Nostalgia & History > Denver Zephyr

I did a search of the Denver Public Library’s Colorado Railroads file for Denver Zephyr and got 358 photos.  Some of the photos were Zephyrs other than the Denver Zephyr.  I copied four of the photos. 
 
Picture 1, Call Number: DPL-45.  Title: Denver Zephyr: arrival.  Credit: Denver Public Library Special Collections.  Date: 1936 October 24.  Summary: View of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad "Denver Zephyr" diesel locomotive after the train's record-breaking special run from Chicago to Union Station in Denver, Colorado. Denver Mayor Ben Stapleton and an employee of the Western Union company stand on the platform in front of the train.  Description:
1 photographic print; 13 x 18 cm (5 x 7 in.).  Notes: Title supplied by cataloger. F27042; "Mayor Ben Stapleton and a Western Union employee time the Denver Zephyr arrival from its breaking Denver-Chicago run." written on verso. The Burlington Zephyr made its trial run from Chicago, Ill. to Denver, Colo. May 22-23, 1934. Later dubbed the Denver Zephyr, regular service between the cities began on May 31, 1936.  The train ran 1,034 miles (1,664 km) between Denver and Chicago overnight in 16 to 16.5 hours.  On October 23, 1936, the Denver Zephyr made a special run nonstop from Chicago to Denver in 12 hrs 12 min 27 seconds. The train operated privately until 1971 when Amtrak took over operations.  The Denver Zephyr continued to run daily between Chicago and Denver until 1973 when it became part of the San Francisco Zephyr route running daily from Chicago to Oakland, Calif. year-round.  For a few years after, the Denver Zephyr had its own column in the public timetable, but no longer existed as a separate train.  Corrections and Suggestions.  If you have a question or a correction regarding this resource, please contact us at history@denverlibrary.org. 
 

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Picture 2, Call Number: DPL-30.  Title: First run of the Denver Zephyr.  Credit: Denver Public Library Special Collections.  Creator: Kindig, R. H. (Richard H.).  Date: 1936 October 23.  Donor:
Richard H. Kindig, 1986.  Summary: View of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad "Denver Zephyr" Silver King diesel locomotive and train cars leaving Denver's Union Station on the train's inaugural run, October 23, 1936. Also seen are Union Station, steam locomotives and passenger platforms.  Description: 1 photographic print; 13 x 18 cm (5 x 7 in.). 
 

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Picture 3, Call Number: Z-6020.  Title: Denver Zephyr, Burlington Route.  Credit: Denver Public Library Special Collections.  Creator: McCall, Floyd Haley, 1902-.  Date: 1949 Oct. 12.  Summary:
The engineer, a railroad worker and a man in a suit and hat pose on or near a Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad Denver Zephyr locomotive and train in probably Denver, Colorado. A sign on the locomotive reads: "Burlington Route."  Description: 1 photographic print: 16 x 16 cm (6 1/2 x 6 1/2 in.). 
 

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Picture 4, Call Number: OP-19533.  Title: UP car.  Credit: Denver Public Library Special Collections.  Alternate Title: Union Pacific car.  Creator: Perry, Otto, 1894-1970.  Date: 1956.  Summary: "City of Denver" and "Denver Zephyr"; rear view. Photographed: in Denver Union Station, October 28, 1956.  Description: 1 photonegative; 9 x 14 cm; 1 photoprint: silver gelatin, black and white; 9 x 14 cm.  Is Part Of Otto C. Perry memorial collection of railroad photographs. 
 

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Diary 680 – 689 
 
680
 
Wednesday, April 12th, 1922
 
"Spy Wednesday"
 
12:01 am.  "What time is it Brown?"  "Just on the dot".  Extra or No. 62 coming so waited to O.S. him by.  GM.  2 inches new snow and still snowing.  Jackson at depot.  Kent 1:00 am.  Heard clock strike 2:00 am.  11:00 am.  Train stopped to pick up men.  I rolled out.  Dinner at 11:45 am.  Mother sews and Jack washes dishes.  Reading of awful storms in East and South (Denver Post).  2:00 pm for the city.  Right in.  Tynan present also Plurose.  The crowd in the den playing "sluff".  A 31 order for No. 61.  A message from Denver.  Supper at 5:15 pm.  No. 16 at 6:20.  Practicing till 10:00 pm.  A letter from B.D..  A letter from R.M.S..
 
