In 1934, the Zephyr set a speed record between Denver and Chicago, Illinois, 1,015 miles in 13 hours, averaging 77 mph, topping out at 112.5 mph, just short of the then US land speed record of 115 mph.

It was in regular service between 1934 and 1960. Various cars are on display at midwestern museums today. Do you think a kid reading this book was more interested in the shape or the stainless steel design? I wonder how many of them went into the railroad business. Some of their grandfathers might have worked on building out the country's first big railways, too.

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