Mark Twain Zephyr

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Postcard depiction of the train circa 1935.

The Mark Twain Zephyr was an early articulated trainset that was similar to the Pioneer Zephyr in style. The train was built by Budd Company and was powered by a diesel engine produced by the Winton Engine Company. The train was given the name Mark Twain Zephyr because it was scheduled to provide service from St. Louis, Missouri to Burlington, Iowa via the hometown of Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain) at Hannibal, Missouri. This train was made of stainless steel and had a "shovel nose" front.^[1]

The locomotive was number 9903 and named Injun Joe. The following three cars received other names of Mark Twain characters, such as Becky Thatcher, Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn. The train was christened on October 25, 1935 in Hannibal, Missouri by a granddaughter of its namesake. The ceremony was broadcast coast to coast on CBS radio. Two days later, it entered revenue service.^[2]

It was retired by the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad (CB&Q) and then was purchased by Frank Dashner of Glenwood, Iowa in June 1960. In June 1962, the train was acquired by Ernie Hays for $6,500 and placed on exhibit at the Midwest Old Thresher Association grounds in Mount Pleasant, Iowa. In 1972, after many years of neglect, the train was sold to Alex Barkett of the Building Leasing Corporation, and moved to Kansas City.

After Mr. Barkett died, title transferred to the Civic Plaza National Bank and in September 1987 the train was moved to the Mid America Car Corporation. In 1984, Dave Stimson a player for the Kansas City Chiefs purchased the equipment. In 1987, the train was sold to John C. Lowe. He and two other individuals have formed the Mark Twain Corporation. Through 2007, the train was in unrestored condition and located in Minooka, Illinois.

On January 24, 2008, it was supposedly moved to Granite City, Illinois for display in a downtown redevelopment effort but was shown by Gateway Rail Services in nearby Madison, Illinois to a group from the 2008 St. Louis Railroad Prototype Modelers Meet in August, 2008. A 2011 report from a Burlington railfan says the train is still at Gateway.^[3]

References

↑ Mann, Charles F.A. (17 September 1935). "Most Powerful Diesel Ready for Rail Service". The Meriden Daily Journal. Retrieved 28 March 2012.
↑ Lotz, David (2002). "History of the Mark Twain Zephyr". RPO. Retrieved 26 October 2012.
↑ "CB&Q Zephyrs". trainorders.com. 11 February 2011. Retrieved 27 March 2012.

External links

v t e North American lightweight passenger trains by manufacturer

ACF	ACF-Talgo B&M Speed Merchant CRI&P Talgo Jet Rocket GM&N Rebel Motorailer NYNH&H John Quincy Adams

ANF / Rohr	Turboliner

Bombardier / MLW	Acela JetTrain LRC

Budd	B&M-MEC Flying Yankee CB&Q Denver Zephyrs CB&Q General Pershing Zephyr CB&Q Mark Twain Zephyr CB&Q Nebraska Zephyrs CB&Q Pioneer Zephyr CB&Q Twin Zephyrs CRI&P Rockets' (1937) D&RGW Prospector Metroliner NYNH&H Roger Williams PRR Keystone Reading Crusader (1937) RDC

GM / EMD	Aerotrain

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Pullman	IC Green Diamond NYC Xplorer NYNH&H Dan'l Webster UP M-10000 UP M-10001 UP M-10002 UP M-10003 – M-10006

United Aircraft / Pullman / MLW	TurboTrain

See also: Lightweight train locomotives

v t e Named trains of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad

Ak-Sar-Ben Zephyr American Royal Zephyr Black Hawk California Zephyr Denver Zephyr General Pershing Zephyr Kansas City Zephyr Mark Twain Zephyr Nebraska Zephyr Ozark State Zephyr Pioneer Zephyr Sam Houston Zephyr Silver Streak Zephyr Texas Zephyr Twin Cities Zephyr Zephyr Rocket

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Streamliners	M-10000 M-10001 M-10002 M-10003 to M-10006 Pioneer Zephyr Mark Twain Zephyr General Pershing Zephyr Green Diamond Flying Yankee LWT 12 SAL 2027–2028

EMD engined or license built units	British Rail Class 57 British Rail Class 67 CIE 001 CIE 071 CIE 121 CIE 141 CIE 181 CFL 1600 DSB Class ME DSB Class MX DSB Class MY DSB Class MZ IE 201 IR WDM-4 Israel Railways JT 42BW Israel Railways JT 42CW NIR 111 NSB Di 4 New Jersey Transit PL42AC RENFE Class 310 RENFE Class 319 (early versions) RENFE Class 319 (later versions) RENFE Class 333 RENFE Class 334 SNCB HLD 51 SNCB HLD 52 SNCB HLD 53 SNCB HLD 54 SNCB HLD 55 SNCB HLD 51 SNCB HLD 62 SNCB HLD 65 SJ T41 SJ T43 SJ T44 Vossloh Euro

Experimentals	1800 hp B-B DH2

See also: List of GM-EMD locomotives

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