▁by ▁different ▁rail ro ads ▁ran ▁together ; ▁cars ▁cy c led ▁in ▁and ▁out ▁for ▁service , ▁rep airs , ▁and ▁varying ▁passenger ▁loads ▁with ▁the ▁seasons . ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁train ▁was ▁named ▁in ▁San ▁Francisco ▁ ▁by ▁Ele an or ▁Parker ▁while ▁California ▁Lieutenant ▁Governor ▁Good win ▁Knight , ▁mayor ▁of ▁San ▁Francisco ▁El mer ▁Robinson , ▁and ▁W P ▁President ▁Harry ▁A . ▁Mitchell ▁looked ▁on . ▁For ▁the ▁inaug ural ▁run ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 9 , ▁every ▁woman ▁on ▁the ▁train ▁was ▁given ▁" sil ver " ▁and ▁orange ▁orch ids ▁flow n ▁from ▁H ilo , ▁Hawai i . ▁The ▁car ▁host esses ▁were ▁known ▁as ▁Ze phy rett es . ▁ ▁In ▁summer ▁ 1 9 5 4 , ▁the ▁scheduled ▁run ▁for ▁the ▁ 2 , 5 3 2 ▁miles ▁from ▁Chicago ▁to ▁San ▁Francisco ▁was ▁ 5 0 ▁hours ▁ 5 0 ▁minutes . ▁ ▁An ▁east bound ▁California ▁Ze ph yr ▁through ▁Ruby ▁C any on ▁saw ▁the ▁train ' s ▁first ▁birth ▁on ▁March ▁ 1 , ▁ 1 9 5 5 , ▁when ▁Re ed ▁Z ars ▁was ▁born ▁on ▁board . ▁ ▁Know ing ▁that ▁they ▁could ▁not ▁begin ▁to ▁comp ete ▁with ▁the ▁faster ▁and ▁less ▁rug ged ▁route ▁used ▁by ▁the ▁City ▁of ▁San ▁Francisco , ▁the ▁Bur ling ton ▁Route , ▁D & R G W ▁and ▁W P ▁bil led ▁the ▁California ▁Ze ph yr ▁as ▁a ▁scen ic ▁" ra il ▁cru ise