California Zephyr

[the_traveler]

I was just funnin' with Traveler, as he has both kinds of ovens in his penthouse car. I think the microwave sits just to the left of the hot-tub, and the convection oven is over in the kitchen, next to the fridge, right across from the center cutting table with its hot and cold running water.

You're correct, I only have a convection oven upstairs in the penthouse suite. The microwave is 3 levels down, next to the pool and spa!

I wouldn't want my butler to drive all the way upstairs to get some food for me now, would I?

 

[George Harris]

Back to power: US current is 110 volts, 60 cycle. Sometimes it is also labeled as 115 volts. You will need to be sure of the adaptors. The best would probably be to get one with the outputs you need from a place in the US such as Radio Shack. I know firt had plugging an adaptor into the charging unit can result in the death of the charging unit, and not necessarily immediately.

Unless you have an extraoridarily short attention span, boredom should not be a problem.

You will have two major mountain crossings with simply spectacular scenery.

The Sierra Nevada: The climb starts a few miles east of Sacramento going from near sea level to 6762 feet (2061 meters) at the end of the Donner Pass tunnel. This climb adn crossing should be in daylight. This crossing the Sierra Nevada at an elevation about twice that of the railway tunnels in the Swiss Alps, and I don't mean the new "base" tunnels, either.

The Rockies: Near the end of the second day you go through the Moffet Tunnel about 50 miles before reaching Denver. It is 6.21 miles (9.99 km) long with a crest elevation of 9242 feet (2817 meters) (some sources give the elevation as 9239 feet)

There are dozens of other tunnels on this route varying from a little over 100 feet in length up to a mile or so.

 

[UKTraveller]

Wow - excellent replies a really helpful thank you everyone

I have been to SAN FRANCISCO before (sorry for calling it San Fran) and loved it so have done the usualy Alcatraz and other stuff so this time hope to get across to Sausalito etc.

I'll pop back later as I am just off out.

Once again many thanks!

P.S We were thinking of breaking the journey in Reno for some gambling but any other reccommended stops for one night?

Marc

 

[Rider]

Actually, folks stretched out asleep are not "disgusting", they are merely engaged normal human behavior - in public, because that's what they can afford. Smoking is what's disgusting. This does point out that there's actually lots of room in coach, way more than on busses and twice as much as on airlines - plus you can get up and walk around ANY time, stretch, meet (usually) friendly people in the lounge car, etc.

I love traveling in sleeper but it usually does cost at least 3 or 4 times as much as coach - sometimes we coach riders get referred to as the unwashed, but in fact it's not too hard at all to stay clean and neat. Bring a towel and washcloth with you in plastic bags. Sometimes you might wish the bathroom was a little cleaner - but again, that's life in public.

Anyone else see the irony of criticizing the abbreviation of a city name on a forum that lives by its (often obscure) acronyms and abbreviations?

Enjoy your trip! I've done it 3 times now, and can't wait to go again.

 

[ThayerATM]

Actually, folks stretched out asleep are not "disgusting", they are merely engaged normal human behavior - in public, because that's what they can afford. Smoking is what's disgusting. This does point out that there's actually lots of room in coach, way more than on busses and twice as much as on airlines - plus you can get up and walk around ANY time, stretch, meet (usually) friendly people in the lounge car, etc.

I love traveling in sleeper but it usually does cost at least 3 or 4 times as much as coach - sometimes we coach riders get referred to as the unwashed, but in fact it's not too hard at all to stay clean and neat. Bring a towel and washcloth with you in plastic bags. Sometimes you might wish the bathroom was a little cleaner - but again, that's life in public.

Anyone else see the irony of criticizing the abbreviation of a city name on a forum that lives by its (often obscure) acronyms and abbreviations?

Enjoy your trip! I've done it 3 times now, and can't wait to go again.

Rider, I must agree that smoking is disgusting, and coach sleepers stretching out into the aisle is "NORMAL" human behavior. But smoking is a matter of choice, if ADDICTION is really a matter of choice. In any case, I'm addicted. I really do try and stand down wind from people I'm talking with. h34r: My use of the term "disgusting" for sleepers is my warped sense of humor showing through.

Coach travelers have as much right to travel the way they want to travel, as I do. I budget for travel in bedrooms for the occasional need for privacy, and for immediate relief of calls of nature in the middle of the night. Add to that the convenience of a shower when needed, and a convenient place to store things, and the availability of the meals for "free" :lol: and I'm all set. Aside from sleeping, we usually spend most of our LD train traveling in the observation car, which is why the Coast Starlight is my favorite train. The Pacific Parlor Car is perfect for me.

