A Portable Layout in S-Scale
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This photo was taken during a visit in 2006 to the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry.
The Pioneer Zephyr number 9900 has recently been refurbished and installed in its own
display hall. That's Bill trespassing on the exhibit.
Click on the photo to see a PDF file from The American Society of Mechanical Engineers. |
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UPDATE: Posted by Ed "the Chicago Maven" Mazur on the ToyTrains group hosted by Groups.io TTMLers, The Pioneer Zephyr Train is considered by many to be the official greeter at Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry. The three-car 98 ton artifact is the second largest at the MSI after the U-505 World War II submarine. The Zephyr sits by the subterranean admission desks, sort of a freebie for visitors even before they enter the Museum proper. The 1934 streamlined train, the onetime "show pony" of the Western rails, has been described by MSI officials as "a little bit of a hood ornament for the museum." Now it is freshly polished following an extensive renovation of train and accompanying exhibit that visitors will discover when the MSI reopens on March 7 after its second Covid-19-forced closure. The Zephyr's retro glamour---its sleek, streamlined stainless steel design was meant to spur interest in rail travel---alluring even to us in 2021. Every time I visit the MSI I make certain to experience the Zephyr that makes me want to take a trip anywhere. The interior upholstery has been recovered and new signage explains both the train's revolutionary engineering and its place in popular culture. The observation car offered 12 exclusive seats and featured wide, carved windows that provided panoramic views of outdoor scenery. Surround screens enhance an already exciting experience. Museum designers have surrounded the Zephyr with sound screens so that when you step aboard---numbers are limited these days by COVID concerns---you get a sense of the train in motion. The Zephyr debuted at the MSI in 1960. It was an outdoor exhibit and an example of recent technology all visitors were likely to remember. Sort of akin to an early Tesla automobile on view in the MSI's transportation hall. Today, to some, the Zephyr may seem like an antique, a representation of an American era and aesthetic. It is a delight to see it treated with a renewed reverence in the museum. Visitors will hopefully take away that in the speeds it achieved, the design it displayed, and the impact it had on people, the Pioneer Zephyr was kind of a marvel. Marvel? The renovated Zephyr is joined by an exhibit titled "Marvel: Universe of Super Heroes--- an expansive, engaging, and intelligent look at the comic book company, from early ink-on paper images to contemporary cinematic blockbusters and a seemingly endless string of TV series. The show debuted in Seattle in 2018 but its Chicago appearance was delayed by the pandemic. So friends, on your next visit to Chicago---make time to go to the Museum of Science and Industry and enjoy the Zephyr and so much more. Ed "the Chicago Maven" Mazur |