EASTBOUND AND DOWN: SACRAMENTO TO FLORIDA ON AMTRAK
EASTBOUND AND DOWN: SACRAMENTO TO
FLORIDA ON AMTRAK
By Jack M. Turner
Tuesday, September 22, 2015 would be the beginning of my homeward bound
journey starting with the California Zephyr. Following a restful
night at the Vagabond Inn and a stroll around the block, I took the
hotel’s courtesy shuttle back to the Sacramento Amtrak station.
Like the first line from the title song of the movie “Smoky and the
Bandit” I would be “eastbound and down” as I rode the California Zephyr
and Capitol Limited eastbound then the Silver Meteor down to Florida.
Since my last visit to Sacramento a few years ago, the station area has
been reconfigured with the tracks moved out well beyond their former
location. Heeding a friend’s suggestion, I hopped aboard one of
the motorized carts used to transport passengers and their luggage to
the distant platform. Passengers attempting to walk to the train
are tasked with a long walk through a tunnel beneath the tracks
complete with a steep walk up the ramp to the platform.
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The Sacramento railway station, seen from behind the Vagabond Inn,
displays its Southern Pacific heritage
Train # 6 rolled in from Emeryville about 25 minutes late and I took up
residence in car 32064, the second sleeping car. This sleeper’s
line number was 0632 and it was sandwiched between car 0631 (covered by
sleeper 32006) and deadhead sleeper 32075 “Connecticut” which trailed
my car. A private car, former Canadian National “Burrard”,
brought up the rear of the train. I occupied roomette 7 which on
this trip was on the right hand side of the train.
The eastbound California Zephyr arrives in Sacramento on September 22,
2015
We departed Sacramento Track 5 at 11:34am and 20 minutes later passed
massive Roseville Yard which today serves the Union Pacific as it
formerly did the Southern Pacific Line. Lunch was called in the
diner, two cars forward, and I enjoyed the panko chicken sandwich once
again. I checked my “GPS Altimeter” I-phone app as we traveled
between Rocklin and Auburn and found we were at 905 feet
elevation. As we climbed toward Donner Pass we passed through
several tunnels and at 12:49pm I noted we were at 2149 feet elevation,
a gain of over 1200 feet in just 20 minutes.
Panko Chicken was my favorite lunch
item throughout the trip
Following the stop at Colfax we passed high above Interstate 80 then
reached Cape Horn, located far above the American River. A
volunteer from the California State Railroad Museum pointed out scenic
highlights via the intercom which was most helpful. At 1:12pm our
elevation stood at 2904 feet. The scenery kept getting better and
better and as we passed Gold Run at 1:20 I learned from the museum
docent that the westbound train generally misses much of the sights up
to this point as its track is separated by obstacles that block the
view. This explained my puzzlement on our last trip westward a
few years ago as I knew I missed sights seen on my last eastbound trip
over Donner Pass way back in 1976.
The Amtrak station at Colfax, CA
Passing high above I-80 east of Colfax
We reached 3470 feet elevation at 1:25pm and the talking defect
detector indicated our train speed at 30 mph as we continued to
climb. The American River again appeared well below the rail line
shortly before we reached 4000 feet at 1:35. Less than 10 minutes
later train # 6 passed through Tunnel # 1 built in the 1850s.
This evoked thoughts of the television series “Hell on Wheels” which
dramatizes the building of this stretch of the transcontinental
railroad by the Central Pacific. Just east of the tunnel the
train reached the steepest part of the rail line and passed the 4700
foot level at Blue Cańon. The balloon track on the left 5 minutes
later exists to help turn helper engines and snow plows as
needed. At 1:57 we passed Emigrant Pass, elevation 5280 feet,
then noted Spalding Lake below on the left. Soon a snow shed
enveloped the California Zephyr followed by outstanding views of a
valley through tree tops on the left.
