# Nebraska Zephyr excursion Chicago-Quincy



## Trogdor (Aug 23, 2012)

http://www.irm.org/events/zephyrexcursion.html



> The Illinois Railway Museum, in cooperation with Amtrak and BNSF Railway, will operate the Nebraska Zephyr, powered by CB&Q 9911A "Silver Pilot", on an excursion between Chicago and Quincy, Illinois on September 22nd and 23rd.
> On each day, the Nebraska Zephyr will depart Chicago Union Station at 9:00AM and travel on BNSF's Mendota subdivision 162 miles to Galesburg, Illinois, arriving at 11:40AM. The Zephyr will depart Galesburg at 12:00PM for another 96 miles to Quincy, Illinois, turn on the wye at West Quincy and arrive back at Galesburg at 4:00PM. The Zephyr will then depart Galesburg at 4:20PM and arrive back at Chicago Union Station at 7:00PM, a total round trip of over 500 miles.


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## Swadian Hardcore (Aug 28, 2012)

It's interesting that this excursion does not even touch Nebraska. It would be so cool if they ran it all the way to LNK!


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## jphjaxfl (Aug 30, 2012)

I rode this trainset and its counterpart several times from Galesburg to Omaha and back in early to mid 1950s. They had been completely refurbished from the Twin Cities Zephyr to the Nebraska Zephyr and were beautiful trains. I had my first Dining Car meal on the Nebraska Zephyr when I was 4in years old. The first call for dinner was always at Cresting, Ia. The Burlington Zephyrs were my favorite trains after that. Oh what memories!


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## Swadian Hardcore (Sep 2, 2012)

jphjaxfl said:


> I rode this trainset and its counterpart several times from Galesburg to Omaha and back in early to mid 1950s. They had been completely refurbished from the Twin Cities Zephyr to the Nebraska Zephyr and were beautiful trains. I had my first Dining Car meal on the Nebraska Zephyr when I was 4in years old. The first call for dinner was always at Cresting, Ia. The Burlington Zephyrs were my favorite trains after that. Oh what memories!


Was there actually a train called the Burlington Zephyr? Never heard of it before. I thought the Zephyrs were a series of CB&Q trains that started with the Pioneer Zephyr.

Oh, yeah, about the dinner call, do you mean Cresting or Creston? It would be great to have diners on day trains today, especially the Palmetto. Too much losses, though.


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## Anderson (Sep 12, 2012)

Swadian Hardcore said:


> jphjaxfl said:
> 
> 
> > I rode this trainset and its counterpart several times from Galesburg to Omaha and back in early to mid 1950s. They had been completely refurbished from the Twin Cities Zephyr to the Nebraska Zephyr and were beautiful trains. I had my first Dining Car meal on the Nebraska Zephyr when I was 4in years old. The first call for dinner was always at Cresting, Ia. The Burlington Zephyrs were my favorite trains after that. Oh what memories!
> ...



IIRC, the "Burlington Zephyrs" were a collective name for the CB&Q's Zephyr franchise (much like the Rock Island operated the Rockets).


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## jphjaxfl (Sep 13, 2012)

There were 16 Burlington Zephyrs as follows : California, Denver, Nebraska, .Aksarben, American Royal, Kansas City, Morning Twin Cities, Afternoon Twin Cities, Mark Twain, General Pershing, Ozark State, Silver Streak, Pioneer, Texas, Sam Houston and The ZephyrRocket. Nearly every Zephyr was designed for a particular route and train. The cars were stainless steel built by The Budd Company. They were built to last. Many of the early zephyr cars from the late 1930s were used until Amtrak. After Amtrak, BN stored the ones Amtrak didn't buy (mostly pre WWII ) on the tracks of the St Paul Union Depot. It was very easy to go through them as there were no guards. Somewhere in some old albums, I have pictures. I think the Zephyrs, most all with their own tear drop observation car were the best fleet of rail passenger cars ever built!


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## E Runs (Sep 22, 2012)

Was anyone out there along the racetrack today to watch her go by? If so where were you and approx what time did she arrive?


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## Guest (Sep 22, 2012)

Saw her this morning about 9:30 coming through Lisle


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## MrFSS (Sep 23, 2012)

E Runs said:


> Was anyone out there along the racetrack today to watch her go by? If so where were you and approx what time did she arrive?


For some pictures, see this *LINK*.


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## E Runs (Sep 23, 2012)

MrFSS said:


> E Runs said:
> 
> 
> > Was anyone out there along the racetrack today to watch her go by? If so where were you and approx what time did she arrive?
> ...


Thanks, though I'm a tad confused as to why there was a UP and not BNSf pilot.


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## railiner (Sep 23, 2012)

MrFSS said:


> E Runs said:
> 
> 
> > Was anyone out there along the racetrack today to watch her go by? If so where were you and approx what time did she arrive?
> ...


Great to see the NZ "burning up" her home rails at Hinsdale....the god Zephyrus must be smiling..... 

Thanks for the link!


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## railiner (Sep 23, 2012)

E Runs said:


> MrFSS said:
> 
> 
> > E Runs said:
> ...


The caption stated location was Elmhurst...believe that is on UP/former C&NW rails. Must have used that to get from museum to CHI....


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