▁rail ro ads , ▁all ▁of ▁which ▁dub bed ▁it ▁" the ▁most ▁talked ▁about ▁train ▁in ▁America " ▁on ▁March ▁ 1 9 , ▁ 1 9 4 9 , ▁with ▁the ▁first ▁departure ▁the ▁following ▁day . ▁The ▁train ▁was ▁scheduled ▁to ▁pass ▁through ▁the ▁most ▁spect ac ular ▁scen ery ▁on ▁its ▁route ▁in ▁the ▁day light . ▁The ▁original ▁train ▁ceased ▁operation ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 0 , ▁though ▁the ▁D & R G W ▁continued ▁to ▁operate ▁its ▁own ▁passenger ▁service , ▁the ▁Rio ▁Grande ▁Ze ph yr , ▁between ▁Salt ▁Lake ▁City ▁and ▁Den ver , ▁using ▁the ▁original ▁equipment ▁until ▁ 1 9 8 3 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 3 ▁a ▁second ▁iteration ▁of ▁the ▁California ▁Ze ph yr , ▁an ▁Am tra k ▁service , ▁was ▁formed . ▁The ▁current ▁version ▁of ▁the ▁California ▁Ze ph yr ▁oper ates ▁partially ▁over ▁the ▁route ▁of ▁the ▁original ▁Ze ph yr ▁and ▁partially ▁over ▁the ▁route ▁of ▁its ▁former ▁rival , ▁the ▁City ▁of ▁San ▁Francisco . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁Pre - Cal iforn ia ▁Ze ph yr ▁( 1 9 3 9 ▁to ▁ 1 9 4 9 ) ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 9 , ▁the ▁Golden ▁Gate ▁International ▁Ex position ▁opened ▁on ▁Tre asure ▁Island ▁in ▁San ▁Francisco ▁Bay . ▁The ▁C B & Q , ▁D & R G W ▁and ▁W P ▁decided ▁to ▁operate ▁a ▁train ▁that ▁could ▁take ▁passengers ▁to ▁the ▁event . ▁Service ▁on ▁the