SALT LAKE CITY'S PASSENGER TRAINS

OF THE PAST

Intercity passenger trains serving Salt Lake City in 1942, 1956, and 1971 immediately prior to the creation of Amtrak.

THE STATIONS

The major stations serving Salt Lake City, during the golden age of passenger trains.

Union Depot
300 S. Rio Grande St.
Opened 1911

Union Pacific Station
4th St. W and South Temple
Opened 1908

RIO GRANDE

(Union Depot)

Departures



No.  Name                  1942 Dest.  1942 Time  1956 Time  1971 Time

 12                        Marysvale       2:15 am
 18  California Zephyr     Chicago                     6:00 am     9:00 am
  1  Scenic Limited        Ogden           7:50 am
  8  Prospector            Denver          7:00 pm     5:30 pm
  6  Exposition Flyer      Chicago         8:40 pm
  2  Scenic Limited        Pueblo-Denver   9:00 pm
Arrivals



No.  Name                  1942 Orig.  1942 Time  1956 Time  1971 Time

  5  Exposition Flyer      Chicago        12:15 am
  1  Scenic Limited        Pueblo-Denver   7:30 am
  7  Prospector            Denver          8:00 am     8:30 am
 11                        Marysvale       7:30 pm
  2  Scenic Limited        Ogden           8:35 pm
 17  California Zephyr     Chicago                    10:00 pm     8:30 pm
Rio Grande initially did not join Amtrak, and was required to continue operation of its remaining trains beyond 1971.

WESTERN PACIFIC

(Union Depot)

Departures



No.  Name                  1942 Dest.  1942 Time  1956 Time  1971 Time

  1  Zephyrette            San Francisco               8:40 am
 17  California Zephyr     San Francisco              10:15 pm
 39  Exposition Flyer      San Francisco  11:35 pm
Arrivals



No.  Name                  1942 Orig.  1942 Time  1956 Time  1971 Time

 18  California Zephyr     San Francisco               5:40 am
  1  Zephyrette            San Francisco               4:15 pm
 40  Exposition Flyer      San Francisco   7:20 pm
Passenger service discontinued in 1970, last train was the California Zephyr.

UNION PACIFIC

(Union Pacific Station)

Departures



No.  Name                  1942 Dest.  1942 Time  1956 Time  1971 Time

 23  Pacific Limited       Los Angeles     1:35    9  10:30 pm
305  (mixed train)         Lynndyl         5:00        3:00 am
 31  Idaho Express         Pocatello       8:00   33   5:30 am
 37  Los Angeles Limited   Los Angeles    10:25
104  City of Los Angeles   Chicago        10:29        8:15 am     5:55 am
  7  L. A. Challenger      Los Angeles    10:35
 24  Pacific Limited       Kansas City    10:45   10   5:05 am
103  City of Los Angeles   Los Angeles     6:10        7:50 pm    10:30 pm
 38  Los Angeles Limited   Ogden           6:20
  8  L. A. Challenger      Chicago         6:40
 29  Butte Special         Butte           8:00        7:00   35   7:30 pm
 41  Northwest Express     Pocatello      11:00
Arrivals



No.  Name                  1942 Orig.  1942 Time  1956 Time  1971 Time

 23  Pacific Limited       Kansas City     1:05    9  10:05 pm
 32  Salt Lake Special     Butte           7:30   30   7:45   36   7:00 am
 37  Los Angeles Limited   Ogden           9:30
  7  L. A. Challenger      Chicago         9:40
 24  Pacific Limited       Los Angeles    10:15   10   4:45 am
104  City of Los Angeles   Los Angeles    10:24        8:05 am     5:30 am
306  (mixed train)         Lynndyl         1:45        2:15 am
 42  Utah Express          Pocatello       2:45
 38  Los Angeles Limited   Los Angeles     5:50
  8  L. A. Challenger      Los Angeles     6:00
103  City of Los Angeles   Chicago         6:05        7:40 pm    10:05 pm
 30  Idaho Express         Pocatello      11:30   34   9:45 pm
Passenger service discontinued in 1971 with the creation of Amtrak, last important train was the City of Los Angeles.

Trains 9-10, the City of St. Louis, replaced the Pacific Limited in 1947. The City of St. Louis operated via Wabash Railroad east of Kansas City.

STATIONS TODAY

Amtrak was created in 1971, but the Rio Grande Railroad remained independent from Amtrak until 1983, continuing to use the old Union Depot, by then strictly the Rio Grande Station. Amtrak used the Union Pacific station from 1977 to 1986, and the Rio Grande Station from 1986 to 1999, before moving to a new station at 340 South 600 West.

The Rio Grande station still stands, and his home to the Utah Historical Society. And the Union Pacific station still stands, and is occupied by various businesses.

Salt Lake City Rio Grande Depot (Wikipedia)
Salt Lake City Union Pacific Depot (Wikipedia)
Links to Web sites containing further historical information on the stations.

MAPPING THE STATIONS AND RAILROADS

Links to locations of past and present stations and railroads, using Google Maps. Satellite views are also available.