The song follows a waltz time signature, and mentions the Anemoi (Ancient Greek wind gods): Boreas, Afer Ventus (Africus), Eurus, and Zephyrus.
In Greek mythology, Hyakinthos was a young man admired by Apollo and Zephyr, but killed by a discus in a jealous fight between the two gods; a flower was allegedly named after him when it sprang from his blood.
Early typical motive power for these trains was provided by a pair of shovel-nose diesels named Pegasus (CB&Q #9904) and Zephyrus (CB&Q 9905).
It sometimes appears as Zephyrus, the ancient Greek name, probably derived from "zopho" (meaning dark, gloomy, a reference to the sunset rather than the quality of the wind.) Romans also called it Favonius, probably meaning "favorable", as the westerly wind in the Mediterranean was regarded as a mild wind that brought relief from the summer heat and some useful moisture for crops.