Zephyrus Express Train Matchbox, 1934

01

Artifact Overview

The Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad introduced its Pioneer Zephyr, one of America's first streamlined passenger trains, in 1934. Built by Budd Company, the stainless steel trainset made a widely publicized run from Denver to Chicago in 13 hours, maintaining an average speed of 77 mph. Fittingly, the train was named for Zephyrus, the Greek god of the west wind.

Artifact Details

Artifact

Matchbox

Date Made

1934

Place of Creation

Location

at Legacy Location in MS

Object ID

85.68.6

Credit

From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of John Wright.

Material

Metal
Wood (Plant material)

Dimensions

Height: 0.5 in
Width: 1.75 in
Depth: 1.125 in

Inscriptions

"ZEPHYRUS/THE WEST WIND"
Zephyrus Express Train Matchbox, 1934