Why Zephyrus?
First and foremost, I love trains!
I don't know why,
but I find them fascinating from the outside and
the most pleasurable form of travel from inside.
How many beasts this size
can you get close to without being attacked?
to be continued....
I don't know why,
but I find them fascinating from the outside and
the most pleasurable form of travel from inside.
How many beasts this size
can you get close to without being attacked?
to be continued....
California Zephyr
The California Zephyr is a passenger train operated by Amtrak between Chicago, Illinois, and Emeryville, California, via Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, and California. At 2,438 miles it is Amtrak's second longest route. 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.
Before Amtrak, the California Zephyr or "Silver Lady" was a passenger train operated by the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy (CB&Q), Denver & Rio Grande Western (D&RGW) and Western Pacific railroads, all which dubbed it "the most talked about train in America" on March 19, 1949, with the first departure the following day. It 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. Since 1983 the California Zephyr name has been applied to the Amtrak service, which operates daily and is a hybrid of the route of the original Zephyr and its former rival, the City of San Francisco.
During fiscal year 2012, the California Zephyr carried more than 376,000 passengers, an increase of 5.9% on 2011. The train had a total revenue of $47,605,728 in 2012, a 6.4% increase on 2011.
The California Zephyr is a passenger train operated by Amtrak between Chicago, Illinois, and Emeryville, California, via Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, and California. At 2,438 miles it is Amtrak's second longest route. 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.
Before Amtrak, the California Zephyr or "Silver Lady" was a passenger train operated by the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy (CB&Q), Denver & Rio Grande Western (D&RGW) and Western Pacific railroads, all which dubbed it "the most talked about train in America" on March 19, 1949, with the first departure the following day. It 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. Since 1983 the California Zephyr name has been applied to the Amtrak service, which operates daily and is a hybrid of the route of the original Zephyr and its former rival, the City of San Francisco.
During fiscal year 2012, the California Zephyr carried more than 376,000 passengers, an increase of 5.9% on 2011. The train had a total revenue of $47,605,728 in 2012, a 6.4% increase on 2011.
The original California Zephyr operated over the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad 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 while 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."
In summer 1954 the schedule for 2,532 miles Chicago to San Francisco was 50hr 50min. An eastbound California Zephyr through Ruby Canyon saw the train's first birth on March 1, 1955, when Reed Zars was born.
The 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 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 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 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.
The first train was named in San Francisco by Eleanor Parker while 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."
In summer 1954 the schedule for 2,532 miles Chicago to San Francisco was 50hr 50min. An eastbound California Zephyr through Ruby Canyon saw the train's first birth on March 1, 1955, when Reed Zars was born.
The 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 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 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 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.
Zephyrettes and Zephyrette (train)
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. Described by former Zephyrette Julie Ann Lyman as "the railroad's answer to the airline stewardess", 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. When Amtrak revived the California Zephyr in 1983 it invited a former Zephyrette, Beulah Bauman, to christen the train.
A pair of the Western Pacific's Budd Rail Diesel Cars, replacements for the Royal Gorge, also picked up the name Zephyrette. From September 15, 1950 to October 2, 1960, they were in service between Oakland, California, and Salt Lake City, a distance of 924 miles which made the route the longest RDC service in the United States.
Route description
The westbound train is Amtrak number 5 (eastbound #6). Upon leaving Chicago's Union Station in the mid-afternoon, the Willis Tower can be glimpsed as the train passes urban industrial zones, rail yards and bricked residential streets, and through the 25 commuter stations used by Metra's BNSF Railway route. The Chicago suburbs are expansive but traversed within the first hour of the train's journey, stopping once in Naperville, Illinois.
After passing through Aurora, Illinois, the train passes through the seemingly endless corn, soybean fields and small farming towns of Illinois and Iowa. The Burlington Rail Bridge across the Mississippi River affords a view of Burlington, Iowa and marks the state line between Illinois and Iowa. Overnight and into the early morning, the train traverses the great plains of Nebraska and eastern Colorado, before making a morning arrival into Denver.
