View source for Nebraska Zephyr

{{Short description|American passenger train (1947–1971)}}
{{italic title}}
{{Infobox rail service
| box_width       = 
| name            = ''Nebraska Zephyr''
| logo            = 
| logo_width      = 
| image           = Nebraska Zephyr 1952.JPG
| image_width     = 300px
| caption         = Postcard depiction of the ''Nebraska Zephyr'' in the 1950s.
| type            = [[Inter-city rail]]
| status          = Discontinued
| locale          = [[Midwestern United States]]
| predecessor     = ''[[Ak-Sar-Ben Zephyr]]''
| first           = November 16, 1947
| last            = April 30, 1971
| successor       = 
| operator        = 
| formeroperator  ={{Plainlist|
* [[Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad]]
* [[Burlington Northern Railroad]]
}}
| ridership       = 
| ridership2      = 
| website         = 
| start           = [[Chicago, Illinois]]
| stops           = 
| end             = [[Lincoln, Nebraska]]
| distance        = {{convert|551|mi|km}}
| journeytime     = 
| frequency       = Daily
| trainnumber     = 11 (westbound), 12 (eastbound)
| line_used       = 
| class           = 
| access          = 
| seating         = Reclining seat coaches
| sleeping        = 
| autorack        = 
| catering        = [[Dining car]]
| observation     = [[Parlor car]]
| entertainment   = 
| baggage         = 
| otherfacilities = 
| stock           = 
| gauge           = 
| el              = 
| speed           = 
| owners          = 
| routenumber     = 
| map             = {{Nebraska Zephyr|inline=y}}
| map_state       = collapsed
}}
The '''''Nebraska Zephyr''''' is a [[streamliner|streamlined]] [[passenger train]] operated from 1947 to 1971 by the [[Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad]] (CB&Q, commonly known as the "Burlington") between [[Chicago, Illinois]]; [[Omaha, Nebraska]]; and [[Lincoln, Nebraska]]. Until 1968, the service was provided by two ''[[Twin Cities Zephyr]]'' articulated trainsets — the "Train of the Gods" and "Train of the Goddesses" — that became synonymous with it. The ''Nebraska Zephyr'' was one of many trains discontinued when [[Amtrak]] began operations in 1971. The "Train of the Goddesses" set is preserved at the [[Illinois Railway Museum]] in [[Union, Illinois]].

== History ==
[[File:Zephyr at Burlington, IA.jpg|thumb|left|''Nebraska Zephyr'' at Burlington, IA, 1968]]
The Burlington introduced the ''Nebraska Zephyr'' on the Chicago–Omaha–Lincoln route on November 16, 1947, replacing the ''[[Ak-Sar-Ben Zephyr]]''.<ref name="kratville" />{{rp|50}} The ''Zephyr'' joined four other trains on the route: the ''[[Exposition Flyer]]'', ''[[Denver Zephyr]]'', ''[[Ak-Sar-Ben (train)|Ak-Sar-Ben]]'', and ''[[Fast Mail (CB&Q train)|Fast Mail]]''. On-board services included a parlor car, dining car, and cocktail lounge.<ref name="pp19471203" /> The trains operated on a daylight schedule between Chicago and Lincoln. Westbound #11 departed Chicago at 12:45 PM and arrived in Lincoln at 10:30 PM. Eastbound #12 departed Lincoln at 11:00 AM and arrived in Chicago at 8:45 PM. The {{convert|551|mi|km|adj=on}} trip took 9 hours 45 minutes, an average speed of {{convert|56|mph}}.<ref name="og195003" />

Although the Burlington removed the distinctive "Zephyr" trainsets in February 1968, the train continued to operate as the ''Nebraska Zephyr'', albeit with reduced service. A June 1968 timetable advertised a "dinette coach" as the only amenity, and the running time had lengthened to 11 hours 30 minutes.<ref name="cbq196806" /> The ''Nebraska Zephyr'' lost its name prior to its discontinuance on April 30, 1971.<ref name="eveam" />
{{clear}}

== Equipment ==
[[File:19680120 06 CB&Q Jupiter interior.jpg|thumb|left|The interior of the [[observation car]] ''Jupiter'' in January 1968, just prior to retirement.]]
[[File:Nebraska Zephyr articulation.JPG|thumb|A closeup of the articulation used between [[Passenger car (rail)|passenger car]]s on the ''Nebraska Zephyr'' trainset]]
The twin ''Nebraska Zephyr'' trainsets were built in 1936 by the [[Budd Company]] as the second pair of ''[[Twin Zephyr]]s'', built for service between Chicago and [[Minneapolis-St. Paul]], both of which had cars named for classical deities. One trainset was known as the "Train of the Goddesses" and its cars were named ''[[Venus (mythology)|Venus]]'', ''[[Vesta (mythology)|Vesta]]'', ''[[Minerva]]'', ''[[Psyche (mortal)|Psyche]]'', ''[[Ceres (Roman mythology)|Ceres]]'', ''[[Diana (mythology)|Diana]]'', and  ''[[Juno (mythology)|Juno]]''. The other trainset was known as the "Train of the Gods" and its cars were named ''[[Apollo]]'', ''[[Mars (mythology)|Mars]]'', ''[[Neptune (mythology)|Neptune]]'', ''[[Cupid]]'', ''[[Vulcan (mythology)|Vulcan]]'', ''[[Mercury (mythology)|Mercury]]'', and ''[[Jupiter (mythology)|Jupiter]]''. Each consist included the following cars: cocktail lounge, two 60-seat coaches, a coach-dinette, dining car, a parlor car, and a parlor-[[observation car]]. Early typical motive power for these trains was provided by a [[EMC 1800 hp B-B#CB&Q 9904, 9905|pair of shovel-nose diesels]] named ''[[Pegasus]]'' (CB&Q #9904) and ''[[Zephyrus]]'' (CB&Q 9905).<ref name="wayner" />{{rp|214}}

