Fallen Varnish: Repost of The Rio Grande Zephyr

The RGZ from Burns to New Castle, CO on 4/7 and 4/8/83. I increased the file size.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• RGZ
• Rio
• Grande
• Zephyr
• passenger
• train
• D&RGW
• railroad
• railway
• diesel
• locomotive
• F9
• Gort

[imprezzed42296]

That 2nd unit looks like an E8 or 9 that was retrucked?

[e44e33]

It's a PB1 with EMD trucks, serving as a steam generator car.

[sgtredbluered]

Great sound at 1:47 , BTW

[sgtredbluered]

I was fortunate enough to ride the Zephyr, from Chicago to Denver, in December of 1970. There was hardly anyone on the train, as there had just been an averted nationwide railroad strike, and, I assume everyone had cancelled their tickets. So great to see the original cars & paint.

[ma7799]

@maddennis55

The RGZ was discontinued in 1983. 

[dtoeppen]

Sweet...no I-70 in Glenwood Canyon.

RGZ ended 4/24/83, not 1984. I was on the final westbound (4/23/83) and eastbound (4/24/83) runs.

[dtoeppen]

Sweet...no I-70 in Glenwood Canyon.

[jeffspirit11]

Thanks for the info and correction. This proves the documentary I saw didn't fully investigate the truth of the matter. Proves you need to find the facts out and make sure of that. Even the best of intentions can sometimes go astray. If I remember right, good grief! It was a documentary on the Zephyr! Where the heck did they get that info from?!!

[emmasweeny]

The jet experiment wasn't a Zephyr, it was a Budd RDC done by the New York Central. It did so much damage to the track from hunting that the experiment was never repeated.

The F9's and passenger cars did relatively little damage to the track compared to six axle diesels pulling a fully loaded coal train.

[jeffspirit11]

Yep, costs. Too much, and too much time on the units, very costly to maintain. Wonderful to view though of the F9 type or style these engines were. Class of their own who held their own. Imagine the wear and tear on the tracks at those fast speeds those engines did along with the cars when they really got going. An experimental Zephyr once got jet engines mounted on top, and on the flats excessed 180 mph! That was a silly trial I thought, at whose expense. The paying passenger and cargo.

[howardkevinm]

the rock island was so bankrupt from "trying" to merge with Union Pacific they couldnt afford to pay Amtrak the money to join. since they didnt join they had to continue to operate for 5yrs on their own.

[LackawannaLtdVideos]

2:24 . Hammertime.