Detour on California Zephyr

[Trogdor]

I haven't taken the detour route, but while not the Rocky Mountain canyons scenery, the Wyoming scenery has a beauty of it's own.

As an added bonus, because the train runs non stop between Denver and Salt Lake City, many times, it arrives in SLC many hours early!

While I think it could make it hours early if it left on-time, the train is running 3 hours behind. Could it really be a full 5 hours faster so as to get into SLC 2 hours early?

What train is running three hours behind?

The detour doesn't start until the end of May. How could anyone know if the detouring trains are already three hours behind?

 

[AlanB]

I haven't taken the detour route, but while not the Rocky Mountain canyons scenery, the Wyoming scenery has a beauty of it's own.

As an added bonus, because the train runs non stop between Denver and Salt Lake City, many times, it arrives in SLC many hours early!

While I think it could make it hours early if it left on-time, the train is running 3 hours behind. Could it really be a full 5 hours faster so as to get into SLC 2 hours early?

When I did that reroute back in 2007, we were 2 hours 37 minutes early into SLC, after leaving Denver 16 minutes late. And we were held several minutes going northbound, just prior to connecting into the Overland route that would take us west. So based upon that, one could reasonably expect to make up potentially 3 hours if no delays are encountered.

We also did make one stop in Green River and passengers were allowed to get off the train for several minutes during the crew change there. This doesn't always happen however, as sometimes UP brings the train in on the other track that doesn't have a platform. In that case, it's just swap the crew and go.

 

[Palmland]

riaz- I can understand your disappointment as Colorado is a beautiful state. But some try to schedule a trip on this route as it is a rare opportunity to ride on it. You can always schedule another trip on the regular route.

On the detour route you will still see the front range of the Rockies on the left side of the train as the train travels from Denver towards Cheyenne. You will also see a lot more freight traffic on UP's superbly maintained double track mainline as you head west from Cheyenne. From a train watching standpoint, a whole lot more action on the detour route than through Colorado.

 

[guest]

riaz- I can understand your disappointment as Colorado is a beautiful state. But some try to schedule a trip on this route as it is a rare opportunity to ride on it. You can always schedule another trip on the regular route.

On the detour route you will still see the front range of the Rockies on the left side of the train as the train travels from Denver towards Cheyenne. You will also see a lot more freight traffic on UP's superbly maintained double track mainline as you head west from Cheyenne. From a train watching standpoint, a whole lot more action on the detour route than through Colorado.

I think riaz might be a wee bit more interested in the stunning scenery of the Colorado Rockies and the river canyons and the red bluffs of southern Utah than in watching a panoply of Union Pacific coal trains pass by hour after hour...

 

[VentureForth]

rlaz -

I know you are disappointed, and you can't substitute your anniversary date. Is there any way that perhaps you can do something special on your anniversary date and slide the vacation by a week? Or, is your vacation a round trip where perhaps only one leg will be on the detour and the other leg on the regular route?

I certainly don't want to be inconsiderate of your plans and your hopes, but I wonder if there is any way to make lemonade out of this lemon...