Four California Zephyrs cars, the Silver Rapids, Silver Lariat, Silver Solarium, and Silver Peak were sold to the Cuyahoga Scenic Valley train. They have been a favorite catch in New Mexico and we will miss them. Here are several clips of them passing through Seattle on the Snow Train, in Bernalillo, NM, and finally their last run in Lamy, New Mexico. The railroad shared details about its new cars:• Silver Lariat was built in 1948 by the Budd Co. for the Burlington Route as a dome coach for service on the California Zephyr. A large dining and lounge area seats 42 passengers (36 at tables) and is equipped with a full bar with a freezer capable of storing 200 pounds of ice. From this room, passengers can access the vista dome above, which provides panoramic views and seating for an additional 24 passengers at tables. A unique feature of this train car is The Pony Express, a restored original mural by Mary Louise Lawser that was commissioned by the Burlington Railroad when the car was built. Silver Lariat also features restrooms; a full commercial kitchen with two ranges and two half-size convection ovens; registered monogrammed china service; original white damask California Zephyr table linens; and a full sound system with CD, iPod, and PA.• Silver Solarium was built in 1948 by the Budd Co. for the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad. It was one of the six dome-sleeper-observation cars specifically built for the California Zephyr. Ownership of the car was transferred to Amtrak in 1970 after more than 20 years of service between Chicago and San Francisco, and Amtrak retired the car in 1980. Silver Solarium was placed in storage for decades and fell into disrepair until Amtrak sold it to a private owner. Today, Silver Solarium has been fully renovated and has been operating as a private car, delighting passengers with stunning views from its vista dome and observation lounge. The car also features three double bedrooms with enclosed toilets, sinks, and showers that sleep up to 11 guests, a drawing room, and a stateroom. The observation lounge seats 11 in classic railroad lounge chairs upholstered in frieze fabric, and the vista dome car seats 24 in booth seating at tables. The Silver Solarium also features a full commercial kitchen with a range that includes a half-size convection oven, an original bar with a carved linoleum façade, and a sound system with CD and iPod.• Silver Peak was built in 1940 by the Budd Co. for Burlington Route and assigned to the Denver‐Ft. Worth Texas Zephyr. Originally built as a coach-dormitory-baggage car, the coach area was used as the Jim Crow section of the train. When the Jim Crow laws were found to be unconstitutional, it was converted to a full baggage car. The car is equipped with a great deal of storage space; a workshop section that features an 8‐foot work bench with a drill press, bench grinder, band‐type cutoff saw, table saw, and a variety of power and hand tools; and a commercial refrigerator and chest freezer.• Silver Rapids was built in 1948 by the Budd Co. and served as a transcontinental sleeper car that provided coast to coast transportation for almost 20 years. The car was removed from the California Zephyr service in the 1960s when most transcontinental sleepers were discontinued, and changed ownership from the Pennsylvania Railroad to Amtrak, which retired it in the early 1980s and sold the car to a private owner. After extensive restoration work that included interior and mechanical upgrades, Silver Rapids is now one of the most versatile sleeper cars in service. The car features eight one‐person roomettes, each with a small sofa, folding wash basin, a vanity and large mirror, and a bed that folds out of the wall. Further down the hall are six double bedrooms, each of which sleeps two (one in an upper berth and one in a lower berth), has its own enclosed restroom with folding sink and outlet, and is equipped with either a long sofa or a short sofa and folding chair for relaxing throughout the day. The six double bedrooms can also open up to form three suites that sleep up to four guests each. Other features include a general public toilet and large shower in the main area and a small galley style kitchen.
What is Cuyahoga Valley's intentions with the sleepers? Their railroad is not that long.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
Saw those cars today at Metra's 47th Street Yard in Chicago.
BaltACD What is Cuyahoga Valley's intentions with the sleepers? Their railroad is not that long.
At first I was tempted to quip that CVSR trains don't go very fast, but after thinking about it, sleepers on the CVSR could be something their Marketing people might want to explore. After all, people pay money now to sleep in cabooses that don't move.
When I first learned that this year's Steam in the Valley with NKP 765 would feature four dome cars I nearly fell off my chair. What a great thing for the CVSR to have. At the same time, Yard Limit, I feel your pain. What a loss for you folks Out West, the place these cars were built for. Imagine if NKP 765 were lost to us in the Midwest and in the future would be running in the San Joaquin valley. Clevelanders a couple of years ago suffered a similar loss when a stunning collection of streetcars and interurbans that had been at Trolleyville USA was broken up and sold off, although happily many of the interurbans were being returned to their home territory.
I think when the value of these new cars is more widely known they will significantly add to the already fine experience of the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad, who will also take good care of them.
Thanks also to Yard Limit for including such good notes for each car.
But I'd like to know: 1. What did these cars cost to buy and transport to their new home, and 2. Where did the money come from?
Sleeper ? One way would be to sell a night in sleeper and attach it to excursion next day ? Or could be other way around ?
Question. I stopped living in the Akron-Cleveland area in 1972. At that time there was a 'business' about 10-12 mile North of Akron on Ohio State Route 8 (the highway at that time was 2 lanes in each direction - not divided) that had a number of PRR lightweight passenger cars on the property and visible from the highway. Anyone know what became of that operation?
The initial posting has one small error. It was sold by Penn Central to Amtrak, not by the Pennsylvania.
