California Zephyr (1949–1970)

Last updated

California Zephyr
WP 805A with the California Zephyr on Altamont Pass, March 1970.jpg
The California Zephyr on the Altamont Pass in 1970
Overview
Service type Inter-city rail
Locale Western United States
Predecessor Exposition Flyer
First serviceMarch 20, 1949
Last serviceMarch 22, 1970
Successor Rio Grande Zephyr
Former operator(s) Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad
Burlington Northern Railroad (during March 1970)
Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad
Western Pacific Railroad
Route
Termini Chicago, Illinois
Oakland, California
Stops33
Distance travelled2,438 miles (3,924 km)
Average journey time393⁄4 hours[ citation needed ]
Service frequencyDaily
Technical
Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)

The California Zephyr was a passenger train that ran between Chicago, Illinois, and Oakland, California, via Omaha, Denver, Salt Lake City, Winnemucca, Oroville and Pleasanton in the United States. It was operated by the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy (CB&Q), Denver & Rio Grande Western (D&RGW) and Western Pacific (WP) railroads, all of which dubbed it "the most talked about train in America" on March 19, 1949, with the first departure the following day. The train was scheduled to pass through the most spectacular scenery on its route in the daylight. The original train ceased operation in 1970, though the D&RGW continued to operate its own passenger service, the Rio Grande Zephyr , between Salt Lake City and Denver, using the original equipment until 1983. In 1983 a second iteration of the California Zephyr , an Amtrak service, was formed. The current version of the California Zephyr operates partially over the route of the original Zephyr and partially over the route of its former rival, the City of San Francisco .

Contents

History

Pre-California Zephyr (1939 to 1949)

In 1939, the Golden Gate International Exposition opened on Treasure Island in San Francisco Bay. The CB&Q, D&RGW and WP decided to operate a train that could take passengers to the event. Service on the Exposition Flyer began on June 10, 1939. In the beginning, the train used steam locomotives as motive power and consisted of heavyweight Pullman standard cars. In later years, the train used diesel power and in the final months of service used streamlined passenger cars. Initially, the service was to be temporary, but its popularity made it a significant rival to the City of San Francisco , the Chicago-Oakland train operated jointly by the Chicago & Northwestern, Union Pacific and Southern Pacific, and it remained in operation until 1949. The CB&Q, D&RGW and Western Pacific replaced the Exposition Flyer in 1949 with the all-streamlined California Zephyr, which used the same route.

California Zephyr

The train in Altamont, California, prior to its first run in 1949 California Zephyr pre first run 1949.JPG
The train in Altamont, California, prior to its first run in 1949

In its original run, the California Zephyr operated over the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad (Burlington Route) from Chicago to Denver, Colorado, the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad between Denver and Salt Lake City, Utah, and the Western Pacific Railroad from Salt Lake City to Oakland, California. Cars owned by different railroads ran together; cars cycled in and out for service, repairs, and varying passenger loads with the seasons.

The first train was named in San Francisco by Eleanor Parker, but the WP entered it in the same way that railroads like the DL&W, Erie, and CNJ/RDG/B&O entered New York City: by ferry, and not by rail. California Lieutenant Governor Goodwin Knight, mayor of San Francisco Elmer Robinson, and WP President Harry A. Mitchell looked on. For the inaugural run in 1949, every woman on the train was given "silver" and orange orchids flown from Hilo, Hawaii. The car hostesses were known as Zephyrettes. [1]

In summer 1954, the scheduled run for the 2,532 miles from Chicago to San Francisco was 50 hours 50 minutes. An eastbound California Zephyr through Ruby Canyon saw the train's first birth on March 1, 1955, when Reed Zars was born on board.

Knowing that they could not begin to compete with the faster and less-rugged route used by the City of San Francisco, the Burlington Route, D&RGW and WP billed the California Zephyr as a scenic "rail cruise" through the Rockies.

