Dome-observation Silver Solarium continues plying the rails to this day. Once CB&Q #377, then BN 377, she served as Amtrak #9 before being acquired by Cedar Rail Enterprises. Cedar now operates the Solarium for charter (click here to jump to Cedar's AAPRCO page on the car).

Currently, the car can accommodate 40 passengers for day operations, and 17 for night. Amenities include: 1 master bedroom (where the under-dome lounge used to be), 1 triple bedroom, 2 double bedrooms, showers, retention toilet, diesel generator, table seating in dome for dining by day and convertible for sleeping under the stars, galley for full meal service, bar beneath dome, round-end observation lounge, stereo, TV, cellular and terminal phones. The dome area was recently redone with beautiful woodwork added to the window frames, and an ingenious shade system designed by the car's owner (too bad Budd hadn't thought of this ammenity).

The Solarium rode the Iowa Interstate rails in August of 1997, and you can jump to a photo essay by Dick Tinder which documents his encounter and chase of the Solarium with a Geep at each end.

The Solarium behind an Iowa Interstate Geep. (Courtesy of Dick Tinder, from his photo essay.)

Revisiting the old haunts of the Moffat tunnel, behind the reincarnated CZ. (Darrell Arndt photo, courtesy of N. T. Fosse)

The CZ tradition of first class travel still lives on. (Photo courtesy of N. T. Fosse)

The dome are has been reconfigured to allow meal service. (Photo courtesy of N. T. Fosse)

Lounge area, with the original Pierre Bourdelle bar front (for more info, go to the Artists page) (Photo courtesy of N. T. Fosse)

Observation lounge are is still one of the best ways to travel across the US. (Photo courtesy of N. T. Fosse)

David Harriton mirror, behind the bar. (For more info, go to the Artists page) (Photo courtesy of N. T. Fosse 

This and the following photos were taken when the Solarium visited Los Angeles in August 1999. Thanks to Nav Fosse for hosting me! (All photos by A. Radecki)

The Solarium with the Silver Lariat on the right, at the "Garden" at LAUPT.

Left side

Right side

Even the steps still have the CZ signs.

Close-up of the Bourdelle linoleum carving

One of the beds made up in a sleeping compartment

Another compartment...

Mary Lawser-designed speaker grill in the dome

One of the most famous tail signs in America...

...all lit up for the night.

The next morning, behind the Coast Starlight...

...the Solarium passes Burbank Airport.


 
 
 
 
 

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