As for abbreviated city names... One special word comes to my mind. Black people are free to use that word for, about, or against their own people. I, as a white person, am not. I think that the denizens of San Francisco are free to jealously guard the use of the word "Frisco" for themselves, and look on with distain when outsiders use the term. That's oddly American, isn't it? :wacko:

 

[PRR 60]

Back to power: US current is 110 volts, 60 cycle. Sometimes it is also labeled as 115 volts. You will need to be sure of the adaptors. The best would probably be to get one with the outputs you need from a place in the US such as Radio Shack. I know firt had plugging an adaptor into the charging unit can result in the death of the charging unit, and not necessarily immediately.

Most AC adaptors for computers and other electronics are dual voltage (240V and 120V) and frequency (50hz and 60hz). The acceptable voltages and frequencies are on the charger nameplate. If that is the case, the only thing you will need is a plug adaptor. A voltage and frequency convertor should not be required. Plug adaptors are a couple of dollars (or pounds). Full convertors are more expensive.

I travel overseas and have never needed a power convertor.

 

[Cristobal]

Anyone else see the irony of criticizing the abbreviation of a city name on a forum that lives by its (often obscure) acronyms and abbreviations?

I don't believe that there was any criticism at all. Certainly not from me. I was just trying to help our British guest avoid receiving some attitude from an uppity barista or the like while he is visiting the home of the World Champion Giants.

Y'all can call it whatever you like as far as I'm concerned.

 

[The Journalist]

P.S We were thinking of breaking the journey in Reno for some gambling but any other recommended stops for one night?

As a local, I'd definitely suggest stopping in Reno if you want to gamble. The Reno station is in a "trench" of sorts, and is very close to all the downtown casinos-Harrah's and Silver Legacy/Eldorado/Circus Circus are the primary ones. The Siena might be open again by September-it was a really nice, small boutique hotel that had a string of misfortune but was bought and will ostensibly be reopened. There are some other casinos that are a quick bus ride away: Peppermill and Atlantis are resorts with an Italian and tropical motif, respectively. Both can be accessed on the "Rapid" bendy-bus service down Virginia street. The Grand Sierra Resort (formerly Reno Hilton, formerly MGM, formerly Bally's-and a few locals still refer to it as one or all of these) on Mill, has the biggest table game area I've seen in Reno and tends to be either mostly empty or filled with conventioners or winter sports fans. To avoid a huge wall of text, send me a private message me if you want more info.

Reno tends to be a long stop (they give it an hour and a half to get here from Truckee, and it usually takes around 55 minutes so it ends up sitting there for half an hour or more) but don't go gambling if you're not staying-you'll almost certainly miss the train to continue. There are no clocks on American slot machines like there are in some countries.

Regarding smoke stops: Last time I rode the Zephyr both Winnemucca and Elko (the rural Nevada stops between Reno and Salt Lake) were both smoke stops-in fact we arrived in Elko almost 45 minutes early after an elderly passenger had some medical crisis and we apparently went faster to get her to a waiting ambulance.

 

[Peter KG6LSE]

IF you are running UK gear in the US you WILL need a HEAVY step up transformer most of the time .

those " travel adapters" are really TRIAC or SCR choppers ( not unlike how the older AEM-7s was useing a chopper for speed control ! )

It PWMs half of the 220-240 UK to US 110-120

Its the same circuit as a leveton light dimmer !!

the 50W/1500W combos are really a 50 W step up Xfmer and a chopper in one box but they are limited by a ice cube sized transfprmer for step up the US 110-120 to UK 220-240 use but 1500 for step down . as the PMW is a mostly lossless funtion you can pump more trught a smaller brick ..

for anything other then a cellphone charger you might need a REAL large transformer . Unless !!!! your device is universal .

most good quality SMPS ( light weight ) wall bricks are rated for 90 to 250 so they work anywhere .

I know my Apple power adapters are universal so is my phone charger .

you may not need a Xfmer for those devices

Look at the label . It will say what its rated for . If it is universal you will only need a physical adapter ..

Here is the Xfmers that is needed for non universal devices My link..

Peter

 

[George Harris]

. . . so this time hope to get across to Sausalito etc.

Thanks to the wonders of the internet, you can find the information needed, but here is a pointer: You can go to Sausalito by bus, and return by ferry, or the other way round. The buses are public transport operated by Golden Gate Transit. You can catch them at several places in SF (my short for San Francisco) or at the south end of the Golden Gate bridge, itself. The ferries from Sausalito go to either the Ferry Building or Pier 39. The fare is less to the Ferry Building, maybe because the pier is considered a tourist destination. You get great views of the GG Bridge, Alcatraz, the Bay Bridge, and of course the surrounding cities and hills from the ferry. There are a couple of nice places to eat in Sausalito, and it is not a bad place to just wander around in and relax.

