January 10, 2004 During the fall of 2003, the new dome subfloor was installed and the
stainless steel for the replacement name boards arrived. Once the new lettering is completed, we can have the nameboards installed. Work continues on the new dome windows with much engineering and testing ahead to see if we have it right.
Also, the
March 25, 2004 Western Pacific FP7 805-A is ALIVE! The last surviving WP passenger
diesel and veteran of the CZ operated under its own power earlier this month for the first time in many years. Thanks to the mechanical team for all their hard work. As a special bonus, 805-A will be on display in Sparks as part of the
Western Pacific Railroad Historical Convention during April 16-17. It is hoped to pose the locomotive with the Dome to Reno Excursion being operated by Trains Unlimited Tours that weekend. The excursion will feature 5 authentic
California Zephyr cars and is being coordinated with the Convention.
January 2, 2005 The Feather River Rail Society and the Zephyr Project are pleased to announce the acquisition of
our second California Zephyr car: Chicago Burlington and Quincy dome-coach "Silver Lodge"! The "Lodge" will join our dome-lounge-dorm car "Silver Hostel" and CZ locomotive Western Pacific 805-A in representing the California Zephyr at
the Portola Railroad Museum. Final details of ownership transfer are being completed and the car will move to Portola by early Spring 2005. The car is well-used, but fairly complete, retaining most of her CZ architecture and
details and even her original wall mural painted by artist Mary Lawser. For more details, see the new Also, a HUGE thank you to the
March 22, 2005 Due to the forecast poor weather and the Easter Holiday, the work weekend for the "Silver Hostel" has been rescheduled to April 2-3. Work will be focusing on the dome area. On this date
in 1970, the last westbound California Zephyr arrived in Oakland. The first Zephyr left Oakland on March 20, 1949, with a train that included our "Silver Hostel" dome-lounge. The "Silver Lodge" is being prepped for movement within the
next two weeks and will soon begin its journey to Portola. When it arrives, a work weekend will be scheduled to clean out the car and begin documenting it as a prelude to restoration work.
June 1, 2006
Zephyr Project Work Weekend will be JUNE 24-25, 2006 at the Western Pacific RR Museum. There is now a THIRD CZ dome car in Portola! As part of the recent
effort to assist the Golden Gate Railroad Museum, which has lost its home at Hunter's Point San Francisco, the FRRS will be storing the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy dome-coach "Silver Rifle". The "Rifle" will not be open for public
display, but will be placed near our own dome-coach "Silver Lodge". Work on the "Silver Hostel" and "Silver Lodge" has started up again. GGRM has kindly donated a number of Budd car parts for use on both the "Silver Hostel" and "Silver
Lodge". There are some potentially exciting new developments in the works. Check back and see what's coming in a few weeks......
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