CZ Eastbound out of GRAND Junction

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anuenue

anuenue

Train Attendant
Joined
Jan 7, 2017
Messages
93
Location
New Jersey
In a few weeks I'll be on the CZ eastbound out of Grand Junction, CO. From what I've read, that's gorgeous scenery. I'll be in Room H, with windows on both sides of the train.

If you had that room, would you stay in it or try to get a seat in the SSL? I imagine it'll be crowded and I can't stay standing. If I stay in my room, will I miss out on anything important? Also, does one side have better views than the other?

Thanks.
 
Most definitely get a seat in the lounge. My recommendation is to sit on the left side of the car (left when facing to the front of the train) and you'll have very nice views of the Bookcliffs leaving Grand Junction, then more scenery closer to Grand Junction when you go through two canyons on either side of Glenwood Springs. There is a canyon outside of Junction where the river is on the Right side of the train, so may want to alternate sides some. My experience is that you should be able to get a seat upstairs without undue trouble, just get your drinks and such lined up and settle in. As the train descends into Denver, it's fun watching the city lights (depending on the time, if it's dark outside) since the approach somewhat feels like a plane coming in from altitude.

As for seeing things from Room H, you do have windows on both sides, but it's not as good of a view necessarily. Depending on which way the car is facing, your prime scenery seat could also be your toilet, so that has it's disadvantages. But it's better than the Family Room, which has two relatively smaller windows.

Have a great trip, I'm jealous! That's one of the nicest rides.
 
The best scenery is seen on BOTH sides of the train, sometimes on the left side and sometimes on the right side.

One of the windows in the H room is next to the commode. Which side the commode is on will be determined by which end of the sleeper car is leading.

While the east end of the Book Cliffs are on the left of the eastbound CZ train leaving Grand Junction the train soon enters the western end of De Beque Canyon with the Colorado River and some other interesting sights on the right side of the train.
There a nice drop in the river just after the train goes under I-70 and enters De Beque Canyon. Six miles later on the right is a roller dam.

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.1910794,-108.2743472,3611m/data=!3m1!1e3 Zoom in. The railroad tracks are on the left of the dam. I-70 is across the river from the dam.

Shortly after and also on the right side of the train we get to see I-70 go across the Colorado and enter 2 tunnels just before the train also goes through a tunnel. After the tunnel we're still close enough to I-70 to see the other end of it's 2 tunnels.

So if you want to see most of the better sights plan on looking out both sides of the train, best done from the SSL car.

Of course it helps if you know in advance where the sights are.
 
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I hope you are traveling after the summer push is over. Traveled last month and could never get a seat in the SSL, there wasn't even room to stand to take pictures. Many in the sleepers were complaining that it was impossible in the SSL. We got some great views out the window in our room, plus a handful of times I took a few minutes to take a few from the DC on my way from an unsuccessful attempt trying to find a place to stand in the SSL.
 
I think left side is best on the eastbound CZ from Grand Junction until you reach State Bridge. Then switch to the right side until you enter the Moffat Tunnel, then back to the left side from the Tunnel to Denver.
 
See for yourself what side has the best scenery by following along the route using Google Earth. As KmH just said, BOTH sides have the best scenery.
 
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niemi24s said:
See for yourself what side has the best scenery by following along the route using Google Earth. As KmH just said, BOTH sides have the best scenery.
Click to expand...
And if you do that, you will spot the eastbound CZ in Red Gorge, a few miles (railroad) west of Kremmling, Colorado.
 
Fortunately, I have a 7 day a week summer job at a state historical site here in Iowa and can't ride the CZ during high season.

But when I do ride I don't sit in one place for long and tend to move around quite a bit - SSL, Railfan window, my roomette, looking out the window at the top of the stairs in the sleeper car, sit in an unassigned coach seat for a bit, stroll up to the Transition sleeper, stand and look out the window in the door on the lower level, rinse & repeat.

Isn't that Gore Canyon just west of Kremmling?

I though Red Gorge was west of Burns.
 
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KmH said:
Fortunately, I have a 7 day a week summer job at a state historical site here in Iowa and can't ride the CZ during high season.

But when I do ride I don't sit in one place for long and tend to move around quite a bit - SSL, Railfan window, my roomette, looking out the window at the top of the stairs in the sleeper car, sit in an unassigned coach seat for a bit, stroll up to the Transition sleeper, stand and look out the window in the door on the lower level, rinse & repeat.

Isn't that Gore Canyon just west of Kremmling?

I though Red Gorge was west of Burns.
Click to expand...
Yes, Gore Canyon is just west of Kremmling, and Red Gorge is a bit farther west. My Google Earth app didn't show Burns, but did show Kremmling. Hence, I mentioned Kremmling to help others find the train on Google Earth.

