The California Zephyr, originally launched in 1949 as a joint operation between the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy, Denver & Rio Grande Western, and Western Pacific railroads, was marketed explicitly as a sightseeing train rather than a mail carrier — an unusual commercial gamble at the time. It was discontinued in 1970 despite fierce public protest, then revived by Amtrak in 1983 on a slightly altered route. Cook Islands has issued dozens of transport-themed commemoratives under licensing arrangements that have nothing to do with the issuer's geography or monetary history.
The California Zephyr, originally launched in 1949 as a joint operation between the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy, Denver & Rio Grande Western, and Western Pacific railroads, was marketed explicitly as a sightseeing train rather than a mail carrier — an unusual commercial gamble at the time. It was discontinued in 1970 despite fierce public protest, then revived by Amtrak in 1983 on a slightly altered route. Cook Islands has issued dozens of transport-themed commemoratives under licensing arrangements that have nothing to do with the issuer's geography or monetary history.