The Silver Rapids was a CZ 10-6 sleeper lettered California Zephyr and of the
same design as the other 10-6 CZ sleepers. It was unpainted Stainless Steel and
had PRR on the upper corner nameplates instead of CB&Q, D&RGW or WP, so it
matched the other CZ cars. It was of the Q's Silver Series, and of the PRR's
Rapid series, the latter including several other Budd 10-6 sleepers not of quite
the CZ design.
It was used on the CZ until 1957, when the PRR bailed out of the
transcontinental sleeper business. They kept the car because they needed 10-6
sleepers, although, apparently, according to Zimmerman's book, the California
Zephyr, they would have taken another 10-6 sleeper in trade, had the other 3 CZ
roads had one to offer.
Amazingly, it apparently kept its Zephyr skirting because I saw it for the first
time at the end of the San Francisco Zephyr in 1975, in Amtrak Phase II paint,
with the skirts. The last I saw the car was a year ago in Milwaukee. In
private ownership, t had been restored to the CZ look, with California Zephyr on
the nameplate, but the restoration did not include the PRR endplates.
sjl
JACKGP20@a... wrote:
> Hi Rich and Gang:
>
> I was very surprised when I saw the mention of a Pennsylvania Railroad Budd
> 10-6 sleeper (Silver Rapids) lettered California Zephyr. While I understand
> that the CZ participated in through coast to coast sleeping car service, and
> that eastern railroad cars were carried on the train; I never heard of cars
> lettered California Zephyr outside of CB&Q-D&RGW-WP. Can you please explain?
>
> Thanks!
>
> Jack Grasso
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>
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