Twin Cities Zephyr
Encyclopedia
The Twin Cities Zephyr was a streamlined
passenger train service of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad
(CB&Q). It was the second Zephyr service introduced by CB&Q following the record-setting Denver
–Chicago
"dawn to dusk dash" of the Pioneer Zephyr
trainset. Since the service was inaugurated with an identical pair of diesel powered trains that ran in opposite directions, it was sometimes called the Twin Zephyrs. The service was discontinued in 1971 with the inauguration of Amtrak
.
The train primarily competed with the Chicago and North Western
's Twin Cities 400
which ceased operation in 1963, and the Milwaukee Road's Twin Cities Hiawatha
which continued as an Amtrak service until 1978.
The second pair of Twin Cities Zephyrs entered service on December 18, 1936, so the CB&Q operated the two pairs as the Morning Zephyr and the Afternoon Zephyr. For the first run, the two trainsets built for the service departed Chicago
simultaneously on parallel tracks with several pairs of twin
s as a publicity stunt.
The Twin Cities Zephyr served the Midwest in 36 years, a long lifetime for the 1930s high-speed trains
. Their last service occurred in 1971 when Amtrak
took over the majority of intercity passenger train service in the United States.
According to railroad house organ magazines, The Twin Cities Zephyrs for many years ran the highest average speeds in the United States between Chicago and Minneapolis-St. Paul, eased by the gradual grades along the Mississippi River. The trains ran a six-hour schedule over 427 miles (687.2 km), for an overall average of 71 miles per hour (31.7 m/s)—as fast as today's Acela Express
. It is believed that for several years a stretch in the middle of the route centered at Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin
had the highest scheduled speeds in the world, requiring an average of 84.4 mph (37.7 m/s) from Prairie du Chien north to La Crosse
, and the stretch from Prairie du Chien south to East Dubuque, Illinois
required an average of 84 mph (37.6 m/s).
) delivered in April 1935 quickly proved too small to cope with passenger loads, and a second pair of 6 car trains (soon expanded to 7 cars) were delivered in November 1936. Motive power for the second pair of trains was originally shovelnose diesel locomotive
s 9904 Pegasus, & 9905 Zephyrus. After a 3rd pair of trains were delivered, the second pair of trains was reassigned as the Nebraska Zephyr
s. The 3rd set of typically 7 cars, delivered in 1947, was the first dome streamliner train, after a company built modified coach dome car was tested starting in 1945. The 1947 set originally consisted of a baggage-refreshment car, 4 vista dome coaches, a dining car and a dome parlor observation car. It served as a prototype of the 1949 California Zephyr
which also had sleeping cars.
Streamliner
A streamliner is a vehicle incorporating streamlining in a shape providing reduced air resistance. The term is applied to high-speed railway trainsets of the 1930s to 1950s, and to their successor "bullet trains". Less commonly, the term is applied to fully faired recumbent bicycles...
passenger train service of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad
The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad was a railroad that operated in the Midwestern United States. Commonly referred to as the Burlington or as the Q, the Burlington Route served a large area, including extensive trackage in the states of Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri,...
(CB&Q). It was the second Zephyr service introduced by CB&Q following the record-setting Denver
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
–Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
"dawn to dusk dash" of the Pioneer Zephyr
Pioneer Zephyr
The Pioneer Zephyr is a diesel-powered railroad train formed of railroad cars permanently articulated together with Jacobs bogies, built by the Budd Company in 1934 for the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad , commonly known as the Burlington...
trainset. Since the service was inaugurated with an identical pair of diesel powered trains that ran in opposite directions, it was sometimes called the Twin Zephyrs. The service was discontinued in 1971 with the inauguration of Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
.
The train primarily competed with the Chicago and North Western
Chicago and North Western Railway
The Chicago and North Western Transportation Company was a Class I railroad in the Midwest United States. It was also known as the North Western. The railroad operated more than of track as of the turn of the 20th century, and over of track in seven states before retrenchment in the late 1970s...
's Twin Cities 400
Twin Cities 400
The 400 was a named passenger train operated by the Chicago and North Western Railway between Chicago and Saint Paul, with a final stop in Minneapolis...
which ceased operation in 1963, and the Milwaukee Road's Twin Cities Hiawatha
Twin Cities Hiawatha
The Twin Cities Hiawatha was a named passenger train operated by the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad , and traveled from Chicago to the Twin Cities in Minnesota. The original train takes its name from the epic poem The Song of Hiawatha by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow...
which continued as an Amtrak service until 1978.
