How do I snag a window seat on upper floor of CZ west of Denver?

[scottyc]

My wife and I plan to take the Zephr from Denver to Glenwood and back for a 50yr nostalgia repeat trip. Our main objective is to view and photograph the scenery. I understand seating on the upper deck is on a first-come basis and this segment of this route is very popular. How do we go about snagging two window seats when we get aboard? Is it get in line somewhere early, or pick specific cars to run for, or what tactics?

 

[crescent-zephyr]

are you looking for seating in the upper level of the lounge car? Just head to the lounge as soon as you can. The train takes some time leaving Denver before it gets in to the Rockies so you should be fine getting a spot in the lounge. It will get crowded going through the Rockies sometimes but I've never not gotten a seat and people will come and go a bit so you can always move to better seats as people come and go.

Climbing out of Denver on the "Big 10" curves is my favorite stretch of railroading I've ever been on. I've had some trips where I've seen all kinds of wildlife in that stretch (fox, big horn sheep, elk, etc.) and other trips where I haven't seen anything.

 

[mlanoue]

There usually does seem to be a pretty big line for coach boarding at Denver, so the earlier you get in the line, the better your chances of getting the seats you want. However, getting two window seats would mean you're not sitting together. I'm not sure how that would work if you'be booked on the same ticket. In any event, the sightseer lounge would be the place to go for the best views, anyway.

 

[bratkinson]

While your best bet would be go to the Sightseer Lounge car upon boarding, you still have to wait for a conductor to come by and scan your tickets while sitting in coach. Note, too, there is no place to store luggage in the Sightseer. It must be stored in coach either in the luggage rack on the lower floor level or in the overhead above your coach seats.

Also, based on destination, the conductor may seat all passengers to that destination in a specific car, which may or may not be nearing capacity. But, as stated above, be one of the first in line to get the best choice of coach seats. Getting two across the aisle from each other or even one behind the other is largely dependent upon how many passengers are in that car. Time of year plays a major role in load factors, as does the number of coaches and sleepers on the train.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

While your best bet would be go to the Sightseer Lounge car upon boarding, you still have to wait for a conductor to come by and scan your tickets while sitting in coach.

I think they scan tickets before boarding at Denver now.

 

[PVD]

While not definitive, the last few times I've boarded in Denver, they did have a line up, with a scan before boarding. I was on a separate queue, for sleepers.

 

[Dakota 400]

My recommendation is to get into the SSL as soon as you possibly can because some of the seats will be filled by those of us who boarded the train prior to Denver.

 

[bratkinson]

I think they scan tickets before boarding at Denver now.

So THAT'S why there was a mob on the platform when I boarded to return east last week! I simply walked around the mob and boarded my sleeper, which was supposed to be the transdorm but at Superliner I sleeper substituted account a bad ordered dorm.

One has to wonder what kind of logic is used as a basis to scan every ticket on the platform, delaying an already late train by 10 minutes or more? Given that it's an hour or so to the first stop east of Denver, there's more than sufficient time to walk the train to scan everyones' ticket. But 'street-carring' all passengers seems to be more the norm these days than the exception on all LD trains.

 

[chakk]

So THAT'S why there was a mob on the platform when I boarded to return east last week! I simply walked around the mob and boarded my sleeper, which was supposed to be the transdorm but at Superliner I sleeper substituted account a bad ordered dorm.

One has to wonder what kind of logic is used as a basis to scan every ticket on the platform, delaying an already late train by 10 minutes or more? Given that it's an hour or so to the first stop east of Denver, there's more than sufficient time to walk the train to scan everyones' ticket. But 'street-carring' all passengers seems to be more the norm these days than the exception on all LD trains.

they scan the tickets before boarding at Denver to ensure that passengers board with valid tickets? Perhaps there has been a propensity of people boarding at Denver with invalid tickets? And could they then be put off the train at Fort Morgan?

 

[SubwayNut]

I haven't boarded the Zephyr in Denver in long time but both in the pre renovation Union Station and at the temporary station that was in use while Union Station was under construction was a large wooden desk that said Coach on one side and Sleepers on the other. The conductors who were taking over from a previous crew would collect tickets often before the train would even arrive in the station and hand out seat checks for specific cars that served as boarding passes for the coach attendants.

I've also had my ticket scanned in the SLC AmShack (will that stop ever get a proper station, it's been more than 20 years) before #5 arrived which was handy since the train got in so late that you could try and go right to sleep in your sleeping car or coach seat.

I remember once boarding #2 in LA exhausted and keeping myself awake in my Roomette knowing not wanting to woken up abruptly by the conductor.

 

[PaulM]

they scan the tickets before boarding at Denver to ensure that passengers board with valid tickets? Perhaps there has been a propensity of people boarding at Denver with invalid tickets?

 

[scottyc]

Thanks to all for the suggestions and info. We'll see how it goes next week.