Pioneer Zephyr
Pioneer Zephyr Burlington Zephyr The Silver Streak (unofficial) | |
---|---|
Stock type | diesel-electric passenger one-directional trainset |
In service | 1934–1960 |
Manufacturer | Budd Company |
Constructed | 1934 |
Entered service | November 11, 1934 |
Number built | 1 trainset (3 cars) |
Formation | 1: cab/engine/storage 2: baggage/RPO/buffet/coach 3: coach/observation[1] |
Fleet numbers | 9900 |
Capacity | 72 passenger seats, 25 long tons (25 t; 28 short tons) of baggage[2] |
Operators | Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad |
Specifications | |
Car body construction | stainless steel |
Train length | 197 ft 2 in (60.10 m)[1] |
Car length | 74 ft 0.125 in (23 m) (power car) 57 ft 8 in (17.58 m) (intermediate car) 63 ft 6 in (19.35 m) (rear car)[3] |
Width | 9 ft 1.0625 in (277 cm) (body) 9 ft 10 in (300 cm) (handrails)[3] |
Height | 12 ft 1.1875 in (369 cm)[1] |
Wheel diameter | 36 in (910 mm) (drive wheels), 30 in (760 mm) (ride wheels)[4] |
Weight | 208,061 lb (94,375 kg)[1] |
Prime mover(s) | EMD 201A |
Engine type | diesel |
Cylinder count | 8 |
Cylinder size | 8 in (200 mm) bore, 10 in (250 mm) stroke[4] |
Traction motors | 2 |
Power output | 660 hp (490 kW)[4] |
AAR wheel arrangement | B-(2+2)-2 |
Wheels driven | 2 |
Bogies | 1 motor bogie,
2 non-motor Jacobs bogies, 1 non-motor bogie |
Seating | open coach (2+2), observation lounge |
Track gauge | 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) |
The Pioneer Zephyr is a
The trainset consists of one power/storage car, one baggage/
Its operating economy, speed, and public appeal demonstrated the potential for diesel-electric-powered trains to revitalize and restore profitability to passenger rail service that had suffered a catastrophic loss of business with the Great Depression. Originally named the Burlington Zephyr during its demonstration period, it became the Pioneer Zephyr as Burlington expanded its fleet of Zephyr trainsets.
On May 26, 1934, it set a
The train entered regular revenue service on November 11, 1934, between
Concept and construction
In the early 1930s, the Great Depression caused a catastrophic loss of business for American railroads. Passenger service had been losing ridership to automobile travel since the mid-1920s,[11] making faster, more efficient service imperative for railroads to compete. Railroads needed to lower operating costs of passenger service and boost ridership with a more modern image for the traveling public, to restore profitability to passenger service.[12]
One of the railroad presidents who faced this challenge was
Stainless steel provided many benefits over traditional wood and hardened steel for railroad carbodies; it was a lighter and stronger material, and its natural silver appearance and resistance to corrosion meant that it would not have to be painted to protect it from the weather. Since the carbody was much lighter than similar cars, it would be able to carry a higher revenue load for the same cost.[12][14]
In developing the Budd-Michelin railcars, the Budd Company used the formed steel technology in which they were industry pioneers and solved the most difficult problem in using stainless steel for railcar construction: developing a welding technique that would not compromise the strength and corrosion resistance of the stainless steel. On August 20, 1932,
The articulated design of some Budd-Michelin cars, with trucks shared between adjacent cars, presented another opportunity for weight saving with the new train.[19] On conventional passenger cars, each carbody rode upon a pair of trucks (pivot-mounted wheel-axle assembly), with one truck at each end. The articulation not only reduced the number of trucks under the train, but it also dispensed with the need for couplers between each of the carbodies, further reducing the train's weight. The concept was used by Budd engineer Walter B. Dean to build a train consisting of three semi-permanently attached cars.[20] However, this also meant that individual cars could not be removed from or added to the trainset easily, either to adjust to demand or to make repairs to an individual car without sidelining the entire train.[21]
Budd was familiar with the development of stationary diesel engines, and believed their superior reliability and fuel economy could be an asset for train transport as well. He brought his idea to the
The exterior design of the train was left to
