I hear there are rumors about running the CZ through the Wyoming detour this summer. I certainly hope not, as I picked that route to the west coast just to travel the same route as in 2000. I'll be really mad if I end up going through Wyoming instead, as I am not that big a fan of "rare mileage". Anyone heard anything about this?
Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :
Ms. McFarland, while I have no knowledge of dates that #5 will be detoured/rerouted via the "Traditional' UP, or Overland Route, but be assured if the detour affects your travel date, your journey will not be a total loss.
On the route, you will X the Rockies and the Continental Divide on Sherman Hill at an altitude of 8000ft, but the land is so barren, save a few Evergreens, you are not really conscious of your altitude.
As your train proceeds Westward, you will marvel at the "moonscape" and be astounded when you realize that "settlers' ("occupiers" I guess to some) actually traversed this land on foot.
You will be astounded at the volume of traffic handled by the UP; Eastbound trains will be running on what will seem like "headway', while more difficult to do so in that Amtrak does not have Dome cars, you may even see a train traveling West in the signal block immediately behind you. Like it or not, you will come away with an awareness of what 21st century railroading is all about - and that is moving freight traffic.
Finally there is verdant scenery on the route; when you pass Evanston WY, you will descend some 3000ft through the Wasatch Mountains into the Great Salt Lake Basin. I have many a rail photo taken in this area of UP "action' during my 1968-69 tour of duty at Hill AFB. When I got "riffed" out of service during Jan 1969 (only time I got laid off in this life), I felt "robbed' as I had a number of trips planned through the region for Spring and Summer 1969 before my enlistment was to have ended during September.
But you are clearly more adventuresome in this life than am I; and I'm confident you will find a possible Overland Route journey to be worthwhile.
Posted by sojourner (Member # 3134) on :
If you get the detour one way, OK, once is interesting. But BOTH ways, I'd cancel the trip! Esp tiresome is the detour westbound, when it usually gets dark for the prettiest bits (in Utah) at the end. And it's made more boring because except for one personnel change in Wyoming, the train doesn't stop between Denver and SLC. Yes, there are a couple of scenic areas before Utah, a butte or two, but it's NOTHING like the Denver to SLC through the Colorado Rockies, and if you are spending lots for the trip, I think you want to do that at least one way.
I believe they do the detour EVERY year, owing to track repair. But they don't necessarily do it every day in a span. So phone Amtrak to check on when they are planning detours and try to avoid it, esp westbound.
Personally, I'd rather take the CA Zephyr COACH between Denver and Sacramento than have a sleeper on the detour. I'd just spend as much time as possible in the sightseer lounge.
Posted by PullmanCo (Member # 1138) on :
Having done the Overland Route in my youth, I can promise you that there are spectacular moments.
Personally, I'd rather have the speed of the "City of San Francisco" than the canyons of the "Exposition Flyer"
Posted by Hoop (Member # 4607) on :
Hot off the press. The CZ will detour through Wyoming July 16th through the 23rd, and also Aug. 01st through Aug. 09th.
Posted by notelvis (Member # 3071) on :
quote:Originally posted by Hoop: Hot off the press. The CZ will detour through Wyoming July 16th through the 23rd, and also Aug. 01st through Aug. 09th.
SCORE!
I was planning a train trip in July 'sometime' between July 17 and 23rd. I had narrowed my choices down to the CZ eastward from the west coast or something more midwestern-eastern. Just this morning (about 9am) I decided on and booked the more midwestern-eastern to avoid the threat of a detoured CZ.....
I have ridden and appreciated the UP route through Wyoming......but the next time I make the effort to get out west for a ride on the CZ, I need it to be on the D&RGW route to justify the effort.
Posted by Judy McFarland (Member # 4435) on :
RATS! This may be a deal breaker for me. I made those reservations last October specifically to ride through the Colorado tunnels & along the river. Although I'm sure the detour route has its advantages, it's not the scenery I'm looking for. I've been waiting a few years to go back to Mt Rainier, so I guess I can wait one more year. I'll probably end up canceling the whole trip & try again next year! (I can't go earlier because of a meeting and if I go later, I'll probably miss the best wildflower displays.)
Posted by Geoff M (Member # 153) on :
Just out of interest, are any other Amtrak routes affected by scheduled trackwork fairly regularly (eg annually) which result in unusual diversions?
The only diversion I've been on was the southbound CONO which went around Memphis and then backed into the station - I think due to trackwork north of the station.
Geoff M.
Posted by RRRICH (Member # 1418) on :
Apparently there is a lot of trackwork going on in the NEC this summer, since the AMTRAK summer timetable does not even list the NEC schedules, but says they are on "summer maintenance," and current NEC schedules are only available on the web site (that includes the Vermonter, Empire Service, and Keystone Service trains too).
Posted by Stourbridge Lion (Member # 1796) on :
quote:Originally posted by Judy McFarland: RATS! This may be a deal breaker for me. I made those reservations last October specifically to ride through the Colorado tunnels & along the river.
Sad to hear this will impact your plans too...
Posted by notelvis (Member # 3071) on :
The Silver Service trains and Carolinian seem to go on a modified schedule on certain dates every spring to allow for trackwork on CSX.....generally in single track territory between Petersburg, VA and Rocky Mount, NC.
Usually the Silver Meteor is unaffected as it passes through the area at night but the other modifications have included running the northbound Silver Star 2 hours earlier (often bypassing Tampa to accomplish this) to get it through the work area before the crews arrive in the morning and bustituting the Carolinian and Palmetto between Rocky Mount and Richmond on weekdays.
This is one of several reasons why I now only reluctantly plan trips involving Silver Service trains. It's often the same price to fly to BWI from CLT or RDU and catch Amtrak onward from there.
