As much as I enjoy your writing, I find your photography every bit as stunning.
The California Zephyr is my favorite LD route and I revisit my paperback copy of your book each time I have a Zephyr trip on the horizon.
One observation - It looks to me like you've also used a photo of the eastbound train to depict the Fraser/Winter Park station. I'm guessing the train was a little early and waiting for it's scheduled departure time. Otherwise, in my experience, passengers don't have enough time to get off and make their way down that embankment to get the photo you did.
One other observation - I really wish that there was sufficient interest to restore the D&RGW station in Grand Junction. I have an old friend working for the police department in Grand Junction and may ask her whether that is being considered...... though I imagine that she as an individual would be opposed to any public monies being used for that purpose.
Again - thanks for a fabulous report.
-------------------- 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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The room rates at the Hyatt are reasonable for Cali!
And what camera did you use for hose photos? I'm looking at a Nikon 3100 or Canon T2i, and cannot make up my mind. Your photos are exceptionally clear.
Posts: 1418 | From: Houston, Republic of Texas | Registered: Jan 2001
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That IS an eastbound Zephyr at Glenwood Springs. We stayed there for a few days and I went down to the depot to take photos. The 13-minute comment in the caption is incorrect and I need to fix it. That particular No. 6 stopped for maybe 5 minutes, just long enough to board 20 passengers and give the smokers a few lungfuls.
I use a Pentax K-5 DSLR.
One secret to good shots from the train is to use a rubber lens hood and clap it against the window to block out reflections. Another is to use a wide aperture (mine was generally f3.5 or f4) so that the grime on the windows does not come into focus. And a third is to use a high ISO (such as 800 or 1600) so the shutter speed can be 1/1000 to 1/2000 sec.
The resulting pictures will be somewhat flat and washed out because of window grime, but contrast and color can be increased to a normal state in post processing—I use Lightroom and Photoshop Elements for that.
The Hyatt rates ARE low, but I suspect they are promotional, for the Hyatt chain recently bought the hotel and renovated it.
Posts: 2236 | From: Evanston, Ill. and Ontonagon, Mich. | Registered: Feb 2007
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Thanks for the tip on using a rubber lens hood. I will have to try that. One nice thing, with my last trip on the Rocky Mountaineer, they would let you take pictures from the open-door vestibule between the cars. I don't know what other passenger trains will let you do that.
You have photos of two of my favorite Amtrak sations, Davis and the one in Glenwood Springs.
I agree, with David, about restoring the old D&RGW station at Grand Junction.
Truckee, Calif, always was kind of a dumpy little town. I understand, however, that newer shops and attractions have made it a much nicer town and a fun place to visit.
The last time I was in Glenwood Springs I stayed at the Hotel Colorado. That was a mistake. Terrible rooms and costly. The front lobby was pretty nice, but the restaurant not so good. I haven't been to Glenwood Springs for a long time..possibly the Hotel Colorado has been renovated.
I think, next time, I will stay in the Hotel Denver. By the way, unlike in the movie, "Tombstone", Doc Holliday didn't die in the Glenwood Springs sanatorium. He died at the old Hotel Glenwood. I always wondered if either the Hotel Colorado or the Hotel Denver could have been built on the site of the old Hotel Glenwood. However, a Google check says that the Hotel Glenwood was about a block away from where the Hotel Denver is now located. The Hotel Glenwood burned to the ground in 1945.
Richard
Posts: 1909 | From: Santa Rosa | Registered: Jan 2004
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(brought to you by "if you've seen one Pine Tree, you've seen 'em all")
Posts: 9975 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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Henry, That Pentax is WAY above my budget, but it does take some seriously good photos!
Posts: 1418 | From: Houston, Republic of Texas | Registered: Jan 2001
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Nice trip report, Henry. I was trying to figure out where you stayed in Emeryville (since I live in this area), and when you said the Hyatt across the tracks from the Amtrak station, I thought, "Hmmmm, that doesn't right to me". So now I have learned that the Woodfin Suites is no longer---it's a Hyatt now! I guess I'm not surprised, because that hotel has been plagued by the union strikers for the last 2+ years. It was very disruptive to their business. So the union workers on strike ended up losing in the end, and their jobs are GONE. I hope they learned a lesson. They were asking for way too much in this economy. Anyway....
It's interesting to see your grading of the trip. I suppose I don't have the tolerance that you have, as my grade for the 2nd trip probably would have been a C-. I understand that she has back issues (so do I), but she's in the wrong job for that type of situation. I don't know if Amtrak has "light duty" for employees who are injured, or if they can be assigned maybe to the Metro Lounge and keep the coffee station clean (or some small job that won't hurt your back), but to put someone into a position where the people are paying a PRIMO fare to be there, to me, is simply unacceptable.
The Zephyr sure is a neat trip though. The scenery is always an A+ and never gets boring. That hotel across from the depot at Glenwood Springs looked very nice as well. Great report--thanks for posting.
Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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Yes, I thought that Pagoda looking hotel at which Mr. Kisor stayed was previously managed by another concern. But if Hyatt now manages the property, it would appear the employees simply jumped from the freezer to the frying pan:
While the Hyatt at which I stay at least once a year in Greenwich has never had labor issues confronting me as a guest, I have seen other boycott Hyatt initiatives around, such as a flyer placed in my room in Indianapolis at a Westin.
Posts: 9975 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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