California Zephyr Changes?

[Philly Amtrak Fan]

I had booked the California Zephyr from Chicago to Salt Lake City and then from Salt Lake City to the Bay Area.

The regular times are 2:00pm out of Chicago and arriving in Emeryville at 4:10pm two days later.

I was first told that all of the times were moved up two hours. Then I was told the train would leave Chicago at noon but arrive in Salt Lake City at the scheduled time.

Does anyone know if the schedule(s) changed and if so why?

 

[BCL]

I'm seeing several times where the departure is at 2 PM, but the arrival is the standard 4:10 PM at EMY. No idea why. Obviously there's enough padding in the schedule that they feel they can do it.

That being said, I'm not sure the CZ is routinely on time. I've come into EMY several times on my commute home, and #5 had just arrived and was actively unloading at about 7 or 8 PM.

 

[MikefromCrete]

sounds like a maintenance window on selected dates. Train leaves Chicago early to avoid a maintenance shutdown somewhere along the way, eventually reverts to standard schedule.