SILVER VIEW Restoration is progressing. Co-Superintendent, Roger Cain and Dave Head continue to volunteer their time and skills to achieve a truly restored railcar. There are so many items that crop up which need skilled attention to achieve a high-quality finished restoration.
Fortunately the 2025 winter has not deterred progress since new heat elements were installed to heat the Vista dome and make the dome comfortable. Several photos and captions will show the progress which has been made. Some items are still ongoing, but at least they are evolving to become excellent.
New floor heat elements were installed several months ago and covered by original covers. The ‘ledges’ of the dome windows were sanded and painted.
Left side walls were painted a darker color than the windows and ceiling. A carpet sample was temporarily laid down to visualize what the final area would be.
Attention turned to the front ‘dashboard’. The art piece HARP was sized for its placement in the original opening. Note the open angular holes are for the cold air vents and an access opening to electrical items.
Roger is in the process of preparing to place the HARP art piece. This item was a speaker cover for the radio broadcasts that were carried throughout the Twin
Zephyrs. The broadcasts provided restful listening for passengers especially during evening hours. Conductor and dining car steward’s announcements were heard as well. Note the multi-holes in the trim to the right.
Over the years past owners made many holes in the trim around the ‘’dome Dashboard’. They were filled, sanded, and painted to a smooth finish to achieve the original appearance.
Newly restored trim and close-to-final HARP placement are in order. The area around the HARP will be prepped and painted for the finished aesthetic appearance.
Some dome seats have been temporarily positioned before permanently attached. These seats were reupholstered a while ago and provide the feel and look of the
original fabrics used when SILVER VIEW was built in 1947.
Slowly but surely the SILVER VIEW interior is beginning to appear as an example oi the superior Burlington Route Zephyrs It is the intention of everyone who works to restore SILVER VIEW to be a legacy of Zephyr travel.