Budd took the task of naming the train very seriously. He wanted a name that started with the letter Z because this train was intended to be the "last word" in passenger service; Budd and his coworkers looked up the last words in their dictionaries, but neither zymurgy nor zyzzle conveyed the meanings that Budd was looking for. While the word "zephyr" had seen previous use[A 1], Budd found his inspiration in The Canterbury Tales, which he had been reading. The story begins with pilgrims setting out on a journey, inspired by the budding springtime and by Zephyrus, the gentle and nurturing west wind. Budd thought that would be an excellent name for a sleek new traveling machine—Zephyr.[12][28][29]
The first Zephyr (9900) was completed by the Budd Company on April 9, 1934.[7][10]
The first car, which measured 71 feet 5 inches (21.77 m), contained the cab, engine compartment and a mail storage area. The train's engineer sat in a small compartment in the nose of the train, directly in front of the
-
Cab with controls in the power car
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The engine in the power car
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The RPO section in the power car
-
Seats in open coach
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Observation lounge in the rear car
Promotion: "Dawn-to-Dusk" dash
After its christening in Philadelphia, the train was taken on a three-week promotional tour of cities in the
The train made a "Dawn-to-Dusk" dash from Denver to Chicago on May 26, 1934, in a publicity stunt timed to coincide with the opening day of the second year of the
The train left Denver at 07:04
Riding the train were Ralph Budd, Edward G. Budd, Harold L. Hamilton, president of the
The train continued east from Halsted Station to the 1934
Revenue service and additional Zephyr trains
Even before the Burlington Route's new trainsets could be built, east coast railroads Boston and Maine Railroad and Maine Central Railroad ordered a nearly identical copy of the Pioneer Zephyr from Budd and GM, which began service between Boston and Bangor, Maine, in February 1935 as the Flying Yankee.[48] Budd and GM delivered the first additional Zephyrs, identical trainsets 9901 and 9902, in time for an April 1935 debut as the Twin Zephyrs, operating between Chicago and Minneapolis - Saint Paul.[19] In all, the Burlington Route ordered eight additional Zephyrs, gradually departing from the semi-permanently coupled design of the Pioneer Zephyr towards regularly coupled cars that could easily be interchanged.[49]
The Winton two-stroke diesel engines used in the Zephyr power units and early
The Zephyr's power (leading) car was numbered 9900, the baggage-coach
On the second anniversary of the train's famous dash, the original Burlington Zephyr was rechristened the Pioneer Zephyr to distinguish it as the first of the Burlington's growing Zephyr fleet. In 1938, car 525 was replaced by car number 500, a 40-seat buffet/lounge car, to provide light meals. Car number 505, the baggage-coach
In 1939 the Pioneer Zephyr was involved in a head-on collision with a freight train that completely destroyed the cab. Five mail clerks were injured and the engineer was killed, and the accident drove home the advantages for crew safety of the elevated, behind-the-nose cab design of the contemporary EMC E-series locomotives. The train was rebuilt and re-entered revenue service soon afterward.[52][8]
Ralph Budd and the Burlington capitalized on the Zephyr's success. Many of the Burlington's
In 1948 and 1949, the Pioneer Zephyr was temporarily removed from service to participate in the
The California Zephyr made its last runs as a full service between California and Chicago in 1970 following the Western Pacific Railroad's withdrawal, with the Rio Grande and Burlington Route successor Burlington Northern Railroad designating successor trains for their portions of the route under the names Rio Grande Zephyr and California Zephyr Service respectively. Government-formed Amtrak took over most passenger rail services in 1971, and finally succeeded in reviving the full California Zephyr in 1983.[55]
Zephyr as cultural phenomenon
"Silver Streak" film
Press publicity had apparently first coined the term "Silver Streak". The Pioneer Zephyr's famous Denver-Chicago dash served as the inspiration for the 1934 film
Zephyr tributes in advertising, commercial products, and sports
With Zephyr-mania sweeping the country, tributes turned up in the names of everything from sports teams to commercial products. In 1934, Father Becker, principal of the
Legacy
Influence on future trains
