As previously described, the first Burlington streamlined trains to operate between Chicago and the Twin Cities were three-car trains nearly identical to the original Zephyr. When they entered service on April 21, 1935, demand greatly exceeded their capacity. So in late 1936 the railroad introduced six-car (soon expanded to seven) “trains of the gods,” so called because every car on both trains, as well as the locomotives, were named after Greek or Roman gods and goddesses.
Click image to download a 1.4-MB PDF of this four-panel brochure.
This brochure briefly introduces these later trains, giving the names of each car, a timetable for the Morning and Afternoon Zephyrs, and interior photos. A page of “Zephyr Facts” reveals such things as “cars 2-1/2 inches wider inside than conventional equipment” and “‘air curtain’ in diner prevents kitchen aromas from entering dining room.” Internally, the 1,800-horsepower locomotives were similar to the Santa Fe E-1s, which were delivered a year later, but their external “shovel nose” appearance was, of course, much different.
This obviously staged and heavily retouched publicity photo shows one of the Twin Zephyrs passing through a small town, probably in Wisconsin. Click image for a larger view.