The Denver Zephyr on the eve of Amtrak still looks to qualify as a premium train with its full dining car and lounge service along with multiple Vista-Domes. Still, a comparison with the 1957 edition shows a number of cutbacks...no "Chuck Wagon" dome coffee-shop, only one Slumbercoach, and only bus service to Colorado Springs as the connecting train from Denver had been axed.

Amtrak would retain the Denver Zephyr's daily Chicago-Denver service, combining it with thrice-weekly service to Ogden and San Francisco via Union Pacific/Southern Pacific. The combined service would eventually be known as the San Francisco Zephyr.


From the pages of the Official Guide, April 1971

Burlington Northern herald

The Denver Zephyr

Burlington Northern
March, 1971

1 Train Number 2
Daily Miles Services Daily
4 45P Dp 0 Chicago, IL (Union Station)(CT) C B R Ar 9 50A
14 La Grange, IL C DF 9 19A
5 22P 38 Aurora, IL C R 8 55A
6 01P 83 Mendota, IL C X 8 15A
6 20P 104 Princeton, IL C X 7 54A
6 45P 131 Kewanee, IL C X 7 30A
7 18P Ar 162 Galesburg, IL C R Dp 7 02A
7 20P Dp Ar 6 59A
7 39P 179 Monmouth, IL C X 6 37A
8 10P 206 Burlington, IA C R 6 11A
8 35P 233 Mount Pleasant, IA C X 5 39A
8 52P 255 Fairfield, IA C X 5 21A
9 15P Ar 280 Ottumwa, IA C R X Dp 5 00A
9 17P Dp Ar 4 58A
F10 22P 360 Osceola, IA C X 3 48A
10 56P 393 Creston, IA (Des Moines via bus) C X 3 20A
11 35P 443 Red Oak, IA C X 2 34A
12 45A Ar 496 Omaha, NE C B R Dp 1 36A
1 10A Dp Ar 1 26A
2 10A Ar 551 Lincoln, NE C B R Dp 12 29A
2 30A Dp Ar 12 05A
F 2 52A 571 Crete, NE C X F11 44P
4 06A Ar 648 Hastings, NE C B R Dp 10 45P
4 10A Dp Ar 10 42P
680 Minden, NE C F10 03P
4 57A 702 Holdrege, NE C 9 44P
726 Oxford, NE C 9 19P
6 07A Ar 779 McCook, NE (CT) C B Dp 8 34P
5 10A Dp McCook, NE (MT) Ar 7 30P
869 Wray, CO C X 6 19P
7 06A 922 Akron, CO C X 5 37P
7 35A 956 Fort Morgan, CO C X 5 05P
9 00A Ar 1034 Denver, CO (Union Sta.) (MT) C B R Dp 4 00P
Connecting Bus Service (Continental Trailways)
9 30A Dp 1034 Denver, CO (MT) Ar 3 15P
11 05A Ar 1109 Colorado Springs, CO (MT) Dp 1 45P

Train 1 (Chicago-Denver): 21 stops; 17:15; 59.9 MPHTrain 2 (Denver-Chicago): 25 stops; 16:50; 61.4 MPH


BURLINGTON NORTHERN

VISTA DOME DENVER ZEPHYR
CHICAGO-OMAHA-DENVER

EQUIPMENT

Vista-Dome Parlor Lounge

Chicago-Denver.

Lounge "The Colorado Room" and Vista-Dome.

Parlor Section for first-class passengers—

11 Parlor seats, 1 Parlor Drawing-room.

Sleeping Cars

Chicago-Denver.

10-Roomettes, 6 Double Bedrooms.

Slumbercoach

Chicago-Denver.

24 Single Rooms, 8 Double Rooms.

Dining Car

Chicago-Denver.

Vista-Dome Reclining Seat Chair Car

(46 seats, leg rests.)

Chicago-Denver.

Reclining Seat Chair Car

(50 seats, leg rests.)

Chicago-Denver.


All Space on the Denver Zephyr is reserved and specifically assigned in advance. Passengers traveling from Colorado Springs should request reservations from Burlington Northern Colorado Springs office. Coach seat reservations must be claimed at train gate at Chicago by 4:35 p.m., Denver by 3:50 p.m. Checked baggage is carried only between Chicago and Denver and not to or from intermediate points, except baggage can be checked to or from unrestricted stations between Omaha and McCook.

Burlington Northern fare table available in the Ticket Office.