Nostalgia & History > UP 4-8-4 #831 with the Mail & Express (1949)

Here's UP 4-8-4 #831 with UP train #5, the Mail & Express, at a stopover at Grand Island, NE on Oct. 1, 1949 ... and here's a very brief description of these trains that I found: UP trains #5 & 6, the Mail and Express, operated between Omaha and LA and were often a long trains, with a couple coaches and a reference that a Pullman was included for a time ... #5 & 6 were discontinued on June 30, 1969.

Others more knowledgeable about the history of this train will have more details than I have, so please add them.

Photographer unknown

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A "Greyhound" without smoke deflectors.  Very impressive looking piece of equipment.

Greg Stadter
Phoenix, AZ

What a great photo . .  with four crew members checking out their 'baby' . .

Craig
mcmrailvideos.com

spdaylight Wrote:
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> What a great photo . .  with four crew members
> checking out their 'baby' . .
>
> Craig
> mcmrailvideos.com

Probably not "crew members", more like Mechanical Dept. workers.

I've always been fascinated with Santa Fe's mail trains #3 & #4 and #7 & #8 (the "Fast Mail"). So... I guess Uncle Pete's #5 & #6 fit right in...

Posted from Android

As fast as they ran those engines in those years ( 80+ mph) , they needed  "smoke wings" to lift the smoke from two stacks. 

valmont Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Here's UP 4-8-4 #831 with UP train #5, the Mail &
> Express, at a stopover at Grand Island, NE on Oct.
> 1, 1949 ... and here's a very brief description of
> these trains that I found: UP trains #5 & 6, the
> Mail and Express, operated between Omaha and LA
> and were often a long trains, with a couple
> coaches and a reference that a Pullman was
> included for a time ... #5 & 6 were discontinued
> on June 30, 1969.
>
During their years of operation, 5&6 originally carried a 6-6-4 Pullman between LA and Las Vegas, Ogden and Cheyenne (nighttime travel) and a cafe-lounge during daylight hours that was changed in route. In the 1960's this operation changed to the Pullman operating between LA and Omaha. The Pullman came off in 1966 or early 1967. The cafe-lounge remained until shortly after the loss of the mail contracts in late 1967. Rolling stock included reclining seat chair cars, heavyweight cafe lounge, 6-6-4 Pullman, RPO, mail and express cars, both UP and offline. 
A very interesting train that is a perfect one for hobbists to model given it's ever changing en-route consist. (You can put together a reasonable model of this train using Walther's heavyweight and lightweight cars)
Typical power was 3 E8/E9 locomotive lash up. It was carded to stop (conditionally) at vertually any hamlet or small town along it's route. 
Following the loss of the cafe-lounge, one could get meals in Las Vegas, Milford, Ogden and Cheyenne. 
During their operation, departure time at LAUPT was around 10PM, with an early morning arrival at LAUPT around 5:00AM. Pullman passengers could occupy their accomodations until 7:00AM at LAUPT.
Because of their nocturnal operations in and out of LA, photos of the train in the LA basin remain scarce. 

> Others more knowledgeable about the history of
> this train will have more details than I have, so
> please add them.
>
> Photographer unknown



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/27/19 13:56 by ATSF3751.

ATSF3751:   Excellent info, thanks!

True story:  In 1967 I rode #6 as part of a circle trip through the west that included a ride on the "Butte Special" to Salt Lake City.
I got on number 6 in Salt Lake City, riding coach and at Ogden, was surprised when several men entered the car and began 
turning the seats around!  Naturally, I got out of their way and we went on to Cheyenne where I changed for the Portland Rose
to Denver.  Yes, I got some bad shots of that trip and none of the UP, which I wasn't interested in at the time.  Silly me.  

Nick Tharalson,
Marion, IA



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/28/19 09:47 by ntharalson.