CB&Q Zephyr Passenger Cars in Lionel 2024 Catalog

Looking at the catalog, these appear to be Lionel's standard streamlined car tooling that has been used on all the Budd style cars.  The catalog art images appear identical to my ATSF and Amtrak sets.  These cars are fluted, ABS, and painted silver as are the trucks.  I don't believe the windows are tinted on mine or if they are, it is a slight gray tint.  The vista dome is the early low-profile style on my cars as well.

In have been off and on attempting to track down the prototype for the car tooling I have surmised the following:

• The Baggage car is based on the ATSF prototype less the plates on each side of the baggage car doors.
• The observation is based on the Empire State Limited "Theodore Roosevelt".
• The baggage coach tooling is also based on the ESE prototype but should be a lounge in lieu of having coach seating.
• The diner is a near duplicate of the K-Line 21" diner.  Still looking for a prototype as I am on the dome, coach, and 10-6.  My initial impressions are that the coach is based on a standard 54 seat leg rest coach and the 10-6 is a common Budd plan also, but I need to pull my plan books out.

For those prices I can't see Lionel offering newly tooled cars with full skirting and the level of detail found on the Atlas CZ cars, but I do like to be surprised.  Regardless, some of these cars could work out well if you aren't looking to sweat the details too much.  I was planning on re-decaling some of my CZ cars to Burlington, but maybe these could work as well.     

However, don't take my word for it.  It is more likely you will get an answer contacting Lionel over posting it on the forum. 

These too are nice cars, I just wish that Lionel made the Observation with a dome. All the major Burlington streamlined cars had dome observations.

For those that are purists, the Atlas cars a better.

RAY

Not all CBQ observations were domed.  CBQ 300 Silver Spirit lives at the National Railway Museum and was recently restored.  The Lionel car is a good starting point for this car.

Silver Spirit

Jonathan,

You are correct but the DZ, TCZ, KCZ, and several others all had dome observation. And since Lionel has these cars lettered as the CZ, there should be a dome observation.

RAY

Ray & Jonathan:

Thanks for your responses.

Jonathan, I will send an e-mail to Lionel with my questions.  I also tagged this thread to Dave Olson & Ryan Kunkel at Lionel.  Because the tooling is based on Budd corrugated prototypes, they will certainly meet my needs as CB&Q models.  Does your ESE observation Theodore Roosevelt have a lighted drum head ?

Ray, I too like the CB&Q’s vista dome observation cars.  CB&Q’s boat-tailed vista dome observation cars ran on the California Zephyr & Twin Cities Zephyr.  CB&Q’s blunt-end vista dome observation cars ran on the 1956 Denver Zephyr & Kansas City Zephyr.  Boat-tailed flat-top observation cars ran on the other Zephyrs, including the Texas Zephyr, General Pershing Zephyr, Silver Streak Zephyr, American Royal Zephyr, Aksarben Zephyr, & all of the articulated Zephyrs.

I already have 21” boat-tailed vista dome observation cars from K-Line & Atlas-O (both are “California Zephyr” on letter boards).  As a consequence, I am okay with Lionel’s boat-tailed flat-top observation car with “Burlington” on the letter boards.

Thanks again,

CB&Q Bill

Hi Ray:

Lionel’s current 21” CB&Q set in the 2024 catalog is not decorated  with “California Zephyr” on its letter boards.  The catalog description does not even mention California Zephyr anywhere.  

The catalog illustration has “Burlington” in the letter boards.  

Of course, Burlington Route fans would certainly enjoy a few vista dome car add ons for this set.

CB&Q Bill