The California Zephyr

We have created complete Deluxe Sets with Sound and DCC. The Passenger Cars will have lights.

We have created a CB&Q Set with 2 x E5A's

We have created a DRG Set with 3 Alco PA's in and A-B-A configuration.

We have created two different WP sets in a A-B-B configuration.

Model the magic and beauty of the west, viewed from a luxury train that ran across the country from Chicago to San Francisco.  Three mighty railroads to run the train, CB&Q from Chicago to Denver, D&RGW from Denver to Salt Lake City, and the Western Pacific from Salt Lake City down to San Francisco, and Kato has built the necessary units to make it all a reality.

The California Zephyr was the essence of luxury and class, with "Zephyrettes" as hostesses to welcome guests and ease the way and accommodate all reasonable requests for service. It was advertised as the train covering the 2,532 miles in just over two days, traveling "the scenic way across America" and so it was.

 

In The Beginning

In 1934 the Burlington made a splash by deputing one of the first-ever streamliners, the Zephyr 9900 (also known as the Pioneer Zephyr) during April of 1934.  The sleek, stainless-steel contraption was the first of its kind powered by a diesel engine and proved more successful, operationally, than UP's design.  Both wowed the public and led to the Burlington christening an entire fleet of Zephyrs through the 1940s.

The San Francisco Golden Gate International Exposition led to the “Exposition Flyer”, a through train to the event.  Though steam-powered and with heavyweight cars, it was the forerunner of the later California Zephyr which followed almost the exact route.  The three railroads, Chicago, Burlington & Quincy, the Denver & Rio Grande, and the Western Pacific created a cross-country, luxury – and now legendary - train service that could not have been executed by one railroad alone.

Some of the wonders would never have been seen otherwise:

  

 

NOW YOU CAN HAVE  YOUR  OWN CALIFORNIA  ZEPHYR

One Set of Passenger Cars, With One of Three Sets of Engines!

The train consist to be produced by Kato has eleven (11) passenger cars and represents the first year (of 21 years) of service:

1.           Silver Antelope - Baggage Car
2.           Silver Saddle - Dome coach
3.           Silver Rifle – Dome Coach
4.           Silver Dollar – Dome Coach
5.           Silver Shop - Dome Buffet
6.           Silver Pass – 10-6 Sleeper
7.           Silver Shore – 10-6 Sleeper
8.           Silver Café - Diner
9.           Silver Poplar – 10-6 Sleeper
10.           Silver Palisade – 10-6 Sleeper
11.           Silver Penthouse – Dome Observation

Each car will come lighted from the factory.  Each set will be made up with this consist but with the engines from only one of the railroads. 

Each engine, however, will have DCC and LokSound installed at the factory.  The CB&Q will have two E5 engines at its head.  The Denver & Rio Grande Western will have two Alco PAs and one PB unit.  The Western Pacific will have three F3s in an ABB lash-up.

The Kato CB&Q  was previously done in the early Zephyr style, with skirts.  This will be reprinted for those who want the 1949 to 1960s period engine.  The CB&Q set will have two C5s:

 

Two new E5s will be done for the Zephyr, but only technical artwork is available now:

 

The Denver & Rio Grande Western will have two Alco PA-1s and one Alco PB-1:

 

Road Nos. 6011 and 6013

And one PA-1B

 

The Western Pacific will have the prototypical ABB configuration:

 

You can either order one engine/passenger set for the road of your choice or order one of the sets and add the appropriate engines for the other legs of the spectacular train and run it across a layout that models the coast, the mountains, and the prairies and farmlands of the midwest from beginning to end.

Choose Yours Today And Make Ready For Your Own Private Journey