OMAHA'S PASSENGER TRAINS

OF THE PAST

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


THE STATIONS

The major stations serving Omaha, during the golden age of passenger trains. All passenger trains serving Omaha used Omaha Union Station, except for the Burlington Route and Chicago Great Western, which used a separate adjacent station. With the 1971 formation of Amtrak, and the only Amtrak service in Omaha operating via the former Burlington Route, the Burlington station remains in use.

Union Station
801 S. 10th St.
Opened 1931, replacing earlier stations at same location built in 1866 and 1899

Number of station tracks: 15 through
Interlocked switches controlled as follows:
Tower A: controlled the east end of the station
Tower B: controlled the west end of the station
Tower C: at 25th Street

Burlington Station
925 S. 10th St.
Opened 1898

Number of station tracks: 6 through
Interlocked switches at East Omaha and West Omaha controlled by train dispatcher
(CTC installed in 1954 replacing hand operation of switches)

A third station in Omaha was Webster Street Station, used by the Chicago St. Paul Minneapolis & Omaha Railway, which later became part of the Chicago & North Western.

Webster Street Station
15th St. and Webster St.


MILWAUKEE ROAD

Departures



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

112  City of Denver        Chicago         C&NW       12:40 am
104  City of Los Angeles   Chicago         C&NW        2:45 am     3:50 am
102  City of S. Francisco  Chicago         C&NW        3:00 am
106  City of Portland      Chicago         C&NW        3:15 am
102  Midwest Hiawatha      Chicago        12:35 pm
108  Arrow                 Chicago         8:40 pm     7:30 pm


Arrivals



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

111  City of Denver        Chicago         C&NW       12:45 am
105  City of Portland      Chicago         C&NW        1:00 am
101  City of S. Francisco  Chicago         C&NW        2:45 am
103  City of Los Angeles   Chicago         C&NW        3:00 am     2:50 am
107  Arrow                 Chicago         8:00 am     8:10 am
103  Midwest Hiawatha      Chicago         8:45 pm


Passenger service discontinued in 1971 with the creation of Amtrak.

In 1955, the Milwaukee Road replaced the Chicago & North Western, as Union Pacific's connecting railroad east of Omaha.

Until early 1940's, some Union Pacific passenger trains operated west of Omaha via the "Old Main Line".


CHICAGO & NORTH WESTERN

Departures



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

112  City of Denver        Chicago        12:45  to CMStP&P
102  City of S. Francisco  Chicago         1:45  to CMStP&P
  2  City of Portland      Chicago         4:30  to CMStP&P
104  City of Los Angeles   Chicago         4:30  to CMStP&P
 16                        Chicago         7:00    4  11:00 am
204  North American        Minneapolis     8:42        8:50 am
 11  (Motor Train)         Norfolk NE      9:30
 22  Pacific Limited       Chicago         7:25
 88  S. F. Challenger      Chicago         8:45
  8  L. A. Challenger      Chicago         9:00       10:30 pm
 28  Overland              Chicago         9:30    6   6:45 pm
202  Nightingale           Minneapolis     9:35        9:00 pm
 21                        Chadron        11:25   13  11:30 pm


Arrivals



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

  1  City of Portland      Chicago         1:51  to CMStP&P
103  City of Los Angeles   Chicago         1:51  to CMStP&P
111  City of Denver        Chicago         2:01  to CMStP&P
101  City of S. Francisco  Chicago         3:20  to CMStP&P
 12                        Chadron         6:45   14   6:30 am
201  Nightingale           Minneapolis     7:15        9:05 am
 27  Overland              Chicago         7:55
  7  L. A. Challenger      Chicago         8:15        7:55 am
 87  S. F. Challenger      Chicago         8:29
 15                        Chicago         3:50    5   9:15 am
 22  (Motor Train)         Norfolk NE      6:30
203  North American        Minneapolis     8:00        8:40 pm
 21  Pacific Limited       Chicago        10:00    3   7:35 pm


Passenger service discontinued in 1960.

