Omaha Zoo Railroad
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The Omaha Zoo Railroad (OZRR) is the name of a
narrow-gauge A narrow-gauge railway (narrow-gauge railroad in the US) is a railway with a track gauge narrower than standard . Most narrow-gauge railways are between and . Since narrow-gauge railways are usually built with tighter curves, smaller structu ...
heritage railroad A heritage railway or heritage railroad (US usage) is a railway operated as living history to re-create or preserve railway scenes of the past. Heritage railways are often old railway lines preserved in a state depicting a period (or periods) i ...
located in the Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium in
Omaha, Nebraska Omaha ( ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Nebraska and the county seat of Douglas County. Omaha is in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about north of the mouth of the Platte River. The nation's 39th-largest cit ...
. The railroad offers a
narrow gauge A narrow-gauge railway (narrow-gauge railroad in the US) is a railway with a track gauge narrower than standard . Most narrow-gauge railways are between and . Since narrow-gauge railways are usually built with tighter curves, smaller structu ...
excursion train for zoo visitors hauled by a steam locomotive. The train loads passengers at two stations within the zoo. Annual ridership of the Omaha Zoo Railroad is over 200,000 people.


History

The Omaha Zoo Railroad was one of the first major attractions added after the zoo's 1963 re-incorporation as the
Henry Doorly Zoo Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium is a zoo in Omaha, Nebraska. It is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and a member of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Its mission is conservation, research, recreation, and educ ...
. As part of its centennial celebration, the Omaha-based
Union Pacific Railroad The Union Pacific Railroad , legally Union Pacific Railroad Company and often called simply Union Pacific, is a freight-hauling railroad that operates 8,300 locomotives over routes in 23 U.S. states west of Chicago and New Orleans. Union Paci ...
decided to sponsor the construction of a ridable miniature railroad at the zoo. The zoo's railroad initially had just over of narrow gauge track (roughly half the width of standard mainline railroad tracks) in the form of a twisted oval with a connecting track through the middle. Two
wyes WYES-TV, virtual channel 12 (very high frequency, VHF digital terrestrial television, digital channel 11), is a Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) Network affiliate#Member stations, member television station city of license, licensed to New Orlean ...
(Y-shaped track arrangements enabling the train to reverse direction) were constructed at the intersections of the connecting track and the main oval. The track was laid using rail from the Union Pacific's Encampment branch in Wyoming. Due to the hilly terrain of the zoo's riverside location,
grades Grade most commonly refers to: * Grade (education), a measurement of a student's performance * Grade, the number of the year a student has reached in a given educational stage * Grade (slope), the steepness of a slope Grade or grading may also r ...
of up to 6% (for most railroads 2% is considered steep) were required and some of the curves were well under in radius. Track crews from the Union Pacific were brought in to lay the track, and operation commenced on July 22, 1968, under the supervision of UP Roadmaster Robert Kovar. Fitting for a railroad attraction sponsored by the Union Pacific, the Omaha Zoo Railroad was initially themed after the UP's
First transcontinental railroad North America's first transcontinental railroad (known originally as the "Pacific Railroad" and later as the " Overland Route") was a continuous railroad line constructed between 1863 and 1869 that connected the existing eastern U.S. rail netwo ...
