During this week in 1949 the first California Zephyr train made its inaugural stop in Grand County. This highly anticipated train was marketed as a scenic cruise through the Rockies, and with its sleek design and fast speeds the steel train became a modern marvel on the railways.

The first California Zephyr passenger train began operations March 20, 1949. The eastbound train left from Oakland, California, while the westbound train left from Chicago, Illinois. Both trains would travel through Granby for the first time the next day, March 21, 1949, according to Amtrak which now operates the train.

The last run of the original California Zephyr departed just 20 years later March 20, 1969. March 21 marks the anniversary of both the first and final stop in Grand County of the original California Zephyr, according to Bob Johnston, a correspondent at Trains Magazine.

The California Zephyr was once advertised as “the most talked about train in the country” and was nicknamed the Silver Lady.

The original operators of the train were the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad; Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad; and Western Pacific Railroad. It traveled from Chicago through Denver, Salt Lake City, Oakland and San Francisco. The groups worked together from 1949 until 1970.

The California Zephyr was a passenger train, meaning it transported people rather than goods. According to old advertisements, guests were pampered with amenities like air conditioning, radio and other entertainment.

The train was famous for its scenic train cars called vista domes. The vista domes allowed passengers to view some of the most picturesque scenery in the country while traveling. Some of the landmarks that can be seen along the route include the Rocky Mountains and the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

Pamphlets advertising the California Zephyr’s vista domes dated from 1949, confirmed that the train passed through Winter Park, Granby and Hot Sulphur Springs during its route, according to Tom Whitt of the Burlington Route Historical Society. Granby is approximately 1,114 miles from Chicago and 1,423 miles from San Francisco by train.

In addition to being a comfortable ride for passengers, the distinctive art deco design of the California Zephyr in its early existence made it an aesthetic attraction. The sleek silver exterior was juxtaposed with the luxurious furnishings.

This was all included in the marketing for the California Zephyr. Old advertisements by Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad were even printed in Sky-Hi News.

The California Zephyr came out after World War II and responded to the increasing popularity of leisure travel in America. However, the original California Zephyr ceased operations due to the growing popularity of air travel. Even though the last run of the train by its original operators was circa 1970, the train service would continue to be operated.

From 1971 to 1983, other trains were operated by different companies along the same tracks.

The first Amtrak-operated California Zephyr rolled into the Granby station on July 16, 1983, after its original route was restored. According to Sky-Hi News archives, the train was greeted by 300 residents, including the county commissioners and the Granby mayor at the time.

“The natural and manmade barriers are now out of the way. AMTRAK will begin its daily train service through Grand County at 10:25 a.m., Saturday July 16 in Granby,” Sky-Hi News wrote in a July 21, 1983, article.

Today, Amtrak continues to run the California Zephyr along an identical route to the original so modern riders can still enjoy the historic journey. The train regularly stops in Granby and Fraser. Many train enthusiasts still fondly remember the original California Zephyr as a legendary luxury train.

The Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden is having train rides and programming themed around the California Zephyr on Saturday, March 23 to celebrate. Charlie Giordano with the museum said that they will even have an original locomotive that pulled the zephyr in the days of the Rio Grande open for cab tours and more activities.