California Zephyr detouring through Wyoming June 1-8

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Tennessee Traveler

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Just so you know. Amtrak.com is indicating thruway bus service between Denver and Salt Lake City both directions June 1-8. I determined this by trying to book passage. Personally I will be traveling through Colorado and stopping in Glenwood Springs arriving May 29 and departing May 31. Zephyr is scheduled at this time to travel on those days through Colorado. I will be traveling from Emeryville to Denver departing Emeryville June 3 and Amtrak.com indicates that the Zephyr will travel non stop through Wyoming from SLC to DEN. As of now, no explanation but others have suggested that apparently Union Pacific has scheduled some type of track work during June 1-8.
 
Is the Wyoming route, DEN - SLC, SLC - DEN, take the same amount of time the regular route takes?

No doubt all the freight trains are doing the detour too?

If the scheduled times stay close to the same 6/1 to 6/8, the #5 gets to SLC 4.5 hours before the #6 leaves SLC.

It might be worth making the quick turn around just to ride the route
 
The detour route thru WY is actually faster! Partly because there are no stops between DEN and SLC. That's why the CZ arrives at that point usually hours early. Thus usually you may have time to go out for dinner, since the train can not depart earlier than the scheduled departure time.
 
I've taken this detour eastbound twice over the past two years (not by choice nor pre-planning by the RRs). To me it's boring but it is rare mileage.

Both times we arrived into Denver close to on time due to freight congestion or slow running of the UP pilot locos.

I'd be disappointed to miss the regular route, but I also get annoyed at last minute detours through Wyoming. :)
 
Well, I just rearranged my plans so that we are flying down and taking the train back (instead of the opposite as it was before) so we shouldn't miss the Rocky Mountain leg of the trip, unless they decide to extend the track maintenance... in which case I will be the grumpiest Gus of all time.
 
I live in Salt Lake and would like to ride the CZ to Denver on the Wyoming detour on one of those dates just for the heck of it. So, if I booked it out of Salt Lake I would get bustituted instead? What if I booked from Elko?
 
If you are traveling from SLC to Denver you will not be bustituted. You will be on the train, and the going fare is $79 by Coach, $292 by Sleeper as an example on the 4th. You will be bustituted if you are traveling to any point between SLC and Denver.

BTW, the western end of the detour through Weber and Echo Canyons across the Wasatch is actually quite beautiful. The high plains in terms of scenery is stark and has its own charm though not as dramatic as the Rio Grande route. If you are a railroad history buff, there is much to be had on the UP route through Wyoming. This was the original UP constructed railroad, though some the alignment used now is different from the original. I have generally enjoyed the detour whenever I got it, and never found a compelling reason to cancel or modify the dates of my trip merely due to the detour. Of course I had originally traveled it a couple of times on the San Francisco Zephyr/Pioneer/Desert Wind before the route was abandoned for the Rio Grande route too.
 
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I have really enjoyed the scenery and the speed on this route- scenery in Utah is pretty spectacular. I'd like to take it again, and the extra time in Salt Lake city was nice- it seems like an interesting neighborhood around the transit center.
 
I think westbound must be better. When I took it eastbound we left SLC in darkness, so there wasn't much to see of Utah.
 
Back in the day...October 1976...the regular route Was through Wyoming on UP. Here's the San Francisco Zephyr at Green River.

10.JPG
 
Thank you very much jis, I think I am going to do a round trip on those detour dates. A night in Denver also appeals to me. Also, the price is right!
 
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The detoured CZ will stop at Green River, UT (or perhaps Rock Springs, UT?) for an engine crew change, but passengers are not allowed to disembark. So, for you smokers out there, there will be no fresh air stop for the 8-plus hour journey between Denver and Salt Lake City on the Wyoming detour.
 
My first Amtrak long distance experience involved the Wyoming detour. While not as dramatic as the Colorado River route, it was beautiful and we loved it. Some passengers on our train had booked that trip for the express purpose of experiencing the rare mileage of the detour.

At Green River, it was announced we would be stopped there for about 15 minutes for the crew change. We were allowed off for a fresh air break, but warned that smokers not leave any butts on the ground or Amtrak passengers would never be allowed to set foot on the ground there ever again!

It was a very interesting stop. I've never seen smokers puffing so hard and fast in my life. I swear some managed to smoke 3 cigarettes during that break. The rest of us were walking trainside and picking up every bit of trash and every butt we saw (cigarette butt, that is)! The area was cleaner when we left than when we had arrived!

Our arrival in Denver was about 2 hours early!
 
Considering the general cleanliness of railroad workers (or lack thereof) I'm surprised Amtrak was on the hook for trash. That being said railroad yards seem a lot cleaner today than they were in decades past. I guess they're not allowed to dump oil and grease on the ground anymore.
 
The detoured CZ will stop at Green River, UT (or perhaps Rock Springs, UT?) for an engine crew change, but passengers are not allowed to disembark. So, for you smokers out there, there will be no fresh air stop for the 8-plus hour journey between Denver and Salt Lake City on the Wyoming detour.
You mean Green River WY. The Green River UT stop is on the normal California Zephyr route. (Confusing, I know).
 
The detoured CZ will stop at Green River, UT (or perhaps Rock Springs, UT?) for an engine crew change, but passengers are not allowed to disembark. So, for you smokers out there, there will be no fresh air stop for the 8-plus hour journey between Denver and Salt Lake City on the Wyoming detour.
You mean Green River WY. The Green River UT stop is on the normal California Zephyr route. (Confusing, I know).
I am sure that is what he meant.

Whether you will be allowed to get off the train at Green River WY depends on whether by chance your train is on the platform track or on the other track. If it is on the platform track you may be allowed to get off. If on the other track, there is zero chance of being allowed to get off.
 
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