Delays on #6 - California Zephyr - Bus, etc (also, vacating Roomette Midtrip)

Came across the delay in another thread, but that was a bit off topic, so starting new one here.

We taking #6 from SanFran (Emeryville actually) to Denver in mid August. While looking at the schedule from past trips, I see it often is a few hours late into Denver. No big problem for us. We get there when we get there.

On July 11th, the westbound actually did a turn at Reno to get back on schedule. Passengers were bused from CA to Reno. How often does this happen? Any "services" on the bus, or just sit down and deal with it?

Also, since this train goes to Chicago and we get off in Denver, how far in advance will they make us clear the room, assuming they have passengers boarding in Denver that want to get into THEIR room?

You will not have to vacate your room before Denver. What usually happens is that the attendant changes out the bedding when he makes up your room in the morning. Then all he has to do before Denver is change the pillow cases, empty the trash, and maybe use the carpet sweeper. This is sometimes accomplished in Denver while the boarding passengers wait.

Sometimes when your room is being made up the attendant will have you sit in another room for a few minutes. This usually happens if he does not get to it during breakfast.

cruisegary said:

Came across the delay in another thread, but that was a bit off topic, so starting new one here.

How often does this happen? Any "services" on the bus, or just sit down and deal with it?

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I cannot speak authoritatively to this. I heard a rumor that the fix was to put passengers first a train to somewhere along the line, THEN on a bus to Reno. Probably rated a 9.5 on the suck-o-meter. But fwiw it would be worse if you were on the bus heading home at the end of the extra-long trip that got turned around.

I don't know what the magic number is. They have 23 hours to turn the train around in Chicago and 17 in Emeryville. My guess is it is rare. There are 728 trains per year. And my SWAG is it happens twice a month in the summer and once every other month in the winter. So that's 2%; better than my experiences with air travel.

United once had me diverted to Indianapolis instead of Chicago for weather. They made us wait in that airport for nine hours with a half dozen other planeloads until they announced the obvious that our flight was cancelled. I saw that fiasco coming and was first in line to rent a car. God help the people who were connecting through Chicago, the line for the two ticket agents was insane. Insane. I bet some people got to see the inside of that airport hotel for three days.

I have been tempted a couple times to jump off the train in Omaha and rent a car though. And once contemplated asking a friend to drive up from Denver and rescue me at the Fort Morgan station.

I want to reiterate that of my 18 journeys, the majority were fine, and only two were extremely late. And for all of them, I had food, drink, a bed, and a place to stretch my legs and watch the scenery. And for all trips they delivered me to my destination sooner or later.

Enjoy the trip! Try and get a north facing seat in the observation car for the Glenwood to Denver segment. esp. right outside Glenwood and east of Moffat tunnel. But don't sweat it if you don't.

Steve4031 said:

Sometimes when your room is being made up the attendant will have you sit in another room for a few minutes. This usually happens if he does not get to it during breakfast.

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and if you have kids or ask nice, he'll even leave your bed set up all day; for napping....

McMike said:

and if you have kids or ask nice, he'll even leave your bed set up all day; for napping....

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Or just pull it down yourself. On one trip, I was a bit travel weary (motion sickness) right after breakfast. Went back to roomette and pull the top bunk down. Then I stayed in the bunk until lunchtime, then I was okay.

McMike said:

....Enjoy the trip! Try and get a north facing seat in the observation car for the Glenwood to Denver segment. esp. right outside Glenwood and east of Moffat tunnel. But don't sweat it if you don't.

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Since we may be in our roomette during part of the trip, how do we know which side we are on. Do sleepers always head in the same direction?

We are in roomettes and using this as a reference.

cruisegary said:

Since we may be in our roomette during part of the trip, how do we know which side we are on. Do sleepers always head in the same direction?

We are in roomettes and using this as a
reference.

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Sleepers may run in either direction; it's purely luck of the draw. Roomettes have full width seats facing each direction, but you won't know which side of the train you're on until you board. Sorry.

In the East, Viewliner sleepers often run with the vestibule and bedrooms to the rear, at least next to the dining car, for emergency exit (the diner has no vestibule) and to give wheelchair access from the H-room to the dining car. But I've personally seen it done the other way myself, on a Crescent trip in 2012. Your Mileage May Vary.

Edit To Add: The one exception is if you are booked into the transition sleeper. That car always runs with stairs forward.

ehbowen said:

Edit To Add: The one exception is if you are booked into the transition sleeper. That car always runs with stairs forward.

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Except when the train with a transition sleeper was terminated enroute at a location where the equipment could not be turned. Then, the transition sleeper will run with the stairs backward. I've personally seen it happen twice to the CZ.

chakk said:

Except when the train with a transition sleeper was terminated enroute at a location where the equipment could not be turned. Then, the transition sleeper will run with the stairs backward. I've personally seen it happen twice to the CZ.

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An exception to every rule!

On our trip on the Empire, we had friends with a roomette directly across the hall. While in the room, we both kept the curtains open so we could see scenery out both sides of the train.