Pioneer Zephyr
Streamlining: Style for Miles
The “Silver Streak” was the first streamlined, diesel-powered train and it wowed the USA in 1934 with its daring “Dawn to Dusk Run.”
This updated exhibit connects the train to today’s life, welcoming guests aboard with a spirit of inclusion.
Black workers’ oral histories highlight their experiences, including the inequality of their workplace.
Dramatic and immersive media pieces infuse the gallery with motion, excitement and emphasize the changing times the Pioneer Zephyr symbolized. The design legacy of the Zephyr’s Streamline Moderne exterior foreshadowed later aerodynamic designs.
Interactive cutaways illuminate the structure and function of this groundbreaking train.
PROCESS
All of the content sections, structures and interactives were group-brainstormed in an EXPO-marker-fueled bout of decision making at the whiteboard. It didn't look pretty, but this got us off to a great start.
A main goal of the project was to allow guests of all abilities the chance to experience the inside of the train, through direct access, images or tactile elements.