route, for which Omaha was the eastern terminus. Passengers boarded at the "Omaha train depot" located in the Aksarben Nature Kingdom (today known as Red Barn Park) and rode to "Promontory Junction" at the south end of the zoo's lagoon, where they had the option of disembarking at the small depot and catching a later train back to Omaha. The ride also featured a climb up the 6% grade of "Sherman Hill", named for the Union Pacific's own grade over the continental divide in Wyoming. The steam locomotive was painted and decorated to resemble Union Pacific's No. 119, the famous locomotive used in the laying of the real "
Golden spike The golden spike (also known as The Last Spike) is the ceremonial 17.6-karat gold final spike driven by Leland Stanford to join the rails of the first transcontinental railroad across the United States connecting the Central Pacific Railroad ...
" marking the transcontinental line's completion, and the four coaches were given names significant to the UP's history. The UP influence was perhaps most evident in the Omaha Zoo Railroad's logo: a Union Pacific shield with a smiling tiger superimposed over it. Though the direct references to Union Pacific place names have faded over the years, UP's support of the zoo railroad has remained strong. For years the train equipment was trucked to the Union Pacific's Omaha shops for winter maintenance, and when the shops closed much of the machinery was donated to build a new shop on site at the zoo. The Union Pacific Engine House, as this building is called, was dedicated in July 1994. Union Pacific crews continue to maintain the crossing signals along the zoo railroad's route. During the 1970s the Omaha Zoo Railroad and the zoo as a whole saw large increases in attendance. Especially on the weekends, it became evident that the original four car train could not provide the needed capacity, and a search was begun for a second train. By chance, a small
tank locomotive A tank locomotive or tank engine is a steam locomotive that carries its water in one or more on-board water tanks, instead of a more traditional tender. Most tank engines also have bunkers (or fuel tanks) to hold fuel; in a tender-tank locom ...
of Austrian Heritage named "Riva" was found in
Romania Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Southeast Europe, Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, S ...
and its owner,
Plasser & Theurer Plasser & Theurer is an Austrian manufacturer of rail track maintenance and track laying machines. It accounts for 6% of Austrian exports of the machinery and iron and steel construction industry. History The company was established in 1953 by ...
, was willing to donate it to the zoo. The locomotive was restored in the UP's shops and entered service at the zoo in 1976, together with two extra cars that were purchased to augment the original four. Kenefick Station was added in 1981 allowing guests to board the train closer to the zoo's main entrance. In late 2014, the Kenefick station was demolished and the track was shortened to make room for plans of a new exhibit. (African Grasslands) A new Kenefick Station was opened in 2015, across the visitor pathway from the African Lodge. In the early years the train commonly ran figure eights through the zoo using the connecting track and often reversed direction on the wyes. This practice ended in the early 1970s due to the need for faster turnarounds and the new locomotive's inability to negotiate a tight curve on the north (Bailey) wye. The connecting track lay idle for two decades before finally being removed in the mid-1990s, retaining a short section of track on the western side, and a wye at the eastern end, which were used for storing railcars not in use. These last remnants of the connecting trackage were removed in 2016, with new sidings for storing rolling stock installed just beyond the Omaha depot. Today the trains circle the park in a clockwise direction, covering roughly and taking 15–20 minutes on each circuit. The Promontory Junction Station was abandoned in the early 1990s. Beginning in 2010, both trains have operated simultaneously on busy weekends allowing more frequent departures from the two stations.


