On October 23, 1936, one of the new Denver Zephyrs set a new world's speed record for a long distance non-stop run by dashing from Chicago to Denver in 12 hours, 12 minutes... 1017 miles at an average speed of 83.3 mph. Top speed on this spectacular run exceeded 116 miles an hour. It slashed by 53 minutes the previous record run of the original Zephyr, from Denver to Chicago in May, 1934.
The Burlington Lines of today had its inception in the tiny 12-mile Aurora Branch, chartered on February 12, 1849. From this modest beginning has emerged an 11,000 mile network of rails reaching into 14 Midwestern states. Burlington was first to operate a railway postoffice car; first to inaugurate a Diesel streamlined train; and first to introduce a Vista-Dome car.
The new diesel powered, stainless steel California Zephyr between Chicago, Denver, Salt Lake City and San Francisco features the unique Vista-Dome cars. This train operates via the Burlington, Rio Grande, and Western Pacific railroads through the Colorado Rockies and Feather River Canyon... the Scenic Way Across America.
