M-10001

M - 10001
1934 advertisement depicting the M-10001.
Type and origin Power type Diesel-electric Designer Electro-Motive Corporation
Specifications Configuration: ​ •AAR B-(B+2+2+2+2)-2 Gauge 1,435 mm(4 ft8+1⁄2in) Length: ​ • Over beams 48 ft (15 m) (power car) Width 9 feet 3 inches (2,820 mm) Height 11 feet 11.5 inches (3.645 m) Prime mover Winton 201A RPMrange ​ • RPM idle 275 • Maximum RPM 750 Engine type Two-stroke diesel Aspiration Blower-scavenged proportional Cylinders 60°V12 Cylinder size 502.65 cubic inches (8,237.0 cm3) Transmission DC-DC MU working no
Performance figures Power output 900 hp (670 kW)

TheUnion Pacific Railroad'sM-10001was adiesel-electricstreamlinedtrain built in 1934 byPullman-Standardwith a power system developed byGeneral MotorsElectro-Motive Corporationusing a Winton 201A Diesel engine andGeneral Electricgenerator,control equipment andtraction motors.It was the UP's second streamliner after theM-10000,their first equipped with adiesel engineand was a longer train (six cars) than its three-car predecessor. All cars were articulated—truckswere shared between each car. It was delivered on October 2, 1934, and was used for display, test and record-setting runs for the next two months before being returned to Pullman-Standard for an increase in power and capacity, following which it was placed into service as theCity of Portlandtrain. It has been nicknamed "The Banana".

Record-setting run

In October 1934 the M-10001, known as the "Canary Bolt" and still with its original 900 hp (670 kW) engine, set an as-yet unbroken record of 57 hours from coast to coast of the United States, leavingLos Angelesat 10 PM on the 22nd and arrivingGrand Central Terminalat 9:55 AM on the 25th.When placed in service as theCity of Portlandthe train reduced theChicago, IllinoistoPortland, Oregonschedule from 58 hours to 40 hours without any upgrades to track or other facilities.

Technical details

After the record run in October 1934 the M-10001 gave its manufacturers and the Union Pacific much publicity.

When built, the M-10001 was a fully articulated six-car train, 376 ft (115 m) in length, comprising a 48 ft (15 m) power car, aRailway Post Office/baggage car, threePullmansleeping cars,and a rounded-tail coach/buffet/observation car. It was powered by a 900 hp (670 kW)V12version of the Winton 201-A engine, driving the first two trucks of the train. Pre-service testing revealed that the original engine was overtaxed, and that the truck design resulted in unstable oscillations at high speeds; in December 1934 the trainset was returned to Pullman to get a larger engine and lengthened trucks.Martin P. Blombergcarried that experience with truck design to theElectro-Motive Corporation,reflected in the design of theirE serieslocomotives.

The rebuilding lengthened the train to 455 feet (139 m) and seven cars. The power car had 12 ft (3.7 m) added to accommodate a 1,200 hp (890 kW)V16Winton diesel engine. The RPO/baggage car was lengthened by eight feet (2.4 m) to take asteam generatorfor train heating, and was followed by an added diner/lounge car.

The 1,200 hp (890 kW) Winton Diesel engine was the most powerful Diesel engine used in a passenger train until the postwar era. It was installed in Union Pacific's locomotive units built during 1935–36, after which twin engine designs became preferred.

Service life

A 1939colorizedpostcard depicting the Union Pacific's streamlined M-10001City of Portland

The rebuilt train was re-delivered on May 23, 1935, and after some test runs was dedicated as the firstCity of Portlandon June 5 at thePortland Rose Festival,entering service between Portland and Chicago the following day. It remained in that service until 1938 when it was replaced by theM-10002trainset, reassigned from theCity of Los Angeles.After serving on the Portland-Seattle run it was retired in June 1939; theCity of Denvertrains needed more power and Union Pacific cannibalized M-10001 andM-10004.By December the diesel engine, generator, trucks, and the steam generator from the RPO/baggage car were removed and installed in a new carbody to become the third power unit on the CD-07 set for theCity of Denver.Two sleeping cars were refurbished and added to the formerM-10004car set, which served as a spareCity of Denverset, then in 1941 was assigned to service asCity of Portland,powered by anEMC E3locomotive set. The remainder of the train was stored until August 13, 1941, when it was sold for scrap.

Further reading

• Pinkepank, Jerry A. (1973).The Second Diesel Spotter's Guide.Kalmbach Publishing Co., Milwaukee, WI.ISBN0-89024-026-4.
• Strack, Don (2001)Union Pacific Diesel Story, 1934–1982, Part I.Retrieved on December 25, 2004.
• Kratville, William W., and Ranks, Harold E.,The Union Pacific Streamliners,1974

External links

• Media related toM-10001at Wikimedia Commons