RAILforum: question about summer CZ

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Posted by sutton (Member # 1612) on :

I'm a bit confused about the thruway bus thing. If I'm booked on the CZ on a day when UP will be working in Colorado, will I be bussed or will the train be rerouted? I'm traveling Emeryville to Omaha without any stops.
Thanks all

Posted by sojourner (Member # 3134) on :

If they do what they did on my westbound Zephyr last year, the train had its normal route between Chicago and Denver (inc Omaha), took a detour (on the train, with only one stop to pick up a pilot) through Wyoming between Denver and Salt Lake City, and then had its normal route again between SLC and Emeryville. The bus was only for people going to Glenwood Springs or Grand Junction. I think the same was true for eastbound passengers, but the bus may only have been for westbound passengers--i.e., meeting the westbound Zephyr and leaving from Denver--but I'm not sure). The stops other than Glenwood Springs and Gran Junction were simply canceled.

The train ran normally, with all stops, on weekends (I think that meant the westbound trains that departed Denver but I cannot remember exactly; I guess that would mean the eastbound departing Emeryville Friday and Saturday? Well, I'm not 100 percent sure on this.

Besides, some of the work they do could be different this year, so the situation could be different too. I would phone Amtrak and ask to speak with an agent, then have the agent switch you to customer service for info if the agent cannot cannot help you.

Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :

Likely, Mr. Sutton, the most expedient way to determine if the Zephyr is to be routed via the Overland Route on your date of travel is to load an itinerary originating that day into the website for, say, Emeryville to Grand Junction.

If there is to be a reroute that day, the itinerary returned would show a change at Salt Lake City to "Train #3006', which means a "busteetoot'.

However, as Ms. Sojourner noted, the only effect a reroute would have on your travel would be the scenery you view. I think anyone should find the Overland Route to be interesting; avid railfans may even find it more so than the regular routing over the Rio Grande.

Posted by sutton (Member # 1612) on :

thanks, guys, for the info. I feel more at ease knowing that at least I'll still be on a train and not a bus. [Smile]