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My wife and I are taking the Calif Zephyr from Martinez to Denver in July. I am taking my parents as well, and we have two sleepers. My mother asked if we could be close to the dining car, as my Dad doesn't walk so well. I made the reservations on the phone, redeeming points, and the live person said she could not tell me where our car would be in relation to the diner, but she could tell me that we were in care 631 going, and 531 returning. I thought I read somewhere that the care number did have some relationship, at least to the front/back of the train? Can anyone tell me if this is true, and I should pursue a car change? Thanks
Posts: 406 | From: La Grange, CA | Registered: Sep 2007
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Others can tell you for certain where the 531 and 631 sleepers are located in the consist....it will be the same relation to the diner both coming and going.
You'll be in either the sleeper adjacent to the diner or, at most, have one sleeper between you and the diner.
If you are further away than you would like and are unable to change, be advised that your car attendant will bring meals to your room if your dad can't make it to the diner. Most will do it gladly.
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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I double checked our ticket stubs and 31 is next to the diner. Also get bedrooms c and b. They are the closest to the door of the next car which should be the diner. My husband had trouble walking and we always get C. It is a very short walk. David is right. If your father feels uncomfortable walking your car attendent will bring his meals/ ON oun last trip from Denver I had a cough that made me sound like a seal. I couldn't see subjcting the other diners to the noise so we had our meals brought to our room. Just remember to tip the attendent.
Posts: 1577 | From: virginia | Registered: Jun 2005
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Thank you both. I am looking forward to the trip, and hoping my parents enjoy it as well. In 1964 my folks took all 5 of us kids on a trip from the Bay Area to Chicago, then Minneapolis, then Kansas City. I was 9 and vividly remember the dome cars. Now of course I realize they were probably dead tired from riding in coach all the way. We went to Denver from Martinez in 1985 when my son was 1, and that was coach as well. The sleepers will be a treat.
Posts: 406 | From: La Grange, CA | Registered: Sep 2007
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For some reason on the California Zephyr, the 31 car (0531 and 0631) are located next to the diner. On other west coast trains, it's the 30 car that is located next to the diner (for example, on the Coast Starlight it would be the 1430 car or 1130 car). But the California Zephyr does not have a 30 car. I've never understood why????
Also, I just want to add a little more info about how far you have to walk to the diner. It all depends on how the car is connected to the train. The Deluxe Rooms (Rooms A through E) MIGHT be situated so that they are the part closest to the diner, or it might be that the car is situated the other way so that the Economy Rooms (Rooms 2 through 10 on the upper level) are actually closest to the diner. Either way, you're still in the same car (the 31 car) that is next to the diner. You never know which way the car will be pointing---it's 100% random.
Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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Strangely in the 15 years we have tken the CZ it has always been with the bedrooms closest to the diner. Also in the years we had a roomette we always had #4 and it was always was on the right facing forward.
Posts: 1577 | From: virginia | Registered: Jun 2005
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I've had both. On my trip at the end of 2005, I was in Room E (which is sort of in the middle, so it doesn't really matter which way the car is pointing), but the Economy Rooms were next to the diner. In 2006, I was in Room #10 which was away from the diner, and in 2007, I was in Room C with the Economy Rooms again towards the diner. It really is just random how they end up.....there's no method or strategy involved in Chicago when they makeup the train.
Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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