Texas Zephyr
Observation car No. 230, "Silver Flash", on the Texas Zephyr at Dallas in 1960
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| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Service type | Inter-city rail |
| Status | Discontinued |
| Predecessor | Colorado Special and Gulf Coast Special |
| First service | August 22, 1940 |
| Last service | September 11, 1967 |
| Former operator(s) |
Colorado & Southern (Burlington Route) Fort Worth & Denver (Burlington Route) |
| Route | |
| Start | Denver, Colorado |
| End | Dallas, Texas |
| Distance travelled | 835.1 miles (1,344.0 km) |
| Train number(s) | Southbound: 1 Northbound: 2 |
| Technical | |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) |
The Texas Zephyr was a named passenger train operated by the Colorado & Southern Railway and the Fort Worth & Denver Railway (both subsidiaries of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad). The train was originally designated number 1 southbound, and number 2 northbound.
Inaugurated on August 22, 1940, the streamlined train ran from Denver, Colorado to Fort Worth and Dallas, Texas, replacing the heavyweight Colorado Special. At Dallas, the Texas Zephyr connected with the Sam Houston Zephyr and Texas Rocket, both operating on the jointly owned Burlington-Rock Island Railroad for through service to Houston.
Initially, the train was equipped with Budd-built streamlined stainless steel chair cars and an observation dining-lounge car. Sleeping cars were, however, rebuilt streamlined heavyweight cars. The train was pulled between Denver and Fort Worth by pairs of General Motors Electro-Motive Division stainless steel E5 diesels. To allow adequate time for servicing the diesel locomotives in Fort Worth, a FW&D 550 class 4-6-2 "Pacific" type steam locomotive shuttled the train between Fort Worth and Dallas. It was later replaced by sister E5 diesel locomotives purchased by the C&S from parent CB&Q.
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