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Reply to "18” Pullman Sleeping Car Interior Upgrade, National Border"

Martin Dougherty posted:

I just bought the K Line National National Border car to add to my Union Pacific "City of St. Louis" consist.  If my research is correct the National Border was one of four passenger cars painted in UP livery that were owned by the Wabash and used on the "City of St. Louis".  Do you have any suggestions for my attempts to discover what the name National Border and the other three cars means or refers to?

Hi Martin,

On the Utah rails website  https://utahrails.net/pass/nam...eper-national-border  they list all the sleeping cars built in the National series.  

National BorderUP 1201
National Colors (Wabash) 
National CommandUP 1202
National ConsulateUP 1203
National DomainUP 1204
National EmbassyUP 1205
National EmblemUP 1206
National ForumUP 1207
National FrontierUP 1208
National Homes (Wabash) 
National ProgressUP 1209
National SceneUP 1210
National ShoresUP 1211
National Unity (Wabash) 
National ViewUP 1212

 

According to the book "The Union Pacific Streamliners" by Ranks and Kratville these Union Pacific sleeping car names were meant to fill a person with National pride.  National Border did not referred to a specific place, but more of a feeling. 


The Union Pacific did that same style of naming with the 10 sleeping cars that started with the word Placid.  Like: Placid Bay, Placid Harbor, Placid Valley, Placid Meadow etc...  They probably hoped by naming the sleeping cars "Placid" it would make a person feel more peaceful. 

Last edited by T.Albers

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