| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Service type | Inter-city rail |
| Status | Discontinued |
| Locale | Midwestern United States |
| First service | December 11, 1940 |
| Last service | August 1970 |
| Former operator(s) | |
| Route | |
| Termini | Chicago, Illinois Lincoln, Nebraska |
| Distance travelled | 551 miles (887 km) |
| Service frequency | Daily |
| Train number(s) | 3/4 |
The Ak-Sar-Ben Zephyr was a streamlined passenger train operated by the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad (CB&Q) between Lincoln, Nebraska and Chicago, Illinois, United States. The first version operated from 1940 to 1947; a revived service operated from 1953 to 1970. The "Ak-Sar-Ben" portion of name was created by spelling Nebraska (Neb-ras-ka) backwards and taken from a fraternal organization of the same name. "Zephyr" was a name applied by the CB&Q to many of its trains, beginning with the Pioneer Zephyr in 1934. The name derived from "Zephyrus", the Greek god of the west wind.