If It’s Wednesday, It Must Be Wash Day …
The Rio Grande Zephyr, one of the few non-Amtrak intercity passenger trains in the United States (at this time), operated six day per week, and so on the train's off day, Wednesday, the cars were washed and the diesels (D&RGW F9As and F9Bs) were serviced. On one of those Wednesdays, Denver & Rio Grande Western SW1000 143 pulled the train through the automatic washer in the railroad's Burnham Shops, while the diesels get a little TLC in the diesel shop. At this time, the train's combines (DRGW 1230 and 1231, off the railroad's long-discontinued Prospector), the first car in the train, were painted solid silver to match the rest of the old California Zephyr stainless steel cars, but as the paint was prone to excessive wear, these cars were later repainted "Grande Gold" and silver, with stainless steel fluting, to match the diesels. As the train gets washed, a Rio Grande supervisor assumes the standard manager position: Leaning on an old steam locomotive tender to simply watch the automated machinery do its thing. (Denver, Colorado – August 29, 1973). Leo J. Munson photograph, Craig Walker collection
From a hint of "Bee" (NKP 765), colorful "Bees" (KCS), "Bees" w/ "attitude", to "Bees" that "sting" your eyes, in their own way they have "Bee" on display! Equipment that "Buzzes" with Yellow & Black colors! ("Bees" can still "Bee" entering this "hive"!)
