Ak-Sar-Ben Zephyr

The "Ak-Sar-Ben Zephyr" was a named passenger train operated by the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad as "Burlington Route" train No. 5 eastbound and train No. 30 westbound.

The "Ak-Sar-Ben Zephyr" was the overnight (sleeping car service) version of its daytime sister (coach only) train, the "Nebraska Zephyr", which operated over the same route. The "Ak-Sar-Ben" portion of name was created by spelling Nebraska (Neb-ras-ka) backwards; a fraternal organization (the Knights of Ak-Sar-Ben) and an arena and horse racing facility in Omaha have also used the name.

The start and ending date of the "Ak-Sar-Ben Zephyr" is unknown, but the train was certainly in service in the mid-1960s.

Route

"Westbound (as of April 26, 1964)"
*Chicago, Illinois – departed at 10:00 p.m.
*La Grange, Illinois
*Aurora, Illinois
*Mendota, Illinois
*Kewanee, Illinois
*Galesburg, Illinois
*Monmouth, Illinois (Flag Stop)
*Burlington, Iowa
*Mount Pleasant, Iowa
*Fairfield, Iowa
*Ottumwa, Iowa
*Albia, Iowa
*Chariton, Iowa
*Osceola, Iowa
*Creston, Iowa
*Corning, Iowa (Flag Stop)
*Villisca, Iowa (Flag Stop)
*Red Oak, Iowa
*Council Bluffs, Iowa
*Omaha, Nebraska
*Lincoln, Nebraska – arrived at 9:15 a.m.

The eastbound train departed Lincoln at 9:00 p.m., arriving at Chicago Union Station the following morning at 7:50 a.m.

Equipment

*Pullman Sleeping Cars, Chicago to Omaha-Lincoln featuring double bedrooms and roomettes
*Dining-Lounge Car (Open to all passengers - sleeper or coach), providing evening refreshments and breakfast from Chicago to Omaha.
*Chair Cars (reclining seats), Chicago to Omaha-Lincoln
*A Vista-Dome Observation Lounge sleeping car with 3 Double Bedrooms and a Drawing room was operated from 1952-1960 in conjunction with the California Zephyr.

References

*"The Official Guide of the Railways", June 1964, Published by the National Railway Publication Co., New York, NY.