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The ''City of Denver'' was a streamlined passenger train operated by the Union Pacific Railroad between Chicago, Illinois and Denver, Colorado. It operated between 1936 and 1971. From 1936–1955 the Chicago and North Western Railway ("C&NW") handled the train east of Omaha, Nebraska; the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad (the "Milwaukee Road") handled it thereafter. The train was the fastest long-distance train in the United States when it debuted in 1936, covering in 16 hours. For almost its entire career its principal competitor was the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad's ''Denver Zephyr''. ==History== By the end of 1935 the Union Pacific already operated four articulated streamliners: the M-10000 (''City of Salina''), M-10001 (''City of Portland''), M-10002 (''City of Los Angeles''), and M-10004 (''City of San Francisco''). In December the Union Pacific and C&NW announced a new Chicago–Denver "highspeed" service, to be served by a ''pair'' of trainsets enabling daily service, the M-10005 and M-10006. The projected running time of 16 hours was a full nine hours faster than the best schedule at that time.〔 The new trains had a maximum speed in excess of and would average over the trip. This would make it the fastest scheduled long-distance train in the United States. The Union Pacific emphasized that the improved schedule would "save a business day."〔 At the same time the Burlington had ordered two streamlined 10-car trainsets of its own: the ''Denver Zephyr'', built by the Budd Company and modeled on the pioneering ''Pioneer Zephyr''. The ''City of Denver'' beat the ''Denver Zephyr'' into service, making its first run between Chicago and Denver on June 18, 1936. Not to be outdone, the Burlington deployed two of its existing trainsets, the original ''Zephyr'' and the ''Mark Twain Zephyr'' to the route. While as fast as the ''City of Denver'', the three-car sets in no way compared to amenities the 12-car UP streamliners provided. The Burlington's new equipment would arrive in November. The two services operated on nearly-identical schedules.〔 Fulfilling its early promise, the ''City of Denver'' traveled at an average speed of , the fastest of the UP's streamliners.〔 The competition between the two trains remained unchanged for nearly twenty years. Even as it upgraded and replaced its other streamliners, the UP kept the original trainsets on the route until 1953, finally introducing new lightweight equipment in 1953–1954. The Burlington followed suit, replacing the ''Denver Zephyrs equipment in 1956. With both trains sporting new equipment competition intensified. The Burlington included "Vista-Dome" dome cars on the ''Zephyr''; within a year the Milwaukee Road's Super Domes began making appearances on the ''City of Denver''. The Burlington also began operating a slumbercoach, an innovative economy sleeping car. Having none of its own, the UP leased two all-roomette Pennsylvania Railroad sleeping cars and billed it as "Slumbercoach service."〔 Nevertheless, in the words of railroad historian Joe Welsh the ''Denver Zephyr'' "made mincemeat of the UP's ''City of Denver.''〔 Another noteworthy change had occurred on October 30, 1955, when the Milwaukee Road began handling the UP's streamliners east of Omaha, replacing the C&NW.〔 Throughout the late 1950s and 1960s the UP gradually downgraded its passenger services and consolidated trains as losses mounted. The westbound ''City of Denver'' and ''City of Portland'' began joint operation in 1959.〔 On September 7, 1969, the UP combined five of its Chicago–West Coast streamliners into a single massive train dubbed by critics the "City of Everywhere." This train included the ''City of Denver'', ''City of Kansas City'', ''City of Los Angeles'', ''City of Portland'', and ''City of San Francisco''. Amtrak preferred the Burlington's route between Chicago and Denver, the ''City of Denver'' made its last run on April 30, 1971.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「City of Denver (train)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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