At Denver the California Zephyr departs BNSF Railway owned track. From Denver west, the train runs along the Union Pacific Railroad's Central Corridor. The scenery changes dramatically departing Denver as the train climbs the Rocky Mountains. After going through the Tunnel District then crossing the Continental Divide via the 6.2 mile long Moffat Tunnel under James Peak, the tracks follow the Colorado River for several hours. Passengers can see the transition from a narrow, whitewater river to a much wider stream past Glenwood Canyon and Interstate 70 toward Grand Junction. The train finally departs the now much larger Colorado River after exiting Ruby Canyon which is also where the train enters Utah.
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. Described by former Zephyrette Julie Ann Lyman as "the railroad's answer to the airline stewardess", 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. When Amtrak revived the California Zephyr in 1983 it invited a former Zephyrette, Beulah Bauman, to christen the train.
A pair of the Western Pacific's Budd Rail Diesel Cars, replacements for the Royal Gorge, also picked up the name Zephyrette. From September 15, 1950 to October 2, 1960, they were in service between Oakland, California, and Salt Lake City, a distance of 924 miles which made the route the longest RDC service in the United States.
Route description
The westbound train is Amtrak number 5 (eastbound #6). Upon leaving Chicago's Union Station in the mid-afternoon, the Willis Tower can be glimpsed as the train passes urban industrial zones, rail yards and bricked residential streets, and through the 25 commuter stations used by Metra's BNSF Railway route. The Chicago suburbs are expansive but traversed within the first hour of the train's journey, stopping once in Naperville, Illinois.
After passing through Aurora, Illinois, the train passes through the seemingly endless corn, soybean fields and small farming towns of Illinois and Iowa. The Burlington Rail Bridge across the Mississippi River affords a view of Burlington, Iowa and marks the state line between Illinois and Iowa. Overnight and into the early morning, the train traverses the great plains of Nebraska and eastern Colorado, before making a morning arrival into Denver.
At Denver the California Zephyr departs BNSF Railway owned track. From Denver west, the train runs along the Union Pacific Railroad's Central Corridor. The scenery changes dramatically departing Denver as the train climbs the Rocky Mountains. After going through the Tunnel District then crossing the Continental Divide via the 6.2 mile long Moffat Tunnel under James Peak, the tracks follow the Colorado River for several hours. Passengers can see the transition from a narrow, whitewater river to a much wider stream past Glenwood Canyon and Interstate 70 toward Grand Junction. The train finally departs the now much larger Colorado River after exiting Ruby Canyon which is also where the train enters Utah.
In Utah the train follows the southern rim of the Book Cliffs to their end near Helper. The train then crosses the Wasatch Mountains, cresting at Soldier Summit. After passing the Wasatch the train arrives at the Wasatch Front where most of the population of Utah is located.
Once the train reaches Salt Lake City the train loosely follows Interstate 80 until the terminus of the train in California. Both the freeway and railroad pass along the south shore of the Great Salt Lake and across the Bonneville Salt Flats towards Nevada. After crossing the Utah/Nevada state line at Wendover, Utah - West Wendover, Nevada, the route passes the Toano Range, via Silver Zone Pass, across the Goshute Valley, tunnels under the Pequop Mountains and then skirts the northern edge of the Ruby Mountains.
The train first reaches the Humboldt River near Wells, which the train loosely follows until the river's end in the Humboldt Sink near Lovelock. The tracks cross the center of the Forty Mile Desert, on the other side of this desert valley is the Truckee River which provides the train's path to Reno and up the Sierra Nevada in California.
In California, the train crests the Sierra Nevada at Donner Pass and, after rounding Donner Lake, descends following a high ridge between the American and Yuba Rivers, through Emigrant Gap. Eventually, the California Zephyr reaches the lowland areas of the California Central Valley, and then along the San Pablo Bay, with stops in Sacramento and Davis. It crosses the Benicia Bridge and has stops in Martinez and Richmond. Then, the trip ends in Emeryville, a suburb of Oakland.
Once the train reaches Salt Lake City the train loosely follows Interstate 80 until the terminus of the train in California. Both the freeway and railroad pass along the south shore of the Great Salt Lake and across the Bonneville Salt Flats towards Nevada. After crossing the Utah/Nevada state line at Wendover, Utah - West Wendover, Nevada, the route passes the Toano Range, via Silver Zone Pass, across the Goshute Valley, tunnels under the Pequop Mountains and then skirts the northern edge of the Ruby Mountains.
