DENVER'S PASSENGER TRAINS

OF THE PAST

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

THE STATIONS

The major stations serving Denver, during the golden age of passenger trains.

Union Station
1701 Wynkoop St.
Opened 1914, replacing earlier station at same location built in 1881

Number of station tracks: 9 through
Interlocked switches controlled as follows:
Tower A: controlled the south end of the station
Tower B: controlled the north end of the station

SANTA FE

Departures



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

 10  Centennial State      Kansas City     4:00  224   6:00 pm
 14                        La Junta        9:15 pm    11:30  190   3:30 pm
Arrivals



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

 13                        La Junta        8:00 am    10:30  201  12:30 am
  9  Centennial State      Kansas City    11:50  223  12:30 pm
Passenger service discontinued in 1971 with the creation of Amtrak.

BURLINGTON ROUTE (COLORADO & SOUTHERN)

Departures



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

304                        Alliance        1:00
 31  Zephyr Connection     Cheyenne        8:40
 40  Exposition Flyer      Chicago        12:15   18   7:15 pm
  2                        Oxford         12:30   14   6:50   16  11:30 pm
 21  Texas Zephyr          Dallas         12:30       12:01 pm
 10  Denver Zephyr         Chicago         4:00        4:00 pm 2   4:00 pm
  6  Coloradoan            Chicago         7:15        8:45 pm
 27  Gulf Coast Special    Dallas          8:00        8:00 pm
 29                        Billings        8:35        9:40 pm
302                        Alliance        9:00
Arrivals



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

  3                        Chicago         5:00    7   3:30 am
 30                        Billings        6:55        7:15 am
301                        Alliance        7:00
 22  Texas Zephyr          Dallas          8:15        7:00 am
 39  Exposition Flyer      Chicago         8:30   17   8:20   15   6:00 am
  1  Denver Zephyr         Chicago         8:30        8:30 am     9:00 am
  9  Coloradoan            Chicago        12:15        8:10 am
 32  Zephyr Connection     Cheyenne        3:45
303                        Alliance        7:50
 28  Gulf Coast Special    Dallas          8:30        5:48 pm
Passenger service retained by Amtrak in 1971, with the Denver Zephyr and California Zephyr.

Trains 17-18, the California Zephyr, replaced the Exposition Flyer in 1949.

ROCK ISLAND

Departures



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

  8  Rocky Mtn. Rocket     Chicago         1:00 pm    12:50 pm
Arrivals



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

  7  Rocky Mtn. Rocket     Chicago         8:25 am     8:25 am
Passenger service discontinued in 1966, last train was the Rocky Mountain Rocket.

RIO GRANDE

Departures



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

  1                        Craig           8:45
  1  Scenic Limited        Pueblo-Ogden    8:50        9:00 am
  5  Exposition Flyer      San Francisco   9:05   17   8:40   15   6:30 am
  3  Colorado Eagle        St. Louis       3:40        4:00 pm
  7  Prospector            Salt Lake C.    7:00    7   5:55 pm
 15                        Alamosa         7:30
 19  Mountaineer           Montrose        8:45        8:30 pm
 11                        Craig           8:50    9   4:30 pm
Arrivals



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

 12                        Craig           6:30
 20  Mountaineer           Montrose        6:45        7:00 am
 16                        Alamosa         7:15
  8  Prospector            Salt Lake C.    8:00        8:00 am
  4  Colorado Eagle        St. Louis       8:45        9:30 am
  6  Exposition Flyer      San Francisco  11:50   18   7:00   16  11:00 pm
  2                        Craig           2:30   10   1:00 pm
  2  Scenic Limited        Pueblo-Ogden    6:50        2:50 pm
Rio Grande initially did not join Amtrak, and was required to continue operation of its remaining trains beyond 1971.

Until 1947, trains to and from Craig used the separate Denver & Salt Lake Railway station at 15th St. and Bassett St. In that year, that railroad was absorbed by Rio Grande.

Trains 17-18, the California Zephyr, replaced the Exposition Flyer in 1949.

UNION PACIFIC

Departures



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

223                        Cheyenne        7:30
 23  Pacific Limited       Los Angeles     8:30    9   8:35 am     7:30 am
 24  Pacific Limited       Kansas City     8:45   10   6:40 pm     8:00 pm
112  City of Denver        Chicago         3:55        3:30 pm     3:15 pm
 16  Columbine             Omaha           4:00
 38  Pony Express          Kansas City     4:15   18   9:15  118   8:00 am
 37  Pony Express          Cheyenne        5:00   17   7:00 pm     5:15 pm
  3                        Cheyenne        5:30
370                        Kansas City     6:45        8:15 pm
Arrivals



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

355                        Kansas City     5:00  369   6:15 pm
 24  Pacific Limited       Los Angeles     6:30   10   6:05 pm     7:30 pm
 15  Columbine             Omaha           7:00
 23  Pacific Limited       Kansas City     8:00    9   8:05 am     6:45 am
111  City of Denver        Chicago         9:20        8:30 am    11:59 am
  4                        Cheyenne       10:50
 38  Pony Express          Cheyenne       11:00   18   8:45 am     1:30 pm
 37  Pony Express          Kansas City     3:30   17   6:30  117   9:00 pm
224                        Cheyenne       11:30  334  11:50 pm
Passenger service intended to be discontinued in 1971 with the creation of Amtrak. But when Rio Grande initially did not join Amtrak, Amtrak service west of Denver continued via Union Pacific via Wyoming.

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 continues to use Union Station.

MAPPING THE STATIONS AND RAILROADS

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