While a revolutionary design, the Pioneer Zephyr was not the first streamliner—that title went to the M-10000 of the Union Pacific Railroad, which made its first trip in February 1934.[57] However, the Pioneer Zephyr had several key differences, including the use of a diesel powerplant and stainless steel construction, in contrast to the M-10000's gasoline powerplant and aluminum construction. These two design decisions had a profound influence on future streamliners and other passenger trains, which had more in common with the Zephyr than the M-10000.[58] The streamlined Hiawathas launched by the Milwaukee Road in 1935 were a direct response to (and directly competed with) the Burlington Route's Zephyrs.[59]
Later years
On May 26, 1960, the 26th anniversary of the "Dawn-to-Dusk" dash, the original Pioneer Zephyr train (car numbers 9900, 505 and 570) was donated to Chicago's
MSI displayed the Pioneer Zephyr outdoors, with no protection from the weather, until 1994. At that time, the steam locomotive that shared the display space with the Zephyr,
MSI dug a pit in front of the building and built a new display area for the Zephyr, where it could be displayed year-round. In 1998, after the train received a cosmetic restoration by Northern Rail Car in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the pit was finally ready to receive the train. The Pioneer Zephyr train is now on display at MSI just outside the main entrance from the museum's underground parking area, where it is one of the more popular exhibits.[62] In November 2019, MSI temporarily closed the exhibit to add new interactive elements and an expanded experience.[63] The exhibit re-opened to the public in March 2021.[64]
Other Zephyr trains
In addition to the Pioneer Zephyr, several other legacies remain. An operable
Also utilizing the name, the Minnesota Zephyr was a dinner train located in the historic city of Stillwater, Minnesota, although it was not directly associated with the historic Burlington Zephyr fleet.[67][68]
Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom in Allentown, Pennsylvania, has a miniature replica train ride called Zephyr which was built in 1935 and helped the park survive the Great Depression.[69]
Models
Due to the Zephyr's place in American railroad history, many model railroaders have built their own versions of the Pioneer Zephyr in miniature. Several model manufacturers are now producing commercial ready-to-run models or kits of the train for modelers to build. This list is ordered by the manufacturer's release date:
- Challenger Imports imported limited production ready-to-run brass models in HO scale (1:87) of the four-car Pioneer Zephyr, Mark Twain Zephyr and the Boston and Maine Railroad's Maine Cheshire and Maine Minuteman in 1993.[71]
- Fine N-Scale Products released a kit in 1996 in N scale (1:160) that includes an option for car number 500.[72]
- Con-Cor made limited-run models available in both HO scale and N scale that were released in 2005, and then again in 2012.[73]
- River Raisin Models released a ready-to-run model in S scale (1:64) of both the Pioneer Zephyr (in three- and four-car configurations) and the similar Flying Yankee, in 2005.[74]
- MTH Electric Trains released a limited production ready-to-run model of the three-car Pioneer Zephyr in O scale in 2005.[75]
See also
- "Fliegender Hamburger" ("Flying Hamburger")—a German diesel trainset that entered service in 1933, regularly achieving speeds of up to 100 mph (160 km/h).
- ETR 200—Italian high-speed electric train.
- High-speed rail
Notes
- ^ for instance, Shakespeare used the word in his 1611 play Cymbeline.[27]
- ^ a b c d Byron 2005, p. 23.
- ^ Byron 2005, pp. 23, 29.
- ^ a b Wegman 2008, p. 46, 47.
- ^ a b c d Byron 2005, p. 26.
- ISBN 0-7603-0377-0. Archived from the originalon October 19, 2021..
- ^ a b c d e "Pioneer Zephyr - A Legendary History". excerpts from the New York Times. Chicago Museum of Science and Industry. May 27, 1934. Archived from the original on February 8, 2005. Retrieved February 24, 2005.
- ^ a b c d e Gordon-Gilmore, Randy (2002). "Pioneer Zephyr". ProtoTrains. Archived from the original on March 7, 2005. Retrieved February 24, 2005.
- ^ a b Johnston, Welsh & Schafer 2001, p. 15.
- ^ a b Zimmermann 2004, p. 16.
- ^ a b Zimmermann 2004, p. 26.
- ^ Byron 2005, p. 6.
- ^ a b c "American Experience / Streamliners / People & Events / Ralph Budd". PBS Online / WGBH. 2000. Archived from the original on March 9, 2005. Retrieved February 22, 2005.
- ^ a b Byron 2005, p. 10.
- ^ a b c d "The Burlington Zephyr stainless steel train". Advanced Materials & Processes. American Society for Materials. June 2009. Archived from the original on December 20, 2016. Retrieved June 29, 2016.
- ^ US patent 1944106, Earl J. W. Ragsdale, "Method and product of electric welding", issued 1934-01-15, assigned to Edward G. Budd Manufacturing Company
- ^ Byron 2005, p. 9.