681
 
Thursday, April 13th, 1922
 
"Holy Thursday"
 
12:01 am.  Sitting with both feet on desk waiting for No. 4.  Phone out.  No. 4 arrived 12:08 am.  Put up the mail - "nothing"  and wrote a little verse in my note book.  Kn and I depart to retire - GM  - and it was snowing - about 1 inch of new snow on ground.  Arrive Kent 1:15 am.  Jack (dog) still sick.  "Snooze".  11:30 am.  "Hello" and it is time for dinner.  Mr. Warren visiting.  The regular shave.  The day weather fine but cool wind.  Dan and Jim fixing yard at 915 Bennett.  To the city 2:00 pm.  Decided to clean house.  The "wreckage".  Peanut butter soup for 6:00 pm.  Practice 9:00 pm.  No. 1 mail.  Brown, Mr. Jackson, a gentleman and I talk homesteads.  11:30 pm. 
 
682
 
Friday, April 14th, 1922
 
"Good Friday"
 
12:01 am.  Waiting on No.4.  Looking into the Money Order mystery.  An Extra East goes by.  Mr. Brown and I go home.  A beautiful moonlight morning.  Thoughts of 3 finger "Jack" at Alkali Creek.  Wondering what Ruth is doing.  Kent at 1:45 am.  Dan just home and in bed.  Good night.  9:30 am.  Sure an awful night of sleep but what is the use to worry.  A word or two on phone with Miss Lou.  Writing until noon.  To RU.  A windy day.  A number of strangers in town.  "The Great Divide opens." Some practice on the "bug".  The Local.  Mr. Patten tries to pull a stunt.  "B" gets stewed.  Football until 8:00 pm.  Kids have party at Merril's.
 
683
 
Saturday, April 15th, 1922
"Easter Saturday"
 
12:01 am.  Just through playing checkers with "B.".   Raising "Cain" about the office.  Decided to call Ruth but she was busy.  "B" tries to show me how to make sponge.  Brown and I depart 12:33 am.  A swell walk.  Keen weather.  Kent at 1:15 but no train as yet.  A "mystery" trip to the kitchen".  Snooze. 11:49 1/2 am.  Out for dinner.  Called "B." on phone.  He didn't get by this "am" - slept until 8:30.  To RU at 2:15 pm.  B. on the "stew" list.  Mr. Scholl moving in with his "Zoo loo car".  Cleaning house until 6:00 pm.  No. 16 gets an empty pouch.  Mr. Scholl and his friend for supper.  "B." blows off at the mouth.  No. 1 on time.  Cliff goes to Eagle. 
 
684
 
Sunday, April 16th, 1922
 
"Easter Sunday"
 
12:01 am.  Thought I was talking to H.O. but it was J. Oconnor at Malta.  Plans to go to GN.  Brown and I pay a visit to the kitchen and then depart.  1 inch of snow on ground.  Still snowing.  Kent at 1:16 am.  A package for Nora DeBaud and Mrs. K. Flynn.  GM.  Ice cream proposition so was called at 9:30 am to go to Warren's for milk.  A Heck of an "Easter".  Snow and everything.  After lunch went to RU.  Two or three people waiting for mail.  Brown working on ford.  Homan "gone".  A message for GN.  Also one for Twin Falls, Idaho.  Mrs. Peat's sister in town.  Practice from 3:00 pm until 5:00 pm.  A chat with Hy.  Regular evening. 
 