Zephyrettes

A Zephyrette (center, in blue uniform) at work on the lower level of a California Zephyr Vista-Dome car in 1967 Vista Dome lower level.jpg
A Zephyrette (center, in blue uniform) at work on the lower level of a California Zephyr Vista-Dome car in 1967

The brainchild of Velma McPeek, the Burlington's Supervisor of Passenger Train Services, the Zephyrettes were train hostesses who performed a wide variety of roles, from tour guide to first-aid responder to babysitter. After debuting on the Denver Zephyr in 1936, they served on the California Zephyr from 1949 until it was discontinued in 1970. [2] Described by former Zephyrette Julie Ann Lyman as "the railroad's answer to the air line stewardess", [3] the various duties of the position included welcoming passengers, making announcements, sending telegrams, making dinner reservations, and generally serving as a liaison between the train's passengers and its crew. At any one time, there were 10 or 11 Zephyrettes who were actively employed. [2] When Amtrak revived the California Zephyr in 1983, it invited a former Zephyrette, Beulah Bauman, to christen the train. [4]

A pair of the Western Pacific's Budd Rail Diesel Cars (RDCs), replacements for the Royal Gorge (trains No. 1 and 2), also used the name Zephyrette. [5] : 26  From September 15, 1950, to October 2, 1960, they were in service between Oakland, California, and Salt Lake City, a distance of 924 miles (1,487 km), [6] which made the route the longest RDC service in the United States. [7] [8] [9]

Discontinued Ferry Connection

The last portion of route utilizing the bay ferries ended in 1958 and replaced by bus service.

The opening of the San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge and San Francisco Transbay Terminal in 1930s offered alternative rail connections directly into San Francisco until the 1950s. Declining rail ridership prompted ending rail connection and even the Transbay Terminal became a bus depot.

Decline and replacement

The crew of the last California Zephyr upon its arrival in Oakland in 1970 Last Zephyr Crew smcr - Flickr - drewj1946.jpg
The crew of the last California Zephyr upon its arrival in Oakland in 1970

The California Zephyr was not immune to falling passenger travel in the 1960s; moreover, it began to lose money even when sold out. The Western Pacific applied to discontinue its portion in 1966, but the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) refused after public outcry. The D&RGW made the same request in 1969 and in 1970 the ICC permitted Western Pacific to end its portion, provided the D&RGW and Burlington Northern Railroad provide "some semblance of [service]" between Chicago and Ogden, Utah. The last westbound California Zephyr to the west coast left Chicago on March 22, 1970, and arrived in Oakland two days later. The original California Zephyr had operated for 21 years and 2 days. East of Salt Lake City the train was reduced to a tri-weekly schedule, operating as California Service on the Burlington Northern and as the Rio Grande Zephyr on the Rio Grande. The Rio Grande portion of the train was extended beyond Salt Lake to Ogden, Utah, allowing Nevada and California passengers to connect to the Southern Pacific Railroad's City of San Francisco . This continued until the creation of Amtrak on May 1, 1971. [10]

Amtrak intended to revive the California Zephyr as part its original route network in 1971, using the Burlington Northern east of Denver, the Rio Grande between Denver and Ogden, and the Southern Pacific west of Ogden, Utah. At the last minute, the Rio Grande refused to join Amtrak, fearing the new company's passenger trains would interfere with profitable freight traffic. This forced Amtrak to use the Union Pacific's Overland Route through southern Wyoming instead of going across Colorado. Between the spring of 1971 and the summer of 1972, passengers traveling between Chicago and Oakland would have to travel on two different trains: the Denver Zephyr , which operated daily between Chicago and Denver, and the City of San Francisco , which operated three times a week between Denver and the San Francisco Bay Area. Eventually, however, after several false starts, Amtrak consolidated the two trains into one, dubbed the San Francisco Zephyr in homage to both the California Zephyr and the San Francisco Chief between Chicago and Oakland. The Rio Grande continued to operate the Rio Grande Zephyr between Denver and Ogden. [11]

