Introduced in 1936 as the Lionel Union Pacific Overland, the No. 299W Streamliner was advertised as an "Authentic model of the Union Pacific Railroad's new Overland Express that races at a top clip from Denver to the coast." By the following year, the set was more accurately identified as the Chicago-Denver City of Denver. With a big front grille and long hood reminiscent of automobiles of the period, Lionel's power car was actually a pretty accurate model of the City's lead locomotives. The rest of the 299W's articulated consist, however, was borrowed from Lionel's Flying Yankee and bore little resemblance to the prototype. Lionel's City was cataloged from 1936, when the actual train debuted, until 1939.

New for 2011, our model recreates the later version of Lionel's City of Denver, as delivered in the UP's Armour Yellow and Leaf Brown livery with all-yellow vestibules connecting the cars. (Lionel's initial versions were produced with brown vestibule roofs.) In addition, we offer the uncataloged and very rare three-unit set produced around 1937 in Stephen Girard green with dark green roofs - perhaps intended to model the Illinois Central's Green Diamond, a 1936 articulated train that was also painted in two-tone green.