Advice on Cross-Country Trip Requested

[Ashland Train Enthusiast]

Hello All,

My wife and I are in the early stages of planning a family trip to Yosemite next summer, and we aim to have enough AGR points by then to make one of the legs (there or back) by train. I'm up in the air right now having planned out several routes, so was hoping someone with more experience with the western LDs (as the furthest we've gone is NOL/CHI) could offer some advice as to which would be the "best" (and I know that is a subjective) term to make use of a 3 zone LD award.

Our schedule is flexible enough right now that we could take the train either westbound or eastbound, and we know we want to connect through CHI (as we've already done the Crescent to NOL). Looking at the options, the top ones for us are:

If we wanted to get the CS/EB, that would entail taking it Westbound (right)? as amtrak.com does not gurantee a connection between the two heading eastbound in Portland. Alternatively there is the CZ either direction, most likely connecting to the CL (as we've done the Cardinal before and think the flexibility of the daily train would be preferred for us). Then there's getting ourselves to LAX (ether by driving there directly, or by some combination of train or bus) and taking the SWC.

All told, lots of options to choose from, and while I want to take them all, that's unfortunately not feasible. So, fellow travelers, if you were in my shoes, and this was the only LD trip out west you see yourself taking in the foreseeable future, which routing would you take, and why?

~ DCTE

 

[Henry Kisor]

I was thinking of going from Chicago to Yosemite myself, and it seems that the "best" westbound connection from DC would be the Capitol Ltd to Chicago, then the California Zephyr to Sacramento and one of the San Joaquins to Merced, where you could catch the shuttle bus to Yosemite. If the Zephyr is very late perhaps Amtrak would put you up in Sacramento to catch a morning San Joaquin.

By "best"I mean the most scenic.

 

[zephyr17]

I agree with Henry Kisor (BTW- I own your book in hardbound, Henry), the CZ is much more scenic than the Empire Builder. Going westbound you have all the second day in the Rockies on the CZ, and the whole morning of the third day in the Sierra. On the Empire Builder, you get North Dakota and eastern Montana (aka West Dakota), which is not a scenic wonderland, most of the second day, and then the Rockies skirting Glacier National Park late afternoon/early evening that day. Eastbound, you are out of the Rockies by 10 am or so on the Builder if on time.

The Coast Starlight/Empire Builder connection at Portland is guaranteed both directions (northound CS to eastbound EB, westbound EB to southbound CS). While the connection looks short on the northbound/eastbound, it is almost always made these days. I wouldn't let that connection stop me if that is what I wanted to do.

I would take the CZ and take it westbound. That way you are guaranteed to get the climb up the Front Range out of Denver in the daylight. Eastbound, if the train is running a little late, it'll be getting dark on the stretch even in the summer.

 

[Ispolkom]

I agree that the most scenic would be the California Zephyr, and I much prefer the Capitol Limited to the Cardinal, since the latter lacks both a proper dining car and a lounge car with large windows.

Coast Starlight-Empire Builder-Capitol Limited would give you more time on the train, and let you try the Coast Starlight, with its Pacific Parlour Car. Not as spectacular mountain scenery, bit still great. I think that you'd have do the trip as two awards to get that routing, rather than the more direct California Zephyr routing (Try Yosemite-Wolf Point, then Wolf Point-Washington, for instance).

If you're only taking the train one way, my suggestion is to fly out, train back.

Oh, and don't worry, the eastbound connection between the Coast Starlight and the Empire Builder is guaranteed. In half a dozen trips making that connection, I have only missed it once.

 

[zephyr17]

The connection I'd worry more about would be eastbound Empire Builder to Capitol Limited than the Starlight-Empire Builder. The summer timekeeping on the EB is terrible, and it'll probably be bad next summer, too, as I think there will still be major maintenance happening next summer. Even if they hold the Capitol for the EB, like they have been lately, you'll still probably be on pins and needles about making the connection.

If you are thinking about taking the Starlight to or from northern California, I'd recommend taking it northbound. Crossing the Cascade Mountains is in mid-morning, while southbound, it is in the evening.