As someone who has worked in SF for 3 years, and lives close to where I work, one of the most useless things to have in the city of SF is an automobile.

Get acquainted with Muni (the bus operator) and BART. For someone interested in various forms of urban transport you can see just about all of them in and under Market Street.

On the surface you have:

1. Diesel buses

2. Electric trolley buses

3. Streetcars operated with "Heritage" equipment from many parts of the US and Europe

Then, one level down you have the

4. Muni light rail vehicles - essentially modern streetcars

And below that

5. BART - "Heavy Rail" transit. BART is also wierd in that it is broad gauge - 5'-6"

 

[UKTraveller]

Wow some great replies and very helpful ones as well!

 

Having been to SF 2 years ago and it being my favourite US city I am very much looking forward to going back there and seeing more of it - any one reccommend a good eaterie for steak ad rib enthusiasts? I model myself on the legend that is Adam Richman (Man v Food!)

 

Chicago will be new to us so looking forward to that a lot but need to do a good list of things to see and do there as it is the great unknown for the UK boys! AT least I am comfortable with SF now and the transport links.

 

The trip is a fair way off and flights are booked but yet to book the Amtrak or hotels but no real hurry.

 

So, further advice on the long trip on Amtrak, SF things to see and do and eat and the same for Chicago most welcome!

 

Marc :hi:

 

[Bobalski]

In my 2008 trip blog (linked in sig) there is a couple of pages of stuff from when we did a few days in SFO.

There is a neat little video I took of our cable car trip from the top of Nob Hill all the way to Fishermans Wharf whilst standing on the running board as well as some pics from an afternoon in Sausalito. From memory we caught a taxi over and came back via the ferry. There were 4 of us, so the taxi was not that bad an option financially.

The thing that hit me most about SFO is the queues. They queue on the footpath for a table at every good restaurant, no matter what time of day. It was weird..lol

 

[George Harris]

Didn't think of it earlier, but for the high points of your train trip, a map showing them can be found on the UPRR web site:

http://www.uprr.com/aboutup/maps/attachments/elevations.pdf

You will be on routes shown on this map between Emeryville and Denver. East of Denver, you will be on the BNSF (ex CB&Q) which is south of the UP route between Cheyenne, North Platte, Omaha, and Chicago.

My sources I checked earlier differ somewhat in the elevations given. Here are theirs for your route. Remember that the Union Pacific is a conglomeration of the original Union Pacific, Southern Pacific, Western Pacific, Denver and Rio Grande Western, Texas and Pacific, Missouri Pacific, Missouri-Kansas-Texas, Chicago and Northwestern, St. Louis Southwestern, pieces of the Gulf Mobile and Ohio, and prabably a few more I can't think of right now.

Going west to east:

6,887 feet, Norden CA, SP milepost 192.50 (from Oakland)

5,096 feet, Elko NV, SP milepost 559.30

5,901 feet, Hogan's Tunnel UT, WP milepost 753.69 (from Oakland via Feather River Canyon - longer than SP milage)

7,440 feet, Summit UT, D&RGW milepost 651.40 (from Denver via Pueblo. The original D&RGW.)

9,239 feet, Winter Park CO, D&RGW milepost 52.85 (from Denver, D&SL mileposts direct from Denver.)

Beyond Denver, it is all downhill the rest of the way to Chicago.

Worth noting: If you have any altitude or breathing problems, you might want to discuss this with a doctor, as you will be spending the most part of 36 hours straight above 5,000 feet elevation. Denver is called the Mile High City because that is its elevation. However, it is NOT in the mountains. It is on the plain at the foot of the mountains. The terrain slopes down gradually all the way from there to the Mississippi River crossing that is about 160 miles short of Chicago.

 

[Bierboy]

I wouldn't say a car is totally useless in SF. While there this past October, we traveled to Sacramento to visit the state railway museum which was great. We also drove down the coast on Route 1 to Monterey for a day trip which was beautiful and also north across the GG bridge into Muir woods to see the redwoods.

 

[George Harris]

I wouldn't say a car is totally useless in SF. While there this past October, we traveled to Sacramento to visit the state railway museum which was great. We also drove down the coast on Route 1 to Monterey for a day trip which was beautiful and also north across the GG bridge into Muir woods to see the redwoods.