Omaha Zoo Railroad Trains

Visitors to the Henry Doorly Zoo ride behind one of three locomotives for the trip around the park. Two of the engines are steam locomotives, and though they are similar in the basic principle of their operation, the two locomotives are otherwise quite different and guests can easily distinguish between them. The third engine is a diesel, which operates very differently from the steam locomotives. New coaches have been added and replacing the old coaches. ''119'' is the less powerful of the zoo's two locomotives and regularly hauls a train of five open-air coaches. This engine is known for its colorful paint scheme, polished brass, and sweet-sounding Nathan six chime whistle. No. 119 was the original locomotive on the Omaha Zoo Railroad and was custom built for the zoo in 1968. It was built by
Crown Metal Products Crown Metal Products was a manufacturer of railroad rolling stock based in Wyano, Pennsylvania. The company was founded by Ken Williams in 1946 and initially sold pot cleaners and then electric fence wires and other products. In 1959, the compan ...
of Wyano, Pennsylvania, a company that built replica steam trains for amusement parks and zoos all over the country. In honor of zoo railroad benefactor
Union Pacific The Union Pacific Railroad , legally Union Pacific Railroad Company and often called simply Union Pacific, is a freight-hauling railroad that operates 8,300 locomotives over routes in 23 U.S. states west of Chicago and New Orleans. Union Paci ...
, the engine was decorated to resemble the Union Pacific's ceremonial engine used at the 1869 completion of the first transcontinental railroad. It is a
4-4-0 4-4-0 is a locomotive type with a classification that uses the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives by wheel arrangement and represents the arrangement: four leading wheels on two axles (usually in a leading bogie), four po ...
"
American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...
" type locomotive, meaning that it has four pilot wheels to help guide it through curves, 4 large driving wheels, and no trailing wheels. This type of locomotive was prevalent on American railroads from 1850 to about 1880, thus earning it the nickname "American standard". During the 119's first years at the zoo, it was underpowered and had difficulty pulling the train up the steep hills. Subsequent modifications by the Union Pacific and the zoo railroad's own shop have improved it greatly, and after a major rebuild in 1996–1999, it was deemed to be in better-than-new condition. During the rebuild, the engine also received a cosmetic makeover. Originally painted black, gold and red, it emerged resplendent in a beautiful and more historically accurate scheme of crimson, maroon, and olive green. A new stained wood cab replicating the one on the original UP locomotive was also fitted. This engine returned to service in May 2013 after an overhaul. ''Riva'', number 104, is the zoo's second steam locomotive, acquired in 1974. It is a 0-6-2
tank locomotive A tank locomotive or tank engine is a steam locomotive that carries its water in one or more on-board water tanks, instead of a more traditional tender. Most tank engines also have bunkers (or fuel tanks) to hold fuel; in a tender-tank locom ...
, meaning that it carries its fuel oil and water in tanks on the locomotive rather than in a separate tender, as does the 119. It has six relatively small driving wheels and large cylinders, making it extremely powerful for its size and is also known for its European-style high-pitched whistle. A two-wheel
trailing truck On a steam locomotive, a trailing wheel or trailing axle is generally an unpowered wheel or axle ( wheelset) located behind the driving wheels. The axle of the trailing wheels is usually located in a trailing truck. On some large locomotives, ...
supports the firebox and cab. Generating tractive effort of 10,600 pounds it has almost twice the pulling power of 119, and typically operates with a train consisting of six open-air coaches and a caboose. The caboose has had its lettering, data, and logo removed. ''Riva'' began its long career in 1890 when it was turned out by the Krauss Works of
Linz Linz ( , ; cs, Linec) is the capital of Upper Austria and third-largest city in Austria. In the north of the country, it is on the Danube south of the Czech border. In 2018, the population was 204,846. In 2009, it was a European Capital of ...
,
Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
as serial number 2360. Its first owner was the M.A.R. (
Mori Mori is a Japanese and Italian surname, and also a Persian pet name for Morteza. It is also the name of two clans in Japan, and one clan in India. Italian surname *Barbara Mori, Uruguayan-Mexican actress * Camilo Mori, Chilean painter * Cesare ...
Arco ARCO ( ) is a brand of gasoline stations currently owned by Marathon Petroleum after BP sold its rights. BP commercializes the brand in Northern California, Oregon and Washington, while Marathon has rights for the rest of the United States an ...
Riva del Garda Riva del Garda (''Rìva'' in local dialect) is a town and ''comune'' in the northern Italian province of Trento of the Trentino Alto Adige region. It is also known simply as ''Riva'' and is located at the northern tip of Lake Garda. History Ri ...