The train first reaches the Humboldt River near Wells, which the train loosely follows until the river's end in the Humboldt Sink near Lovelock. The tracks cross the center of the Forty Mile Desert, on the other side of this desert valley is the Truckee River which provides the train's path to Reno and up the Sierra Nevada in California.
In California, the train crests the Sierra Nevada at Donner Pass and, after rounding Donner Lake, descends following a high ridge between the American and Yuba Rivers, through Emigrant Gap. Eventually, the California Zephyr reaches the lowland areas of the California Central Valley, and then along the San Pablo Bay, with stops in Sacramento and Davis. It crosses the Benicia Bridge and has stops in Martinez and Richmond. Then, the trip ends in Emeryville, a suburb of Oakland.
The Legendary California Zephyr
Other trains may have been more luxurious and for the well-to-do but none could compare to what the California Zephyr offered in the way of friendly service and breathtaking scenery. Operated jointly by the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy (the Burlington Route), Denver & Rio Grande Western, and Western Pacific the train traveled through some of the most spectacular scenery in the country and it was not surprising that it continued to do well even when train travel by the 1960s and 1970s was waning with the public. The train would eventually be operated only by the Rio Grande (which was then renamed as the Rio Grande Zephyr) and after it relinquished the train to Amtrak in the 1980s it was not only retained but also returned to its original name and today the California Zephyr remains one of the most popular long distance trains in the country.
Other trains may have been more luxurious and for the well-to-do but none could compare to what the California Zephyr offered in the way of friendly service and breathtaking scenery. Operated jointly by the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy (the Burlington Route), Denver & Rio Grande Western, and Western Pacific the train traveled through some of the most spectacular scenery in the country and it was not surprising that it continued to do well even when train travel by the 1960s and 1970s was waning with the public. The train would eventually be operated only by the Rio Grande (which was then renamed as the Rio Grande Zephyr) and after it relinquished the train to Amtrak in the 1980s it was not only retained but also returned to its original name and today the California Zephyr remains one of the most popular long distance trains in the country.
Individually, the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy, Western Pacific, and Rio Grande could not offer a transcontinental streamlined passenger train such as other carries like the Santa Fe, Union Pacific, Southern Pacific, Great Northern, Northern Pacific, or even the Milwaukee Road. The Burlington offered the longest stretch of unbroken lines reach as far west as Denver. The railroad also offered important access to Chicago, which was key to the success of any long-distance passenger train. Still, without the beautiful topography afforded along the Rio Grande and Western Pacific in California and Colorado, their streamliner that became known the California Zephyr would also not have been nearly as successful.
While the California Zephyr was another product of the Burlington’s very successful fleet of Zephyr passenger trains the success of the California Zephyr could never happened without the partnership of the Rio Grande and Western Pacific, whose scenic lines through Colorado, Utah, and northern California was a big reason why the train was so cherished by passengers. After the initial success of the Burlington’s original Zephyr 9900 and its subsequent sister trains the railroad came to the WP and D&RGW with the idea of operating a Chicago-San Francisco train in direct competition to others already out there like the Union Pacific-Chicago & North Western (at the time, until the Milwaukee Road began carrying UP’s trains in 1955) City of San Francisco. In 1945 all three agreed on the new train dubbed the California Zephyr and while it did not begin operations until 1949 it quickly made up for any lost time. Officially, the three railroads debuted their new train on March 19, 1949 and it was immediately splashed by the railroads as "The most talked about train in America".
While the California Zephyr was another product of the Burlington’s very successful fleet of Zephyr passenger trains the success of the California Zephyr could never happened without the partnership of the Rio Grande and Western Pacific, whose scenic lines through Colorado, Utah, and northern California was a big reason why the train was so cherished by passengers. After the initial success of the Burlington’s original Zephyr 9900 and its subsequent sister trains the railroad came to the WP and D&RGW with the idea of operating a Chicago-San Francisco train in direct competition to others already out there like the Union Pacific-Chicago & North Western (at the time, until the Milwaukee Road began carrying UP’s trains in 1955) City of San Francisco. In 1945 all three agreed on the new train dubbed the California Zephyr and while it did not begin operations until 1949 it quickly made up for any lost time. Officially, the three railroads debuted their new train on March 19, 1949 and it was immediately splashed by the railroads as "The most talked about train in America".
