2 replies to this topic

[KevinKorell]

Our trip on the eastbound California Zephyr, Train #6(17) should be posted here, including the day we board on Wednesday 9/18 and complete our trip into Chicago on Thursday 9/19.

[KevinKorell]

Riding around on light rail most of Wednesday, I was of course keeping up on the progress of Train 6, the eastbound California Zephyr.  It was running roughly 55 minutes late most of the day.  It appeared that it might make up some of its time and get to Denver just minutes short of its scheduled arrival and even depart very close to schedule, but then it lost some time getting through the maze of freight traffic in the Denver area.  It backed to a stop at the station at 7:40 PM.  Lines formed for sleeper and coach passengers, during which conductors scanned tickets.  Much time was taken while on the line before we got the OK to board.  On this trip Bruce was in the transition sleeper 640, and I was in 632.  We crossed paths once during the trip, as I slept a little later before going to breakfast.

 

The train departed Denver at 8:02 PM, 52 minutes behind schedule.  It would never get any better than that.   While we were sleeping, there were further delays around Omaha. I overheard later that a fallen tree had to be removed for us to proceed.  Weather was a factor in our losing more time. I was actually awakened not by the clock alarm on my phone, but by a Flash Flood Watch alert.  On Thursday morning there were some pockets of very heavy rain and some thunder and lightning as well.  I found out that we were over 2 hours late.  The first announcement I heard, we had crossed the Missouri River from Nebraska into Iowa.

 

Once again a very entertaining Lead Service Attendant in the dining car was colorful and memorable in getting points across with his announcements. Breakfast was very good, and so was the "abbreviated" lunch which lacked desserts and many side dishes.  

 

After backing into Chicago Union Station, we finally arrived into Chicago at 5:14 PM, making us 2 hours 24 minutes late.   So ended our Fest. Bruce and I were given a longer walk thanks to the train backing in, and then we said goodbye as he went to prepare to travel further east while I was staying in Chicago.

 

With the Fest complete, the official Itinerary actual times have been completed.

[bratkinson]

Trying to 'beat the crowd', Kevin and I walked out to the platform as #6 was backing in and there was already a good sized line of perhaps 100 people waiting to board about 1 car down the track from the end-of-track bumper.  Kevin was ahead of me and must have decided to stand in line.  I've never been one for standing in lines, so I simply walked on the other side of the very wide platform and avoided the entire mob.  Passengers were getting off in abundance as I walked along the far side of the platform.

 

Being booked in the '40' car, aka, the trans-dorm car, I entered its expected unattended entrance climbed the stairs and started walking down the hall to room number 22.  But there was no 22.  The SCA had printed 4x6 cards with first names and boarding and destination station codes affixed to the window of each roomette.  I also noted the room had #8 on the door jamb and across the aisle, #7.  I was thinking that Amtrak has started renumbering the dorm cars to make them more compatible with regular Superliner sleeper numbering to avoid passenger confusion about roomette number 22, or 26, etc.  After getting settled, I went down to the platform and talked with a couple there taking a smoke break.  I mentioned 'dorm car' and the gentleman said this was a regular Superliner I sleeper account the dorm had been bad ordered.  That's good and bad.  This would have been my 2nd time ever in a dorm car.  I also preferred having 3 showers in the dorm, too.  Oh well.  I checked the downstairs roomettes and 3 of the 4 were empty, meaning the dining car staff and lounge attendant were staying in the 5 full bedrooms upstairs.  Less shower competition in the morning.  The assistant conductor was also on the platform near the door so I showed him my printed ticket for him to scan.  He grumbled about my not having stood in line and having it scanned, blah blah blah, but he scanned it anyway.

 

As expected, the track was rough.  So I didn't even try to write anything on my computer.  It was clear from the start that the dining car LSA thought he had the microphone to some local radio station in his hands and made lengthy announcements, repeating himself multiple times in each announcement.  Even with my hearing aids out, ear buds in, listening to music, he was driving me nuts!  He repeated the performances for breakfast and lunch, too.  We reached Omaha about 2 hours late and there was a thunderstorm going through.  After another night sleeping in 10 minute spurts between bouncing off the walls, I got up and went to breakfast about 7 AM.  Kevin declined having breakfast that early but arrived about 30 minutes later.  Afterwards, I changed my bed to chaise-lounge configuration, watched an hour long video on my computer, then took a 2+ hour nap with intermittent bumps and bounces.  At it's latest, we were not quite 3 hours late. 

 

With padding in the schedule, and backing into CUS (haven't had THAT happen in at least 10 years!, it looked like the inbound Texas Eagle was being held 'on the curve' around the METRA/BNSF commuter yard) forcing us to be wyed.  We finally came to a stop 2 hours and 15 minutes late.  Kevin and I walked into the station together, said our farewells and went our own ways.