Question about the D&RGW Zephyr 5771

[electrolove]

This photo is from http://www.drgw.net



On the same site I can read the following:

Moving up the line a bit, we see 5771 with what the westbound Rio Grande Zephyr at Plain in Sept. 1978. The Rio Grande Zephyr was what became of the California Zephyr after the CZ as discontinued in 1970. The Grande continued to operate theirs apart from Amtrak until 1983.

Where is 'Plain' located on the D&RGW map?

Is California Zephyr and Rio Grande Zephyr the same thing?

What are the cars called in the picture?

What's the first and last year they used these cars?

Can I get them from some manufacturer in HO scale?

[jimrice4449]

When Amtrak was started in 1971 some RRs opted out (Southern, Rock Island, and Rio Grande. Maybe others). They had to continue psgr operations as public utilities and the Rio Grande kept operating its segment of the California Zephyr (Chicago to Oakland) between Denver and Salt Lake City. Since it no longer went to California they renamed the Rio Grande segment the Rio Grande Zephyr.
The cars are from the Rio Grande's contribution to the original CZ equipment pool which consisted of (in a typical CZ consist) Baggage, 3 dome coaches, dome dorm. lounge, diner, 16 section sleeper (later changed), 3 10 rmte 6 dbl br sleepers and dome sleeper obs. At high traffic seasons an "off-line" 10/6 (usually SP) would be added ahead of the dome sleeper. Con-Cor has had many of the cars in their line in plastic and BLI is bringing out the whole consist soon. The above consist info refers to the original train/route. The truncated Rio Grande Zephyr would have been shorter,
I have no idea where Plains Colo, is It's probably just a name the DRGW put on a siding.

[jimrice4449]

On rereading my answer I neglected to mention the dates for the CZ. It was inaugurated in 1949 and was continued by Amtrak, although on a different route (UP Denver to Salt Lake City and SP Salt Lake City to Oakland). The Rio Grande eventually discontinued it's segment but I don't know when.
As a side note that may save making the same mistake I did on en engine I painted for somebody else, The engine numbers on Rio Grande F units look like they're 4 digit #s but they're not. The engine # is 3 digits, the last digit refers to the unit's place in the original 4 unit set. Hence, a 4 unit set would be numbered 5771, 5772, 5773 and 5774. All DRGW F unit As end in either1 or 4. The Alco PAs end in 1 or 3.

[jimrice4449]

On rereading my answer I neglected to mention the dates for the CZ. It was inaugurated in 1949 and was continued by Amtrak, although on a different route (UP Denver to Salt Lake City and SP Salt Lake City to Oakland). The Rio Grande eventually discontinued it's segment but I don't know when.
As a side note that may save making the same mistake I did on en engine I painted for somebody else, The engine numbers on Rio Grande F units look like they're 4 digit #s but they're not. The engine # is 3 digits, the last digit refers to the unit's place in the original 4 unit set. Hence, a 4 unit set would be numbered 5771, 5772, 5773 and 5774. All DRGW F unit As end in either1 or 4. The Alco PAs end in 1 or 3.

[jimrice4449]

On rereading my answer I neglected to mention the dates for the CZ. It was inaugurated in 1949 and was continued by Amtrak, although on a different route (UP Denver to Salt Lake City and SP Salt Lake City to Oakland). The Rio Grande eventually discontinued it's segment but I don't know when.
As a side note that may save making the same mistake I did on en engine I painted for somebody else, The engine numbers on Rio Grande F units look like they're 4 digit #s but they're not. The engine # is 3 digits, the last digit refers to the unit's place in the original 4 unit set. Hence, a 4 unit set would be numbered 5771, 5772, 5773 and 5774. All DRGW F unit As end in either1 or 4. The Alco PAs end in 1 or 3.

[SSW9389]

Rio Grande track charts are here http://users2.ev1.net/~swmeier/riogrande.htm

Is Plain the same as Plainview just west of Denver?

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

The California Zephyr as a through Chicago-Oakland train ended in March, 1970 when the Salt Lake-Oakland segment on WP was discontinued. D&RGW extended its segment from Salt Lake to Ogden for a guaranteed connection with the City of San Francisco. After some schedule adjustments, the surviving California service became the daily Nebraska Zephyr between Chicago and Omaha and tri-weekly between Omaha and Ogden.
On May 1, 1971, D&RGW opted to stay out of Amtrak and the Amtrak San Francisco Zephyr became a through Chicago-Oakland run with a BN/Denver/UP/Ogden/SP routing. Sometime in the late 1970's or so, D&RGW opted to discontinue its operation of the Rio Grande Zephyr and Amtrak took over the service by re-routing its train to a BN/D&RGW/SP routing.