What made the California Zephyr so successful was its uniqueness. While the train intended to get you to your destination in a timely fashion, it also was expressly marketed as a sightseeing journey and above all passengers were treated warmly no matter if you were just a vacationer or a well-known celebrity (although the “rich and famous” tended to take other trains like the Super Chief and City of Los Angeles. A big reason why the services on board became legendary was the California Zephyr’s “Zephyrettes,” whom were courtesy, friendly, and just plain nice young women that made a lasting impression on thousands of passengers.
As for the train’s other key attraction, the scenery; to allow for maximum sightseeing opportunities the owning railroads purchased an entire fleet of Vista-Dome cars. During the California Zephyr’s “Golden Years” between 1949 and 1970 each train was equipped with no less than five of these cars, very uncommon for even the most popular trains of the day. The California Zephyr's dome service typically included three coaches, a mid-train Pullman lounge, and a Pullman observation-lounge. What’s more, the train’s timetable was setup in such a way that it always traveled through the most scenic parts of the trip (west through Colorado) during the day so passengers didn’t miss a thing at night or while sleeping. According to the train's 1950 timetable it could complete a Chicago to San Francisco run in just over two days across the three different railroads.
The Chicago, Burlington & Quincy and Western Pacific carried the train for much of its journey while the Rio Grande was in charge of the train during perhaps the most scenic stretches through the Rockies between Denver and Salt Lake City. The downfall of the original California Zephyr is an interesting story. While passenger traffic remained incredibly high through the mid-1960s costs to operate the train were increasing so much that even with sustained high levels of demand during the end of the privately operated passenger train era it was becoming increasingly unprofitable to operate the California Zephyr by the late 1960s. No less than two times did the train’s original route attempt to be downsized, first by the WP in 1966 and then the Rio Grande in 1969.
As for the train’s other key attraction, the scenery; to allow for maximum sightseeing opportunities the owning railroads purchased an entire fleet of Vista-Dome cars. During the California Zephyr’s “Golden Years” between 1949 and 1970 each train was equipped with no less than five of these cars, very uncommon for even the most popular trains of the day. The California Zephyr's dome service typically included three coaches, a mid-train Pullman lounge, and a Pullman observation-lounge. What’s more, the train’s timetable was setup in such a way that it always traveled through the most scenic parts of the trip (west through Colorado) during the day so passengers didn’t miss a thing at night or while sleeping. According to the train's 1950 timetable it could complete a Chicago to San Francisco run in just over two days across the three different railroads.
The Chicago, Burlington & Quincy and Western Pacific carried the train for much of its journey while the Rio Grande was in charge of the train during perhaps the most scenic stretches through the Rockies between Denver and Salt Lake City. The downfall of the original California Zephyr is an interesting story. While passenger traffic remained incredibly high through the mid-1960s costs to operate the train were increasing so much that even with sustained high levels of demand during the end of the privately operated passenger train era it was becoming increasingly unprofitable to operate the California Zephyr by the late 1960s. No less than two times did the train’s original route attempt to be downsized, first by the WP in 1966 and then the Rio Grande in 1969.
Interestingly, the ICC would not allow either to do so on the basis of the train’s immense popularity. By 1970, however, that had all changed and both were granted permission to discontinue their portions of the train. On March 20th of that year the original California Zephyr left Chicago for the final time, at least under private ownership. After this, regional versions of the train continued to operate under the three railroads by different names with the most popular the Rio Grande’s Rio Grande Zephyr. Interestingly, while Amtrak had been set up in 1971 to operate all intercity passenger trains in the country, the Rio Grande would not relinquish control of its Rio Grande Zephyr until the early 1980s.
It was at this time in 1983 that Amtrak, due to California Zephyr’s popularity, decided to reinstate the train, operating virtually the same route as the original California Zephyr. While the reborn California Zephyr may no longer feature streamlined equipment, "Zephyrettes," classic diesel locomotives on the head-end, or Vista-Domes it remains a very popular and respected train under Amtrak thanks largely to the corridor it travels across the West.
It was at this time in 1983 that Amtrak, due to California Zephyr’s popularity, decided to reinstate the train, operating virtually the same route as the original California Zephyr. While the reborn California Zephyr may no longer feature streamlined equipment, "Zephyrettes," classic diesel locomotives on the head-end, or Vista-Domes it remains a very popular and respected train under Amtrak thanks largely to the corridor it travels across the West.