The American River Canyon is visible at many points on the CZ
route
The climb to Donner Pass features spectacular views of the Sierras
Passengers gaze at breathtaking sights from the Sightseer Lounge Car
The climb continued and at 2:28pm the elevation was 6503 feet west of
Soda Springs. The Donner Pass summit came at 2:37pm at Norden,
elevation 6900 feet, then the rails entered a two mile long
tunnel. A few minutes later. beautiful Donner Lake came into view
below on our left then we met a westbound UP freight with a helper
engine on the rear. Coldstream Canyon followed and we rounded the
horseshoe curve at Stanford which revealed the freight train we had
passed 6 minutes earlier now on a high shelf on the left. Ten
minutes later we pulled into Truckee and spotted a hotel featured on
the television series “Hotel Impossible” last season.
Donner Lake is one of the highlights of the California Zephyr trip
This hotel in Truckee was featured on “Hotel Impossible” in 2015
The rocky Truckee River escorted us eastward as the descent continued
in more gradual fashion. Around 4:00pm the CZ stopped at Reno
where there was time to stroll the platform to take a peek at the
private car on the rear. My timing was good as the owner invited
me to take a quick walk through the beautiful “Burrard” then I retired
to my comfortable but decidedly more spartan Superliner sleeper.
Dinner in the dining car came at 5:30 and the steak was delicious but
the serving crew was far from professional. This surely
contrasted with the service provided back in the “Burrard”. My
dining car tablemates and I observed the difference in the desolate
scenery outside our window from the hours before and wondered how
difficult it must be to live in that area as some people did.
The head end of train # 6 winds along the Truckee River
Rock strewn Truckee River
A form of water control along the Truckee River
A quick tour of private car “Burrard” during the stop at Reno
Mountains east of Sparks, NV
The desolate Humboldt Range between Sparks and Winnemucca
Nightfall came before the stop in Winnemucca, popularized by the song
“I’ve Been Everywhere”, then we met a westbound freight on the nearby
split line where the former Southern Pacific and Western Pacific lines
parallel. I was briefly awakened at 3:35am during our stop at
Salt Lake City then slept soundly until we pulled into Green River,
Utah at 8:15am. A few minutes later we met the branch line to
Moab at Crescent Jct.; we had chased a train along that line on our
last visit to the area a couple summers ago. One half hour later
we sailed through the ghost town of Cisco then caught our first glance
at the Colorado River at 9:25. We would enjoy viewing the
impressive river for 249 miles throughout the day. Just beyond
this point the former Rio Grande line took us through Ruby Canyon, the
first of several scenic canyons we would traverse over the next seven
hours.
Sunset in remote Nevada west of Winnemucca
“I’ve Been Everywhere”: evening on the Winnemucca platform
Entering Ruby Canyon along the Colorado River
Grand Junction, CO offered a 20 minute stop and a chance to walk the
platform and visit the popular station gift/sundries shop in the
depot. My mind wandered back to my 1976 eastbound trip on the Rio
Grande Zephyr when this station provided great photo locations for the
little D&RGW domeliner. I also recalled a visit in the late
1990s when my family and I were fortunate not to miss Amtrak’s
westbound California Zephyr due to inaccurate information from Amtrak
about the estimated arrival time of our late train. Luckily the
station agent had recommended an eating establishment a couple blocks
away and he tracked us down by phone in those pre-cell phone days so we
could hustle back to the station. My present day CZ departed
Grand Junction right on schedule a 10:23am, following the placid
Colorado River and a series of desolate mountains and rock formations
eastward.
Private varnish “Burrard” at Grand Junction
Mothballed Union Pacific power stored at Grand Junction
A stored UP switcher at Grand Junction
The Colorado River east of Grand Junction
Flood control device on the Colorado River
A lonely high school football stadium on the right in the town of Rifle
reminded me that the excitement of Friday Night Lights can be found in
almost every nook and cranny of the nation entertaining fans in both
large cities and small hamlets. Lunch in the dining car came with
spectacular scenery as the Zephyr stopped at Glenwood Springs then
entered beautiful Glenwood Canyon. A tasty angus cheeseburger
provided a nice repast while viewing the Colorado’s cascading
whitewater. A while later we passed Dotsero where the former Rio
Grande Royal Gorge route branched off. Today that line is intact
but mothballed by the Union Pacific except for the eastern end which
hosts the Royal Gorge Scenic Railroad (see link to my story below).
