Which direction for the Californian Zephyr?

[user 6862]

Although it's probably subjective, is one direction better than the other?

Thanks

 

[JayPea]

I personally prefer westbound. But others might have a differing opinion.

 

[tim49424]

I went east from SAC to CHI and it was great but I think west probably would've been better as you get IL, IA and NE out of the way first.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Horace Greeley was right: " Go West Young Man! Go West!"

West bound almost guarantees you'll see all of the Rockies and the Sierras in daylight and sleep during most of the desert, prairie and corn field parts of the route, but Eastbound is almost as good except Iowa and Western Illinois are nothing to write home about!(prairie and corn fields!)

 

[user 6862]

Thanks. I meant to add it will be either late February or early March to see the winter views.

 

[crescent2]

Someone on the forum who'd done the trip both ways, don't recall who, once told me that one disadvantage of the east-bound CZ is that if the train is running late, it might be dark by the time you reach the very good scenery just west of Denver. With a late winter trip, the daylight hours will be somewhat shorter so that may be something to consider. I've never made the trip but hope to in the future.

 

[oregon pioneer]

Someone on the forum who'd done the trip both ways, don't recall who, once told me that one disadvantage of the east-bound CZ is that if the train is running late, it might be dark by the time you reach the very good scenery just west of Denver. With a late winter trip, the daylight hours will be somewhat shorter so that may be something to consider. I've never made the trip but hope to in the future.

I always go in winter, and I second the above opinion. Go west, you have the best chance of daylight during the spectacular stuff -- though if late enough east bound you get to see Soldier Summit in Utah, as I did once, LOL! But on a first trip, I'd take the Rocky Mountain Front in daylight over Soldier Summit, you betcha.

 

[the_traveler]

I also say westbound!

It's great to see the Rockies off in the distance as you approach Denver and then you begin the assent of the Front Range and go thru the canyons - all in daylight! I've done eastbound in winter - it's just not the same.

 

[Steve4031]

If possible go both ways. It's a great trip.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

I'm going to go with the rest of the crowd and say Westbound. In fact I feel the same way about virtually all of the Western trains. Although prospective customers should keep in mind that Amtrak staff tend to turn up the heat really high in the winter. I guess so the pensioners don't freeze to death. In any case it can make for a rather uncomfortable trip if you're still young enough to feel your legs.

 

[chakk]

having done it both ways in all seasons of the year, I would concur with the majority to go westbound in late winter if you can only take it in one direction.

 

[SteveSTX]

My first attempt at the Zephyr was eastbound from EMY-DEN in October 2013. We detoured through Wyoming due to the major flood that had washed out the tracks west of Denver.

I decided to try again in May 2014, this time following the advice I found here regarding going westbound having the best chance to see the rockies. We almost got detoured through Wyoming due to a rockslide in Gore Canyon, but they got the slide cleared a few hours before we left Denver. Unfortunately, we were about 8 hours late leaving Denver, so the sun was already setting just after we came out of the Moffat Tunnel.

I have one more try scheduled for September (again westbound) so if the stars align, I might just get to see the good scenery in the Rockies. I have to say that all of the scenery from DEN-EMY is interesting, and at least part of it has to be in daylight no matter what direction you go. On my late westbound trip, I got to see SLC and the Bonneville Salt Flats during the day, which is normally in darkness in both directions.

 

[user 6862]

Thanks all, that's the CZ west bound then.

We have a small number of must/want to do's on this visit to the US, I'd like to create another thread laying out our ideas then to ask a few routing questions from anyone with personal local knowledge.