A project of BHP Billiton Iron Ore, with support from Town of Port Hedland, Boom Logistics and Laing O'Rourke, the cafe was officially opened by the Premier of Western Australia, Colin Barnett, on 26 October 2010.

The railway carriage that is now the nucleus of the Silver Star Cafe was built by the Budd Company in 1939, for the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad (CB&QR).

[2] On 30 April 1939, the train made its inaugural passenger trip between St Louis and Kansas City, Missouri, in the Midwestern United States.

The "shovelnose" Zephyrs were lighter and faster than their contemporaries, because they were made of lightweight stainless steel, to a unique "streamlined" design.

[2] Although the earlier, articulated, versions of these trains had the further advantage of a reduced number of trucks (bogies),[4] and no couplers,[5] the General Pershing Zephyr's non-articulated configuration provided maximum flexibility and ease of maintenance.

[2] The General Pershing Zephyr ran on its assigned route until the United States entered World War II,[2] and then its individual cars continued in use on other trains.

[7] In 2009, BHP Billiton Iron Ore, by then the sole owner of the railway, donated the carriage to the Port Hedland community as a visitor attraction and cafe.