Just a nice historical piece on this CB&Q train, which is still in limbo, stored in Illinois:

http://www.gatewaynmra.org/articles/mt-zephyr.htm

This article mentions that a bunch of CB&Q articulated equipment went to Saudi Arabia. Any idea what happened to it, or even what pieces these were?

TJG

Believe it was a sister train to the articulated trainset currently at the RR Musuem in Union- IRM right?

Joshua

My understanding is that parts of both the original Denver Zephyr and Texas Zephyrs went to Saudi Arabia, and that IRM was donated the equipment by the royal family several years ago, but the costs of moving same, plus the numerous problems over there have kept the cars from coming home. I'll leave it to someone from IRM to comment further if they wish.

I believe the equipment which was owned by the Civic Plaza National Bank in Kansas City went to Saudi Arabia. That equipment is listed below:

Second Twin Zephyr, later to be the Nebraska Zephyr "Train of the Gods"
Apollo
Neptune
Mars
Vulcan
Jupiter
All delivered by Budd on in 12/36.

First Denver Zephyr, later operated as the Texas Zephyr
Silver Courier
Silver Bar
Silver City
Silver Lake
Silver Grille
Silver Skate
Silver Screen
Silver Tone
Silver Threads
Silver Flash
All delivered by Budd in 10/36

Several of the cars which originally were sold to Dick McKinley of Denver ended up on the Black Hills Central. They remain there in various states of disrepair.

As nice as it would be to liberate the TCZ and DZ equipment from the Middle East and bring it back home, the Mark Twain is here in the states and is in real danger of eventually succumbing to the elements and/or indifference. I saw the Pioneer Zephyr at the Museum of Science and Industry for the first time after its restoration about a month ago and it is beautiful. It would be a shame to lose another historic shovel-nosed, articulated trainset because no one cared about it. The PZ and the Flying Yankee are safe but the MTZ is another sad story.

Don C.

Saw it out in Minooka a few years ago, and I was astounded how well the Budd stainless steel carbody has held up. But the interiors and windows are out; hopefully at least some of the windows are somewhere.

The story I've heard is that there was a concept to rehab it and charter it out; not sure how accurate that is. Now, it's the fourth car set out there - the IRM set, the one in the Chicago Museum, the Flying Yankee, and this one. It's neat, but it's not unique, and the restoration costs are daunting, particularly for restoration, let alone operations.

It's not beyond hope in condition - it needs ideas and creativity. I've been approached by a couple communities interested in it in concept, so it's not completely dead.

Randy -
What's the reality behind this --- not for operation, but as a cosmetic restoration? While it may not be "unique" in the strict sense, I could see having this trainset being a real drawing card for a smaller to middle-sized ex-CB&Q community. Properly marketed (with a gift shop, of course), to me it could be a "Town Haul", or Community turn-around center piece in that case --- not to mention an image of it would look dandy and be a real drawing card on a bill-board on the interstate.

TJG

I've had one such community specifically look at that possibility, and we recommended that they do just that.

I'd love to see it happen, somewhere where they remember and respect the train and technology. What struck me was the quality of the workmanship, even when left outside this many years. Budd really knew what they were doing and the materials speak for themselves.
Unlike a lot of canvas-roofed and carbon steel basket cases (that are still historically significant), this is still amazingly structurally sound.

Randy,
You're right about it being the fourth articulated set but it is only the third with a shove-nosed power unit to pull it. Although the E5 is a suitable substitue, it would sure be nice to have one of the original power unit available to complete the set.

The MTZ would be at home at Burlington, IA, Hannibal, MO or St. Louis. But those types of displays generally deteriorate like so many stuffed and mounted steam locomotives have. If a bonafided museum cannot save it, Galesburg, IL, would be a good city in which to display and interpret it. The small museum there has done a good job of maintaining "Q" 4-6-4 #3006, a heavyweight RPO and Pullman and a steel "Q" caboose. It is still a railroad town and there are many retired CB&Q, BN, BNSF and, to a lesser extent, AT&SF employees.

A streamline era museum, dealing with the run-away styling craze of the 1930 and 1940, which included everything from auto to planes to trains to household applicances, would make an interesting collection of artifacts. The MTZ would make a great centerpiece for such a collection. Any thoughts?

Don C.

Randy,
Good luck with your endeavor and keep us advised when you can share more information with us. This is one of the most historically significant pieces of railroad equipment still languishing without a proper home or protection.

Don C.

My early editorial on this subject is still posted in our Editorials section if anyone is interested. This was created very early in our RyPN days, so the photos are lousy scans, but the links have recently been updated and should work again. I would welcome comments, good and bad on the ideas presented. This was written pre-911, so lots has changed since then.