Wednesday, August 5, 2015

4449 Heads East for Train Festival 2009: Silver Solarium

Continued from Silver Rapids

IMG_7750 Chicago, Burlington & Quincy 'California Zephyr' Dome Lounge-Observation 'Silver Solarium' in Wishram, Washington on July 3, 2009
Silver Solarium in Wishram, Washington on July 3, 2009

Silver Solarium is a Dome Lounge-Observation built by the Budd Company for the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad in 1948. The car was assigned #377.

IMG_7755 Chicago, Burlington & Quincy 'California Zephyr' Dome Lounge-Observation 'Silver Solarium' in Wishram, Washington on July 3, 2009
Silver Solarium in Wishram, Washington on July 3, 2009

Silver Solarium for use on the Chicago-Oakland California Zephyr, which was jointly operated by the CB&Q, the Denver & Rio Grande Western and the Western Pacific.

IMG_7756 Chicago, Burlington & Quincy 'California Zephyr' Dome Lounge-Observation 'Silver Solarium' in Wishram, Washington on July 3, 2009
Silver Solarium in Wishram, Washington on July 3, 2009

When CB&Q was merged into Burlington Northern in 1970, Silver Solarium was to become BN #377 but was not relettered before being sold to Amtrak in 1971, where it served as #9252 until its retirement in April 1978.

IMG_7757 Chicago, Burlington & Quincy 'California Zephyr' Dome Lounge-Observation 'Silver Solarium' in Wishram, Washington on July 3, 2009
Silver Solarium in Wishram, Washington on July 3, 2009

Silver Solarium was sold to Nav Fosse's Cedar Rail Enterprises as CREX #377 in November, 1985 and used in charter service.

IMG_7759 Chicago, Burlington & Quincy 'California Zephyr' Dome Lounge-Observation 'Silver Solarium' in Wishram, Washington on July 3, 2009
Silver Solarium in Wishram, Washington on July 3, 2009

Silver Solarium’s current owner, Roy Wullich's Rail Journeys West, purchased it in August, 2002 and leased it to the American Orient Express.

IMG_7762 Chicago, Burlington & Quincy 'California Zephyr' Dome Lounge-Observation 'Silver Solarium' in Wishram, Washington on July 3, 2009
Silver Solarium in Wishram, Washington on July 3, 2009

Silver Solarium was upgraded in 2003 and is now operated in charter service by California Zephyr Railcar Charters.

IMG_7758 Chicago, Burlington & Quincy 'California Zephyr' Dome Lounge-Observation 'Silver Solarium' in Wishram, Washington on July 3, 2009
Silver Solarium in Wishram, Washington on July 3, 2009

Silver Solarium even features a fully-operational California Zephyr neon drumhead.

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