California Zephyr

[brad]

The Zephyr's schedule is already extremely slow and in June will add an additional 3 hours between Salt Lake City and Emerville. Why would AMTRAK go along with this?  Back in the 50's the running time for the City of San Francisco was 39 hours between Oakland and Chicago and now it is around 54 hours.

[Dakguy201]

I think they are just making the schedule correspond closer to the reality.  For example, yesterday's eastbound was 51 minutes late into Reno, but this morning was 151 minutes late into Elko, NV.  I happen to check on #6 several times a week, and these times are about normal.

Someone has told me there is a lot of track work underway in Nevada; perhaps that has something to do with it.

[dldance]

I may take advantage of this - with the delayed arrival at SLC, Soldier Summit will be crossed in the daylight by the eastbound Zephyr.

dd

[Alan Follett]

The "real" CZ's inaugural schedule in 1949, likely close to the fastest it ever ran, was 49:46 eastbound, 50:30 westbound--significantly better than the present Amtrak version of the train on its hybrid route, but nowhere near the 39 hours that the competition managed on the Overland Route. 

Alan Follett 

[Anonymous]

The additional time on the schedule is only temporary, per an agreement between Amtrak and UP. UP has to do track work, and that slows down trains. Until the work is done, trains will be slowed. After recent months of random delays  up to 7 hours or more, Amtrak and UP worked out a deal wherein Amtrak adds time to the schedule and UP agrees to stick to it. I give them my blessing. Let's hope it works and leads to better relations between the two railroads.

[Dakguy201]

It seems to me the real test of Amtrak's new leaders will be the fall/winter schedule for the CZ.  If all the new Nevada padding is still there, it will say one thing about them; if it is back out then maybe there is some hope.

Eastbound the last 21 day average lateness at Reno is 87 minutes, at Winnemucca 186 minutes, at Salt Lake 201 minutes.

[jclass]

I read somewhere that the CZ will be routed through Wyoming for three months (Den-SLC) because of trackwork on the DRGW line.

[dldance]

I read somewhere that the CZ will be routed through Wyoming for three months (Den-SLC) because of trackwork on the DRGW line.

It was rerouted either last summer or the summer several days a week due to Moffat Tunnel maintenance.

dd