) Railway in northern Italian region of
Trentino Trentino ( lld, Trentin), officially the Autonomous Province of Trento, is an autonomous province of Italy, in the country's far north. The Trentino and South Tyrol constitute the region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, an autonomous region ...
-
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, where it served as number 2 alongside two identical sister engines, "Arco" and "Lago di Garda". The railway was closed when Italy entered the World War I in 1915. The railway was on the front line and then sustained heavy damage, while "Riva" was sent to work on the
Heeresfeldbahn A ''Heeresfeldbahn'' is a German or Austrian military field railway (in Austria also called a ''Rollbahn''). They were field railways ('' Feldbahnen'') designed for the military transportation purposes. History As railways developed during t ...
(field military railways) in the Eastern front. From 1918 to 1941 it served an industrial railway in Stryj, Poland.
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brought another stint in military duty before the engine finally ended up on the State Railways of Romania (CFR) as number 395–104. "Riva" operated on the CFR's
Alba Julia Alba Iulia (; german: Karlsburg or ''Carlsburg'', formerly ''Weißenburg''; hu, Gyulafehérvár; la, Apulum) is a city that serves as the seat of Alba County in the west-central part of Romania. Located on the Mureș River in the historical ...
Zlatna Zlatna (german: Klein-Schlatten, Kleinschlatten, Goldenmarkt; hu, Zalatna; la, Ampellum) is a town in Alba County, central Transylvania, Romania. It has a population of 7,490. Administration The town administers eighteen villages: Botești ('' ...
line until 1968, when it was finally retired and sold to
Plasser & Theurer Plasser & Theurer is an Austrian manufacturer of rail track maintenance and track laying machines. It accounts for 6% of Austrian exports of the machinery and iron and steel construction industry. History The company was established in 1953 by ...
, an Austria-based builder of track maintenance machinery. An American representative of Plasser & Theurer became aware of the Omaha Zoo's search for a second locomotive, and in 1974 arrangements were made for "Riva" to be donated to the zoo. Restoration took place in the Union Pacific's Omaha shops. The overhaul consisted of major running gear work, the installation of American air brake equipment, and conversion from coal to oil firing. The locomotive was then painted, and missing parts such as the headlights and bell were replaced. The reborn "Riva" entered service at the zoo in 1976 during the annual Family Night/Members' Day event, and has operated almost every year since. A major multi-year overhaul took place in the early 1990s and another in 2000–2002. During the winter and spring of 2005, the water tanks were replaced and the air tanks (added in 1976) were moved to a concealed location, returning the engine to a more historically correct appearance. The engine lost its cascade green and black paint scheme and was repainted all dark green with maroon wheels. The engine was given a new bell in 2013. ''Virgie'' is the zoo's first diesel locomotive, acquired in 2008. It is a four-wheeled, 40-ton diesel switcher locomotive built by
Plymouth Plymouth () is a port city and unitary authority in South West England. It is located on the south coast of Devon, approximately south-west of Exeter and south-west of London. It is bordered by Cornwall to the west and south-west. Plymouth ...
, in 1957 and named for one of the railroad's founders. The engine, when arrived at the zoo, was painted light blue with red and black, and featured a likeness of a woman's face (presumably that of its previous owner's wife) on its front. The zoo repainted the engine to red and black with white trim, and removed the face. Virgie entered service in 2009, mainly used as a train set switcher and is used for multiple different shop tasks.


See also

* Union Pacific No. 119, the basis for the zoo's original engine. *
Transportation in Omaha Transportation in Omaha, Nebraska, includes most major modes, such as pedestrian, bicycle, automobile, bus, train and airplane. While early transportation consisted of ferries, stagecoaches, steamboats, street railroads, and railroads, the city's ...
*
Disneyland Railroad The Disneyland Railroad (DRR), formerly known as the Santa Fe & Disneyland Railroad, is a 3-foot () narrow-gauge heritage railroad and attraction in the Disneyland theme park of the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California, in the United St ...
*
Walt Disney World Railroad The Walt Disney World Railroad (WDWRR) is a 3-foot () narrow-gauge heritage railroad and attraction located within the Magic Kingdom theme park of Walt Disney World in Bay Lake, Florida, in the United States. Its route is in length and encir ...


References

*


External links


Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo
official website. {{DEFAULTSORT:Omaha Zoo Railroad Railway lines in Omaha, Nebraska Heritage railroads in Nebraska 2 ft 6 in gauge railways in the United States Tourist attractions in Omaha, Nebraska Narrow gauge railroads in Nebraska Transportation in Omaha, Nebraska Railway lines opened in 1968 1968 establishments in Nebraska