In 1983 the D&RGW elected to join Amtrak, citing increasing losses in passenger operations. Amtrak re-routed the San Francisco Zephyr over the D&RGW's Moffat Subdivision between Denver and Salt Lake City, its original preference from 1971. The change was scheduled for April 25, but a mudslide at Thistle, Utah, closed the line and delayed the change until July 16. With the change of route, Amtrak renamed the train as the California Zephyr. [12] [13] The modern California Zephyr uses mostly the same route as the original east of Winnemucca, Nevada. The train uses the route of the former City of San Francisco, along the Overland Route (First transcontinental railroad), between Elko, Nevada, and Sacramento. Across central Nevada, the two rail lines have been combined under owner Union Pacific to use directional running. As such, the exact spot the train switches lines depends on the direction of travel. [14]

Route description

Both the current and original iterations of the California Zephyr operate on Chicago, Burlington and Quincy (today part of BNSF Railway) between Chicago and Denver, and the former Denver and Rio Grande Western main line from Denver to Salt Lake (today part of Union Pacific Railroad's Central Corridor). West of Salt Lake City both iterations departed Salt Lake on the Shafter Subdivision of the former Western Pacific Railroad and crossed much of Nevada using the Elko Subdivision.

The routes of the two iterations of the California Zephyr diverge at the rail junction of Weso, Nevada (near Winnemucca). The current iteration uses the Overland Route from this point west, the route used by the City of San Francisco. The original California Zephyr used the Feather River Route as its path through the Sierra Nevada. Instead of passing through Reno, the original Zephyr was routed via Gerlach, Nevada, and in California passed through Portola, Oroville, Sacramento, Stockton and Pleasanton before arriving at the Oakland depot. [15] The Feather River Route is still in use for freight; however, no longer hosts a regularly scheduled passenger service. This portion of the route mostly parallels State Route 70.

The Oakland terminal was originally the Southern Pacific Mole, [16] where a ferry service was available to San Francisco. [15] After July 1958, trains terminated at the Western Pacific Depot. [16]

Equipment

Inaugural 1949 consist
  • Baggage
  • Vista-Dome chair car (Line CZ22)
  • Vista-Dome chair car (Line CZ21)
  • Vista-Dome chair car (Line CZ20)
  • Vista-Dome dormitory-buffet-lounge car
  • Sleeper (10 roomettes, 6 double bedrooms) (Line CZ15)
  • Sleeper (10 roomettes, 6 double bedrooms) (Line CZ14)
  • Diner (48 seats)
  • Sleeper (16 sections) (Line CZ12)
  • Sleeper (10 roomettes, 6 double bedrooms) (Line CZ11 to New York)
  • Vista-Dome dormitory-buffet-lounge-observation (1 drawing room, 3 double bedrooms) (Line CZ10)
[17]

The Budd Company manufactured six ten-car trainsets; three went to the Burlington, two to the Western Pacific and one to the Rio Grande. In line with the train's sightseeing schedule, each set included five of the new "Vista-Domes" (three coaches, a dormitory-lounge, and a sleeper-observation car). The California Zephyr was the first long-distance train to carry domes in regular service. [1] In addition, each consist included a baggage car, a dining car, a 16-section sleeping car and three 10-roomette 6-double bedroom sleeping cars. The Pennsylvania Railroad owned a single 10-roomette 6-double bedroom sleeping car, the Silver Rapids, which was used for through service to New York City. [18]

Each car was named: all names began with "Silver…" with each type of car having a different theme; the baggage cars were named after animals, the dome coaches had a western theme, the lounge and dining cars had a catering theme, the 16-section cars were named after trees, the 10-6 cars carried names associated with the suffixes used for types of Pullman sleeping cars, while the observation cars' names emphasised their domes.

The forward section of the first Vista-Dome car was partitioned off and reserved for women and children. A door was located in the corridor under the dome just behind the women's restroom to allow access to the reserved section. Early on, this reserved section was opened up to all passengers and the door and partitions were removed. Ownership of the cars was split between the three railroads almost evenly across all car types. Each car was owned by one railroad, but the ownership of the cars in any one day's train depended more on what was available at the terminals than whose railroad the train was operating over.

