I seem to recall that some of the later broadcasts of this episode on PBS had some sort of disclaimer to the effect of "Amtrak is much better now than what is shown on this video".
California Zephyr discussion 2023 Q4 - 2024 H1
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Tinkerbell
Train Attendant
I'm booked from San Francisco on the CZ later this year, it said on my booking 0715 from Mission St to get the train at Emeryville at 0825. It sounds a bit tight to me. Is this the normal time the Amtrak thruway connecting bus leaves town?
Google Maps shows it as a drive time of 18 minutes max, even at 7:30am on a weekday, which gets you to the station at least 50 minutes before scheduled departure. You're traveling opposite to the commute., so traffic should be light. I think it's likely they would delay the train's departure if the bus hadn't arrived.
This is a Guaranteed Connection by Amtrak so the Train won't leave til you board in Emeryville
Tinkerbell
Train Attendant
Thanks for that, makes me feel better! First ride on Amtrak, also want to get a good seat. I think I saw on a YouTube video that the left is best if heading west
There's a great deal of co-operation between Thruway buses arriving and trains departing if there should be a problem, but of course there may be exceptions from time to time.
I do use Thruway buses with train connections when in the US and so far have never missed a train departure, although not on this actual route.
Sometimes bus departures alter slightly, double check your timing a day or so before you leave although usually Amtrak will notify you of any change.
FYI, you're traveling east from SF.Thanks for that, makes me feel better! First ride on Amtrak, also want to get a good seat. I think I saw on a YouTube video that the left is best if heading west
The best views are from the Sightseer Lounge car, which has windows from the ceiling almost to the floor. It's open to all passengers, open seating, and will sometimes fill up, so you want to get there before the train reaches the most scenic areas. The conductor may (or may not) limit the length of time you can remain in the car, to give others a chance.
When the 5 arrives early into EMY the busses do not get there earlier. One time I arrived 30 minutes early. I would have had to wait 45 minutes for the bus to depart. I took an uber to my hotel in San Francisco. I think I took one back the next morning. My reservation did not get canceled for skipping the bus. This was several years ago, so I am not sure that skipping a bus segment would not result in your reservation being canceled.
Tinkerbell
Train Attendant
Don't know why I said west!
Yes, I'll be making my way to the Lounge alright, for at least the scenic areas.Thanks, reassuring. I will keep an eye out for any changes from Amtrak.
It really depends on whether the Thruway is a codeshare on another bus common carrier run or it is an Amtrak charter. If it is another carrier (like the Thruway service between Chicago and Indianapolis, which is a Greyhound route with an Amtrak codeshare), the bus will generally stay on its schedule regardless of any Amtrak connections. If it is a dedicated Amtrak charter, they're generally coordinated with each other and will wait for each other, within reason. Most Amtrak California Thruways are dedicated charters, not codeshares, including the SFC-EMY ones.
There is a difference in the Thruway numbering between charters and codeshares, but I forget what it is.
I'm on # 5 outside of Green River. We sided for a freight and never started back up because the freight seemed to have set off a hot rail problem alert before it passed us. The freight track people have to come out and clear the problem. No ETA. Great trip otherwise.
I'm planning a round trip with my girlfriend in a roomette from Grand Junction to San Francisco in July. I lived in San Francisco years ago back in late 80'- mid 90's. I know a lot has changed. A few questions:
- Any suggested stops between Grand Junction and SF?
- Can anyone recommend a hotel in SF?
- Sounds like the Amtrak bus, though inconvenient might be the best to and from SF/Emeryville.
The ones that come to mind offering points of interest, would include Salt Lake City, Reno, and Sacramento. Stopping at Sacramento would also offer more than one train choice, to continue on to San Francisco...
If you haven't been there, Truckee might be worth adding to your list.
mikewrite
Train Attendant
The SLC stop is of no use unless you're leaving the train there, as we did a few years back on our way to Yellowstone. There is nothing at that stop but a small old Amtrak station; there is nowhere to roam in the few minutes you have before the train moves on. And heading west, you will arrive at SLC in the general vicinity of midnight.
Thank you for your comments. We were thinking about stopping somewhere along the way for a day or two then hopping back on to continue the trip westward.
This is my second round trip in a sleeper car. Just got back from Chicago today. The ride there was bumpy. Sleeping was almost impossible from Fort Morgan to Lincoln. Coming back last night? Yowsah! That was the worst. I talked to the conductor this morning and even he had a tough time. He had a nightmare in which he though he was in WW2. I'm not doing that trip again. It's not Amtrak's fault.
On another note, I got off the train in Omaha last night to walk around, and it seemed the locomotives were pushing the train. But then in Denver they were possibly in front again. It's hard to tell because they back us into union station. How does that work. Do they move the power a could of times, or do I have it wrong?
On another note, I got off the train in Omaha last night to walk around, and it seemed the locomotives were pushing the train. But then in Denver they were possibly in front again. It's hard to tell because they back us into union station. How does that work. Do they move the power a could of times, or do I have it wrong?
crescent-zephyr
Engineer
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Was your sleeper the very last car on the train? That can definitely make the ride worse.
The Amtrak long distance trains - the locomotives are always pulling the train when in-route except when they reverse into stations or into sidings - during that time the Conductor or Assistant Conductor will be riding the back of the train supervising the reverse move. So yes, the train will reverse into Union Station in Denver.
Some of the regional trains in California and in the Northeast have "Cab cars" that allow the engineer to sit in the last car on the train and have full control of the train - in that case the trains can be controlled from either end by the engineer for longer stretches and at full track speed.
Eastern Colorado/Western Nebraska on the CZ has been a notoriously rough stretch for many, many years. I remember it being so as far back as the 1980s. I think it is something of a secondary line for BNSF, most traffic in that region seems to go up through Alliance, NB.
The conductor was sleeping and had nightmares?! And admitted it to a passenger?!
That is a serious rules violation that endangers the safe operation of the train. I would find that orders of magnitude more concerning that a bit of a rough ride.Briefly reversing is normal, such as backing into Denver, or even to get in and out of a siding when one switch is out of service. A (conscious) conductor stands in the end door of the last car with a brake valve, and a air horn, radioing instructions to the engineer. However, they never switch power from one end to another in the middle of a normal run on the CZ or any other LD train. The only time they do it is if they have to stop short due to some kind of track blockage, such as a major derailment, and they are going to run the train back the other way. Then they'll take the power off, wye it (Amtrak normally runs multiple engines elephant style, not back to back, so the power has to be turned) run it around the consist, and pull it the other direction (hopefully having bustituted the passengers between the blocked consists on either side, unlike what they did with the SW Chief in that situation recently). Running the power around almost certainly did not happen (since you got to your destination) and you were probably mistaken.
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Also were you on the lower level? I've noticed in the lower level rooms it's way rougher than upstairs.
It might seem rougher on the lower level due to louder roadbed and switch noise, but due to physics, the lower level should actually ride a bit smoother, with less swaying, and being mostly in the center, less pitching motion…
That stretch of track is undeniably rough, but it seems you felt it more heading back to Denver than you did on your way to Chicago. While always within safe parameters, the condition of the cars' suspensions can vary, so the difference you perceived may be due to the cars themselves.
I am kind of assuming there wasn't a flat wheel. Those have a pretty identifiable signature, causing a regular, rhythmic "bang! bang! bang!" irrespective of track condition. Trying to sleep in a car with a flat wheel is hard.
Lots of times TA's are mistaken for conductors.The conductor was sleeping and had nightmares?! And admitted it to a passenger?!
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