Many of you are fans of Marx as I am. Almost every layout has at least one Marx product, even in this scale age.

Certainly few manufacturers made as much hay from the M-10001 and similar type "snake trains" as Marx.

This was written on the TCA sponsored TTML by Joe Lechner.

Very best,

Mike Spanier

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On this date in 1935, the Union Pacific Railroad placed its
lightweight streamliner M-10001 in revenue service between Chicago IL
and Portland OR as the "City of Portland". M-10001 was Union
Pacific's second streamliner; UP's first Diesel-powered train;
America's first transcontinental streamliner; and the first Diesel
train to carry sleeping cars.

The six-car articulated train set was built in late 1934 by Pullman-
Standard, originally equipped with a 900-horsepower Winton (newly
acquired by GM) V12 prime mover. In late October, it made a
publicity run from Los Angeles to New York City in 57 hours, setting
a transcontinental speed record that still stands. UP then sent the
train back to Pullman-Standard for modifications. Its power car was
lengthened from 48' to 60' to accommodate a 1200-hp engine; the RPO-
baggage car was lengthened 8' to hold a steam generator; and a
diner / lounge was added to the consist.

The now seven-car train was dedicated at the Portland Rose Festival
on June 5 and departed on its first revenue trip to Chicago the
following day. "City of Portland" ran its 2272-mile route in under
40 hours, besting the previous transit time by 18 hours. It used
C&NW tracks for the last 491 miles between Omaha and Chicago.

In 1934, the diesel fuel for M-10001 cost 4 cents per mile, roughly
one-fourth the cost of coal for a conventional steam locomotive.

Joseph Lechner

Thanks Michael. I never knew our little tinplate rattletraps had such an illustrious heritage!

Thanks for sharing this history. It really adds to the enjoyment of our trains.