The head end of the California Zephyr along the Colorado
West of Rifle, CO
Approaching popular Glenwood Springs
Rafters in Glenwood Canyon
Following the Colorado River through Glenwood Canyon
The eastbound and westbound lanes of I-70 are stacked through the canyon
An empty westbound UP hopper train passed at 1:06pm then we entered
aptly named Red Canyon 7 minutes later. On my last eastbound
journey (in 1976) I had observed that one could imagine being on Mars
if the canyon’s few scrubby trees could be ignored. As the CZ
continued along the Colorado a person in a raft mooned the train; this
seems a ritual that is encountered on most rail trips along the
river. Over the next few miles several fully attired fishermen
could be seen as they angled for freshwater fish from small
boats. Meanwhile, the golden leaves on nearby aspen trees leaves
shimmered in the wind as we continued our eastbound trek. The
westbound California Zephyr eased by at 1:46, close on the heels of a
UP freight running just ahead of it.
During the two o’clock hour we passed through photogenic Gore Canyon
and Byers Canyon, passed through Tunnels 37, 36, and 35 perched high
above the Colorado’s churning whitewater, and viewed a herd of spotted
deer in a broad valley laced with colorful aspen trees. The
following hour featured a meet with another westbound freight at
ominously named Troublesome Siding which did result in a 21 minute
delay, followed by the station stop at Granby, and passage through
Fraser Canyon. The station stop in Fraser evoked memories of
throwing snowballs with my son John on that very same platform during a
stop on our westbound CZ trip in December 2005. (See my story
“Florida to Hawaii Aboard Amtrak and Princess” linked below).
Winding along the river east of Rancho del Rio
Whitewater stretches provide spectacular views
A sharp curve between CP Radium and CP Gore
West of Granby the Zephyr passes through scenic Gore and Byers Canyons
A broad valley affords a commanding vista
Three tunnels can be seen ahead as # 6 twists above the Colorado River
The river is rocky and wild west of Granby
Open spaces appear periodically
Aspens are at their peak along the former D&RGW line
A stand of aspens dominate this valley south of the railway
West of Granby
The platform at Fraser is a welcomed chance to stretch the legs
Soon we passed Winter Park, a popular winter ski resort, and entered 6
mile long Moffat Tunnel, one of the engineering marvels of North
American railroading. Moffat was constructed in 1923-27 and
stands at 9108 feet elevation as it passes below James Peak. East
of the tunnel the railway descends through a series of tunnels and
sharp curves which reveal the city of Denver alternately on the left
then the right as the train makes its way over one of the most exciting
stretches of railroad in the nation. After a short back up move
we reached Denver Union Station 8 minutes early at 6:30pm. The 40
minute stop provided ample time to stroll inside the recently remodeled
station while has transformed an already classic station into a
beautiful multi-purpose facility containing restaurants, shops, and an
upscale hotel.
Looking down at Denver as the CZ reaches the edge of the Front Range
A freight can be seen below at Big Ten Curve
Continuing down the mountain as the westbound freight works its way
uphill
The sharp curves and elevation change is clearly visible
Private car “Burrard” carries the Train 6 markers at Denver
Inside remodeled Denver Union Station
The front of Denver Union Station
Annoying squeaks of an undetected source in the wall made sleeping
difficult until I reversed the bedding and slept with my feet facing
the rear of my room instead of sleeping feet first. The result
was a marvelous night’s sleep until 7:00am when I visited the diner for
an early breakfast. As we left Creston, IA the lure of more sleep
called me back to my roomette where I got two more hours of sack
time. After a few more stops in the Hawkeye State, the Zephyr
crossed the mighty Mississippi River at Burlington and entered Illinois
at 11:30am. Lunch was called by the lead service attendant who
was efficient but annoying as she yelled into the public address system
every time she made an announcement. Fellow passengers agreed
that she reminded of a drill sergeant as she admonished captive
passengers to wait at the door for a table and noted that community
seating is practiced. My tablemates for lunch were a wonderful
couple from Virginia whom I had dined with earlier in the trip and I
enjoyed their company greatly.
