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Pioneer Zephyr (SA-2)

From it's conception, the 9900 Pioneer Zephyr established many firsts in a new concept of railroad passenger service. This train was the first passenger carrying train to be powered by a diesel-electric locomotive. She was the first in stainless steel "shot welded" manufacturing of railroad lightweight cars. The three cars were articulated and rode on only four trucks to reduce weight and have a better quality in it's ride at high speeds. Number 9900 rolled out of Edward G. Budd Philadelphia plant on April 7, 1934. The 3 car train consisted of a POWER CAR with a RPO & mail storage. The middle car contains baggage express, buffet grill & 20 coach seats. The third car has 40 coach seats and a 12 seat observation lounge at the rear.

The most historical day for the Pioneer Zephyr was May 26, 1934 when the 9900 left Denver for Chicago to arrive at the Century of Progress. The Zephyr covered the 1015 miles in 13 hours and 5 minutes with a speed topped off at 112 MPH. This speed record cut the existing steam powered time in half!

These statistics are what has put the 9900 in railroad record books in a class by herself.

Twin Cities Zephyr (SL-10)

The Twin Cities Zephyr was one of Chicago, Burlington & Quincy's elite fleet of Zephyr streamliners, running between Chicago and the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. The first Twin Cities Zephyrs, trainsets 9901 and 9902, were placed in service in April 1935, shortly after the debut of the train that started it all, Zephyr 9900, dubbed the "Pioneer Zephyr." Within two months, both articulated trainsets were making one round trip per day, creating "Morning" and "Afternoon" Zephyrs. The Chicago-Twin Cities run was so popular that by the end of 1936 the schedules received new 7-car articulated trainsets with separate locomotives (9904 and 9905). In December, 1947, the Twin Cities Zephyrs were equipped with postwar stainless-steel Budd cars including Vista Domes. The train was one of the best in the Zephyr fleet, with fine equipment and scenery, and many speed records.

This scene depicts the Morning Twin Cities Zephyr, bound for Chicago, blasting through a snow-covered grade-crossing on a riverfront access road along the Mississippi River, which these Zephyrs followed for 265 miles between Savanna, IL and St. Paul, MN. Two of Burlington's classic E5 diesels, virtually unique for their stainless steel dress, are pulling the train.

The California Zephyr (SL-1)

The California Zephyr was a luxurious streamliner running from Chicago to San Francisco through some of the most beautiful scenery available. The train was operated jointly by the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy, the Denver and Rio Grande Western, and the Western Pacific as train numbers 17 and 18. From 1949 to 1970, the Budd-built stainless-steel train traversed the rails of these three carriers. Five domes provided the perfect balcony for the show of vistas, canyons, and tunnels, numerous along the route. Whether flying at 80 miles per hour through Iowa's cornfields, climbing the Rockies for the plunge into Moffat tunnel, or snaking through the Feather River Canyon like a silver ribbon, the California Zephyr stood for the words "passenger train."

The scene above depicts train number 17, the California Zephyr, impatiently awaiting its departure time from the damp, cold confines of the Chicago Union Station. A few platform lights and the illuminated neon tailsign provide atmosphere to the scene. Some snow introduced by Lake Michigan has trickled through the trainshed onto the train and the icy platforms. One track over, the Burlington's Morning Zephyr with E5 9912 on the point, has just arrived in from the Twin Cities. A few more minutes will pass, and then the California Zephyr will slip out of the station beginning its 2352 mile journey west.