 

[Ashland Train Enthusiast]

Thanks for the great responses thus far! I'll admit it is a difficult decision, because on the one hand the scenery is one of the reasons for taking the train, which would lend the edge to the CZ, but at the same time, I've heard rumors swirling around that the PPC may not be around for much longer, so getting to experience that is also a compelling point (and adds some more time for the journey, as that in itself is part of the experience).

Any thoughts if the PPC will be around for the next 5 or so years (as I hope that the CZ/Rockies will be there for a while)?

~ DCTE

 

[Bob Dylan]

No guarantee on the PPC, they are over 50 years Old and Parts have to be Custom made when they Breakdown which is happening more and more due to age!!(this is shared with people! ^_^ ) I agree with riding the California Zephyr Westbound! Try to catch the NB Starlight to Portland from Sacramento after visiting Yosemite (via San Joaquin Train and Ambus), then the East Bound Empire Builder to Chicago! These are Amtrak's Top 3 LD Trains in most peoples opinions!

 

[Karl1459]

One consideration is to take the SW Chief. The chance to take the Raton route may be numbered as the train may re-route to the southern transcon within a few years.

Its unfortunate that Amtrak does not have a good bus connections between the SWC Barstow and SJ Bakersfield.

 

[zephyr17]

There is a connection from Victorville to Bakersfield, although with a 2 hour wait at the unstaffed shelter in Victorville in the very early morning (4:18 am - 6:10 am), which is not particularly attractive. For myself, I wouldn't like an zero dark thirty connection from Barstow (also unstaffed) or Victorville. It has to be in the wee hours because of when the SWC goes through there. Staying on the train until LA, going for a nice breakfast at Phillipes, then taking the 10:45am bus from LA to Bakersfield sounds a lot better to me than shivering outside in Barstow or Victorville before dawn.

 

[me_little_me]

If you're only taking the train one way, my suggestion is to fly out, train back.

Yeah, you get the horror over at the beginning and can then enjoy your trip.

 

[Ashland Train Enthusiast]

No guarantee on the PPC, they are over 50 years Old and Parts have to be Custom made when they Breakdown which is happening more and more due to age!!(this is shared with people! ^_^ ) I agree with riding the California Zephyr Westbound! Try to catch the NB Starlight to Portland from Sacramento after visiting Yosemite (via San Joaquin Train and Ambus), then the East Bound Empire Builder to Chicago! These are Amtrak's Top 3 LD Trains in most peoples opinions!

Honestly, right now it's a tossup between the PPC (as you mentioned, chances are if I wait until the next time I'm out west, because of their age they'll be kaput), or catching the CZ scenery Westbound.

If you're only taking the train one way, my suggestion is to fly out, train back.

Yeah, you get the horror over at the beginning and can then enjoy your trip.

This is my thinking as well, and from the responses, it looks like the CZ would be better westbound, so if we were taking the train eastbound, the CS/EB/CL combination would work best. I just checked on amtrak.com, booking from SAC to WAS, and it doesn't list the CS/EB combination, yet when I book SAC to CHI, it does... is this most likely just a route linkage not being input into Arrow? I want to make sure I don't run afoul of an AGR agent who's taking the routings literally and not get this booked correctly.

Thanks all for your advice!

~ DCTE

 

[I always rode the Southern]

My 2 cents as one who has taken all LD routes possible to california(our last trip included Yosemite) except the SL. If your major reason for taking the EB is to be able to take the CS to experience the PPC, don't count on it. Our last trip we took the SWC to LA and the CS to SF with no PPC. After Yosemite we took the CS again to Seattle, no PPC.
My route of choice is the Zephyr westbound. Not only for the Rockies, but also the Sierra's.
Since I also love the scenery on the CS, if your budget allows it, and you don't have the points for a one zone, I would then take the CS to LA or Seattle and fly back(well I wouldn't fly, but that's just me ). If the RR gods are with you, the PPC being on the consist will be a bonus.