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2026 California Zephyr trip with Mark and Lindsay
Written by Lindsay Korst
gngoat@gngoat.org
Sunday, May 24th
CZ_Day4
0046 Lincoln, Nebraska
Midnight darkness. Somewhere outside is the University of Nebraska. I'm on the
wrong side of the train to see it, though. #5 departs on time. I have yet to
fall asleep. Now it's getting psychological.
0510 Comes the dawn. West of McCook, Nebraska, and no rest for the weary. I grab
my toilet kit, don my bathrobe & slippers, and head to the shower (one
downstairs in each Sleeper).
The changing room and adjacent shower are about the size of a very small coat
closet. Just enough space to turn around in. Fortunately, the shower has a
sturdy grab bar and I'm hanging on for dear life as we crash along BNSF's rough
track.
0557 Fort Morgan, Colorado is a brief stop. Two railfans with cameras and
tripods are on the platform to capture us coming out of the rising sun.
We are now on Mountain Time. Set your watches back one hour!
Leaving town, I catch my first glimpse of The Rockies. Note the refinery in the
second image with a flaming smokestack burning off impurities.
0600 Having watched Rita work the controls last night, I put my roomette back
into daytime configuration. Basically, you lower the upper berth, cram the
mattress and sheets in there and slam the upper berth shut. Raising the seats to
upright position requires lifting a bar, sitting down on the seat, and pushing
it back into place.
0620 We flash past two loaded (and thus eastbound) BNSF coal trains. Pictures
too blurry to publish. Even for me.
0625 Mark is stirring across the hall, then heads downstairs for a quick sponge
bath. We had said 0730 for breakfast, but if we hustle, maybe we can get head
end locomotive shots, as the train doesn’t leave Denver until 8:45.
0650 M is ready so we head for victuals.
I had what amounted to a DENVER OMELET (how poetic) whilst Mark partook of the
"continental breakfast" (fruit, yogurt, dry cereal/milk, oatmeal).
The utensils are no longer metal, but plastic. Still using the Chinet,
though.
0710 As we pulled into Denver, we passed the former CB&Q diesel shop. I was
surprised to see old warrior EMD SD40-2 #1656 still in
Burlington Northern
Cascade Green.
Denver Union Station is a stub terminal. Thus we had to pull past and back in.
0730 We finished breakfast and walked the platform for an attempt at head end
shots.
1. Ooo...we're getting close; 2. Almost there...; 3. NO PICTURES, PLEASE! Damn. Got yelled at by the carman servicing the lead
GE P42 (note his
blue flag). Oh, well. Got the unit numbers anyway (146/153). Let's walk the rest
of the train and check out the depot.
Back in steerage, there were two coaches on our train, instead of the usual 3.
Looks like they are boarding more coach passengers. The large window
Sightseer Lounge was usually fully occupied, but M and I did manage to
eventually grab a couple seats. Later on.
Union Station is magnificent inside and out, built circa 1881. I wouldn't mind
having dinner and drinks at that Terminal Bar some day, then staying overnight
at the adjacent Crawford Hotel!
In a worthy tribute to the Mile High City, Mark attempted to utilize the Gents
at the depot, but all 3 stalls were occupied by druggie bums apparently residing
there. Relief was instead found back on the train.
0830 They moved our train forward 50 feet to fuel the locomotives? Okay...
0846 leaving Denver OT.
1. BNSF 1448 is an EMD SD60M. I like its stubby, little nose; 2. BNSF 1746 is a
classic EMD SD40-2 still earning its keep after 40 plus years; 3.
An RTD train
soars overhead and into Union Station.
Hmmm... Looks like a full house in the sightseer lounge. Maybe later. Back to
our roomettes.
THIS GUY (see below link) has an excellent website about this section of line from Denver to Moffat Tunnel.
With far better pictures then I was able to take.
https://www.therailroadcollection.com/railfan-guide/union-pacifics-moffat-tunnel-subdivision-moffat-route-west-to-the-continental-divide-railfan-guide-guest-post-by-john-crisanti/
First, I showed Mark what our train looked like approaching the Arvada Railcam
on YouTube. From his room (left side of train), I took a grab shot as we entered
the Little 10 curve. Further up, we circled the Big 10 curve. Two railfans have
4x4'ed in and are recording our passage. Notice the windbreak created by old
hopper cars filled with sand/dirt.
From my side, we pass by the brightly-painted hoppers and finally straighten out
as we climb through a green signal at Eisele siding. Ahead are many short tunnels we'll negotiate
on our way to the Moffat.
Climbing upward, I look back and see the transition from Little 10 to Big 10
curve. The railfan's white truck is visible in the center of frame. The Amcafe
and Viewliner (both mainly used on the east coast) add a touch of variety to
this otherwise double-decker train.