But no guarantee how long the CZ will be there, as Google Earth frequently (more or less) updates their images.
 
If accustomed to using topographical maps, they can be an excellent way to get a feeling for the terrain: http://www.mytopo.com/maps/index.cfm? They also show some names of places and features along the route not shown elsewhere. As an example, the topographic map shows that between Kremmling and Dotsero CO, there are 10 named places - 5 of them appear to be nothing more than railroad sidings. One of these is at the East end of Gore Canyon and is simply named Gore.
 
chakk said:
niemi24s said:
See for yourself what side has the best scenery by following along the route using Google Earth. As KmH just said, BOTH sides have the best scenery.
Click to expand...
And if you do that, you will spot the eastbound CZ in Red Gorge, a few miles (railroad) west of Kremmling, Colorado.
Click to expand...
Look again and see the same train about two miles away. The imagery is dated 10-9-2015. Looked for more but older imagery was used nearby. As far as a view, watch for astronomical sightings during kayak season.
 
Everydaymatters said:
I've never seen either when I've gone through there and starting to wonder - is this fake news? :unsure:
Click to expand...
I haven't seen it either, but then I've only gone through twice and both times were in the Fall, so maybe too cold for the moon. I did see a full moon while riding the first Autumn Express.
 
On one eastbound trip I was in the last sleeper and wandered back to the railfan window (end of car) to grab a couple pics as we coursed along the Colorado. I ended up standing there for a good hour enjoying the scenery and except for the car attendant, no one else came back. Now we had a couple PVs tied on, but I could clearly see over them and enjoyed waving to folks in the dome.
 
AmtrakBlue said:
Everydaymatters said:
I've never seen either when I've gone through there and starting to wonder - is this fake news? :unsure:
Click to expand...
I haven't seen it either, but then I've only gone through twice and both times were in the Fall, so maybe too cold for the moon. I did see a full moon while riding the first Autumn Express.
Click to expand...
Definitely not fake news. I've seen many moons, on several CZ trips.
 
tricia said:
AmtrakBlue said:
Everydaymatters said:
I've never seen either when I've gone through there and starting to wonder - is this fake news? :unsure:
Click to expand...
I haven't seen it either, but then I've only gone through twice and both times were in the Fall, so maybe too cold for the moon. I did see a full moon while riding the first Autumn Express.
Click to expand...
Definitely not fake news. I've seen many moons, on several CZ trips.
Click to expand...
I have traveled the route many times and have seen moons on each trip, including the trip in December one year (although the moon was not on the river, it was in the parking lot just after Moffat Tunnel).
 
Everydaymatters said:
I've never seen either when I've gone through there and starting to wonder - is this fake news? :unsure:
Click to expand...
I've seen the moon many times when riding the CZ along the Colorado River in summertime.

Especially nice also is when there are trout fishermen along the banks on the railroad side. The engineer will toot the horn to get the fisherman to raise up and show off their catch.

The dinner car chef reaches out with a long, hooked pole .....

Voila! Fresh fish for dinner in the diner!
 
chakk said:
Everydaymatters said:
I've never seen either when I've gone through there and starting to wonder - is this fake news? :unsure:
Click to expand...
I've seen the moon many times when riding the CZ along the Colorado River in summertime.

Especially nice also is when there are trout fishermen along the banks on the railroad side. The engineer will toot the horn to get the fisherman to raise up and show off their catch.

The dinner car chef reaches out with a long, hooked pole .....

Voila! Fresh fish for dinner in the diner!
Click to expand...
There's an idea! Give the chef a kitty of money and stop where there is a gathering of fisherman and do a little supper-buying on the spot :)
 
OlympianHiawatha said:
chakk said:
Everydaymatters said:
I've never seen either when I've gone through there and starting to wonder - is this fake news? :unsure:
Click to expand...
I've seen the moon many times when riding the CZ along the Colorado River in summertime.
Especially nice also is when there are trout fishermen along the banks on the railroad side. The engineer will toot the horn to get the fisherman to raise up and show off their catch.

The dinner car chef reaches out with a long, hooked pole .....

Voila! Fresh fish for dinner in the diner!
Click to expand...
There's an idea! Give the chef a kitty of money and stop where there is a gathering of fisherman and do a little supper-buying on the spot :)
Click to expand...
The Great Northern version of the Empire Builder actually used to do this. A man owned a lake somewhere in Montana had a standing order with the EB to catch trout. He'd catch about 10-15 pounds of trout a day during the summer season and he'd go to the station and give the trout to the telegraph operator. When the EB would get there it would slow down and the telegraph operator would throw the trout up to personnel in the dining car. That way the dining car could truthfully advertise fresh trout for dinner.
 
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