.  It has become obvious that I should have settled for a one-deck layout, as everyone advised me, but it's too late now!

Here's a photo of the two us posing beside the layout:

We decided that I should focus on two main tasks:

1.  Keep on laying more of the staging yard tracks and adding the feeder wires to them.  The yard we want to complete first is the C Yard, which will be used for storing diesel sets.  I will cut and fit the turnouts and tracks together, and when Bill (or others) visit me, we will glue them down and add the feeders.

2.  Build the first mainline control panel (for C Tower) and complete the wiring for it.  I had begun that job but then didn't continue with it, so I will get back to it, in parallel with laying the C Yard tracks.

On Saturday I got to work on the C Yard by cutting and fitting together a turnout and a number of flextracks for Track C5, which runs parallel to the previously completed Track C4.  Track C5 is not yet glued down with caulk nor wired (I'm saving those jobs for when helpers are here), but here's a photo of the new Track C5 as it looks today (it's the 2nd gently curving track, counting from the left, with all the push-pins holding it in place):

In other news, my helper Craig Wisch in Victorville has completed his model of the Emmanuel Temple C-M-E Church for the Barrio, now with an awning over the front door:

Thanks to Craig for his beautiful work!  He is now planning to build the 2nd-Hand Store for the Barrio, and he is also planning to build the Bowers Drugstore building that was at the corner of 7th and D Streets (not part of my layout -- just for his own interest).

He also has an interest in a Barrio meeting hall called Zaragosa Hall, which was at the far west end of the Barrio, but we haven't found any good photos or plans to go by.  He has been talking about this with Marcy Taylor of the Apple Valley History Museum and with Rene de la Cruz of the Victorville newspaper.  

One of our resources is the large map of the Barrio that Felix Diaz and his family drew long ago.  Here is a portion of it, showing most of the Barrio but cropping out most of the the labels for the buildings:

I am anxious to get back to the layout now, with my new goals to guide me.