California Zephyr and Colorado flooding status

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petepuma

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I will be taking my first ever train trip from Chicago to San Francisco on California Zephyr on Oct 25. I was really excited about the trip until I heard Amtrak is detouring the west bound trains from Denver to Salt Lake city, Utah via Wyoming. Some reports say UP will fix the tracks by the first or second week of October. Just in case this doesn't happen by Oct 25, what scenery and landmarks will I be missing on the normal route between Denver and SLC, Utah? I think Mofatt tunnel is out of the question. Anything interesting on the Wyoming detour? The regular train is scheduled to arrive in Emeryville at 5pm on Oct 27 (Sunday). What would be the arrival time with the detour?

I still haven't booked my hotel but I think it will be in San Francisco. My trip includes Amtrak bus service from Emeryville to SF. If the train is late, will I miss the bus?

Since we booked a sleeper, I know all the meals are included in the price. What other items are included in the sleeper price (snack bar, juice, coffee?)?

Will the sleeper cars be at the end or right by the engine?

I am a railfan and I can hardly contain my excitement even with the possibility of detour!!!

Thanks
 
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if they do re-route, you will miss the most beautiful senic of all amtrak trains. the ruby canyon right at the state line of utah and colorado @ utaline. this is 40 mins to grand junction, co. here your're running right along the colorado river..
 
Our first ever train trip was the reverse of yours--SAC to CHI. We were disappointed when our route was diverted to the Wyoming detour due to track work. But OMG, we were so enthralled by the wide open spaces, the wildlife right alongside the tracks, and the beautiful mountains in the distance. The return trip was on the regular route, so we got to see both, and I can honestly say that the Wyoming route is every bit a wonderful as the Colorado River route is.

The bus from Emeryville to SF will be there for you even if the train is late.

Besides meals in the diner being included for sleeper car passengers, other perks include juice, bottled water, and coffee.

When we went on the CZ 4 years ago, the sleepers were right behind the engines, but since then, they have been placed on the end--which makes the "train-fan window" much more accessible.

Have a wonderful trip!!
 
Last I heard they're expecting the detour to last for about a month, so you'll likely be on the bubble as to whether you'll take the normal routing, or go through Wyoming. IIRC the Wyoming route is faster since it doesn't traverse the mountains to the same degree as going via Moffat. Even if you do hit the re-route there is some great scenery between Reno and Sacramento. Although you are in a sleeping car I would highly recommend making use of the Sightseer component of the lounge, it allows you to get some great views of both sides of the train. The bus you catch in Emeryville is a guaranteed connection bus provided by Amtrak, it will be there waiting for you regardless of how late the train gets. Typically coffee and juice are available in each sleeping car, so if you visit the lounge you're on your own. Every time I've been a sleeping car passenger I've been so stuffed from my meals I can't eat anything else aside from the Dining Car meals. Generally the sleepers are on the rear of the CZ, but strange things do happen every now and then. Enjoy your trip!
 
Even on the Wyoming route there is some pretty good (though nothing like the Colorado Gorge) mountain scenery between Evanston and Ogden as you cross the Wasatch through Weber and Echo Canyons, though unfortunately except in mid summer most of it will be in the dark. In addition, some of the vistas around Rock Springs and Green River are pretty spectacular too, specially if one has been a student of history along the Overland Route along the various trails.

And if you are a railfan, of course, there is Sherman Hill to look forward to.
 
Sleepers are on the rear, unless you are in the transition sleeper, which is always immediately adjacent to the baggage car. Besides the free meals in the diner, your sleeping car attendant will typically put out large cartons of juices (orange, apple, sometimes cranberry?), with plastic glasses and ice to serve yourself from these large cartons. Also, a coffee maker should be available with hot, fresh (can't confirm it stays fresh, as I don't drink the stuff) coffee and hot drink cups. Some SCAs provide a box of individually wrapped muffins in the morning. And, since you are boarding in Chicago, there will likely be a small bottle of champagne and the snack basket at your seat upon boarding.
 
chakk said:
Sleepers are on the rear, unless you are in the transition sleeper, which is always immediately adjacent to the baggage car. Besides the free meals in the diner, your sleeping car attendant will typically put out large cartons of juices (orange, apple, sometimes cranberry?), with plastic glasses and ice to serve yourself from these large cartons. Also, a coffee maker should be available with hot, fresh (can't confirm it stays fresh, as I don't drink the stuff) coffee and hot drink cups. Some SCAs provide a box of individually wrapped muffins in the morning. And, since you are boarding in Chicago, there will likely be a small bottle of champagne and the snack basket at your seat upon boarding.
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The CZ does not have the champagne or snack basket. There will be water bottles in the rooms.
 
I forgot to mention that your SCA will also provide you a copy of USA Today on each of your two mornings away from the endpoints on the CZ. I believe on Sunday, he/she will provide as an alternate a local newspaper from Denver or Salt Lake (or perhaps Reno?)
 