We pass Gross Dam and Reservoir which is being enlarged (note construction
cranes). Plenty of snow left, looking north towards Rocky Mountain National
Park.
We're following South Boulder Creek and approaching Rollinsville where yet
another railfan pixilated us for posterity.
Tolland
Somehow, we have to get to the other side of those mountains. This little
schoolhouse was built for the children of railroad workers back in the day.
Interesting article about the little (ghost) town.
1030 Approaching The Moffat Tunnel, a monster eastbound (loaded with
Colorado or Utah coal)
waits for us in the siding. We are delayed just 5 minutes before we proceed
through the 6.2 mile-long bore.
1035 Sometimes, the view from a roomette is not that great. Neither is the Sightseer
Lounge. No forward visibility.
What's needed is a proper DOME CAR such as the
one I rode through here in 1982.
BTW, that little plaque on the side of the portal sez MOFFAT TUNNEL, Visioned by
David H. Moffat, Constructed by Moffat Tunnel Commission. Followed by a long
list of committee members who didn't actually pick up a shovel and help. ;p
1046 We exit the tunnel at
Winter Park Resort,
then there is a brief stop at Fraser.
1103 We follow the Fraser River as far as Granby where it becomes the Colorado
River. Yes, THAT Colorado River, of Grand Canyon fame.
Everybody is out fishing on this beautiful Sunday.
1130 LUNCH TIME! We sat with a very dull couple from upstate New York. And we're
riding
backwards again.
L had the patty melt sammich and M had the chicken salad. Nice
view across the aisle.
As we chow, the eastbound Rocky Mountaineer train flashes past in the siding.
Mark has decided he doesn’t like our peremptory waitress, Angela.
Unfortunately, she's the only game in town.
12:30 Back in our sleeper, they turned on the air conditioning full blast. Why?
I put on my hoodie for the first time this trip. I turned my compartment heat
on. No change. I don't think those individual controls are connected anymore.
The Colorado tumbles down a rocky canyon towards the distant sea. As I wax poetic.
Fishermen are replaced with rafters. Mark said he saw several yahoos mooning us,
but wasn't able to click that old shutter in time. ;p
1430 Glenwood Springs.
We are on time, if not a little early. Thanks to another
fresh aire stop,
Lindsay makes a third attempt at the head end diesels. Whoop! There it is! I'm
standing on a public street, so the Amtrak fuzz can't get too chippy. My only
regret is AMTK 146/153 (GE P42s) are dressed in
that boring Phase V paint
scheme. Oh, for a
Phase VII repaint...
Amcafe Food Service Car 43386, Viewliner 62034 Sleeper, Superliner Transition
Sleeper 39016, and our Car Attendant, Rita (who also helped out in the diner
when they got busy).
Let's take a closer look at the Glenwood Springs depot. Once we got back aboard,
Mark and I headed straight for the Sightseer Lounge.
How about that? We got two seats together! Alas, not much to see between the
Springs and the Junction...
1644 OT Grand Junction.
Our opposite number, eastbound AMTK #6, is 7 hours late. The dispatcher held him
just outside of town for us (#5) to make our station stop first.
:>
Save This Depot, indeed. It's gonna take more than an
Amtrak band-aid to bring this
neglected structure back to its former grandeur.
Just outside town, we passed AMTK #6 with the Operation Lifesaver unit (GE P42
203) in the lead. I took a MUCH better picture of this engine in Winslow,
Arizona on May 23rd, 2023.
As we near the state border, it's beginning to look a lot like Utah.
1840 Green River, Utah
This picture is the reality.
This website is their imagination. They seem a
little desperate...
2000 Helper, UT
Believe it or not (Mark thinks I'm making it up), the town was named after the extra steam locomotives
(helpers) stationed here to push trains over the upcoming Soldier Summit grade.
Beyond is the Salt Lake City area. Also nearby are coal mines which feed the
unit trains we've been passing since Colorado. Since the UP-SP merger in 1996, BNSF has
had trackage rights on this Moffat Tunnel route, so it's a fairly busy line.
1. BNSF 9079 (an EMD SD70ACe...I LOVE ACEs!!) peeks in my window as we come to a
stop; 2. UP 5308 (a GE ES44AC); 3. UP 7281/6280 are a pair of GE AC44CW, back to
back. 4. UP 4190 (EMD SD70M) rests next to my sleeper as the sun slowly sets in
the West.
Just west of Helper is the famous Castle Gate landmark. There's just enough
light for me to capture this magnificent promontory before hitting the hay. Donner Pass and Sacramento tomorrow!
 
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