Minnesota Zephyr
Encyclopedia
The Minnesota Zephyr is a heritage railroad operating out of Stillwater, Minnesota
. It operates as a dinner train
and serves a five-course, white linen dinner on a six-mile route, traveling between four and seven miles per hour. Power is provided by an EMD FP7
locomotive. The rolling stock consists of five restored dining car
s. The train travels along the St. Croix River
bluffs, then turns westward and follows a stream. The trip lasts about three and a half hours.
On September 18, 2008, owner David Paradeau stated that the train would cease operation at the end of the year, becoming a stationary restaurant serving dinner along with the adjacent Stillwater Grill. Paradeau cited the desire to retire, as well as a downturn in business and a $1.6 million loss within the last two years. Paradeau had hoped to sell the railroad right of way to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
to be converted to a rail trail
that would connect Stillwater to the Gateway State Trail
system. That deal did not materialize, however, so Paradeau is planning to sell the land piecemeal to adjoining landowners. The train has had close to a million riders during the last 23 years.
On September 10th 2010 the Minnesota DNR expressed renewed interest in and laid out plans for the Minnesota Zephyr
Stillwater, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 15,143 people, 5,797 households, and 4,115 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,340.0 people per square mile . There were 5,926 housing units at an average density of 915.7 per square mile...
. It operates as a dinner train
Dinner train
A dinner train is a relatively new type of passenger train service whose main purpose is to allow people to eat dinner while experiencing a relatively short, leisurely round trip train ride...
and serves a five-course, white linen dinner on a six-mile route, traveling between four and seven miles per hour. Power is provided by an EMD FP7
EMD FP7
The EMD FP7 was a , B-B dual-service passenger and freight-hauling diesel locomotive produced between June 1949 and December 1953 by General Motors' Electro-Motive Division and General Motors Diesel. Final assembly was at GM-EMD's La Grange, Illinois plant, excepting locomotives destined for...
locomotive. The rolling stock consists of five restored dining car
Dining car
A dining car or restaurant carriage , also diner, is a railroad passenger car that serves meals in the manner of a full-service, sit-down restaurant....
s. The train travels along the St. Croix River
St. Croix River (Wisconsin-Minnesota)
The St. Croix River is a tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately long, in the U.S. states of Wisconsin and Minnesota. The lower of the river form the border between Wisconsin and Minnesota. The river is a National Scenic Riverway under the protection of the National Park Service. A...
bluffs, then turns westward and follows a stream. The trip lasts about three and a half hours.
On September 18, 2008, owner David Paradeau stated that the train would cease operation at the end of the year, becoming a stationary restaurant serving dinner along with the adjacent Stillwater Grill. Paradeau cited the desire to retire, as well as a downturn in business and a $1.6 million loss within the last two years. Paradeau had hoped to sell the railroad right of way to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is the agency of the U.S. state of Minnesota charged with conserving and managing the state's natural resources. The agency maintains areas such as state parks, state forests, recreational trails, and recreation areas as well as managing minerals,...
to be converted to a rail trail
Rail trail
A rail trail is the conversion of a disused railway easement into a multi-use path, typically for walking, cycling and sometimes horse riding. The characteristics of former tracks—flat, long, frequently running through historical areas—are appealing for various development. The term sometimes also...
that would connect Stillwater to the Gateway State Trail
Gateway State Trail
The Gateway State Trail is a multi-use recreational rail trail in Minnesota, USA, running from Saint Paul to Pine Point Regional Park through urban landscapes of eastern Saint Paul in Ramsey County and rural farmland and forests in Washington County...
system. That deal did not materialize, however, so Paradeau is planning to sell the land piecemeal to adjoining landowners. The train has had close to a million riders during the last 23 years.
On September 10th 2010 the Minnesota DNR expressed renewed interest in and laid out plans for the Minnesota Zephyr