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RBL-M1A2Tanker — Nebraska Zephyr 1
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#diesel #e5 #emd #history #nebraska #stainless #steel #streamline #train #zephyr #stainlesssteel
Published: 2011-07-24 18:38:57 +0000 UTC; Views: 2400; Favourites: 49; Downloads: 106
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Description
Say hello to a classic train, the Nebraska Zephyr, the last of her class. Quite literally, there apparently weren't that many of this type of train engine to begin with, and this is the only one left. She was retired in 1968 to the Illinois Railway Museum, and has been there ever since.More information can be found here:
[link]
Also here: [link]
This old gal has been in a couple of movies, such as A League Of Their Own, and Flags of our Fathers. She's a very sleek thing isn't she? Must have looked really high tech back in the late 30's and early 40's when streamlined trains such as these rolled along on our railways. And made more rare by being built of stainless steel construction.
So how did I come by this? Well, she has been parked at the Museum for going on over 40 years, and never really left there beyond the movie shoots or private exhibition.
Until this weekend.
Lemme pull this straight from the excursion information on what they did at the Train Festival 2011.
"On Sunday July 24, the Zephyr will do something it has not done in over 40 years, offer a public excursion for up to 150 people to Bureau, Il and return on the former Rock Island RR. The train has run at the Illinois Railway Museum for years and has left the museum rarely for a private charter or movie shoot. This will be the first opportunity for the general public to ride this historic train outside the museum in decades. The train is scheduled to depart Rock Island at 10am and return around 3:30pm. Lunch will be served on the train in the dinning car. Two classes of service will be offered, coach class and premium class. Premium passengers will be treated to a meal prepared on the train by IRM chefs over the original charcoal grill. Coach passengers will receive a gourmet boxed lunch and beverages. Tickets are limited to 120 coach seats at $219 each and 32 premium parlor seats at $329 each. Tickets include the round trip excursion, lunch, a photo run-by, admission to the event and a ride on history. This will be the only excursion offered on the Nebraska Zephyr."
Obviously, I didn't get a ride, but I did park myself in a strategic position to get some good photos. I'm rather pleased with this.
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Comments: 7
Isn't it though? They've really done a fantastic job keeping it in good condition.
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Holy god. I want some of these beauties in N scale!!
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I know, that would be pretty sweet.
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I've loved the Neb Zeph since I first rode in her obs car circa 1995. You're right about the E5 locomotive being the last of her class still in service, but the trainset behind her is not. A couple more articulated trainsets were built before the CB&Q railroad switched to conventional cars made of stainless steel with the debut of the Silver Streak Zephyr. A couple of the early articulated zephyr trainsets still exist too, albeit in Saudi Arabia. The Saudi royal family bought some Zephyrs for their private use.
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When I said it being the last of her kind, I was being very general about it. I have a second image where I specify the locomotive, the Silver Pilot, as being the last.
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