I rode it NY - Detroit on PC on occasion. (The steel-fleet train 27, 28, that replaced all NYCentral east-west name trains) Having ridden the CZ twice while it lasted, it was a great bit of nostalgia for me.
https://www.cvsr.com/news/
https://www.cvsr.com/cuyahoga-valley-scenic-railroad-powers-ahead-with-campaign/
"The Zephyr railcars, which currently are located in Los Angeles, will be transported via Amtrak and arrive in Cuyahoga Valley in mid-September. The public’s first opportunity to ride these historic railcars will be at Steam in the Valley, where they will be pulled by the Nickel Plate Road steam locomotive no. 765. The Zephyr cars will remain on the train being pulled by the 765 for the duration of the Steam in the Valley event (September 21, 22, 23, 28, 29 & 30). They will then be used for CVSR’s excursions and special events.
In addition to the acquired Zephyr cars, this first-ever campaign includes:
Trains, trains, wonderful trains. The more you get, the more you toot!
BaltACDAnyone know what became of that operation?
My dad used to take me there as a kid. That was Mack Lowry's "Railways of America" or words to that effect. He opened the museum around 1962.
When Route 8 was widened into 4 lane divided highway the cars had to go, along with his huge O scale layout.
RR_Postcards_0018 by Edmund, on Flickr
RR_Postcards_0017 by Edmund, on Flickr
The Pennsy cars were moved a few miles south to the old Quaker Oats silos in downtown Akron, which were being converted into Hilton Hotel rooms. The cars were incorporated (gutted) into a restaurant and one, IIRC, had a G scale LGB layout in it.
When the shopping center fell through, maybe in the late '90s, some of the cars were scrapped on-site. I believe one PRR Z-74, 7506 was "rescued" and is now sitting in Cleveland at the Midwest's W. 3rd. Roundhouse.
PRR 1135 buffet loungePRR 1157 - 1158 loung carsBurlington 1548 0-6-0 BLW 1912 later Midland Electric Coal CompanyPRR 7003 parlor-lounge MATCHLESSPRR 7150 parlor observation formerly sleeper-buffet-lounge-obs SKYLINE VIEW blt 1938PRR 7506 observation carPRR 8115 sleeper-buffet-loung-obs METROPOLITAN VIEWPRR 8573 sleeper lounge MARSH RUNHenshel 24" 0-4-0T
I believe many of the railroad artifacts were donated to the University of Akron and later auctioned off.
http://cuyahogafallshistory.com/2018/02/railways-of-america-1960s-70s/
I'll update if I recall any more.
Regards, Ed
Penny Trains https://www.cvsr.com/news/ https://www.cvsr.com/cuyahoga-valley-scenic-railroad-powers-ahead-with-campaign/ "The Zephyr railcars, which currently are located in Los Angeles, will be transported via Amtrak and arrive in Cuyahoga Valley in mid-September. The public’s first opportunity to ride these historic railcars will be at Steam in the Valley, where they will be pulled by the Nickel Plate Road steam locomotive no. 765. The Zephyr cars will remain on the train being pulled by the 765 for the duration of the Steam in the Valley event (September 21, 22, 23, 28, 29 & 30). They will then be used for CVSR’s excursions and special events. In addition to the acquired Zephyr cars, this first-ever campaign includes: The addition of an Edu-trainment Car that will provide interactive exhibits, programming, and activities for children ages birth to 12 years of age An upgrade to an existing dining car to ensure ADA accessibility The preservation of CVSR’s fleet of vintage railroad equipment representing the post-war streamlined railroad era"
I guess they can run a bed and breakfast train like they do out west.
Saw the cars on the Joliet Rocket train excursion in Chicago with NKP 765. They could use a minor rebuilding as well as an acid bath as their stainless steel is starting to get that dark charcoal muddy look. They would look better if their exterior skin was restored back to bright silver. Also interior could be redone on some of those cars you can see the wear and tear in places.
Sad to see that the handrails on some have the all stainless handrails up to the dome versus the lucite plastic lit at night handrails (which are pretty cool). I know these days though the lucite plastic is probably impossible to find.
ROBERT WILLISON I guess they can run a bed and breakfast train like they do out west.
Well since they have the line all the way to Youngstown...
gmpullmanThe Pennsy cars were moved a few miles south to the old Quaker Oats silos in downtown Akron, which were being converted into Hilton Hotel rooms. The cars were incorporated (gutted) into a restaurant and one, IIRC, had a G scale LGB layout in it.
Quaker Square:
The layout was upstairs of the "Spaghetti Depot", the name of which I can never forget because my uncle said "the spaghetti is in de pot."
Between the restaurant and the shops inside the old factory was this breezeway:
I chased the 765 out of there in 1993 when it was impersonating C&O Kanawha 2765. Here's what's left of the Amtrak platform:
The complex is now a dorm for the University of Akron.
I'm confused now. Doesn't the cvsr currently end in north Akron at it's north side station? That's where I'm catching the 765 steam in the valley trip on Sunday. I did not know it had trackage rights beyond or to Youngstown.
ROBERT WILLISON I did not know it had trackage rights beyond or to Youngstown.
There's a bit here about running to Canton:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuyahoga_Valley_Scenic_Railroad
The track and infrastructure are owned by the National Park Service within its boundaries. South of Akron the track is owned by Wheeling & Lake Erie and agreements were made to operate some CVSR trains on it.
The CVSR connection at Akron Junction with the B&O (CSX) Chicago - Pittsburgh main was torn out in the past few years, 2016 if I recall.
A couple of weeks ago my wife and I rode on the CVSR, we were in the Silver Solarium lounge / observation. A 2 hour ride out and back from Akron. An enjoyable trip. I was unaware of these cars only recently arriving at the CVSR. A Trainman told us they are unsure how they are going to incorporate the sleepers in their operation. The dome cars are very popular.
The cvsr announced today, they were going to use the cars to provide an " elgant dinner train" inconjunction with the Spice company.
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