Back in sleeper 32064, the car attendant named Trevette was cheerfully
tidying up the rooms as he had done throughout the trip. I
admired his patience in dealing with a difficult passenger who insisted
that her bed be left down until about 30 minutes before we reached
Chicago. Fellow passengers were not pleased by her companion, a
mangy mutt wearing a vest labeled “Service Dog”. It was obvious
that the dog was not of a normal breed that typically fills that role
and the passenger did not display any apparent disabilities requiring a
four legged companion. Passengers occupying rooms adjacent to
hers noted frequent barking through the night which made me happy I was
located down the hall. She was one of two passengers on board the
train who had their pet dog along for the ride. The other had
drawn a rebuff from the conductor for walking his dog to a yard across
the street from a train station to, shall we say, fertilize the yard.
The upscale western suburbs of Chicago clicked past the window and I
noted the Lemon Tree Café in Downers Grove which was featured on
television’s “Restaurant Impossible” show a couple months prior.
A couple of earlier delays resulted in the CZ pulling into Chicago
Union Station 40 minutes late at 3:30pm, closing an excellent two day
journey on Amtrak’s California Zephyr.
A new Viewliner baggage car at the yard in Chicago
An Iowa Pacific engine used on the Hoosier State wears the Illinois
Central inspired paint scheme
P32 # 512 stands ready at the Chicago yard
I divided the three hour layover between the comfortable Metropolitan
Lounge, walking around the vicinity near Chicago Union Station, and
strolling through the station’s Great Hall. As train time
approached, word came down that there would be a delay as the Capitol
Limited’s engines had to be swapped out. Finally train # 30
backed in on Track 26 and sleeping car passengers boarded first.
As the sleepers were at the front of the Capitol, I rode with a red cap
to my car which both prevented having to tow my luggage down the long
platform but also got me to sleeping car 3001 ahead of other passengers
which ensured a good spot for my bags in the lower level luggage
rack. Sleeper 32029 was in good order and roomette 5 was on the
right hand side.
The Capitol Limited departed Chicago at 7:23pm, tardy by 43 minutes due
to the engine switch. As we crossed the Chicago River the first
dinner seating was called and as we passed the old steel mills around
Gary my meal was served. The cross country café seating was
functional though somewhat strange with the 10 tables nearest the
forward end of the car being slightly tapered instead of
rectangular. My steak dinner with the usual baked potato and
vegetable medley was delicious and accompanied by good
conversation. The train’s eastward progress was slowed by the
need to stop and go as we followed a Norfolk Southern freight train and
one stop consumed 20 minutes waiting for a westbound freight to
pass. As a result, our lateness had doubled by South Bend and
increased a bit more by Elkhart where police, fire, and ambulance
vehicles worked some type of event adjacent to the train station.
Luckily, these had a negligible effect on our time-keeping though
details were hard to discern given the late night darkness.
Shortly it was time to turn in and sleep came easy, interrupted only by
stops in Toledo at 1:20am and Pittsburgh at 6:55am.
Having learned the prior night that an extended breakfast would be
served in the morning followed by no lunch service, I rolled over and
slept until 10:00am. Though I missed some beautiful mountain
scenery, this was a small price to pay since I had traveled the old
Baltimore & Ohio line multiple times on prior Amtrak trips and the
luxury of extra sleep was welcomed after three straight nights on the
train. The first vestiges of autumn were displayed by the foliage
on the mountains west of Hyndman, PA . The stop at Cumberland, MD
was truncated by our tardiness which precluded my risking a walk to
photograph engines # 190 and 120 as the crew would endeavor to make up
a few minutes. I made my way to breakfast as we departed
Cumberland at 11:15am and had a table to myself since most passengers
had eaten at a more traditional hour. The late meal suited me as
lunch would have to wait until after arrival in Washington and dinner
would be late since my connecting train departed after 7:00pm.