That was IN San Francisco. If you are going to Muir Woods or Monterey then you do need a car. Sacramento Railroad Museum? Maybe, maybe not. have no tried that one, but have made a couple trips to Sacramento by train.

 

[Cristobal]

I wouldn't say a car is totally useless in SF. While there this past October, we traveled to Sacramento to visit the state railway museum which was great. We also drove down the coast on Route 1 to Monterey for a day trip which was beautiful and also north across the GG bridge into Muir woods to see the redwoods.

Maybe on a day-by-day basis (rent a car for a day trip and then return it). I certainly wouldn't suggest renting a car for any extended time while in 'the city' as parking fees alone might equal or exceed rental fees.

 

[UKTraveller]

Evening all

After much debate we have decided to get the 2 person sleeper which works out at $700 so in £ it is £218. Seems a lot but we need some sort of comfort for 52 hours.

Do we get meals and drinks included in ths price?

Many thanks

 

[Devil's Advocate]

After much debate we have decided to get the 2 person sleeper which works out at $700 so in £ it is £218. Seems a lot but we need some sort of comfort for 52 hours. Do we get meals and drinks included in ths price?

Yes, drinks and meals are included when received in the diner. However, according to xe.com the interbank rate is more like $700 = £437.

 

[jis]

After much debate we have decided to get the 2 person sleeper which works out at $700 so in £ it is £218. Seems a lot but we need some sort of comfort for 52 hours. Do we get meals and drinks included in ths price?

Yes, drinks and meals are included when received in the diner. However, according to xe.com the interbank rate is more like $700 = £437.

The $700 = £218 is aspirational. It will take quite a while for that to come to pass, if ever

 

[ThayerATM]

Evening all

After much debate we have decided to get the 2 person sleeper which works out at $700 so in £ it is £218. Seems a lot but we need some sort of comfort for 52 hours.

Do we get meals and drinks included in ths price?

Many thanks

I think that was a good decision. But keep in mind that while "drinks" does include water and soft drinks, it does not not include anything with alcohol in them. That's on your dime. You pay extra for alcoholic beverages.

 

[UKTraveller]

Evening all

After much debate we have decided to get the 2 person sleeper which works out at $700 so in £ it is £218. Seems a lot but we need some sort of comfort for 52 hours.

Do we get meals and drinks included in ths price?

Many thanks

I think that was a good decision. But keep in mind that while "drinks" does include water and soft drinks, it does not not include anything with alcohol in them. That's on your dime. You pay extra for alcoholic beverages.

Cheers all. Just about to go book it!

 

[ThayerATM]

After much debate we have decided to get the 2 person sleeper which works out at $700 so in £ it is £218. Seems a lot but we need some sort of comfort for 52 hours. Do we get meals and drinks included in ths price?

Yes, drinks and meals are included when received in the diner. However, according to xe.com the interbank rate is more like $700 = £437.

The $700 = £218 is aspirational. It will take quite a while for that to come to pass, if ever

Isn't Great Britian using the "Euro" now? What's the conversion rate between the Euro and the £? What's the conversion rate between the $ and the £? What's the conversion rate between the Euro and the $? :unsure:

 

[UKTraveller]

After much debate we have decided to get the 2 person sleeper which works out at $700 so in £ it is £218. Seems a lot but we need some sort of comfort for 52 hours. Do we get meals and drinks included in ths price?

Yes, drinks and meals are included when received in the diner. However, according to xe.com the interbank rate is more like $700 = £437.

The $700 = £218 is aspirational. It will take quite a while for that to come to pass, if ever

Isn't Great Britian using the "Euro" now? What's the conversion rate between the Euro and the £? What's the conversion rate between the $ and the £? What's the conversion rate between the Euro and the $? :unsure:

No, we are still £ thank god! 2 people fare for whole journey plus sleeper is $700 so around £436

 

[Bierboy]

I wouldn't say a car is totally useless in SF. While there this past October, we traveled to Sacramento to visit the state railway museum which was great. We also drove down the coast on Route 1 to Monterey for a day trip which was beautiful and also north across the GG bridge into Muir woods to see the redwoods.

That was IN San Francisco. If you are going to Muir Woods or Monterey then you do need a car. Sacramento Railroad Museum? Maybe, maybe not. have no tried that one, but have made a couple trips to Sacramento by train.

We used the car quite often IN SF, also. Driving there is part of the experience...especially vaulting the hills. As someone else mentioned, parking fees can be rather ludicrous...

 

[George Harris]

We used the car quite often IN SF, also. Driving there is part of the experience...especially vaulting the hills. As someone else mentioned, parking fees can be rather ludicrous...

Yes, it is a good one day once only experience.