685
 
Monday, April 17th, 1922
 
12:01 am.  Asleep for once.  10:00 am.  More of the winter weather.  Ice cream for dinner guess I better get up.  Owen Mc. present also "Shorty".  Don't forget the copy of discharge papers for dental exam.  Snowing a gale (blowing).  To the "Cheeseberg town" - 1:30 pm.  Men still trying to unload the junk from the cars.  Company in the kitchen.  Rode to Wolcott on motor car with Robichard.  The meeting or conference in the kitchen.  Robichaud waits for No. 16.  Warrens tearing down old bridge at Kent.  Delayed at that place 30 minutes.  Regular evening.  Writing until 11:15 pm.  Stories with Dan and Kn. 
 
686
 
Tuesday, April 18th, 1922
 
12:01 am.  No. 4 coming.  We are at end of beat across from Day's farm.  GM. Dan.  To bed at 12:30 am.  Snooze.  7:30 am.  Got up to go with McCarthy for checks but he did not go.  Shorty goes as first section and I as second.  Overtook him at cabin.  One thing after another.  No. 15.  Extra West Local.  Went to East switch to get him down the main.  Dinner on time.  Had to go help Brown bring tractor down to house.  Went to store and measured up for suit of clothes.  A few packages to HN.  All goes well.  No. 1 mail then started to copy applications for vocational training.  A job for tomorrow.  A letter from Kate on No. 16. 
 
687
 
Wednesday, April 19th, 1922
 
12:01 am.  Still writing on typewriter.  No. 4 by but Kn stays for an order for Extra West.  B. appears but disappears again.  Listening on phone.  What I heard.  Extra West arrives at 12:56 am.  Brown goes home 1:15 am.  Writing until 1:40 am.  Called Ruth Farmer on phone and fought with her for 40 min.  To Kent.  In bed 3:15 am.  Out at 8:00 am.  No breakfast.  To Wolcott to work on graders.  Dinner on time.  Scholl and Hartman present.  The Mr. Gentleman and I work until 5:30 pm.  All through.  A good days work and a swell feed at 7:00 pm.  Miss Elvira Anderson calls on phone 4 pm.  Writing 11 pm.  Tired.  Home 11:45.  A letter from Charles Howard. 
 
688
 
Thursday, April 20th, 1922
 
10:00 am.  G.M..  A swell sunshine day.  Later - 12:00 am.  Lunch.  Shorty, Nora and Dan present.  Plans on going to Glenwood tomorrow.  Accounts and letters until 2:45 pm.  To Wolcott.  Chivington in town for the graders.  One grader bent or rather the axle was bent.  The consultation - Miss Elviera Anderson calls on phone at 4 pm  - a date she was supposed to fill and didn't.  Well that is a trifle.  The school fight rages as election nears.  A regular evening plus nice weather.  A long and lasty chat with HO at "MY".  He and Hy coming home on No. 3 in am.  Frances calls to chat.  Ok Fs. 
 
689
 
Friday, April 21st, 1922
 
12:01 am.  Just for fun I called Miss Farmer on the wire and asked her for the T.L..  She said "25 with psgr's" and I said "Go to Hell.".  I was shocked at myself.  Then I smiled and forgot it.  Down the trail heading through the dark canyon to the beautiful valley where stood the house and home called Kent - 2:30 am.  Up at 8:25 am.  because I was going somewhere.  No. 15 on time.  Sure did hurry to catch it.  Saw Mr. Lumley at Eagle.  Mr. Kramer goes to Gypsum.  A short visit in the town of Gypsum.  Met Miss Hazel and made a date for a short walk at 2:00 pm.  To the hotel for
 

Picture 5, Asthma Simpson, The Village Queen, January 7, 1915. 
 
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Photos 3 and 4  old CB&Q RR Mc Cook, NE based passenger train and engine crews worked to and from Denver, CO.
Photo 3 Old UP RR Denver, CO or North Platte, NE based passenger train crews worked between Denver and North Platte.  Denver, CO based engine crews worked to and from Sterling, CO.