The image shown is of a reproduction 'tail sign' which was on the end of SILVER VIEW. This (bias) writer believes it is a sign of a historic great train and railcar.
Back in 1947, The Budd Company put the finishing touches on each car built for Burlington Route's Twin Cities Zephyr. Dome parlor cars SILVER VIEW and SILVER VISTA had the honor of carrying the neon 'TWIN CITIES ZEPHYR' tail sign. As time rolled on, the signs finally must have reached their lifespan around 1967. A simple Burlington Route logo replaced the TCZ sign. After SILVER VIEW passed into the hands of Amtrak and private ownership, simple plastic signs were displayed.
As a kid on the Prairie du Chien, WI platform especially at night,when the TCZ would roll past and pick up speed, my eyes would zero-in on that neon sign and watch 'my' Zephyr get smaller until the neon sign disappeared.
So when SILVER VIEW became mine to restore, the neon sign became a high priority. When I searched and found a neon sign maker in Chicago, Tom Brickler of Neon Sign Fishtail said he could reproduce because I had the original blueprints which were from the CB&Q archives at Chicago's Newberry Library.
What a 'crowning moment' it will be when the Twin Cities Zephyr neon sign gets installed into it's proper place on SILVER VIEW, When that happens, photos will be added to this blog.
