California Zephyr Ride-along!

Tonight at 12:14am, I will be boarding the California Zephyr! Come aboard with me as I share updates and pictures in real time*!!

I will use this thread for posting updates, interesting sights, and hopefully I'll even be able to share a few pictures and videos on the go! Feel free to comment and ask questions, but keep in mind that I may not be able to reply until I arrive at my destination.

*as real time as the AT&T G3 network will allow

 

Testing mobile image post

So like any good college student, you have to leave packing for the very last minute.

 

Looking forward to your "real-time" travelogue. :tb-cool:

The term "College Student" and your luggage appear diametrically opposed. Most students in my experience, including my sons and grandsons, carried their belongings in a (pick one): backpack (given by me while in junior-high), laundry bag (given by their mom so the contents could go directly into the washer), 55 Gallon plastic trash bag (midnight requisition from the grounds keeper's shed), or if flush with cash, a very-used duffel bag recently purchased from a graduating senior. :tb-wink:

 

Haha! Too true, Hank!

I remember taking the train from Eugene, Oregon to Seattle, Washington once for a three day weekend. I packed a spare change of underwear and socks for each day, a toothbrush, a comb, phone number of friends on whose couches I hoped to "crash," a book, a sketchpad, some bread, and a small bit of cheese I had already sliced. All of this was stuffed in a small soft-side briefcase with room to spare. I grabbed a couple doughnuts on my way to the train station early in the morning.

Relatively unencumbered - the only way to travel!

 

I got the luggage from Grandma last christmas.

Probably not surprising to everyone here... Model trains take up most of my suitcase!!
I do wrap them in a few articles of clothing for cushioning.

I also bring a cooler packed with jerky, snack sticks, cheeses, and sandwiches!

Here's my brand new cooler that dad and I just happend to notice out of the corner of our eye because of the huge clearance sign!

 

Wow...Except for the fact that my steamers are SD&AE, not CB&Q, this is actually exactly what I pack every time I take the Pacific Surfliner to visit my grandparents up in San Luis Obispo area! Of course, the only other differences are that I also pack a Kentucky mandolin. (sometimes other travelers bring Martin guitars and we find an empty car--which is most of them, because Amtrak is far from the golden age of passenger trains-- to play some bluegrass)

Have a safe and fun trip!

 

Well the trains and clothes are all packed! With one hour to spare for me to pack up the laptop and food!

Next time I post, it will be from train #5!

 

And now I sit mid-car on the 3rd coach of Train #5.

 

Here is a phone picture dad clicked and sent me of the train departing Lincoln.

 

Clicked a pic of a Birlington Route caboose in Holdredge but have only been on the Edge network since then. I'll have to wait until probably Denver as the app to upload to ImageShack requires G3.

Just departed McCook. Why am I still awake!

 

I don'tknow. I passed out when I rode the Cardinal from IND to CHI. I assume your using the popular Coach sleeper, correct?

 

We're in Denver already?! Just about one hour EARLY?!

 

Quite an interesting train we have today.

Two lead lokos and a baggage. Then a sleeper. But then the three coaches, the first two being baggage coaches (I'm in the second of the two). Then the lounge followed by dining and finally the two remainning sleepers on the end.

Every other time Ive rode the CZ it has always been sleepers, dining, lounge, coaches (with only one baggage coach). Did I get a funky train today or have I just caught coincidental copies the first several train rides?

 

Also, kinda spooky. I just walked the train, both inside and out... There's maybe 15 people total. Seems like I'm the only passenger almost! I see several tags on the luggage rack. So where is everyone!?

 

Here is that caboose from Holdredge.

 

Here's something new at the Denver station.

 

Some construction at Denver station.

 

A BlurNSF.



We're departing Denver just as the sun rises above some clouds off to the east. But still dark dark skies ahead! I'm looking forward to passing through the mountains in the snow!!

 

Big ten curves!