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Still California Zephyr Dreamin
Still California Zephyr Dreamin

Private varnish on the back of the California Zephyr is in full homage and returns to home rails and in the most splendid locations on the eastern slope of the Great Divide along the Moffat Tunnel Route. Surely what these Budd standard dome cars were built for, dreamed up in Glenwood Canyon by a GM exec and scheduled for scenery; the California Zephyr was America’s Most Talked About Train.

A Symphony in Stainless Steel, ex-Chicago Burlington & Quincy, California Zephyr “Silver Solarium” complete with lit neon California Zephyr drumhead and 10/6 sleeper and CZ dome coach bring up the rear of Amtrak 5 on this glorious of early winter mornings on the hill. If only a 4 stripe set of PA’s in Rio Grande were leading. This was 2016, not 1949 or 1973, check that box, bucket list item fulfillment, I can quite now.

In two weeks, for the first time daily passenger service will cease on the Moffat Tunnel Subdivision. October 5 Amtrak begins its reduced schedules on the California Zephyr trains 5 and 6. Denver Union Station will play host to the CZ westbound number 5 on Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday no trains in the evening on those days. Eastbound number 6 will come in Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday nights. No trains on Saturdays.

The California Zephyr is fast becoming dream again. I surely hope it will return to daily service.

For me this is especially frustrating because as many photos as you see in winter conditions in my catalog of work, these mornings are painfully rare and difficult to work and I get 4-5 a season usually and I know I can always count on Amtrak for a train to feature in a shot. Now my odds just got slashed as Union Pacific and BNSF rarely turn up at ideal times in these most favorable conditions. Things are about to get more difficult for my hobby, it might even persuade me to take some off and not worry about it. I am very happy I worked these shots as hard as I have in the last 3-5 years, I didn’t know this was coming but I’ve always had a set of reservations about things staying the same. I’ve seen things come and go and experience has taught me do it while you can.

Hopefully we can get through these COVID times and things will get back to normal. Amtrak has stated on their website officially the reason for the reduction in scheduling is the COVID pandemic.

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Taken on: September 20, 2020
Sets appears in:   • Amtrak   
Groups appears in:   • Colorado Images    • Colorado - through the lens    more » • California Zephyr    • Long Live the D&RGW RR    • Western Railroads    • Amtrak    • Amtrak Long Distance Trains    • Class 1 Railroads    • Gallery of Steel: International Railway Art Exhibition    • Colorado Trains    • Amtrak Nationwide    • Moffat Tunnel Subdivision    « less
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