Only 9 more cars to go! This is a nice addition to the Portola museum...
and a good safe place for a CZ car to go.
>"SILVER LODGE"
>Chicago, Burlington and Quincy 4717
>Vista-Dome chair car
>History
>Builder: Budd Company
>Built: February-May 1948, lot number 9656-021
>The Vista-Dome chair car, also called a dome coach, was the hallmark and
>most prominent feature of the California Zephyr. Each car featured
>forty-six reserved seats on the main level and an additional twenty-four
>unreserved seats in the dome level. Unlike many other trains, the dome
>seating in the forward cars was open to everyone and would remain so for the
>entire life of the CZ. Typically, three dome coaches were placed in each
>train and located directly behind the baggage car or, in later years, a flat
>top coach.
>
>Three separate varieties of the dome coach were built: a "Women's and
>Children's" car where the smaller forward section (segregated from the rest
>of the car by a door) was reserved for women traveling with small children,
>the "Conductor's Coach" featuring a small office for the train conductor,
>and the standard car with no special features.
>
>The "Silver Lodge" was built as one of the "Women's and Children's" Cars
>and, like its siblings, lost its doorway and special reserved section in
>mid-1950. After the end of the CZ, the "Lodge" was conveyed to Amtrak for
>its long-distance trains. After retirement from Amtrak services, the car
>was purchased by Denver Railcar and entered lease and charter service on a
>number of operations. These included a stint in Alaska from 1984-86 and
>tourist service in Mexico in 2000-01. When Denver Railcar decided to sell
>off its large stock of cars, the FRRS acquired the "Lodge", which still
>retains much of its original features and architecture.
>
> FRRS efforts to obtain the "Lodge" began in late summer 2004 and approval to
>acquire the car was finalized in November. It is currently planned to have
>the car moved to Portola by early Spring 2005. Documentation and clean-up
>work will commence shortly after.
>
>Work is continuing on the Silver Hostel. While some clean-up work will be
>done on the Lodge, and major work on the car will be done in conjunction
>with similar work on the Hostel. For example: plans are being made to
>reupholster all dome and chair seats in both cars, once fabric type and
>color are finalized and suitable materials located.
>
> Now that we have taken this step, we need help from all of you. Restorating
>such sophisticated passenger cars is an expensive and time-consuming labor
>of love. We need help to return these two cars, as well as our CZ
>locomotive WP 805-A, to full operation.
>
>If you would like to volunteer your time for work crews, please contact me
>off-list and provide your name, e-mail, phone number as well as any
>relevant, special skills you have (ie: electrician, metal work, etc.). We
>do have lodging in Portola for volunteers and can help coordinate carpools
>to reach the museum.
>
>
>We also need FUNDS. The Silver Hostel is expected to need $250,000 or more
>before its restoration is done. The Silver Lodge will likely take around
>$100,000 for a complete restoration. If you would like to donate to the
>Zephyr Project, please send your check to FRRS Zephyr Project, P O Box 608,
>Portola, CA, 96122. You can also donate securely, on-line at
>www.ZephyrProject.com <http://www.zephyrproject.com/> . Click the "Make a
>Donation" button located at the bottom of the page.
>
>And we need INFORMATION. Any photos of the interior of the dome-coaches,
>but particularly COLOR images are needed from the 1950-52 time frame. Also,
>we need interior photos of the dome-lounge-dormitory cars following 1963,
>following the introduction of the Cable Car Room. If you know of any fabric
>or carpet samples from these cars, please contact me off-list.
>
>Finally, if you have any questions about the Silver Lodge, the Hostel or the
>Zephyr Project, please contact me at evicknair@studiored.com
><mailto:evicknair@studiored.com> .
>
> Thank you!
>Eugene Vicknair
>Zephyr Project Coordinator
>
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