Generally positioned as the second Vista-Dome coach was the car referred to as the "Conductor's Car". This car was like the other Vista-Dome coaches, except a small booth with a bench seat and desk for the conductor was located in the B end.

In 1952 another type of Pullman sleeper (6-double bedrooms 5-compartments) was added to each consist; they ran as the leading sleeping car as line CZ16, and carried the names of birds as their "Silver…" theme. In addition, the Burlington bought another observation car, another 16-section car, and two 10-6 cars. With the new cars delivered that year, cars arriving in Chicago on the California Zephyr were made available for use on the Ak-Sar-Ben Zephyr for an overnight round trip to Lincoln, Nebraska. When the cars returned from Lincoln the next day, they were placed back in the westbound California Zephyr's consist for the next train out of Chicago that afternoon. [19] [20]

The Pennsylvania Railroad's transcontinental sleeping car to and from New York was eliminated in October 1957, owing to declining ridership. [21]

During the winter 1963–1964 season, all seven 16-section cars were withdrawn and rebuilt as 48-seat (non-dome) coaches. They went back into service carrying the same names and were placed between the baggage car and the dome coaches as line CZ23. The Burlington renumbered their cars but the Rio Grande and Western Pacific retained the existing fleet numbers on their cars.

Preservation

The former California Zephyr dome coach Silver Lariat en route to Oakland on the Coast Starlight at San Luis Obispo Zephyr.JPG
The former California Zephyr dome coach Silver Lariat en route to Oakland on the Coast Starlight at San Luis Obispo
The former California Zephyr dome coach Silver Bridle in service with the Inland Lakes Railway at Plymouth, Florida InlandLakesDome.jpg
The former California Zephyr dome coach Silver Bridle in service with the Inland Lakes Railway at Plymouth, Florida

The high-quality Budd-built cars of the California Zephyr have proven to be popular with private car owners. Several operate in private charter service on Amtrak, including dome-observation car Silver Solarium, [22] dome-coach Silver Lariat, sleepers Silver Rapids and Silver Quail and a dome lounge now known as the Sierra Hotel. In 2018, the Silver Lariat, Silver Solarium, Silver Rapids and the baggage car Silver Peak were sold to the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad outside Cleveland, Ohio and entered service there in September 2018. [23]

Seven museums currently hold equipment once used on the California Zephyr:

Three diner cars were in revenue service with Amtrak as of 2015, but are now retired.

Replicas

A non-functional replica of the California Zephyr was displayed at Disney California Adventure Park in Anaheim, California. It housed Baker's Field Bakery and Bur-r-r Bank ice cream counter cafes at the Sunshine Plaza main entrance. The exhibit closed on July 31, 2011, as part of the park's $1.1 billion overhaul. Disney gave the replica to the Western Pacific Railroad Museum in Portola, California. [26]

Hank Williams' 1956 single "California Zephyr" is likely his take on the traditional "Wabash Cannonball," made famous by his hero Roy Acuff; the melody and references to American cities and towns are strikingly similar.[ citation needed ]

Jack Kerouac's 1962 novel Big Sur opens with a trip to California on the train: [27]

...I had sneaked into San Francisco as I say, coming 3,000 miles from my home in Long Island (Northport) in a pleasant roomette on the California Zephyr train watching American roll by outside my private picture window, really happy for the first time in three years, staying in the roomette all three days and three nights with my instant coffee and sandwiches...

Ben Gibbard and Jay Farrar’s 2009 music album One Fast Move or I'm Gone and the associated documentary of the same name are based on Kerouac's novel Big Sur. The record opens with a song called “California Zephyr.” [28]

Grant Hart (of Hüsker Dü fame) wrote a song called "California Zephyr" for his 2009 album Hot Wax . The song may be a paean to gay liberation, especially following the AIDS epidemic. [29]