- ^ Zimmermann 2004, p. 19.
- ^ "Pioneer without Profit". Fortune. February 1937. p. 130.
- ^ a b c d Johnston, Welsh & Schafer 2001, p. 20.
- ^ Zimmermann 2004, p. 25.
- ^ Schafer & Welsh 2002, p. 19.
- ^ Schafer & Welsh 2002, p. 12.
- ^ a b c d Johnston, Welsh & Schafer 2001, p. 16.
- ^ Zimmermann 2004, p. 24.
- ^ US patent 2256493, Earl J. W. Ragsdale & Albert G. and Walter P. Dean, "Rail car front end construction", issued 1941-09-23, assigned to Budd Manufacturing Company
- ^ US patent 2256494, Earl J. W. Ragsdale & Albert G. Dean, "Rail car front end construction", issued 1941-09-23, assigned to Budd Manufacturing Company
- ^ "Definition of ZEPHYR".
- ^ Kisor 1994, p. 16.
- ^ Zimmermann 2004, p. 29.
- ^ All specs from Byron 2005, p. 23
- ^ Zimmermann 2004, p. 32.
- ^ a b c d e Byron 2005, p. 39.
- ^ "The Burlington Zephyr: First Look, April 1934". Archived from the original on February 29, 2020. Retrieved June 1, 2019 – via www.youtube.com.
- ^ Howden, Norman (April 30, 1934). "50,000 Jam Station to See Newest Marvel of the Rails". Democrat and Chronicle. Rochester, New York. p. 13 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Crowd of Nearly 20,000 on Hand at Union Station To See New Burlington "Zephyr" Streamline Train". The Dayton Herald. Dayton, Ohio. May 7, 1934. p. 17 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Burlington's Zephyr, Latest in Trains, Draws Many Visitors on Stay Here". The Indianapolis Star. Indianapolis, Indiana. May 10, 1934. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Burlington "Zephyr" Here for Exhibition". The Hastings Democrat. Hastings, Nebraska. May 24, 1934. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Byron 2005, p. 53.
- ^ Byron 2005, p. 52.
- ^ Zimmermann 2004, p. 37.
- ^ Byron 2005, p. 36.
- ^ "Pioneer Zephyr, a legendary history - The Dawn To Dusk Club". Chicago Museum of Science and Industry. 2002. Archived from the original on February 9, 2005. Retrieved March 1, 2005.
- ^ Byron 2005, p. 44.
- ^ Byron 2005, p. 48.
- ^ a b c Zimmermann 2004, p. 40.
- ^ Byron 2005, pp. 48–49.
- ^ "Train scoots 71 miles hour". Star Tribune. Minneapolis, Minnesota. July 31, 1934. p. 5 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b Johnston, Welsh & Schafer 2001, pp. 28–29.
- ^ Schafer & Welsh 2002, pp. 17–19.
- ^ Kettering, E.W. (November 29, 1951). History and Development of the 567 Series General Motors Locomotive Engine. ASME 1951 Annual Meeting. Atlantic City, New Jersey: Electro-Motive Division, General Motors Corporation. Archived from the original on May 8, 2020. Retrieved November 17, 2019.
- ^ Zimmermann 2004, p. 43.
- ^ Green Bay Press-Gazette; Wed, Oct 4, 1939; Page 9
- ^ Chicago Railroad Fair Official Guide Book. 1949.
- ^ Byron 2005, p. 62.
- ^ Schafer & Welsh 2002, pp. 69–70.
- ^ "Northwest Airlines timetable, 1939". timetableimages.com. Archived from the original on December 5, 2019. Retrieved June 10, 2019.
- ^ Johnston, Welsh & Schafer 2001, p. 11.
- ^ Johnston, Welsh & Schafer 2001, pp. 15–16.
- ^ Johnston, Welsh & Schafer 2001, pp. 38–39.
- ^ Lotz, David (Spring 2002). "History of the Mark Twain Zephyr". Rail Merchants International. Archived from the original on March 6, 2005. Retrieved February 27, 2005.
- ^ "'Mark Twain Zephyr' to run again". Archived from the original on October 19, 2021. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
- ^ a b "The Pioneer Zephyr comes home". Trackside. Archived from the original on February 22, 2005. Retrieved February 25, 2005.