French toast and pork sausage for late breakfast on the Capitol Limited
The stop at Martinsburg’s historic station, said to be the oldest
currently in use on the Amtrak system, and the next stop, Harpers
Ferry, found train # 30 still running over 100 minutes late. The
latter stop always is one of my favorite settings as the small depot
stands adjacent to the historically significant Civil War town at the
confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers. Departing the
station via a trestle, the Capitol Limited enters a tunnel leading from
West Virginia into Maryland while the state of Virginia stands directly
across the river. Shortly we passed the unique Point-of-Rocks, MD
station which stands between the diverging lines to Baltimore and
Washington and serves MARC commuter trains linking the nation’s capitol
with Martinsburg. A half hour later the Washington suburbs
steadily grew until we reached our destination, Washington Union
Station, at 2:25pm. Generous schedule padding had allowed us to
trim our lateness to 80 minutes.
The historic station at Martinsburg, WV
The view from the rail bridge at Harpers Ferry where two rivers and
three states converge
P42 # 190 led the Capitol Limited from Chicago to Washington
After depositing my luggage in the first class Club Acela lounge, I
made a beeline for a sandwich shop in busy Union Station. While
eating I was entertained by the sight of a saleswoman accosting
passersby in an attempt to sell beauty products at a sales stand beside
a busy station corridor. The notion of walking around the Capitol
Hill area was nixed by a cool rain falling outside so I opted for
browsing at some of the magnificent station’s stores and enjoying its
grand architecture then relaxing in the Club Acela.
Beautiful architecture in Washington Union Station
The southbound Silver Meteor departed on-time at 7:25pm with me
ensconced in roomette 3 in sleeper 62022 “Meadow View”. Shortly
after departure from Alexandria, VA sleeper passengers who boarded at
Washington were invited to the dining car for dinner. My
tablemates were a mother named Wendy and daughter Laura who were headed
for a college interview in Savannah. It was interesting hearing
their favorable impressions of their first long distance train trip
while gazing at the northern Virginia landscape outside the
window. We lost 40 minutes between Fredericksburg and Ashland as
we trailed Amtrak train # 85 which was not making good time.
Heavy freight traffic prevented the dispatcher from being able to route
us around the slower train via the other main track. We lost
another 10 minutes during our station stop in Richmond, departing at
10:34pm. The line to Richmond’s Main Street Station, used by
trains bound for Newport News, branched off on the left six minutes
later followed one minute later by the lead track to old Broad Street
Station off to the left. The impressive crossing of the James
River appeared soon then the Meteor zipped toward its stop in
Petersburg at 11:11pm.
The southbound Silver Meteor prepares to depart Washington
Viewliner sleeper 62022 during the stop in Richmond, VA
Our 79 mph passage over the former Atlantic Coast Line route caused the
upper berth to rattle, making it difficult to fall asleep. The
cure was found by placing my suitcase on the empty bed to simulate a
small passenger and I slept great all the way to Savannah at
7:15am. Breakfast in the diner was pleasant as train # 97 rolled
through the Georgia lowlands and stopped at Jesup to discharge a few
passengers. The thought occurred that diner 8528 could represent
my final meal in a Heritage fleet dining car as new Viewliner II diners
may be rolling by the time of my next planned overnight trip in Summer
2016.
The familiar CSX route took us through Nahunta and Folkston, GA, across
the St. Marys River into Florida and through the Sunshine State towns
of Hilliard and Callahan then on to my final destination,
Jacksonville. Our official arrival time was at 9:57am, 48 minutes
late, after an 8 minute stop to unload the baggage car at the north end
of the platform due to some type of track work.
My trip had passed through 24 states (many in two directions) and
included 8 nights aboard Amtrak sleeping cars. Some new commuter
train routes had been covered and I had spent time in four of Amtrak’s
busiest terminals. I had partaken of 23 meals in Amtrak diners
and witnessed scenery ranging from marshlands in Georgia to urban
scenes in the Northeast, red rock plateaus in the Southwest, the
Pacific beaches and cliffs of California, and Colorado’s towering Rocky
Mountains. Out west four excellent hotels gave me a break from
riding the rails and my plan to attend three football games had been
accomplished. It was a fine trip as everything went well and I am
ready for the next journey.
