City of Denver

For the city, see Denver.

The City of Denver in 1940.

Dining car on the City of Denver circa 1950s.

The City of Denver was a passenger train operated jointly by the Chicago and North Western (CNW) and Union Pacific (UP) railroads. The train operated on both railroads' rights of way between Chicago, Illinois, and Denver, Colorado. In 1955 the Milwaukee Road assumed the service, replacing the Chicago and Northwestern between Chicago and Omaha.

This train service was the fastest long-distance passenger train in the world when it debuted in 1936, traversing the 1,048 miles (1,687 km) in as little as 16 hours (an average of about 65 miles per hour / 105 kilometres per hour).^{[citation needed]}

The City of Denver was involved in Colorado's worst traffic accident when, on December 14, 1961, it struck a school bus in Auburn, a few miles east of LaSalle, killing 20 children.

History

Timeline

• June 18, 1936: The CNW and UP launch the streamlined City of Denver train service between Chicago, Illinois, and Denver, Colorado.
• October 30, 1955: The Milwaukee Road takes over operation of the City of Denver from the Chicago and North Western Railway.

• May 1, 1971: Amtrak takes over most intercity rail service including Union Pacific and the Milwaukee Road, the City of Denver is discontinued as of this date.

Other railroad uses of the name City of Denver

The name has also been applied to a cafe/lounge car that is still owned and operated by the Union Pacific in employee and other special trains. This car was built by St. Louis Car Company in 1949 as UP's car #5011.

See also

• Passenger train service on the Chicago and North Western Railway
• Passenger train service on the Union Pacific Railroad

External links

• Passenger trains operating on the eve of Amtrak