History
The first 2 trainsets (numbered 9901, 9902) of 3 cars each were delivered in April 1935, but quickly proved to lack sufficient passenger capacity to meet demand. A second pair of 6 car trains with matching locomotives were ordered as replacements.The second pair of Twin Cities Zephyrs entered service on December 18, 1936, so the CB&Q operated the two pairs as the Morning Zephyr and the Afternoon Zephyr. For the first run, the two trainsets built for the service departed Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
simultaneously on parallel tracks with several pairs of twin
Twin
A twin is one of two offspring produced in the same pregnancy. Twins can either be monozygotic , meaning that they develop from one zygote that splits and forms two embryos, or dizygotic because they develop from two separate eggs that are fertilized by two separate sperm.In contrast, a fetus...
s as a publicity stunt.
The Twin Cities Zephyr served the Midwest in 36 years, a long lifetime for the 1930s high-speed trains
High-speed rail
High-speed rail is a type of passenger rail transport that operates significantly faster than the normal speed of rail traffic. Specific definitions by the European Union include for upgraded track and or faster for new track, whilst in the United States, the U.S...
. Their last service occurred in 1971 when Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
took over the majority of intercity passenger train service in the United States.
According to railroad house organ magazines, The Twin Cities Zephyrs for many years ran the highest average speeds in the United States between Chicago and Minneapolis-St. Paul, eased by the gradual grades along the Mississippi River. The trains ran a six-hour schedule over 427 miles (687.2 km), for an overall average of 71 miles per hour (31.7 m/s)—as fast as today's Acela Express
Acela Express
The Acela Express is Amtrak's high-speed rail service along the Northeast Corridor in the Northeast United States between Washington, D.C., and Boston via Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York...
. It is believed that for several years a stretch in the middle of the route centered at Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin
Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin
Prairie du Chien is a city in and the county seat of Crawford County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 5,911 at the 2010 census. Its Zip Code is 53821....
had the highest scheduled speeds in the world, requiring an average of 84.4 mph (37.7 m/s) from Prairie du Chien north to La Crosse
La Crosse, Wisconsin
La Crosse is a city in and the county seat of La Crosse County, Wisconsin, United States. The city lies alongside the Mississippi River.The 2011 Census Bureau estimates the city had a population of 52,485...
, and the stretch from Prairie du Chien south to East Dubuque, Illinois
East Dubuque, Illinois
East Dubuque is a city in Jo Daviess County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,704 at the 2010 census, down from 1,995 at the 2000 census. East Dubuque is located alongside the Mississippi River. Across the river is the city of Dubuque, Iowa. About three miles north of the city is the...
required an average of 84 mph (37.6 m/s).
Equipment used
The first pair of 3-car Twin Zephyr trainsets (very similar to the original Pioneer ZephyrPioneer Zephyr
The Pioneer Zephyr is a diesel-powered railroad train formed of railroad cars permanently articulated together with Jacobs bogies, built by the Budd Company in 1934 for the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad , commonly known as the Burlington...
) delivered in April 1935 quickly proved too small to cope with passenger loads, and a second pair of 6 car trains (soon expanded to 7 cars) were delivered in November 1936. Motive power for the second pair of trains was originally shovelnose diesel locomotive
Diesel locomotive
A diesel locomotive is a type of railroad locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engine, a reciprocating engine operating on the Diesel cycle as invented by Dr. Rudolf Diesel...
s 9904 Pegasus, & 9905 Zephyrus. After a 3rd pair of trains were delivered, the second pair of trains was reassigned as the Nebraska Zephyr
Nebraska Zephyr
The Nebraska Zephyr was a named passenger train of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad ....
s. The 3rd set of typically 7 cars, delivered in 1947, was the first dome streamliner train, after a company built modified coach dome car was tested starting in 1945. The 1947 set originally consisted of a baggage-refreshment car, 4 vista dome coaches, a dining car and a dome parlor observation car. It served as a prototype of the 1949 California Zephyr
California Zephyr
The California Zephyr is a long passenger train route operated by Amtrak in the midwestern and western United States.It runs from Chicago, Illinois, in the east to Emeryville, California, in the west, passing through the states of Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, and California...
which also had sleeping cars.