You are welcome, Ted. I am glad to help with your father's photo of BN Train No. 7, the westbound Morning Zephyr, en route from St. Paul to Minneapolis via Westminster Tower.
As you have already indicated, this photo, also taken by your father, is of Burlington Northern's eastbound Morning Zephyr, BN Train No. 8. It was operated "solo" from Minneapolis BN Station to St. Paul Union Depot that morning. Prior to departure from St. Paul Union Depot on this date, about a week before Amtrak, four cars, transferred from BN's eastbound Empire Builder, and three cars, transferred from BN's eastbound North Coast Limited, were added.
The Minneapolis to Chicago baggage-refreshment car (first car in this photo) provided light meals and snacks service to Chicago. The four eastbound Empire Builder cars included a Portland to Chicago Great Dome Coach, a St. Paul to Chicago Great Dome Lounge Car, a St. Paul to Chicago dining car, and a Portland to Chicago sleeping car. The three eastbound North Coast Limited cars included a Seattle to Chicago Vista Dome Coach, a Seattle to Chicago Slumbercoach, and a Vista Dome "Lounge-in-the-Sky" sleeping car. Along with the Morning Zephyr's two Minneapolis to Chicago Vista Dome Coaches, this combined eastbound winter season 10-car Morning Zephyr, Empire Builder, and North Coast Limited had six Dome Cars in its consist from St. Paul to Chicago.
By the way, following its morning St. Paul Union Depot arrival, the eastbound Empire Builder's Seattle to St. Paul Great Dome Lounge Car and also its Seattle to St. Paul dining car were replaced by the St. Paul to Chicago Great Dome Lounge Car and dining car. Of course, although fun to observe, this added to the hectic, multiple setting out and adding of cars by the St. Paul Union Depot switch crews prior to departure from St. Paul that morning.
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