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Editors Note: This was written in 2006, at a point when the fate of the Silver Bronco was uncertain. The purpose was to address the reported plans for the car at that time. Thankfully, those plans never materialized. The Silver Bronco has found new life with the Cayahoga Valley Scenic Railroad.

 

Open Letter to the New Owners of Silver Bronco

September 27, 2006

Please reconsider your plans to destroy the Silver Bronco!

It is my understanding that your plans include gutting this historic car. It would seem then, that the currently available Silver Dollar is a more perfect candidate for this. It is already gutted. Nothing remains to be lost from Silver Dollar. It needs someone to revive it in some way. It carries the CZ pedigree, and if it matters for some reason, was also a CZ-22 just like the Silver Bronco.

Now consider the Silver Bronco. It is the last untouched CZ Vista Dome coach. It has never been anything but a Zephyr car. Minor, reversible modifications were made by D&RGW to make it more suitable for day-train use, but beyond that, it is unchanged.

Generally, I support an individuals right to purchase whatever they like, and do whatever they want with their property. However, I do believe that in some cases, the rights of ownership are fully balanced, if not outweighed, by the responsibilities of ownership. The Silver Bronco deserves to be preserved and maintained as a representative of what passenger travel once was in America, not only in its prime, but also at the very end of privately operated passenger rail travel.

You now have an opportunity to help preserve this car, and at the same time, revive another ex-CZ car by considering the Silver Dollar for your plans instead of the Silver Bronco.

I understand that a preservation-minded owner would need to be found, whether a museum or private individual. Unfortunately, I don't have an immediate solution in that regard. But the fact is, the first step is yours. I hope that you share a concern for the heritage of passenger rail in general, and the Silver Bronco in particular.

Perhaps there is some circumstance I'm not aware of that precludes the Silver Dollar from being suitable for your plans. In any case, I hope that the idea has been considered.

Good luck to you in your ventures!

Allan B. Huskins Jr.
California Zephyr Museum Online
californiazephyr.org

 

 

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