Inaugurated on August 23, 1940, the
streamlined train ran from
Denver Union Station to
Fort Worth and
Dallas, Texas, replacing the heavyweight
Colorado Special. At Dallas, the
Texas Zephyr connected with the
Sam Houston Zephyr and
Texas Rocket, both operating on the jointly owned
Burlington-Rock Island Railroad for through service to Houston. Initially, the train was equipped with
Budd-built streamlined stainless steel chair cars and an observation dining-lounge car.
Sleeping cars were, however, rebuilt streamlined
heavyweight cars. The train was pulled between Denver and Fort Worth by pairs of
General Motors Electro-Motive Division stainless steel
E5 diesels. To allow adequate time for servicing the diesel locomotives in Fort Worth, a FW&D 550 class 4-6-2 "Pacific" type steam locomotive shuttled the train between Fort Worth and Dallas. It was later replaced by sister E5 diesel locomotives purchased by the C&S from parent CB&Q. In 1957, the re-equipping of the 1936
Denver Zephyr made those trainsets available, and they were assigned to the
Texas Zephyr. Though older than the original
Texas Zephyr equipment, they offered more luxurious amenities. These consists ran on the
Texas Zephyr until February 1965, when they were retired and the original equipment restored to the train, albeit with
Pullman pool streamlined cars or sleeping cars from the parent CB&Q. As a result of it losing its
U.S. Mail railway post contract, the Fort Worth & Denver abandoned all passenger service in 1967, the
Texas Zephyr making its last run on September 10 of that year. ==Major stops==