“Zeph” The Animatronic Donkey Display. Lifesize animatronic donkey figure covered in faux fur. Used as a “tour guide” at the Museum of Science and Industry Chicago to guide guests on a tour through the Pioneer Zephyr train exhibit. 63 x 52 x 16”. Mechanism not tested. Third party transportation required.“Zeph” was an interactive part of the Pioneer Zephyr train tour for several decades. The Zephyr was a new type of train – both in its diesel engine technology and its streamlined design. The train set a record by making a dawn to dusk trip from Denver to Chicago in a little over 13 hours, a trip that normally took 26 hours. The train arrived in Chicago just in time to participate in an opening day pageant for the reopening of the Century of Progress World’s Fair in 1934. The train was also a key part in a 1934 movie, The Silver Streak. As museum guests toured the Zephyr, Zeph’s crate opened, and the donkey would describe the ride on the day of the record breaking run from Denver to Chicago.