Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad takes possession of ‘California Zephyr’ rail cars

CLEVELAND, OH (WOIO) - The president and CEO of the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad called it a “game changer.”

The Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad added an impressive addition to its train collection September 20 when four historic Zephyr railcars rolled into the Rockside train station in Independence around 2:30 p.m. Thursday afternoon.

(Click the video below to watch the historic arrival of the Zephyr rail cars)

“The vision for the railroad is to up our game,” said president and CEO of the CVSR Joe Mazur with the new acquisitions just moments away. “We think it will be a game changer.”

The four cars, including two Vista Dome cars, a baggage car, and a sleeper car, that were part of the California Zephyr trainset rode from California behind the impressive Nickel Plate steam locomotive no. 765.

The historic train set operated on the California Zephyr line in the ‘40s and ‘50s and were a staple of luxury rail travel in American history. The domed cars have a 360 degree view domed observation seating.

(Click the video below to take an exclusive tour of the domed dining car)

“The acquisition of the Zephyr rail cars was a once in a lifetime opportunity,” said President and CEO Joe Mazur. “We not only are preserving history, but giving hundreds of thousands of people the opportunity to have one more way to travel through and experience Cuyahoga Valley National Park.”

The public’s first opportunity to ride the historic rail cars will be during “Steam in the Valley” where they will be pulled by the Nickel Plate Road steam locomotive no. 765 on September, 21, 22, 23, 28, 29 and 30.

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