Need help planning a summer trip

[hippyman]

I am planning a trip out west this summer, on what I have heard are the 2 most scenic tours that Amtrak offers, the CZ, and the CS. I was hoping some of ya'll could help me with the planning, as I would like to avoid bus travel as much as possible. I'm nowhere near the booking stage yet, I'm not even sure how long we would want to stay, but I did run a sample itinerary, tell me what ya'll think:

S1.

TE: FTW-SPI, bus: SPI-GBB, CZ: GBB-DEN

S2

bus: DEN-RAT, SC: RAT-LAX, PS: LAX-BUR

S3

PS: BUR-LAX, CS: LAX-SEA

Hows it sound? We'd like to get the most possible out of the scenery.

 

[Ispolkom]

I am planning a trip out west this summer, on what I have heard are the 2 most scenic tours that Amtrak offers, the CZ, and the CS. I was hoping some of ya'll could help me with the planning, as I would like to avoid bus travel as much as possible. I'm nowhere near the booking stage yet, I'm not even sure how long we would want to stay, but I did run a sample itinerary, tell me what ya'll think:
S1.

TE: FTW-SPI, bus: SPI-GBB, CZ: GBB-DEN

S2

bus: DEN-RAT, SC: RAT-LAX, PS: LAX-BUR

S3

PS: BUR-LAX, CS: LAX-SEA

Hows it sound? We'd like to get the most possible out of the scenery.

You're missing the especially scenic parts of the California Zephyr, which are west of Denver.

 

[GG-1]

I am planning a trip out west this summer, on what I have heard are the 2 most scenic tours that Amtrak offers, the CZ, and the CS. I was hoping some of ya'll could help me with the planning, as I would like to avoid bus travel as much as possible. I'm nowhere near the booking stage yet, I'm not even sure how long we would want to stay, but I did run a sample itinerary, tell me what ya'll think:
S1.

TE: FTW-SPI, bus: SPI-GBB, CZ: GBB-DEN

S2

bus: DEN-RAT, SC: RAT-LAX, PS: LAX-BUR

S3

PS: BUR-LAX, CS: LAX-SEA

Hows it sound? We'd like to get the most possible out of the scenery.

Aloha

Well I think the Coast Starlight is the best, followed by the Empire Builder, followed by the California Zephyr. So from your itinerary shown I think I would Start in WTW to LAX on the TE, then LAX to EMY on the CS, then the CZ from EMY to CHI, and the the TE back home from CHI to FTW. No bus at all. One warning I have not checked in these connections work, you might have better connections the other way, But the CS departure from LAX at around 10AM provides incredible views of the Pacific Ocean.

 

[varnish]

Hi,

GG1's suggestion is by far the best to acheive all your objectives. You can actually make TE -- CS without a stopover in L.A... A stayover in the Bay area is needed to do the CZ going east....but who wouldn't want that anyways ??? Lots of little side trips you can railfan on...

CZ-TE would not connect, unless you want to cut it short at Galesburg and bus to Springfield.....but again, a stopover in Chicago, the mecca of railfanning activities, can't be an undesirable option...

Good luck

Smooth Rails

Cheers

Claude

 

[saxman]

The best scenery is west of Denver on the CZ. However your route from Raton to LAX is not a bad ride either, just not quite as scenic. However, if you ride west of Denver and then go north on the CS you'll miss the California Coastline which is worth seeing.

So if you want to see the best of the CZ and the CS maybe do this:

GBB to Sacramento (SAC)

SAC to Bakersfield (BFD)

BFD to LAX (two hour bus ride)

Overnight somewhere in SoCal.

LAX to SEA.

This way you see the whole coast line and best parts of the CZ through Colorado, Utah, and California.

 

[zephyr17]

The best scenery is west of Denver on the CZ. However your route from Raton to LAX is not a bad ride either, just not quite as scenic. However, if you ride west of Denver and then go north on the CS you'll miss the California Coastline which is worth seeing.
So if you want to see the best of the CZ and the CS maybe do this:

GBB to Sacramento (SAC)

SAC to Bakersfield (BFD)

BFD to LAX (two hour bus ride)

Overnight somewhere in SoCal.

LAX to SEA.

This way you see the whole coast line and best parts of the CZ through Colorado, Utah, and California.

Ah, BFD, the most apt station code in all Amtrak.

 

[jmbgeg]

I am planning a trip out west this summer, on what I have heard are the 2 most scenic tours that Amtrak offers, the CZ, and the CS. I was hoping some of ya'll could help me with the planning, as I would like to avoid bus travel as much as possible. I'm nowhere near the booking stage yet, I'm not even sure how long we would want to stay, but I did run a sample itinerary, tell me what ya'll think:
S1.

TE: FTW-SPI, bus: SPI-GBB, CZ: GBB-DEN

S2

bus: DEN-RAT, SC: RAT-LAX, PS: LAX-BUR

S3

PS: BUR-LAX, CS: LAX-SEA

Hows it sound? We'd like to get the most possible out of the scenery.

Aloha

Well I think the Coast Starlight is the best, followed by the Empire Builder, followed by the California Zephyr. So from your itinerary shown I think I would Start in WTW to LAX on the TE, then LAX to EMY on the CS, then the CZ from EMY to CHI, and the the TE back home from CHI to FTW. No bus at all. One warning I have not checked in these connections work, you might have better connections the other way, But the CS departure from LAX at around 10AM provides incredible views of the Pacific Ocean.

I agree with you.