Help save California Zephyr “Cable Car” Lounge

We are pleased to announce the American Passenger Train History Museum has received a generous donation of a California Zephyr "Cable Car” Lounge. This car is a key acquisition towards the Museum’s mission of preserving significant cars from famous trains. It will also add to our unique collection of feature lounge cars from major passenger trains. To bring ‘Silver Shop’ home to Charles City, Iowa - we need your help! Please consider donating to help cover the cost of acquisition. Our goal is $25,000!

‘Silver Shop’ was ordered in October of 1945 from the Budd Car Company. It was delivered to the Denver & Rio Grande Western (DRGW) in November 1948 as part of their contribution to the Chicago-Oakland streamliner. This was a feature car on the famed California Zephyr trains and was immensely popular with passengers.

After serving the California Zephyr until the train’s discontinuance in March of 1970, ‘Silver Shop’ saw use on the DRGW’s ‘Rio Grande Zephyr’ until the railway joined Amtrak in 1983. DRGW retained the car until December 1987 when it was sold to Via Rail and moved to their Montreal, Canada shops. In May of 2006, ‘Silver Shop’ was sold to Phil Sheridan and returned home. When delivered to the Museum, ‘Silver Shop’ will be the museum’s only example of crew-dormitory accommodations.

If you are interested in saving this piece of ‘California Zephyr’ history, please consider donating! The American Passenger Train History Museum is an IRS recognized 501(c)3 organization and all donations are tax deductible. Our goal is to raise $25,000 to cover the cost of prepping, moving, and acquiring this passenger train treasure. Thank you all for your amazing generosity!