He probably felt that 2ish hours in MTZ was better than 5ish hours in SAC. Why is it a problem that he wants to minimize his time waiting at a station and maximize his time on trains?
More rail miles is always better (well, at least 99.9999999778% of the time). Daylight riding is, IMHO, almost always worth it. In addition, on the CS, there is usually no breakfast before SAC on #11 (if on-time, which it has been recently). I agree with the previous posters - go for Martinez, but watch the timing and stay in contact with the conductors. I remember on trip on #6 where we met #11 in Sacramento due to heavy snowfalls in the mountains (#6 was on-tiime until we started to climb up the mountains ourselves) - perfectly clear weather behind the front and the newly fallen snow (2+ feet) made for a really spectacular ride.
The reason I do it is because I feel the $money$ spent was to experience train travel, not the experience of waitig at the station!!! I'll "Back Track" all day long if it doesnt cost any more!!! Although I do most of my LD Amtrak Travel thru AGR Points!!!
So, he wants to minimize waiting time, but now he fears there is not enough waiting time. This does not make sense.
That's the reason he's asking questions! Does that make sense to ya???
A few years ago, I wanted (and planned) to connect between the southbound CS and eastbound CZ in EMY. However, due to being late, I bailed out at MTZ and waited. (I had paid fro a RT ticket SAC-EMY-SAC myself.) So does it make sense that I decided to get off at MTZ - Amtrak would get me back to SAC, but I would have been a no show on the CZ!Swadian Hardcore said:
Geez, I know you experts are trying to be helpful to less-traveled Amtrak passengers, but sometimes you really do end up being more confusing than clear!
No, it does NOT! Please stop getting angry!
LOL!
I'm not the OP, but I'll do my best to explain.
Thanks, this does help a big bunch.Hope this helps
If the Starlight is running late enough, the conductor should be detraining all CZ connecting pax at Sac in any case, regardless of where they are ticketed to make the connection.Thanks, this does help a big bunch.Hope this helps
You can walk around the Old Sacramento Historic District, although that early in the morning nothing will be open. There is also a Denny's just across from the station next to the motel, but other than that there is little to do but wait it out on a butt-burning bench in the station.
I walked by 3d and J the other day and I believe the Denny's there is now closed down. There were no cars in the parking lot and all of the Denny's signage is not on the building anymore.
Not at all. The best answers to questions like this usually appear within the first 2 or 3 responses. The rest is just chit-chat.
Swadian, hope to get to meet ya, someday!!!
Amen! I can't even begin to tell you how much I've learned, and what a life-saver this forum has been in my travels. It was here that I learned of the CSX Indy bridge incident last year that was at the start of my cross country trip. And the track work near CHI that affected my Eagle trip a few weeks ago. It was also here that I learned to take Duct Tape whether I thought I'd need it or not. Turns out the roomettes on the Eagle were very cold, and cold air continued to pour out the upper vents above the door even when closed. We took a few issues of the USA Today and taped them to each vent in several rooms making them comfortable for everyone to return to within about a half hour's time. All the people wanted to know how I knew to carry DT, ha! I read and learn.
I'm surprised there wasn't an onslaught of new people around the end of April on this forum. 
