If anyone is listening? How about someone making the pioneer Zephyr

7144 Views 20 Replies 9 Participants Last post by Jerry Barnes, Mar 25, 2009

N.S. Rob

Discussion Starter · Mar 15, 2009

Seeing Jerry Barnes youtube and pics of his Zephyr makes me green with envy. I am too young to have ever seen one run, but I use to beg my parents to take me to the Museum of Science and Industry of Chicago just to see the Silver Streak.

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Jerry Barnes

· #2 · Mar 15, 2009

I imagine the problem is that it and the other Zephyrs were unique to one line, the Burlington. There was the Flying Yankee also, http://www.flyingyankee.com
But most companies want a model of train that was used by many companies, thus interesting more than one group. I would think that it would not matter too much on the Zephyr, it certainly has been made in many other scales. MTH could easily scale up their O scale model. I would like to see the UP's M10000 made also. I'm a sucker for old passenger trains!

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astrayelmgod

· #3 · Mar 15, 2009

"But most companies want a model of train that was used by many companies"

Unless it has a "K" in front of it (K-27...36). So, you simply need to rename it to the Kburlington Kzephyr. You'll have them coming out of your ears.

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spodwo

· #4 · Mar 15, 2009

If MTH made one in 1:32 - they would have one sale for sure:

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Jerry Barnes

· #5 · Mar 15, 2009

I guess that's a MTH Z there Steve? I see it does not have the little flaps over the front power truck. Bob Thon, who is Robert's Lines, that did the G scale Zephyr, was a bit critical of the MTH's version in O scale. I can see a couple of things there in your picture.

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spodwo

· #6 · Mar 15, 2009

I see it does not have the little flaps over the front power truck. Bob Thon, who is Robert's Lines, that did the G scale Zephyr, was a bit critical of the MTH's version in O scale. I can see a couple of things there in your picture.

Mine is the Railking version. It does have selective compression, making it shorter and the sides are "cut" to go around smaller curves. However the real Zephyrs were modified over the years....note how this one looks - no front truck cover at all and I have found a few more photos of this "cut" version:

Compare the lights to the first Zephyr:

Mine has truck "covers" or shrouds for all trucks that can be removed or added:

Plus the Railking version comes with "rubber" diaphragms in two sizes. One smaller for tighter curves.

MTH has a Premiere version and more recently - a "stainless" version - more chrome like, longer, more prototypical.

I have had my MTH Railking Zephyr for 8 years. Still runs great and for the price point - I am pleased with it.

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Jerry Barnes

· #7 · Mar 15, 2009

Okay Steve, you got me! I've never seen one, just passing on Bob's comments. I'm sure that is true of any model, some things have to be changed for affordability.

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Pete Thornton

· #8 · Mar 16, 2009

I'll take a 1/32nd or a 1/29th version. Still have a "Flying Yankee" on the shelf over my desk - here's a shot of the old display in my basement 15 years ago. Behind the Hudson is an original Lionel 616/617/627/628 from the late 1930s.

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Jerry Barnes

· #9 · Mar 16, 2009

Pete, how come the front of the power car is a different color? Bob has about every Zephyr that was made, including the odd scaled ones , even a ride on Buddy L one.

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Pete Thornton

· #10 · Mar 17, 2009

how come the front of the power car is a different color

Jerry,

It's original, if that's what you're asking. As far as I know, they are all like that: chrome with gunmetal ends:

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spodwo

· #11 · Mar 17, 2009

And Lionel has reproduced that most recently:

A chrome-plated O Gauge replica of the Boston and Maine's fast Flying Yankee issued, originally by Lionel from 1935 to the early 1940's, makes its grand return! Built of steel and richly embellished by a wealth of accurate detail, the outfit includes a #616W power car, two #617 coaches, and a #618 observation car. Lionel offers the version first made available in 1938, a chrome outfit with gunmetal painting on the power car, observation car, and skirts. The coaches feature fluted sides and single doors.

On a side note - I have no idea why the gun metal color of the "Flying Yankee" other than what it says above. I could not find any real photos of the Yankee with that color scheme...

Artistic License!

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Pete Thornton

· #12 · Mar 17, 2009

I could not find any real photos of the Yankee with that color scheme...

Right. I checked the photo galleries at http://www.flyingyankee.com/ to see if they had any.

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Engineercub

· #13 · Mar 17, 2009

Agreed Rob, Jerry does have a nice Zephyr and it would be great if someone would release it in G-scale. I would certainly purchase one.

-Will

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Engineer1876

· #14 · Mar 18, 2009

Ok guys, they were made in g in the mid 1980's by a Roberts Line, they are 1:32! There is one on Ebay now! http://cgi.ebay.com/ROBERTS-LINES-G-GAUGE-CB&Q-3-UNIT-PIONEER-ZEPHYR%2FBOX-NR_W0QQitemZ280322949208QQcmdZViewItemQQimsxZ20090315?IMSfp=TL090315125006r636#ebayphotohosting

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Jerry Barnes

· #15 · Mar 18, 2009

Yep, that's like mine, they are 1:32nd. Last two on ebay went for about $2,000. Only 100 were made.

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East Broad Top

· #16 · Mar 18, 2009

...I imagine the problem is that it and the other Zephyrs were unique to one line, the Burlington. ...

I don't think that's the issue. Many offerings in large scale are of one-of-a-kind prototypes. We've got three manufacturers making the UP Big Boy, 3 (or more) versions of the PRR's GG-1, etc. The ubiquitousness of the prototype on the rails isn't the factor--it's the ubiquitousness of it in the mind. I've always thought the Zephyr as cool, too, and I think they'd be a popular item.

Later,

K

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Pete Thornton

· #17 · Mar 18, 2009

I think they'd be a popular item.

Yeh. So would an EBT M-1 !

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Jerry Barnes

· #18 · Mar 18, 2009

I agree, based on comments on mine. I seem to be about the only person actually running one though.

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East Broad Top

· #19 · Mar 19, 2009

Move the wheels in 22.5", and I'd think about it.

Later,

K

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blackburn49

· #20 · Mar 25, 2009

Posted By Jerry Barnes on 03/17/2009 8:12 PM
Yep, that's like mine, they are 1:32nd. Last two on ebay went for about $2,000. Only 100 were made.

I see this last one went for $1,714.89 on Ebay.

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