("HO" version expected delivery "about" June/July 2005.
("N" version expected delivery "about " a few months after the HO version.

Latest update on the HO and N Pioneer Zephyr Projects.

Q? Why is it taking so long?

This project IS taking longer than we expected, but as new information on the Zephyr was unearthed for us by the Burlington Route Historical Society, and other Zephyr enthusiasts over the last year we incorporated that information into the model when appropriate,and this tended to delay things as production of molds had to be delayed as we updated the drawings etc. But the final result is more than worth the wait!!

The project entails almost 100 plus hardened steel molds, assembly dies, printing plates,etc.. etc. for all the plastic and die-cast parts, total man hours for the design team, mold making team etc. are estimated so far are over 10,000 hours , about 30% more than first estimated.

The good news is that we are finished with all tooling and engineering as of late March 2005. We expect production to begin in early April of the HO models, and the first partial delivery of sets is due to leave Hong Kong at the end of May.
Then we have to add in about 30 days transit time across the Pacific Ocean to our Arizona warehouse, and then we can start shipping them out. With the huge number of orders we have, it will take us a couple of weeks to get all the orders shipped out of Tucson.

You will find a great photo of the Pre-production sample at the Model Railroader web site and also in the May 2005 Issue of Model Railroader Magazine.

All the tooling for the "N" Zephyr is scheduled to be finished by early May, and we have been making flying changes in the "N" tooling using information learned from the HO models.. so they should be along 3-4 months after the HO models (fingers crossed).

Those that have seen the pre-production samples in our office are already drooling over it.

Click Here to see some photos of the PreProduction Samples of the HO Zephyr. The photo of the fantastic Box cover for the Zephyr, where we have used (withpermission) the famous Zephyr Painting by Mike Danneman.

In light of the Boss's planned Semi-Retirement, he has also decided this production will be a "Limited Run" of only 2400 sets for the HO version and 2,000 sets for the N Version. We expect these quantities will sell out quickly and the collectors will be seeking them out. Order yours now, or be sorry. (To order, just click on the "Roundhouse/Ordering" tab at the top of the page and it will lead you to an order form.

This model will be of the original Pioneer Zephyr 3 car train.

Final production underway, models due to leave Hong Kong last week of May. Then they will take about a month to reach us, so expect to see them in the stores in early July. Here are some photos of the final production set.

The Pioneer Zephyr is a name that has become synonymous with the word "Streamliner: and needs no introduction. Almost all railfans the world over instantly recognize the name. While the Union Pacific was running their M-10000 "Streamliner" some months before the Zephyr was put into service in May of 1934, the Zephyr stole the public relations show and is better-known and more widely remembered than the UP's M-10000.

The Zephyr's distinctive nose began making the newspapers and newsreels. As a symbol, the train had a distinctiveness, a sleekness, an "image" if you will, that made it easy for the pulbic to identity. When it made ists record breaking 1015 mile run on May 26th from Denver to Chicago,it gained even more PR. It traversed the 1015 miles non-stop in 13 hours, 4 minutes and 58 seconds to arrive at the Opening of the Century of Progress Exposition.

It was one of the biggest attractions at the Century of Progress Exposition in Chicago during the summer of 1934. Before it went into regular service in the Fall of 1934, it was taken on tour. During 1934 it traveled to over 220 different American cities and was toured by over 2 million People.

So even if you are not a Burlington Route Fan, it is quite possible that the Zephyr visited your city and you could run it on your layout as a white flagged special just like the real train did during its travels in 1934 over many different railroads in the East, Midwest and Western USA.

The Pioneer Zephyr also stared in its own Movie, "Silver Streak" and was seen by millions more people all over the world.

The model will be made first in "HO" Scale, and we hope to have it ready in early Spring of 2005. It will be followed a few months later by the "N" Scale version.

Design Features of the 1934 Pioneer Zephyr

Following are the tentative design features of this model, the list may be amended as we go along so we wind up with the best possible model.