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Since I haven't seen any mention of it here yet, I just wanted to let you know that the California Zephyr (train #5 and train #6) will be detouring through the Feather River Canyon in California on Wednesday, July 30th. The reason for the detour is track work up in Donner around Shed 10.
Both the eastbound and westbound trains will detour (eastbound is train #6, westbound is train #5). These trains will miss the stops in Colfax, Truckee, Reno, and Sparks. Bus transportation will be provided for passengers booked to those locations by detraining at Roseville (for train #6), and at Winnemucca, Nevada (for train #5).
If anyone wants to be on-board for the detour, you better buy your ticket now! Train #6 is already sold out (coach and sleepers), and Train #5 only has one roomette remaining (but Coach is still available).
I'll be taking #6 on Tuesday from Emeryville (California) to Winnemucca (Nevada), spending the night, and then hopping on #5 for the detour on Wednesday.
Ham Radio Member # 6587
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Smitty,
We'll be looking forward to your trip report.
smitty195 Member # 5102
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Well, the detour might not happen now. I'm waiting to hear on final word. I guess the problem with the detour is that train #5 that is scheduled to arrive in Emeryville on Tuesday night may actually be annulled in Reno because it is running so late right now (weather and a BNSF derailment). If that train only goes as far as Reno, then there will be no train in Emeryville for Wednesday morning's #6---passengers will be bussed to Reno.
And for #5 that is supposed to do the detour on Wednesday, that one may no detour as well. I'm still waiting to hear word on this. Right now I'm very close to canceling the entire trip because I don't want to get stuck on a bus, or on a regular run through Donner (done it many times already).
mr williams Member # 1928
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Am I right in thinking that at some time in the past (1950s perhaps?) what we now call the CZ used to take this route? I'm sure I've seen an old timetable where the train didn't go through Reno.
When did it change, and what did serve Reno if not the generic Chicago - SF Bay?
smitty195 Member # 5102
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Yes, the Zephyr used to travel through the Feather River Canyon daily. However, I'm not sure when that changed or specifically what the route used to be. This was the former Western Pacific route. I do know that it came through my town of Pleasanton, California (via Altamont Pass) on it's way to Oakland.
Ocala Mike Member # 4657
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Believe that the CZ used the Western Pacific Feather River route up until 3/70, when the WP got out of passenger operations, and the CZ ceased to exist. When it came back in 1983 under Amtrak, it used the present route.
Gilbert B Norman Member # 1541
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Confirm, Mike, that the CZ operated via Western Pacific and along Feather River until it's discontinuance during March 1970. Amtrak operated the Zephyr from A-Day onward; the 1983 date you note is when it was rerouted via the D&RGW after that road joined Amtrak and hence discontinued its Rio Grande Zephyr - a quite "classy' train if I may say so.
Finally Mr Smith, I have a photo taken from the lead dome on WP 18 circa July 1968 ascending Altamont. I was "just back from the Nam' and my first ride was SP 9 Cascade Fairfield to Oakland, Zephyr Oakland to Sacramanto, thence SP 102 "City" Sacramento-Reno-Ogden (Hill AFB my next duty).
rresor Member # 128
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Rode the REAL "California Zephyr" as a teenager in March 1968. Train left from 3rd Street, Oakland (train loaded right in the street in front of the station, which was later a nightclub and then a bank). Track is gone from 3rd Street now.
WP main ran south between the SP Newark and Hayward lines, parallel to and close to BART. Track is still mostly there, now just a long industrial lead.
At Hayward, the WP turned east over Altamont Pass (SP line was still in place at the time of my trip) to Stockton, thence north up the Central Valley to Sacramento, then up the Feather River Canyon (Amtrak "Starlight" uses the WP from Sacramento to Binnney Junction today).
It was a spectacular trip. Our train had four domes (two coaches, snack lounge dome, and lounge-obs-dome), diner, sleepers, and three WP F units. We traded them at Salt Lake City for four DRGW Fs and a steam generator car made out of a PB. At Denver, we swapped the DRGW units for three Burlington E5s (the ones with fluted sides).
I feel sorry for anyone whose train riding experience is confined to Amtrak.
Gilbert B Norman Member # 1541
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quote:Originally posted by rresor: I feel sorry for anyone whose train riding experience is confined to Amtrak.
Unfortunately, as one who also "knew it when", I must concur with Mr. Resor. That is why my rail riding, Amtrak or commuter agency, is confined, save my July joyride to Denver that elicited 55 posts here and was priced so inexpensive that "I couldn't afford NOT to go", to journeys in which rail is convenient to my travel needs.
As previously noted, for an upcoming "honour of your presence..." ritual in Greenwich next month, Amtrak travel will not be convenient. Therefore it's "into the air Junior Birdmen" ORD-HPN and return.
PullmanCo Member # 1138
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Ditto on what Mr Resor said.
CZ was created by WP, D&RGW, and CB&Q. It broke a longstanding relationship between Missouri Pacific and the former two RRs.
As Railpax planned up to A-day, Amtrak needed a transcon Bay Area-Chicago routing, and ATSF had already won LA-Chicago (common route after Barstow CA). D&RGW had opted out. WP never joined Amtrak (it was fully out of passenger-hauling). Hence a route was cobbled together: - Southern Pacific Oakland-Ogden). - Union Pacific Ogden-Denver. - BN (historic routing) Denver-Chicago.
BTW, at the time, the "San Francisco Zephyr" was UPs only participation in Amtrak.
As noted, when D&RGW dropped their private participation in 1983, Amtrak opted to move off UP rails and onto the D&RGW. Amtrak obtained access to WP rails through the UP-WP merger. That brought the Zephyr back to SLC (it had been served by the Desert Wind). Other than times of urgency, the routing has since been: UP (ex-SP) Oakland-Winnemucca UP (ex-WP) Winnemucca-SLC UP (ex-D&RGW) SLC-Denver BNSF (ex-BN, ex-CB&Q) Denver-Chicago
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