Posted by chrisg (Member # 2488) on :
Amtrak Trains 5 and 6 will detour Denver-Salt Lake via Sherman Hill on the following dates:
July 1 thru 9 July 16 thru 24 Aug 1 thru 9 Aug 15 thru 24 Sept 1 thru 9 Sept 16 thru 24 These dates are the actual detour, Departures from Chicago or Emeryville are on day prior. I leave Emeryvile on July 6th so I will be on the UP line on July 7th writing a story about it on my way to Denver.
Chris
Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :
Ms. McFarland, Amtrak Dot Com has been updated to reflect the dates of the Overland Route detour.
To determine if your journey will be affected, query a Chicago to Glenwood Springs itinerary leaving on your date of travel. If you are returned #5 CHI-GSC, you are OK at this time. If you are returned a CHI-5-DEN-3005-GSC itinerary, then that means the train will not serve Glenwood Springs as there is a "busteetootion' #3005 for passengers destined there.
Posted by Judy McFarland (Member # 4435) on :
I called Amtrak yesterday, and they confirmed that my July 21 departure is headed for the Overland route. I've been planning this trip for 2 years & I'm so disappointed because I really did want to go through the "regular" route. So I'm calling AGR on Monday to arrange to cancel my tickets and restore my points. I'd like to try it again next summer, but I'm afraid of running into the same thing. The blooming of wildflowers on Mount Rainier rules the timing for the trip.
Unfortunately I don't have a train plan "B". Guess I'll be driving to Eau Claire to see my daughter and her new house instead.
Posted by Judy McFarland (Member # 4435) on :
And now I've updated my signature. . .
Posted by notelvis (Member # 3071) on :
quote:Originally posted by Judy McFarland: And now I've updated my signature. . .
I once cancelled a trip on the Kentucky Cardinal when Amtrak pulled the sleeper off the train after I had purchased tickets to ride first class.
If you're interested in something out of the ordinary Judy, the Friends of the 261 organization is planning a steam excursion from Minneapolis to Chicago on July 18th down the original Burlington Railroad.........lines that have not seen regular passenger service since 1971.
Posted by Judy McFarland (Member # 4435) on :
Can't go that weekend, David - that's the weekend of Hybridfest in Madison (did I mention that my Prius is my other favorite form of transportation?)
Posted by notelvis (Member # 3071) on :
quote:Originally posted by Judy McFarland: Can't go that weekend, David - that's the weekend of Hybridfest in Madison (did I mention that my Prius is my other favorite form of transportation?)
Ahhhhhh......Madison.
Another one of my favorite midwestern cities. After my stint working summers in the 1990's with the Colts Drum and Bugle Corps from Dubuque, I spent four summers (2000-2003) working with the Madison Scouts....one of the iconic organizations in the drum and bugle corps activity. Even before my time with the Scouts, I've lost count of how many summers my time with one of the corps began or ended going to or from Madison.
Posted by sojourner (Member # 3134) on :
I am just back from Madison (see my midwestern sojourn) and liked it very well. Nice setting, excellent book store (Avol's) and ice cream at the university!
Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :
Looks like there has been an opportunity to either ride (or avoid) the Overland Route until Sept 22. Check the website for details.
Enjoy the comments made by some of our "alumni" around here.
Posted by George Harris (Member # 2077) on :
I rode the overland route in 1971 on my return from Vietnam. Great adjustment from that tropical vacationland. At that time is was the true Overlan route from the west coast to Cheyenne. East from Ogden it was 90 mph between stops and virtually nothing much else except empty plains, day's high about 20 degrees, about a foot of snow on the groundt as fine as dust, raising a cloud around the train. Fascinating standing looking out the back window. Always had heard of the massive herds of cattle in the far west, and saw only about two steers the whole way. In its own way, awesome. At that time I had a choice, at Ogden take the D&RGW to Denver, but then have to stay a day before continuing east. Also at that time pulled by 3 SP units Oakland to Ogden, UP units Ogden to Denver and CB&Q units the rest of the way to Chicago. Another little point, the length of the train approximately doubled for the Denver to Chicago leg. Facinating trip. By the way, the train was pulled backwards from Cheyenne to Denver.
Posted by palmland (Member # 4344) on :
I wish the detour was in our travel plans as I'd like to see that route. While I took UP several times east from Denver, never went west - except when I was 6 months old enroute to Pendleton, OR on the Portland Rose.
Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :
Mr. Harris, it would appear that your journey "back to the World" was made during "early Amtrak" and in a "colorful consist".
My Overland Route journeys were all made pre-Amtrak. Returning from "the 'Nam" during July 1968 (funny how all I knew about Tet was what AFVN chose to tell me about it. Ken Burns will surely have an "alternative tale" to present), my route from Fairfield was Cascade (in uniform where aboard some gal called me a baby killer) to Oakland, thence CZ (now in civvies) to Sacramento, and City from there to Ogden and a chance to "check out" Hill before I reported during August. We were at Auburn when I went to bed and next I remember was "raising the shade" over Great Salt Lake.
Other Overland rail journeys were returning from the Rose Bowl during Jan '64 (1963 season: yup back in those days Illinois went out that way; maybe Lovie will get us there again) an Evanston-Ogden "Dinner in the Diner" as well as an Ogden-Denver joyride.
Posted by Ocala Mike (Member # 4657) on :
I think I traveled the overland route going from Omaha to Seattle, 1966 (pre-Amtrak) on (mostly) UP. Had to catch a flight at McChord to Korea, dontcha know, where I was assigned as an advisor to ROKAF for a year. Beat the hell out of going to Nam.
Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :
Omaha to Granger WY, on the Overland; thence on the Oregon Short Line.
![[Frown]](frown.gif)