Starting in September, visitors coming to the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad (CVSR) will have the opportunity to ride in four historic Zephyr railcars that were once considered a staple in luxury travel in the 1940s and 1950s.
Inside the Silver-Lariat train car. Photo courtesy of CVSR.
The railcars were acquired by CVSR through a capital campaign and were first noticed when Joe Mazur, president of CVSR, saw the cars in person nearly a year ago.
The Silver Fleet. Photo courtesy of CVSR
"The urgency to acquire the cars now was due to Amtrak’s decision to restrict private car or charter train travel this year," said Taylor Nickel, director marketing for CVSR.
"These additions to our fleet will create new programs for visitors of all ages and backgrounds as they experience the beauty and wonder of Cuyahoga Valley National Park’s river valley, canal, and historic villages," she added.
The four-car Zephyr train set consists of two Vista Dome cars, a sleeper car and a baggage car. This set operated on the California Zephyr up until 1970. Most of the trains were either scrapped for parts or sold to private railcar owners over the years.
Inside the Silver-Solarium. Photo courtesy of CVSR.
To see these historic gems in person, the public can ride in these cars during the Steam in the Valley excursions, where they will be pulled by the Nickel Plate Road steam locomotive No. 765 on Sept. 21 to 23 and Sept. 28 to 30. Tickets are on sale now for the Silver Lariat and the Silver Solarium cars with a dome observation deck. Buy your tickets now.
Upcoming events at the CVSR include the popular Polar Express and National Park Scenic trips.