In 1958, Chicago & North Western began terminating trains in nearby Council Bluffs.

Nearly all trains operated to and from points west, operating via Union Pacific west of Omaha. In 1955, the Milwaukee Road replaced the Chicago & North Western, as Union Pacific's connecting railroad east of Omaha. Not listed are trains using Webster St. station, operating over former Chicago St. Paul Minneapolis & Omaha Railway route.


ROCK ISLAND

Departures



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

  8  Rocky Mtn. Rocket     Chicago        12:06 am    11:46 pm
  6  Colorado Express      Chicago         2:30   26   5:20 pm
  5  Colorado Express      Colorado Spr.   2:45   25  11:50 pm
 14  La Salle St. Limited  Chicago         7:30   10  11:30 am
  7  Rocky Mtn. Rocket     Denver         11:02 pm    11:10 pm


Arrivals



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

  8  Rocky Mtn. Rocket     Denver         12:01 am    11:20 pm
 23  Omaha Limited         Chicago         8:25    9   8:15 am
  5  Colorado Express      Chicago        12:40   55   4:15 am
  6  Colorado Express      Colorado Spr.   2:15   26   5:00 pm
  7  Rocky Mtn. Rocket     Chicago        10:51 pm    10:45 pm


Passenger service discontinued in 1970.


MISSOURI PACIFIC

Departures



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

106  Missouri River Eagle  St. Louis       8:40 am     8:00 am
120                        Kansas City     5:00 pm     4:00 pm


Arrivals



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

119                        Kansas City     6:58 am     7:20 am
105  Missouri River Eagle  St. Louis       5:55 pm     6:55 pm


Passenger service discontinued in 1965.


UNION PACIFIC

Departures



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

  1  City of Portland      Portland        2:00        1:10
103  City of Los Angeles   Los Angeles     2:00        3:10        3:15 am
111  City of Denver        Denver          2:10       12:55
101  City of S. Francisco  San Francisco   3:30        2:55
 27  Overland              San Francisco   8:45       10:30 pm
  7  L. A. Challenger      Los Angeles     9:00
 87  S. F. Challenger      San Francisco   9:15
 15  Columbine             Denver          4:25 pm
 21  Pacific Limited       San Francisco  10:35
  5  Cal. Fast Mail        Cheyenne       10:45


Arrivals



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


112  City of Denver        Denver         12:35       12:30
102  City of S. Francisco  San Francisco   1:35        2:50
104  City of Los Angeles   Los Angeles     4:20        2:30        3:15 am
  2  City of Portland      Portland        4:20        3:05
 16  Columbine             Denver          6:40 am
 22  Pacific Limited       San Francisco   5:40
  6  Cal. Fast Mail        Ogden           5:45
 88  S. F. Challenger      San Francisco   8:15
 28  Overland              San Francisco   8:20        7:00 am
  8  L. A. Challenger      Los Angeles     8:30


Passenger service discontinued in 1971 with the creation of Amtrak.

Nearly all trains operated to and from Chicago, operating via Chicago & North Western east of Omaha in most years, and operating via the Milwaukee Road from 1955 to 1971.


WABASH

Departures



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

 14  St. Louis Limited     St. Louis       8:45 pm     7:30 pm


Arrivals



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

 11  Omaha Limited         St. Louis       8:30 am     7:55 am


Passenger service discontinued in 1968.

In 1960, Wabash began terminating trains in nearby Council Bluffs.


Until 1939, also using Union Station were Illinois Central passenger trains. Those trains continued a few years longer, terminating in nearby Council Bluffs.


