You will need a computer with speakers to watch the presentation.  A microphone and webcam are optional but encouraged.

Topic:   Riding the Real California Zephyr

Our speaker will present a slide show depicting a ride on the pre-Amtrak California Zephyr in the fall of 1969, along with the Capitol Limited, the Cascade to Portland, pool trains to Seattle and to Coquitlam, BC (not quite Vancouver), The Canadian for the trip to Montreal and, finally, The Laurentian to New York’s Grand Central Terminal.

The Zephyr was a wonderful train, with a matched set of fluted stainless steel Budd cars, in the unique Burlington style.  The Canadian was the last generation of Budd cars, built in 1955.  The Laurentian was an interesting mix of former Rio Grande cars built originally for the C&O, pulled by a former Santa Fe Alco PA, the handsomest of all passenger diesels.  A real surprise was the electric locomotive attached at Harmon, one of the original “S-Motors,” built before 1909 for the Grand Central electrification.

California Zephyr (1949–1970) - Wikipedia

Speaker: Ken Briers 

Ken Briers is a lifetime railfan who had two careers: one as a Conductor and Locomotive Engineer, and another as a consultant in railroad operations. He spent 17 years with Penn Central, Conrail, and Amtrak, working freight trains from Potomac Yard to Harrisburg and North Jersey, troubleshooting Metroliners, and running passenger trains between Washington and New York as a Locomotive Engineer. Another as a consultant in railroad operations for DeLeuw Cather, which became part of the Parsons Transportation Group. In retirement he serves as the Secretary of the Washington Railway Engineering Society, the Treasurer of the Penn Central Retired Employees Association, and recently left the position of Chair of the Board of Directors of the Rail Passengers Association (NARP), in addition to being the Cashier for our group, assuming we ever have in-person lunch meetings again.