Current Consist of Coast Starlight and California Zephyr?

[chakk]

Currently planning a trip on the westbound CZ #5 for next summer (July/August 2018). Will the sleepers be at the front or at the rear?

Last time I rode the CZ in the summer of 2016 the sleepers were on the rear. YMMV.

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[Tennessee Traveler]

The sleepers are on the rear of the California Zephyr approximately Memorial Day to mid January and in the front mid January to Memorial Day. Exact dates changes each year by a few days. Worse configuration ever was Winter 2015 when they removed the transition sleeper and placed the SSL immediately behind the baggage car followed by coaches, diner, and sleepers. You just never know for sure.

 

[keith9016]

The sleepers are on the rear of the California Zephyr approximately Memorial Day to mid January and in the front mid January to Memorial Day. Exact dates changes each year by a few days. Worse configuration ever was Winter 2015 when they removed the transition sleeper and placed the SSL immediately behind the baggage car followed by coaches, diner, and sleepers. You just never know for sure.

Thanks.
Curious as to why the CZ formation seems to alter according to the time of year. Don't all other long distance trains stay the same year round?

 

[chakk]

I believe in summer they often add an extra sleeper between Chicago and Denver. Makes it easy to remove this sleeper if it is on the rear, since the train always backs in to Denver’s stub-end station. And keeping those three sleepers together on the rear makes it easier for the two sca’s to service the extra sleeper.

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[keith9016]

I believe in summer they often add an extra sleeper between Chicago and Denver. Makes it easy to remove this sleeper if it is on the rear, since the train always backs in to Denver’s stub-end station. And keeping those three sleepers together on the rear makes it easier for the two sca’s to service the extra sleeper.

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Thanks. That makes sense!

 

[Hotblack Desiato]

I believe in summer they often add an extra sleeper between Chicago and Denver. Makes it easy to remove this sleeper if it is on the rear, since the train always backs in to Denver’s stub-end station. And keeping those three sleepers together on the rear makes it easier for the two sca’s to service the extra sleeper.

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Does that extra sleeper not have its own TA? The one time I rode the extra sleeper (way back before the Denver station construction work, so maybe 2011 or 2012), the TA got off in Denver, then worked back to CHI in the same car that night.

 

[KmH]

These days the extra sleeper usually goes all the way to EMY, and back, and has it's own TA-SC.

 

[Tennessee Traveler]

I believe in summer they often add an extra sleeper between Chicago and Denver. Makes it easy to remove this sleeper if it is on the rear, since the train always backs in to Denver’s stub-end station. And keeping those three sleepers together on the rear makes it easier for the two sca’s to service the extra sleeper.

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As KmH says, the third sleeper(when there is one during peak summer and holiday times) goes the full route Chicago to Emeryville and there is a separate SCA for each of the sleepers.