Footnotes

  1. 1 2 Schafer & Welsh (1997), p. 68.
  2. 1 2 Radecki, Alan; Wilson, John. "The Zephyrettes...a History". California Zephyr Virtual Museum. Retrieved January 31, 2015.
  3. ↑ Lyman, Julie Ann (January 20, 1963). "Life of Zephyrette Is Wacky, Wonderful". Chicago Tribune . Retrieved February 1, 2015.
  4. ↑ "New Amtrak train christened Zephyr". Gadsden Times . July 17, 1983. Retrieved February 7, 2013.
  5. ↑ Humbert, James E. "Railroading in the Feather River Canyon: Past, Present, and Future". Prototype Modeler: 21–27, 44. Archived from the original on March 5, 2014.
  6. ↑ Brehm, Frank. "The Zephyrette's - Trains 1 & 2: Page 3". Western Pacific Railroad History Online. Archived from the original on February 1, 2015. Retrieved February 1, 2015.
  7. ↑ Ingles, J. David (December 1965). "Christine and the Mongeese" (PDF). Trains . 26 (2): 37. ISSN   0041-0934. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 6, 2015. Retrieved February 1, 2015.
  8. ↑ "Rock Island 1957 Timetable". Streamliner Memories. October 12, 2014. Retrieved February 1, 2015.
  9. ↑ McCann, Gary Garth (January 22, 2014). "Budd RDC car in National Geographic ad and the Zephyrette and Choctaw Rocket in photos". Streamliner Memories. WordPress . Retrieved February 1, 2015.
  10. ↑ Schafer & Welsh (1997), p. 69-70.
  11. ↑ Sanders (2006), p. 136–137.
  12. ↑ "Scenic route to be taken by Amtrak". Eugene Register-Guard . March 17, 1983. Retrieved September 12, 2010.
  13. ↑ "Last passenger trains rolling across Wyoming". Spokesman-Review . July 13, 1983. Retrieved September 12, 2010.
  14. ↑ Nevada Road and Recreation Atlas (Map) (2003 ed.). 1:250000. Benchmark Maps. 2003. pp. 41–44. ISBN   0-929591-81-X.
  15. 1 2 "California Zephyr- Time Table August, 1957". Burlington, Rio Grande and Western Pacific Railroads, republished by California Zephyr Museum Online. August 15, 1957. Retrieved April 4, 2016.
  16. 1 2 Holland, Kevin J. (2001). Classic American Railroad Terminals. Osceola, WI: MBI. p. 125. ISBN   9780760308325. OCLC   45908903.
  17. ↑ Brehm, Frank. "California Zephyr Consists". Western Pacific Online. Archived from the original on April 12, 2013. Retrieved February 5, 2013.
  18. ↑ Wayner (1972), p. 220.
  19. ↑ Wayner (1972), p. 221 & 225.
  20. ↑ Zimmermann (2004), p. 140.
  21. ↑ Christopher T. Baer, 'A GENERAL CHRONOLOGY OF THE PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD COMPANY ITS PREDECESSORS AND SUCCESSORS AND ITS HISTORICAL CONTEXT' http://www.prrths.com/newprr_files/Hagley/PRR1957.pdf
  22. ↑ Zimmermann (2004), p. 155.
  23. ↑ "Historic railcars from California land in CLE". September 13, 2018.
  24. ↑ "CB&Q Chair Car No. 4741 – Silver Maple - Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum". www.hodrrm.org. Archived from the original on April 7, 2015.
  25. ↑ "The authentic railroad dining car at the Avon Park Depot Museum: "Your Ticket to the Past"". www.hsaponline.org. Archived from the original on July 14, 2008.
  26. ↑ Weiss, Werner (May 8, 2012). "Yesterland California Zephyr". Yesterland. Retrieved February 6, 2013.
  27. ↑ Naffis-Sahely, André (May 8, 2014). "Lost in the Vista Dome: Eastbound on the Zephyr". World Literature Today. Retrieved August 24, 2019.
  28. ↑ All Things Considered. "Gibbard And Farrar Take On Kerouac's 'Big Sur'". NPR.org. Retrieved August 24, 2019.
  29. ↑ Greenberg, Rudi (December 21, 2009). "Liner Notes: Grant Hart, 'Hot Wax'". Washington Post. Retrieved August 24, 2019.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad</span> American railroad company

The Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad, often shortened to Rio Grande, D&RG or D&RGW, formerly the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad, was an American Class I railroad company. The railroad started as a 3 ft narrow-gauge line running south from Denver, Colorado, in 1870. It served mainly as a transcontinental bridge line between Denver and Salt Lake City, Utah. The Rio Grande was also a major origin of coal and mineral traffic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Transcontinental railroad</span> Contiguous railroad trackage crossing a continental landmass

A transcontinental railroad or transcontinental railway is contiguous railroad trackage, that crosses a continental land mass and has terminals at different oceans or continental borders. Such networks can be via the tracks of either a single railroad or over those owned or controlled by multiple railway companies along a continuous route. Although Europe is crisscrossed by railways, the railroads within Europe are usually not considered transcontinental, with the possible exception of the historic Orient Express. Transcontinental railroads helped open up interior regions of continents not previously colonized to exploration and settlement that would not otherwise have been feasible. In many cases they also formed the backbones of cross-country passenger and freight transportation networks. Many of them continue to have an important role in freight transportation and some like the Trans-Siberian Railway even have passenger trains going from one end to the other.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad</span> Former railroad in the Midwestern United States

The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad was a railroad that operated in the Midwestern United States. Commonly referred to as the Burlington Route, the Burlington, CB&Q, or as the Q, it operated extensive trackage in the states of Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Wyoming, and also in Texas through subsidiaries Colorado and Southern Railway, Fort Worth and Denver Railway, and Burlington-Rock Island Railroad. Its primary connections included Chicago, Minneapolis–Saint Paul, St. Louis, Kansas City, and Denver. Because of this extensive trackage in the midwest and mountain states, the railroad used the advertising slogans "Everywhere West", "Way of the Zephyrs", and "The Way West".

<i>City of Denver</i> (train) Streamlined passenger train of the Union Pacifiic Railroad

The City of Denver was a streamlined passenger train operated by the Union Pacific Railroad between Chicago, Illinois, and Denver, Colorado. It operated between 1936 and 1971. From 1936–1955 the Chicago and North Western Railway handled the train east of Omaha, Nebraska; the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad handled it thereafter. The train was the fastest long-distance train in the United States when it debuted in 1936, covering 1,048 miles (1,687 km) in 16 hours. For almost its entire career its principal competitor was the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad's Denver Zephyr. When Amtrak assumed operation of most intercity trains in the United States in 1971, it discontinued the City of Denver, preferring to use the Burlington's route between Chicago and Denver.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dome car</span> American panoramic rail coach with en external dome

A dome car is a type of railway passenger car that has a glass dome on the top of the car where passengers can ride and see in all directions around the train. It also can include features of a coach, lounge car, dining car, sleeping car or observation. Beginning in 1945, dome cars were primarily used in the United States and Canada, though a small number were constructed in Europe for Trans Europ Express service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Western Pacific Railroad</span> Former Class I railroad in the United States

The Western Pacific Railroad was a Class I railroad in the United States. It was formed in 1903 as an attempt to break the near-monopoly the Southern Pacific Railroad had on rail service into northern California. WP's Feather River Route directly competed with SP's portion of the Overland Route for rail traffic between Salt Lake City/Ogden, Utah, and Oakland, California, for nearly 80 years. The Western Pacific was one of the original operators of the California Zephyr passenger line.

<i>Desert Wind</i> Former Amtrak long-distance rail service

The Desert Wind was an Amtrak long-distance passenger train that ran from 1979 to 1997. It operated from Chicago to Los Angeles as a section of the California Zephyr, serving Los Angeles via Salt Lake City; Ogden, Utah; and Las Vegas.

<i>Denver Zephyr</i> Streamlined passenger train in the U.S.

The Denver Zephyr was a streamlined passenger train operated by the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad between Chicago, Illinois, and Denver, Colorado. In peak years it ran to Colorado Springs. It operated from 1936 to 1973. The Denver Zephyr continued operating after the Burlington Northern Railroad merger in 1970. BN conveyed the train to Amtrak in 1971; Amtrak merged it with the Denver–Oakland City of San Francisco to form the San Francisco Zephyr and dropped the "Denver" name in 1973.

