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.