- ^ "All Aboard the Pioneer Zephyr - Museum of Science and Industry". November 19, 2019. Archived from the original on November 19, 2019. Retrieved November 19, 2019.
- Museum of Science & Industry. Archivedfrom the original on July 18, 2021. Retrieved July 17, 2021.
- ^ "History of the IRM: Collections". Illinois Railway Museum. November 25, 2005. Archived from the original on April 29, 1998. Retrieved May 24, 2007.
- ^ "History of the IRM: Restoration". Illinois Railway Museum. November 25, 2005. Archived from the original on April 29, 1998. Retrieved May 24, 2007.
- ^ Dougherty, Mike (December 30, 2001). "Zephyr relives days of stylish travel". St. Cloud Times. Saint Cloud, MN. p. 22 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Molene, John (May 9, 2003). "Zephyr is more than just a train". St. Cloud Times. Saint Cloud, MN. p. 15 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom (2006). "Rides: Zephyr". Cedar Fair Entertainment Company. Archived from the original on June 18, 2006. Retrieved June 15, 2006.
- ^ American Flyer Trains consumer catalogs 1934 - 1938
- ^ "Shovelnoses". BPL Brassworks. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved July 13, 2007.
- ^ "Burlington Zephyr". Fine N-Scale Products. 2002. Archived from the original on August 13, 2007. Retrieved July 13, 2007.
- ^ ""HO" and "N" Scale Con-Cor 1934 Pioneer Zephyr". Con-Cor. 2007. Archived from the original on June 21, 2007. Retrieved July 13, 2007.
- ^ "Budd "Shovelnose" Trainsets Delivered!". River Raisin Models. 2007. Archived from the original on May 15, 2007. Retrieved July 13, 2007.
- ^ "Pioneer Zephyr Diesel Passenger Set w/Proto-Soundr 2.0". MTH Electric Trains. Archived from the original on July 9, 2007. Retrieved July 13, 2007.
References
- American Society of Mechanical Engineers (November 18, 1980). "The Pioneer Zephyr" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on February 27, 2012. Retrieved February 24, 2005.
- Byron, Carl R. (2005). The Pioneer Zephyr: America's First Diesel-Electric Stainless Steel Streamliner. Forest Park, IL: Heimberger House Publishing Company. ISBN 0-911581-58-8.
- Johnston, Bob; Welsh, Joe; Schafer, Mike (2001). The Art of the Streamliner. New York: Metro Books. ISBN 978-1-58663-146-8.
- Kisor, Henry (1994). Zephyr: Tracking a Dream Across America. Holbrook, Massachusetts: ISBN 1-55850-477-X.
- Schafer, Mike; Welsh, Joe (2002). Streamliners: history of a railroad icon. Motorbooks classics (1. publ ed.). St. Paul, Min: Voyageur Press. ISBN 978-0-7603-1371-8.
- "Trains Timeline". Trains. February 2005. p. 9.
- Wayner, Robert J., ed. (1972). Car Names, Numbers and Consists. New York: Wayner Publications. OCLC 8848690.
- Zimmermann, Karl (2004). Burlington's Zephyrs. Saint Paul, Minnesota: ISBN 978-0-7603-1856-0.
- Wegman, Mark (2008). American Passenger Trains and Locomotives Illustrated. Minneapolis, MN: Voyageur Press. pp. 44–52. ISBN 978-0-7603-3475-1.
Further reading
- Morgan, David P. (1963). Diesels West. Evolution of power on the Burlington. Milwaukee, Wisconsin: OCLC 2671997.
- Chronicle of the rise of diesel power on the Burlington with specific emphasis on the Pioneer Zephyr, its record-setting run, and its descendants.
- "The Burlington Zephyr". OCLC 49957965.
- Reisdorff, James J.; Bartels, Michael M. (2021). The Pioneer Zephyr: Silver Streak Across Nebraska. David City, Nebraska: South Platte Press. p. 150. ISBN 978-1-7340266-6-5.
External links
- All Aboard the Silver Streak: Pioneer Zephyr, image and exhibit of the Pioneer Zephyr at the Chicago Museum of Science & Industry
- Zephyr Patents—PDFreproductions of the patents developed for construction of the Pioneer Zephyr.
- [1]—Home of many more Burlington artifacts, including the Nebraska Zephyr trainset.
- "New Streamline Train Has Hit 125-Mile Speed", Popular Science, July 1934