<i>City of San Francisco</i> (train) Chicago to San Francisco passenger express train

The City of San Francisco was a streamlined through passenger train which ran from 1936 to 1971 on the Overland Route between Chicago, Illinois and Oakland, California, with a ferry connection on to San Francisco. It was owned and operated jointly by the Chicago and North Western Railway (1936–55), Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad (1955–71), the Union Pacific Railroad, and the Southern Pacific Railroad. It provided premium extra fare service from Chicago to San Francisco when introduced in 1936 with a running time of 39 hours and 45 minutes each way.

<i>Rio Grande Zephyr</i> Former American passenger train

The Rio Grande Zephyr was a passenger train operated by Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad between Denver, Colorado and Ogden, Utah from 1970 until 1983. In operation after the creation of publicly-funded Amtrak, the Rio Grande Zephyr was the last privately-operated interstate passenger train in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glenwood Springs station</span> Railway station in Colorado, United States

The Glenwood Springs station is a railway station in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. It is served by Amtrak's California Zephyr, which runs between Chicago and Emeryville, California, in the San Francisco Bay Area and is an overnight stop on Rocky Mountaineer's Rockies To Red Rocks luxury train service between Denver Colorado and Moab Utah.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Green River station (Utah)</span> Train station in Green River, Utah

Green River station is a train station in Green River, Utah. It is served by Amtrak's California Zephyr, which runs once daily between Chicago and Emeryville, California, in the San Francisco Bay Area. The station has a platform and bus-stop style shelter and no services.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Western Pacific 805-A</span>

Western Pacific 805-A is a preserved EMD FP7 diesel-electric railroad locomotive built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors. It was mainly used to pull passenger trains, specifically the California Zephyr (CZ), which was operated jointly by the Western Pacific, Denver and Rio Grande Western, and the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroads. It later worked for several short line railroads before preservation at the Western Pacific Railroad Museum at Portola, California.

<i>San Francisco Zephyr</i> Amtrak passenger train in the U.S.

The San Francisco Zephyr was an Amtrak passenger train that ran between Chicago and Oakland from June 1972 to July 1983.

The streamliner cars are a class of streamlined passenger railroad cars built from the 1930s through the 1960s for long distance passenger train services in North America.

The Exposition Flyer was a passenger train jointly operated by the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy (CB&Q), Denver & Rio Grande Western (D&RGW), and Western Pacific (WP) railroads between Chicago and Oakland, California, for a decade between 1939 and 1949, before being replaced by the famed California Zephyr.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zephyrette</span>

A Zephyrette was a hostess on the California Zephyr between 1949 and 1970, while the train was jointly operated by the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad, the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad, and the Western Pacific Railroad. The position was the brainchild of Velma McPeek, the Burlington's Supervisor of Passenger Train Services, and was part of an effort to attract families to rail travel and accommodate their needs. Zephyrettes first appeared on the Denver Zephyr in 1936, and shortly thereafter on the Twin Cities Zephyr, but the position was discontinued during World War II. Zephyrettes resumed service after the war in 1949, but only on the California Zephyr.

<i>California Zephyr</i> Amtrak service between Chicago and the San Francisco Bay Area

The California Zephyr is a long-distance passenger train operated by Amtrak between Chicago and the San Francisco Bay Area, via Omaha, Denver, Salt Lake City, and Reno. At 2,438 miles (3,924 km), it is Amtrak's longest daily route, and second-longest overall after the Texas Eagle's triweekly continuation from San Antonio to Los Angeles, with travel time between the termini taking approximately 511⁄2 hours. Amtrak claims the route as one of its most scenic, with views of the upper Colorado River valley in the Rocky Mountains, and the Sierra Nevada. The modern train is the second iteration of a train named California Zephyr; the original train was privately operated and ran on a different route through Nevada and California.

A zephyr is a stream-liner train-set of locomotives or power cars with matching passenger cars. Zephyr train-sets with proper names include:

References

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.