California Zephyr discussion 2023 Q4 - 2024 H1

[Rasputin]

Just got a revised departure time for my CA Zephyr departure from Emeryville in August. I have a roomette.
New departure time is 8:25 AM. Does that men I get breakfast on board? Thanks.

My suggestion, based on experience, would be to call Amtrak about 7 to 10 days before departure and ask them. At that point, information should be more accurate.

 

[Rasputin]

Press release and video issued by Amtrak for the 75th Anniversary of the California Zephyr:

https://media.amtrak.com/2024/03/happy-anniversary-california-zephyr/

 

[joelkfla]

Press release and video issued by Amtrak for the 75th Anniversary of the California Zephyr:

https://media.amtrak.com/2024/03/happy-anniversary-california-zephyr/

What's the tiny car behind the baggage car?


Where was the street running?

 

[jis]

What's the tiny car behind the baggage car?

Looks like an Amfleet Food Service Car of some sort, possibly Amfleet II. Don't know what it is doing there.

 

[Rover]

Press release and video issued by Amtrak for the 75th Anniversary of the California Zephyr:

https://media.amtrak.com/2024/03/happy-anniversary-california-zephyr/

You can watch the CZ 75th Anniversary video "Images for 75 Years" on their FB Page, and slow the playback speed to easier see the pictures roll by:

 

[Agent]

What's the tiny car behind the baggage car?
View attachment 36258

That image is from the first (and so far only) time the California Zephyr was pulled its entire run by Chargers. It was reported here at the time that it looked like that Amfleet car behind the baggage car had Siemens personnel riding it.

 

[Willbridge]

....

Where was the street running?
View attachment 36259

Well, they ran in 3rd Street in Oakland. The station at Washington Street is still there. It was an area of warehouses back then. There might have been someplace else, but this was an area often accessed.

 

[Rasputin]

You can watch the CZ 75th Anniversary video "Images for 75 Years" on their FB Page, and slow the playback speed to easier see the pictures roll by:

Sorry to have to ask but where are the controls to adjust the speed of this video. Thanks.

 

[Rover]

Sorry to have to ask but where are the controls to adjust the speed of this video. Thanks.

The playback speed controls are not available watching the video within my post.

You have to link out to the FB page. Click on the "f" next to "Facebook Watch" at the bottom right of the image in my post. Once you link out to the FB page, the Settings "wheel" at the bottom right of the image brings up the playback speed options drop down box.

 

[joelkfla]

The playback speed controls are not available watching the video within my post.

You have to link out to the FB page. Click on the "f" next to "Facebook Watch" at the bottom right of the image in my post. Once you link out to the FB page, the Settings "wheel" at the bottom right of the image brings up the playback speed options drop down box.

I just clicked on the image to pause, clicked again to resume, repeat, repeat, ...

 

[Rover]

I just clicked on the image to pause, clicked again to resume, repeat, repeat, ...

I did that too, on my laptop.
But watching the video on my big screen, that was easier to do watching at a lower playback speed.

 

[Paniolo Man]

Today (March 23) #5 got to Grand Junction over 2 hours late with a single locomotive. It left town with a UP SD70M.

 

[railiner]

Well, they ran in 3rd Street in Oakland. The station at Washington Street is still there. It was an area of warehouses back then. There might have been someplace else, but this was an area often accessed.

Not sure if it’s that, but after discharging Oakland passengers at its Oakland station, the CZ continued on to Middle Harbour Road, where San Francisco passengers transfered to a Santa Fe “Train Bus” for the ride over the Bay Bridge to the San Francisco terminall…

 

[Metra Electric Rider]

Not sure if it’s that, but after discharging Oakland passengers at its Oakland station, the CZ continued on to Middle Harbour Road, where San Francisco passengers transfered to a Santa Fe “Train Bus” for the ride over the Bay Bridge to the San Francisco terminall…

It kind of looks Midwestern to me, but without watching the video & seeing more, that's just a wild guess.

 

[Rasputin]

It kind of looks Midwestern to me, but without watching the video & seeing more, that's just a wild guess.

Weren't there one or more places on the Western Pacific where the CZ did some street running?

 

[Brian Battuello]

I never rode the original CZ in California/Nevada, but the early Amtrak CZ rumbled through the streets of Reno before they built the underpass. Fun to watch people carrying huge buckets of coins.

 

[Brian Battuello]

IIRC, the train would stop for just a few minutes outside one of the major casinos. I'm not sure there was even a station. The conductor would make a very severe announcement that the train would only be there for a brief moment and that there were no slot machines within the short walking distance. He said if you get off the train, you will be left behind. The train then advanced to another station about a mile out of town for servicing and crew change, and there was absolutely nothing there.

 

[Northwestern]

Old travelogue from the 1950's.



I like the fresh trout that was served, and the Zephyrettes. The Cable Car lounge was, in some opinions, 2nd only to the Turquoise Room on the Super Chief.

 

[Willbridge]

Weren't there one or more places on the Western Pacific where the CZ did some street running?

Of course, 3rd Street in Oakland, but I looked in the Open Railway Map at other likely places where WP engines would have led the train and did not see anything.

Note to younger readers: before Amtrak, the California Zephyr on the Western Pacific bypassed Reno. The WP had a 33-mile long branch from Reno Junction to Reno. At one time it had a passenger train from Portola on it, but by the October 1944 Guide they did not schedule connections with either of the main line trains.

In that same wartime Guide, the SP at Reno had three daily mainline trains plus an overnight train between Oakland Pier and Reno. In addition, every three nights the streamlined City of San Francisco came through. And, of course, many extra sections and troop trains.

 

[railiner]

Of course, 3rd Street in Oakland, but I looked in the Open Railway Map at other likely places where WP engines would have led the train and did not see anything.

Note to younger readers: before Amtrak, the California Zephyr on the Western Pacific bypassed Reno. The WP had a 33-mile long branch from Reno Junction to Reno. At one time it had a passenger train from Portola on it, but by the October 1944 Guide they did not schedule connections with either of the main line trains.

I was just going to say that…the WP CZ didn’t go thru Reno on its Feather River Canyon route. The Amtrak San Francisco Zephyr did, and later CZ. It used to cross Virginia Street at grade, and tie up traffic during its brief station stop, within view of the famous neon “Biggest Little City in the World” sign, and lots of casino’s, before they built the “trench”.
Back then, it continued 3 miles east to Sparks, to change crews and service the train …

 

[Steve4031]

The service stop was in Sparks, a few miles east of Reno.

 

[Rasputin]

I see that Amtrak has issued an alert today that due to a rock slide trains 1105 and 1106 are cancelled. No other details. I assume that this pertains to the Zephyr.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Those are the Winter Park Express trains.
The CZ was cancelled between Denver & Glenwood Springs, think. Not sure what the status is for the CZ today.

 

[Agent]

I see that Amtrak has issued an alert today that due to a rock slide trains 1105 and 1106 are cancelled. No other details. I assume that this pertains to the Zephyr.

As far as I can tell, that was yesterday. Trains have been running today.

 

[Rasputin]

As far as I can tell, that was yesterday. Trains have been running today.

My mistake. I believe it was dated yesterday. Thanks for pointing that out.