Okay, I am willing to accept that there are some folks who think that just about everything that Disney has done with it’s California Adventure theme park is wrong. They just are that way and liked it better as a parking lot. Got it.

But... I don’t agree with that sentiment. On many levels, DCA is a good park. In more than one place Disney’s team of artists and designers did very well with the limited resources they were given. Particularly, when it comes to the subject seen above.

And that’s the story here today. So, first a little history.

In 1949, a new train began operating between Chicago and San Francisco. An already established operating partnership of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy, the Denver & Rio Grande Western and the Western Pacific launched the operation of the “California Zephyr”. It may not have been the fastest train between the points, but it was the finest with a grand panorama of scenery presented for passengers both east and west.

The California Zephyr was the post-war successor to several trains. The same railroads had operated the Exposition Flyer, an all-heavyweight car train from Chicago to San Francisco (Oakland, actually. San Francisco was reached by a ferry ride across the Bay) that coincided with the 1939 and 1940 Golden Gate International Exposition, that was held on Treasure Island in San Francisco Bay. But it was the Burlington that operated the stainless steel, lightweight Pioneer Zephyr. That was one of several pre-war streamlined trains that toured the country and stirred the imaginations of passengers and potential passengers alike.

The three railroads went to the Budd Company for the passenger cars that were to become the CZ. Budd had built the Pioneer Zephyr and other trains for the CB&Q so it was no stranger to the concepts of lightweight stainless steel construction. But what was to set the train apart from other postwar competitors was the five dome cars in each consist. The tale is told that these cars were inspired by a ride in the cab of a diesel locomotive. The Burlington built a prototype, the “Silver Dome” in 1945 and the rest is history. The CZ operated from 1949 to 1970. The Rio Grande operated it’s own Zephyr between Denver and Salt Lake City from 1970 to 1983. Amtrak assumed the name at that time and operates it’s Zephyr over much (but not all) of the original route.

Now when it comes to Disney, I must admit that I was rather surprised when the Zephyr was announced as part of the project. Being that there was a history with Disney and the Santa Fe, one would have thought that the classic red and silver of the Super Chief would have made sense and matched the southern California location better. And let’s not forget that Walt and animator/train buff Ward Kimball rode the Chief from LA to Chicago for the 1949 Chicago Railroad Fair. (Check out the Stuff From The Park blog form some great views of the fair!)

But... the folks at WDI went with the WP and the CZ. So let’s look over the train from front to back. Now the WP did use the Mission style of architecture for some of it’s stations. None had the tower that greets guests, however. That is a more southern California touch for either the Union Pacific or the Santa Fe. One WP station continues life today in Sacramento as the Old Spaghetti Factory, with trains of the successor Union Pacific passing by now and then.

View courtesy of Jeff Lange of Jeff Lange DVD.

The locomotive recreates a General Motors FP-7 diesel electric locomotive that was one of four used by the Western Pacific between Oakland and Salt Lake City. And appropriately, it is numbered for the 804-A, the locomotive that led the last CZ to arrive in Oakland on the WP on March 22nd, 1970.

The locomotive at Disney? Well, here’s a bit of theatrical magic. What you see isn’t a complete locomotive. Disney found the cab of a locomotive in a scrap yard in the midwest and used it as the front of it’s Zephyr. Here’s a view of it arriving in Anaheim. With apologies to photographer, I don’t know who you are.

Overall, the reproduction is a very credible one. Compare it to the real thing - the WP 805-A (now restored and operational) at the Western Pacific Railroad Museum in Portola, California - in this view courtesy of Eugene Vicknair of the WPRM.

In Anaheim, the rear of the locomotive has side doors that open and reveal the Bur-r-r Bank Ice Cream. Directly behind this is the next “car” in the train, the Western Pacific dining car, “Silver Platter”.

And interestingly enough, the WPRM, is soon to add the sister car, the “Silver Plate” (also a WP CZ dining car) to it’s collection on display. Again from Eugene Vicknair, views of that car:

The interior of the dining room. Compare it to a 1949 view -

from the California Zephyr Virtual Museum.

The interior of the kitchen.

The two cars were 48 seat dining cars. In service, they were staffed by a steward, chef, three cooks and six waiters. Meals the stuff legends are made of came from kitchens like this aboard the Zephyr. Each railroad had it’s own dining car crews and offered regional menu selections. Especially famed was the Rocky Mountain Rainbow Trout. Click here to see a 1968 CZ Menu.

The Disney dining car is home to the Bakersfield Bakery. It features a great, if fanciful, mural of the CZ in action.

Also located here is a wonderful display of CZ dining car memorabilia. Be sure to check it out in more detail on your next visit!

A few minor quibbles, though. Nestle was not involved with the CZ (even though they do sponsor the Bakery) and the place mat is actually a coach seat headrest cover.

Finally, we come to the last car in the Disney Zephyr. Fittingly, this is the first car that most guests view on entering the park. I say fittingly, because for many people, this was the CZ’s signature car.

The CZ had five domes in it’s usual consist. There were three dome coaches, a dome dormitory-grill lounge car and the dome lounge observation that was always at the rear of the train - with it’s signature neon sign.

It’s the real thing, on the rear of...

The “Silver Solarium” along the Truckee River on Amtrak’s “California Zephyr”, heading for Reno in February of 2008. View courtesy of Ryan Martin.

Disney's dome observation is home to the Engine-ears Toy Shop. On the whole a great recreation of the prototype. The original car features a mix of bedrooms with a lounge below the dome and the rounded-end observation seating at the rear of the car.

I've had the chance to view the Disney Zephyr with a private car owner who had experience with repairs to fluted siding on his cars. He was impressed that Disney took the time to go to such a level of detail in their recreation.

His only criticism, a minor one, was that the dome was a bit off and somewhat leans oddly in one direction. Being more of a design element than actually used for seating, he thought it was "close enough" and gave the overall recreation of the "California Zephyr" high marks.

Thanks to everyone who supplied photos for this look at Disney's California Zephyr. Be sure to check out the many links and come back later in the week for a related tale!