[CBQ] FW: Mark Twain Zephyr E-Newsletter: 10/03/2020

["Dave Lotz" <Dave_Lotz@bellsouth.net>]

 

 

 

From: Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad <rtabern@spoonertrainride.com>
Sent: Saturday, October 3, 2020 12:58 PM
To: dave_lotz@bellsouth.net
Subject: Mark Twain Zephyr E-Newsletter: 10/03/2020

 

 

 

 

 

EDITION 1 - SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2020

This E-Newsletter is produced by the Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad's Office of Passenger Development to keep our supporters informed about the restoration of the Mark Twain Zephyr. We will send one to two updates per month and never sell/give your e-mail address to any third party.

 

 

 

SPECIAL INVITE JUST FOR YOU!

Open House on 85th Anniversary of MTZ

 

Mark Your Calendars to see Mark!

 

The staff of the Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad would like to extend an invitation to all of our E-Newsletter subscribers to attend an informal Open House Event the weekend of Saturday, October 24th and Sunday, October 25th, 2020 to celebrate the 85th Anniversary of the Mark Twain Zephyr.

 

While we won't have a marching band or a coast-to-coast radio broadcast like they did in Hannibal back in 1935... you can still come out and enjoy your choice of either a guided tour of the interior of the train set, or a self-guided tour of the exterior of the train set.

 

In addition to our team of historians being available --- come and see the amazing progress that our hard working crews at the Wisconsin Great Northern have been making in just the past couple of months on this piece of American railroad history. Our plan is to continue to refurbish the five cars... and have the train up and running by this time next year... giving riders a true First Class experience... much like you would have been able to experience aboard a Zephyr back in the Golden Age of Railroading. 

 

Join us either day from 10:00AM to 4:00PM CDT at the Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad located at N6639 Dilly Lake Road in Trego, Wisconsin... located just off US Highways 53 and 63. (About 4 miles north of Spooner - 1 mile south of Trego)

 

There will be special historical presentations --- and a rare photo opportunity that you won't want to miss out on for those who participate (you won't want to miss it)

 

Per the State of Wisconsin Guidelines, we do ask that you practice social distancing and wear a mask, please, when on the property for the safety of our staff and those around you.

 

This event is free and open to the public. No need to RSVP. For more information, contact Robert Tabern at rtabern@spoonertrainride.com.

 

 

New Windows

for the MTZ

 

Bob and Phil, who are part of our full-time crew at the Wisconsin Great Northern working on the Mark Twain Zephyr have been busy this week cutting and installing new windows for the train. It is part of our important plan to get all of the windows in... and get heat and electricity through the train ASAP... so that the interior can be worked on... regardless of how much snow falls or how cold the temps get this winter.

 

Did you know the last time the Mark Twain Zephyr had a complete set of windows would have probably been in the late 1960's? The train was located in a park on the edge of Mount Pleasant, Iowa from 1962 until 1979. Unfortunately, some locals decided they would use its location away from the city to vandalize the windows. By the time it left Mount Pleasant for Kansas City in 1979, most of the windows were broken out.

 

Want to see more about how the windows are cut?

 

Check out www.MarkTwainZephyr.com and click on "Restoration Updates" for a video that we produced yesterday that goes more in-depth about the work.

 

Mark Twain Zephyr

History Book Update

 

Since March 2020, historians with the Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad have been co-writing a 400+ page book about the Mark Twain Zephyr. It will cover the train's design, development, time of the CB&Q (1935-1958), and post-CB&Q life (1959-).

 

We originally hoped to released this book in mid-September 2020, but came across a treasure trove of amazing historical photos after the Newberry Library in Chicago re-opened following their extended closure due to COVID. The contributions these photos will make to the book have been deemed substantial enough to delay its final publication for a couple of months.

 

We have had a handful of people e-mail us about the status of the book, so we wanted to provide everyone an update. Once the final files are sent to the publisher, we will price the book --- likely offering a full-color edition and a more economical black and white edition.

 

We will offer a discount to those who are on our E-Newsletter List and who have signed up for Book Update E-Newsletter List. We promise it's worth the wait... for the most comprehensive book we know about the Mark Twain Zephyr!

 

Several of you have also written in suggesting a separate book that will cover the MTZ restoration process at the WGNRR. We liked it so much --- that's our plan now!

 

FOR MORE UPDATES... FOLLOW THE MARK TWAIN ZEPHYR ON FACEBOOK & TWITTER

 

 

@MarkTwainZephyr

 

 

Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad

N6639 Dilly Lake Road Trego, Wisconsin 54888

Depot Phone: (715) 635-3200

 

Please direct inquiries about the MTZ Restoration Project to:

Robert Tabern, WGNRR Director of Passenger Development

rtabern@spoonertrainride.com

 

(c)2020 Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad, Inc. - All Rights Reserved