CZ heading east vs heading west.

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penguinflies

Service Attendant
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Dec 30, 2015
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I have the choice of leaving out of Chicago or Richmond, CA. Any advice on which direction is preferred? This trip would be late October after Daylight savings ends.
 
I suggest riding it Westbound from Chicago since the run from Denver to Grand Junction ( Rockies) and Reno to the Bay Area ( Sierras) is in Daylight year round.

Eastbound out of season it gets dark before the train reaches Denver although the approach down the Front Range into Denver in the dark is neat!
 
I prefer west bound. If the train is late eastbound you can miss some of the Rockies in prime daylight.
 
I would also choose westbound

Here are some of my vids from this summer

California Zephyr Vids

California Zephyr Z 6 9 8 9 9 15 Eastbound Glenwood Canyon #1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdMHJv9FQeQ

California Zephyr 5 8 28 Gore Canyon 1 August 29 2015 ( of 4)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQtg1A7GZeE

California Zephyr 5 8 28 Gore Canyon 1 August 29 2015 ( of 4)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQtg1A7GZeE

California Zephyr Cz 5 8 28 Westbound Gore Canyon #2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIH7RQ8e_U0

California Zephyr 5 8 28 Eastbound Gore Canyon #4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngaiNAuJbWg

California Zephyr 5 8 28 Westbound Gore Canyon #3

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhMU1NHZ-_s
 
California Zephyr 5 8 28 Gore Canyon 1 August 29 2015 ( of 4)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQtg1A7GZeE

California Zephyr Cz 5 8 28 Westbound Gore Canyon #2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIH7RQ8e_U0

California Zephyr 5 8 28 Eastbound Gore Canyon #4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngaiNAuJbWg

California Zephyr 5 8 28 Westbound Gore Canyon #3

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhMU1NHZ-_s
Video - California Zephyr 5 8 28 Gore Canyon 1 August 29 2015 ( of 4) - starts next to the Fraser River a couple miles before the westbound CZ enters Fraser Canyon between Fraser and Granby.

https://www.google.com/maps/@40.0232176,-105.868942,501m/data=!3m1!1e3

Video - California Zephyr Cz 5 8 28 Westbound Gore Canyon #2 - starts just before the Granby stop. Note where the 2 track starts at 00:50 into the video and on the left

of this Google Earth link:

https://www.google.com/maps/@40.0814071,-105.9081266,727m/data=!3m1!1e3

Here are the baseball fields right after the overpass seen at 01:53

https://www.google.com/maps/@40.0833545,-105.9296201,355m/data=!3m1!1e3

Video - California Zephyr 5 8 28 Westbound Gore Canyon #3 - starts in Hot Sulfur Springs just before Pioneer Park. That is now the Colorado River winding along near the train.

https://www.google.com/maps/@40.0834596,-106.0919687,756m/data=!3m1!1e3

This is where the train is at 01:45:

https://www.google.com/maps/@40.0742753,-106.1107436,132m/data=!3m1!1e3- The Hot Sulfur Springs Resort and Spa is on the other side of the train, and that is highway US-40 on the other side of the river and the train will soon enter Byers Canyon. At 13:15 you can see the bridge where US-40 crosses the Colorado on it's way towards Parshall, CO or back to Hot Sulpur Springs. It's 17 more miles to the west to Gore Canyon from that bridge.

https://www.google.com/maps/@40.0530424,-106.1322842,674m/data=!3m1!1e3
 
Thanks to a fellow Hawk Fan to add clarification,,,

my ignorance is bliss,,, your clarification appreciated

Thank YOU
 
By late October, the only fall colors left to see on the CZ route might be along the Truckee River around Reno and the tamarisk along the Colorado River near Grand Junction. I think you will get a bit more mountain scenery in daylight taking the CZ westward.
 
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