View source for Ak-Sar-Ben Zephyr

{{Short description|Passenger train operated by the CB&Q Railroad}}
{{italic title}}
{{Infobox rail service
| box_width       = 
| name            = ''Ak-Sar-Ben Zephyr''
| logo            = 
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| caption         = 
| type            = [[Inter-city rail]]
| status          = Discontinued
| locale          = [[Midwestern United States]]
| predecessor     = 
| first           = December 11, 1940
| last            = August 1970
| successor       = 
| operator        = 
| formeroperator  ={{Plainlist|
* [[Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad]]
* [[Burlington Northern Railroad]]
}}
| ridership       = 
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| start           = [[Chicago, Illinois]]
| stops           = 
| end             = [[Lincoln, Nebraska]]
| distance        = {{convert|551|mi|km}}
| journeytime     = 
| frequency       = Daily
| trainnumber     = 3/4
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}}

The '''''Ak-Sar-Ben Zephyr''''' was a [[streamliner|streamlined]] [[passenger train]] operated by the [[Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad]] (CB&Q) between [[Lincoln, Nebraska]] and [[Chicago]], [[Illinois]], [[United States]]. The first version operated from 1940 to 1947; a revived service operated from 1953 to 1970. The "Ak-Sar-Ben" portion of name was created by spelling [[Nebraska]] (Neb-ras-ka) backwards and taken from a fraternal organization of the same name. "Zephyr" was a name applied by the CB&Q to many of its trains, beginning with the ''[[Pioneer Zephyr]]'' in 1934. The name derived from "[[Zephyrus]]", the Greek god of the [[west wind]].

== History ==
The first ''Ak-Sar-Ben Zephyr'' was an eastbound-only daylight service between [[Lincoln, Nebraska]] and [[Chicago]]. The {{convert|551|mi|km|adj=on}} journey took nine hours. The train's consist included new lightweight equipment and traditional heavyweight cars. The "Ak-Sar-Ben" portion of name was created by spelling [[Nebraska]] (Neb-ras-ka) backwards; a fraternal organization (the [[Knights of Ak-Sar-Ben]]) and an [[Ak-Sar-Ben (arena)|arena and horse racing facility]] in Omaha have also used the name. The ''[[Advance Flyer]]'' provided westward service. The new service began on December 11, 1940.<ref name="zimmermann" />{{rp|92–93}} The CB&Q ended this service in 1947, replacing it with the new ''[[Nebraska Zephyr]]''.<ref name="zimmermann" />{{rp|93}}

The second ''Ak-Sar-Ben Zephyr'' was an overnight service between Chicago and Lincoln which used a mixture of 1940s equipment and new cars which it pooled with the ''[[California Zephyr]]'', including a "Vista-Dome" [[dome car]].<ref name="zimmermann" />{{rp|140}} Although gradually downgraded during the 1960s the train survived into the [[Burlington Northern Railroad|Burlington Northern]] era before being discontinued in August 1970.<ref name="ml19700813" />

==Route==
The westbound, as of April 26, 1964, was:<ref name="og196406" />
{{colbegin}}
*[[Chicago, Illinois]] &ndash; departed at 10:00&nbsp;p.m.
*[[La Grange, Illinois]]
*[[Aurora, Illinois]]
*[[Mendota, Illinois]]
*[[Kewanee, Illinois]]
*[[Galesburg, Illinois]]
*[[Monmouth, Illinois]] ([[Request stop|Flag Stop]])
*[[Burlington, Iowa]]
*[[Mount Pleasant, Iowa]]
*[[Fairfield, Iowa]]
*[[Ottumwa, Iowa]]
*[[Albia, Iowa]]
*[[Chariton, Iowa]]
*[[Osceola, Iowa]]
*[[Creston, Iowa]]
*[[Corning, Iowa]] (Flag Stop)
*[[Villisca, Iowa]] (Flag Stop)
*[[Red Oak, Iowa]]
*[[Council Bluffs, Iowa]]
*[[Omaha, Nebraska]]
*[[Lincoln, Nebraska]] &ndash; arrived at 9:15&nbsp;a.m.
{{colend}}
The eastbound train departed Lincoln at 9:00&nbsp;p.m., arriving at [[Chicago Union Station]] the following morning at 7:50&nbsp;a.m.

==Equipment==
In 1938–1940 the [[Budd Company]] constructed a fleet of lightweight cars for the CB&Q for use on various routes. This fleet included [[baggage car]]s, [[dining car]]s (48 seats), dining-parlor-[[observation car]]s, and coaches. Each of these carried a name starting with "Silver", as had become the custom with the CB&Q's ''Zephyrs''.<ref name="wayner" />{{rp|218}} The lightweight equipment for the 1940 ''Ak-Sar-Ben Zephyr'' came from this pool.<ref name="zimmermann" />{{rp|95}}

The 1953 ''Ak-Sar-Ben Zephyr'' used both pre-[[World War II]] coaches and new equipment manufactured in 1952 for the ''[[California Zephyr]]''. The coaches were part of the pool used for the 1940 iteration, among other trains. The westbound ''Ak-Sar-Ben'' would use the following cars off the arriving eastbound ''California Zephyr'':
* 48-seat dining car
* 10-roomette 6-double bedroom [[sleeping car]]
* 10-roomette 6-double bedroom sleeping car
* 16-section sleeping car
* 1-drawing room 3-double bedroom Vista-Dome dome-buffet-lounge-[[observation car]]
The cars off the eastbound ''Ak-Sar-Ben Zephyr'' would in turn be used by that day's westbound ''California Zephyr''.<ref name="zimmermann" />{{rp|140}}<ref name="wayner" />{{rp|221; 225}}

==References==
{{Reflist|2|refs=
<ref name="ml19700813">{{cite news | newspaper=Malvern Leader | date=August 13, 1970 | url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/25703884/ | title=This Week In Mills County}}</ref>
<ref name="og196406">{{Official Guide of the Railways|June|1964}}</ref>
<ref name="wayner">{{Wayner - Car names, numbers, consists}}</ref>
<ref name="zimmermann">{{Zimmermann-Burlington}}</ref>
}}

{{CBQ named trains}}

[[Category:Passenger trains of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad]]
[[Category:Named passenger trains of the United States]]
[[Category:Night trains of the United States]]
[[Category:Railway services introduced in 1940]]
[[Category:Railway services introduced in 1953]]
[[Category:Railway services discontinued in 1947]]
[[Category:Railway services discontinued in 1970]]