BURLINGTON ROUTE

(Burlington Station)

Departures



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

 10  Denver Zephyr         Chicago        12:48        1:15    2   1:36 am
  1  Denver Zephyr         Denver          1:15       12:40        1:10 am
  5  Ak-Sar-Ben Zephyr     Lincoln         7:20    3   8:15
 32                        Burlington                  8:30
  6  Coloradoan            Chicago         8:35        9:30
 15  Fast Mail             Lincoln         8:45
 20  Silver Streak Zephyr  Kansas City     9:00        9:00   36   8:30 am
 12  Nebraska Zephyr       Chicago        12:15       12:30       10:45 am
  3                        Denver          4:00    7   2:50
 26                        Kansas City     4:30        4:15
 11  Nebraska Zephyr       Lincoln                     5:40        9:10 pm
  8  Fast Mail             Burlington      6:10   14   6:10
 21  Silver Streak Zephyr  Lincoln         6:45        8:40
 39  Exposition Flyer      San Francisco   8:50   17  11:55 pm
 30  Ak-Sar-Ben Zephyr     Chicago         9:45       10:30 pm
 40  Exposition Flyer      Chicago        10:45   18   4:50 am
  9  Coloradoan            Denver         11:00   19  10:20 pm
 22                        Kansas City    11:55        1:15 am


Arrivals



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

 10  Denver Zephyr         Denver         12:44        1:08    2   1:26 am
  1  Denver Zephyr         Chicago         1:10       12:30       12:45 am
 23                        Kansas City     7:00        6:00
  5  Ak-Sar-Ben Zephyr     Chicago         7:00    3   7:50
 15  Fast Mail             Chicago         8:00        8:35
  6  Coloradoan            Denver          8:20        8:00
 20  Silver Streak Zephyr  Lincoln         8:25        8:30
 12  Nebraska Zephyr       Lincoln        11:59       12:15        9:45 am
 27                        Kansas City     2:45        2:20
  3                        Chicago         3:20    7   2:00
 11  Nebraska Zephyr       Chicago                     5:30        8:45 pm
  8  Fast Mail             Lincoln         5:40        5:50
 21  Silver Streak Zephyr  Kansas City     6:20        8:20   35   9:15 pm
 39  Exposition Flyer      Chicago         8:35   17  11:45
 30  Ak-Sar-Ben Zephyr     Lincoln         9:20       10:00
  9  Coloradoan            Chicago        10:25   19   9:00
 40  Exposition Flyer      San Francisco  10:30   18   4:45 am


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.


CHICAGO GREAT WESTERN

(Burlington Station)

Departures



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

 32                        Minneapolis     8:45 am
 34  Twin City Limited     Minneapolis     9:00   14   8:15 pm


Arrivals



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

 33  Nebraska Limited      Minneapolis     7:20   13   7:30 am
 31                        Minneapolis     8:00 pm


Passenger service discontinued in 1965.


CHICAGO & NORTH WESTERN/CHICAGO ST. PAUL MINNEAPOLIS & OMAHA

(Webster Street Station)

Departures



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

210  Mondamin              Minneapolis     6:40 pm


Arrivals



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

209  Mondamin              Minneapolis    12:45 pm


Passenger service discontinued in 1950.


STATIONS TODAY

The two main stations in Omaha were immediately next to each other.

Both Union Station and the Burlington Station have been preserved. The Burlington Station continues to be used by Amtrak trains.

Durham Museum
Link to an official Web site, showing how Union Station has been preserved and transformed for other uses.

Union Station (Wikipedia)
Burlington Station (Wikipedia)

Links to Web sites containing further historical information on Omaha's historic stations.

Most trains also served Council Bluffs. The Chicago & North Western and Union Pacific and Wabash station was located at 1115 W. Broadway. The Milwaukee Road and Rock Island station was located at 1201 S. Main St. The Chicago Great Western station was located at 900 S. Main St. Although those two addresses on Main St. may have been later renumbered. And the Burlington station was located at 407 11th Ave. Also, Illinois Central had a station at 1216 W. Broadway, with service discontinued prior to 1942.

In addition, Union Pacific operated the Council Bluffs Transfer station at 21st St. and 10th Ave., served by several railroads.


MAPPING THE STATIONS AND RAILROADS

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