Rick Just
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Author
  • Speaker
  • Contact

The First Streamliner

2/3/2021

Comments

 
People coming from miles around to get a glimpse of a special train is nothing new. Since steam locomotives were discontinued decades ago, the arrival of one in an Idaho town always draws a crowd. But what if steam was the rule and internal combustion the rarity?
 
On April 4, 1934, it was an internal combustion locomotive causing a stir with people flocking to see the first streamliner, the Union Pacific M-10000 as it passed through Idaho on its nationwide promotional tour. All along the route from Pocatello to Idaho Falls people stopped to watch the locomotive zip by at 85 miles per hour. Several car drivers raced to try keeping up with the engine on the parallel US 91-191. Bands came out to play for the train in Blackfoot and Shelley.
 
W. Averell Harriman—who would later develop the Sun Valley Resort for Union Pacific—had the train built, incorporating the best ideas of aeronautical design and the latest railroad technology. It was built with lightweight tubular aluminum construction and was powered by a spark-ignition distillate engine, using a lightweight fuel something like kerosene. It could reach speeds up to 110 MPH.
 
The M-10000 wasn’t just a prototype, although a second one never was built. The engine was put into service and operated almost a million miles under the name City of Salina before being retired, cut to pieces and recycled for the war effort in 1942.

Picture
The M-1000, later known as the City of Salina.
Picture
A commemorative token made to celebrate the M-1000.
Speaking of Idaho history posts are copyright © 2020 by Rick Just. Sharing is encouraged. If you don’t find a button that lets you do that, find the post on Speaking of Idaho. If you’re missing my daily posts, select the RSS button, or select See it First under the Facebook Following tab.
Comments
    Like and follow Speaking of Idaho on Facebook and Twitter.

    Subscribe to the Speaking of Idaho newsletter

    * indicates required
    Email Format
    Picture
    The first book in the Speaking of Idaho series is out. Ask for it at your local Idaho bookstore, find it on Amazon, or, if you want a signed copy, click the button.
    Picture
    Rick's book about Fearless Farris is available on Amazon! Click the picture above to be taken to Amazon. If you'd like an autographed copy, click the button below.

    Author, Speaker

    Rick Just has been writing about Idaho history since 1989 when he wrote and recorded scripts for the Idaho Centennial Commission’s daily radio program, Idaho Snapshots. His latest book on Idaho history is Images of America, Idaho State Parks. Rick also writes a regular column for the Idaho Press.

    Rick does public presentations on Idaho's state park history and the history of the Morrisite war for the Idaho Humanities Council's Speakers Bureau.
    ​


    Check out Rick's history of Idaho State Parks.

    The audio link below is to Rick's Story Story Night set called "Someplace Not Firth"

    RSS Feed

Speaking of Idaho history posts are copyright © 2023 by Rick Just. Sharing is encouraged. If you’re missing my daily posts, select the RSS button, or select See it First under the Facebook Following tab.

*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. That means if you follow a link (generally to a book) from my page to an Amazon page, I get a tiny percentage of any purchase you may make.