| Chicago Burlington & Quincy Railroad number 378 "Silver Lookout" westbound at Naperville, Illinois on November 22, 1964, photo by Chuck Zeiler. Seen here on a steam-powered (2-8-2 #4960) fantrip to Rockford that featured stainless steel Zephyr equipment. This car was ordered for use on the Ak-Sar-Ben (Nebraska, spelled backwards) and as protection equipment for the California Zephyr (CZ). It was built by Budd on Job 9659-112, ordered in March 1951 and delivered in December 1952. The plan was upon the arrival of the eastbound CZ in Chicago, this car would be pulled off (along with the dining car and two 10-6 sleepers) and sent west on the Ak-Sar-Ben Zephyr. The CZ cars returned the next morning on the eastbound Ak-Sar-Ben and were placed back on the westbound CZ. This car was built to Plan 9533, three bedroom, one drawing room, 12 passenger buffet-bar-lounge, 13 passenger observation, and a dome seating 24. It was Amtrak #9253 for some time, and is now privately-owned. |