The Wyoming route is a lot faster than the Colorado route, so you will not be delayed by fault the reroute. I have never done the route on a train but I have done a very similar route on the Interstate. It's not bad at all, there's huge wide open plains and some mountains near SLC. Don't worry about it. The Colorado scenery is somewhat similar to the Sierras on RNO-SAC, you'll still get to see that.
 
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Y'all might enjoy these pictures:

http://imgur.com/a/7H9HH#GnNVKwG

They are of the big washout on the UP Line on the Front Range.

Friend of mine drove up there today and reports that the fill is now completely done upto the top and there are construction vehicles running along the top of the fill today!
 
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jis said:
Y'all might enjoy these pictures:

http://imgur.com/a/7H9HH#GnNVKwG

They are of the big washout on the UP Line on the Front Range.

Friend of mine drove up there today and reports that the fill is now completely done upto the top and there are construction vehicles running along the top of the fill today!
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Heh, gotta love that orange gas line and the several communications cables hanging mid-air beneath the track or sitting severed down the embankment.

Also, glad to read that the line is likely within a week or two of reopening!
 
Trainmans daughter said:
I commented on the picture you posted on Facebook. I probably shouldn't repeat myself here as my post would probably be deemed inappropriate!
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** goes check the comments on FB **

Nah, I'd say it's appropriate. :)

I showed the pics to my daughter and her boyfriend and said these are the tracks we rode over almost 2 years ago. Boyfriend was like "Really! How'd they hold up a train." :D
 
Weds. 9 October

When is the CZ scheduled to return to the original route DEN to SLC, via Glenwood Springs,

and Grand Junction. ??

Peter Richards

Boulder, CO.
 
Peter Richards said:
Weds. 9 October

When is the CZ scheduled to return to the original route DEN to SLC, via Glenwood Springs,

and Grand Junction. ??

Peter Richards

Boulder, CO.
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Exact date has not been announced, but is anticipated to be on or shortly after 19 October.

I say this because if you go to the amtrak.com website and attempt to book a trip from Denver to Glenwood Springs, the website provides bus-only options for all dates through 18 October. Starting with 19 October, it shows train, BUT with an Exclamation Point. Click on that Point and you get a window describing the current service outage, with no exact date for restoration.
 
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I heard on the news that the section is open, but there are so many freight trains backed up, and they take priority.
 
It is now being reported that 5(11) and 6(11) i.e. the 11th Oct departures from Emeryville and Chicago will run on the regular route via Glenwood Springs. Of course as usual there is not a peep about it on amtrak.com.
 
CaliforniaMom said:
I heard on the news that the section is open, but there are so many freight trains backed up, and they take priority.
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UP doesn't run much (if any) through freight on the Moffat Line even in normal conditions. Yes there are trains serving industries along the line that may be a little backed up, but its not as though there's a pile of hot Intermodal trains waiting to get through. Those trains are going to be taking the faster, flatter route through Wyoming on a normal basis anyway.
 
Amtrak to resume service through Utah & Colorado THIS Saturday...

From Yahoo news:

GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — Amtrak service will resume in western Colorado and Utah this weekend now that tracks damaged by last month's flooding have been repaired.

Amtrak said Thursday that the California Zephyr train, which runs between Chicago to the San Francisco Bay area, will start making stops in cities including Glenwood Springs and Grand Junction in Colorado and Green River and Provo in Utah on Saturday.
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jimhudson said:
jis said:
It is now being reported that 5(11) and 6(11) i.e. the 11th Oct departures from Emeryville and Chicago will run on the regular route via Glenwood Springs. Of course as usual there is not a peep about it on amtrak.com.
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Shhhhh! It's being kept Secret, it's Amtrak! :ph34r:
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Yes, it is so secret that Amtrak posted a news release today on their website to make sure that AP would not regurgitate the news release into an AP story: Amtrak California Zephyr Service Restored in Colorado After Temporary Track Closure. Amtrak wanted the news organizations to guess what was the status of the CZ. ;)

CHICAGO – The Union Pacific Railroad has reopened the route used daily by the Amtrak California Zephyr west of Denver, effective locally in Colorado on Oct. 12. Heavy rains and flooding resulted in damage to the UP’s route through the Moffat Tunnel. Amtrak service in the area had been disrupted since Sept. 11.

Passengers traveling between Chicago and Denver or between Salt Lake City and the San Francisco Bay were not affected by the use of a detour route through Wyoming, However, Fraser-Winter Park, Granby, Glenwood Springs and Grand Junction, Colo., and Green River, Helper and Provo, Utah, were without daily Amtrak service by Trains 5 & 6 during this disruption.

Amtrak apologizes for any inconvenience and has notified the affected communities of the restoration of service with the departures of Train 5 from Chicago and Train 6 from Emeryville, Calif., each on Oct. 11.
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So no more CZ going through Wyoming on the new train tracker map. Well, until the next service or work disruption in Colorado.
 
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