Nebraska Zephyr to Train Fest 2011

JohnCloos · **Joined:** Sun Aug 22, 2004 1:59 pm **Posts:** 308

Late breaking news, IRM has announced that in partnership with Train Festival 2011, the Nebraska Zephyr trainset will travel from the IRM museum campus in Union, Illinois, to participate in Train Fest 2011. Even more exciting news, the trainset will make a fantrip run, the first time "regular folks" can ride the trainset on non-museum rails in some 40 years. The CB&Q SW7, and a C&NW F7 from the museum collection will also make the trip.

More details here :
http://www2.irm.org/blogs/archives/945- ... -2011.html

and here :
http://www.trainfestival2011.com/

onequiknova · **Posted:** Mon Jun 20, 2011 11:34 pm

Will it be pulled by Silver Pilot, or is that what the C&NW F7 is for? It doesn't really mention 9911 in the article.

jamesk · **Posted:** Tue Jun 21, 2011 1:30 am

onequiknova wrote:

Will it be pulled by Silver Pilot, or is that what the C&NW F7 is for? It doesn't really mention 9911 in the article.

Yes it will, it was kinda omitted from the release accidentally.

Mgoldman · **Posted:** Tue Jun 21, 2011 5:33 pm

jamesk wrote:

onequiknova wrote:

Will it be pulled by Silver Pilot, or is that what the C&NW F7 is for? It doesn't really mention 9911 in the article.

Yes it will, it was kinda omitted from the release accidentally.

Which leads to the next question - will it be allowed to run solo to the event or more likely towed along with the F7 and CB&Q switcher? I suppose tickets to ride to and from would not cover the insurance and logistics cost to even do so?

/Mitch

daylight4449 · **Posted:** Tue Jun 21, 2011 6:49 pm

Darn, and I guessed it would be the Phase I heritage unit. (Seriously, look at that teaser post thats up on the Train Fest 2011 facebook page). There was mention that a CBQ SW7 would head for the event to. Are all of these pieces going to make one run to Rock Island from IRM, or are they going piece by piece?

Jdelhaye · **Posted:** Tue Jul 19, 2011 10:05 am

All equipment moving as a single move, no "pilot" engine.

Movement can be tracked here : http://www.irm.org/events/zephyrtracking.html
Train is already enroute.

Jeff

railfan44 · **Posted:** Wed Jul 20, 2011 10:42 pm

Good in-transit picture here:
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=369354

onequiknova · **Posted:** Wed Jul 20, 2011 11:00 pm

They've sure got the E5 looking good!

Howard P. · **Posted:** Thu Jul 21, 2011 11:54 am

Very nice, and cool to see the other units going along as well. And that YouTube video from the cab of the E5 as it overtakes and passes a stack train at 75+ mph shows that old gal still has plenty of "WOW" in her.

Just curious, are any of these locomotives equipped with alignment control couplers? This seems to be the latest reason for railroads to refuse movement of older power, even if roller-bearing equipped. Perhaps it does not matter in this case, as the train is moving as one unit, without any "assist" power from the host railroad.

Howard P.

edward · **Joined:** Mon Aug 23, 2004 10:17 pm **Posts:** 23

Absolutely stunning -- what I want to know is IRM's secret for getting the cars so beautifully polished. Anyone from IRM have some insight?

EA

daylight4449 · **Posted:** Thu Jul 21, 2011 4:31 pm

edward wrote:

Absolutely stunning -- what I want to know is IRM's secret for getting the cars so beautifully polished. Anyone from IRM have some insight?

EA

They hired some college kids to do the work, using a variety of polishes and other methods. See the July 9 episode of Lets Talk Trains with Jason Johnson.

PJS · **Posted:** Thu Jul 21, 2011 5:00 pm

For a discussion of the polishing method for the stainless steel train, see the entry on the IRM websote blog here:
http://www2.irm.org/blogs/archives/948- ... ng....html