In their original configuration the two parlor cars, ''Diana'' and ''Mercury'', had 19 seats and a private drawing room. In 1942, prior to the sets entering service as the ''Nebraska Zephyr'', 42 standard seats replaced the parlor seats. The Burlington added two new [[baggage car]]s, the ''[[Argo]]'' and ''[[Mount Olympus|Olympus]]'', to the trains in February 1948. Finally, cost-cutting in the 1960s led to several changes in the food service arrangements on the trains. In 1963, the Burlington removed the cocktail lounges from the ''Venus'' and ''Apollo'', replacing them with 42 coach seats. In 1966, the dining cars ''Ceres'' and ''Vulcan'' were rebuilt as "cafeteria cars" featuring vending machines.<ref name="wayner" />{{rp|214}}

The Burlington withdrew the sets from service in February 1968, using other cars for the ''Nebraska Zephyr''. The "Train of the Goddesses" arrived at the Illinois Railway Museum on September 21, 1968; it is still operated on short runs on the museum's substantial trackage, providing train enthusiasts and tourists with an experience reminiscent of the heyday of the Burlington's ''Zephyr'' service.<ref name="irm" /> 
In 1977, Burlington refurbished the "Train of the Gods" and sold it to Saudi Arabia for use on the [[Dammam–Riyadh line]] of the [[Saudi Railways Organization]],  where it operated into the 21st century.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1977/05/01/archives/famed-burlington-zephyr-trains-begin-a-new-career-in-saudi-arabia.html "Famed Burlington Zephyr Trains Begin a New Career in Saudi Arabia]". ''The New York Times'', May 1, 1977.</ref><ref name="zimmermann" />{{rp|112}} 
{{clear}}

==Gallery==
<gallery class="center">
File:Nebraska Zephyr at Burlington, Iowa, 1968.jpg|Nebraska Zephyr, 1968
File:Zephyr at Galesburg, 1968.jpg|Zephyr coaches at Galesburg, 1968
File:Galesburg 1968 2.jpg|Zephyr coaches at Galesburg, 1968
File:Zephyr at Burlington, IA 2.jpg|Zephyr observation car at Burlington, IA, 1968
File:CB&Q Nebraska Zephyr & Kansas City Zephyr @ Riverside, IL-3.jpg|1967, CB&Q Nebraska Zephyr & Kansas City Zephyr at Riverside, IL
File:CB&Q Nebraska Zephyr & Kansas City Zephyr @ Riverside, IL-2.jpg|1967, CB&Q Nebraska Zephyr & Kansas City Zephyr at Riverside, IL
</gallery>

== References ==
{{Reflist|2|refs=
<ref name="cbq196806">{{cite book | title=Burlington Timetable | date=June 9, 1968 | author=Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad | author-link=Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad }}</ref>
<ref name="eveam">{{cite web | title=Passenger trains operating on the eve of Amtrak | accessdate=May 7, 2011 | url=http://ctr.trains.com/~/media/import/files/pdf/f/7/7/passenger_trains_operating_on_the_eve_of_amtrak.ashx | archive-date=October 29, 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029184534/http://ctr.trains.com/~/media/import/files/pdf/f/7/7/passenger_trains_operating_on_the_eve_of_amtrak.ashx | url-status=dead }}</ref>
<ref name="irm">{{cite web | author=Illinois Railway Museum | date=May 5, 2005 | url=http://www.irm.org/history/history.html | title=History of the IRM | accessdate=2005-11-07 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19980429091509/http://irm.org/history/history.html | archive-date=April 29, 1998 | url-status=dead }}</ref>
<ref name="kratville">{{cite book | title=Railroads of Omaha and Council Bluffs | first=William | last=Kratville | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZGWHvDpSM5YC | publisher=[[Arcadia Publishing]] | year=2002 | isbn=9780738520421 | oclc=51932124}}</ref>
<ref name="og195003">{{Official Guide of the Railways|March|1950|pages=1027-1028}}</ref>
<ref name="pp19471203">{{cite news | title=Nebraska Zephyr | newspaper=[[Pittsburgh Press]] | date=December 3, 1947 | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=5FwbAAAAIBAJ&sjid=GU0EAAAAIBAJ&pg=3924%2C820928}}</ref>
<ref name="wayner">{{Wayner - Car names, numbers, consists}}</ref>
<ref name="zimmermann">{{Zimmermann-Burlington}}</ref>
}}

== External links ==
{{commons category}}
* {{Official website|http://www.irm.org/|Illinois Railway Museum official website}}
* [http://streamlinermemories.info/Zephyr/B61-11CTT.pdf Condensed 1961 Burlington timetable]

{{Lightweight Trains}}
{{CBQ named trains}}

[[Category:Named passenger trains of the United States]]
[[Category:Passenger rail transportation in Illinois]]
[[Category:Passenger rail transportation in Iowa]]
[[Category:Passenger rail transportation in Nebraska]]
[[Category:Passenger trains of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad]]
[[Category:North American streamliner trains]]
[[Category:Articulated passenger trains]]
[[Category:Railway services introduced in 1947]]
[[Category:Railway services discontinued in 1971]]