End of winterconsist California Zephyr and roomettequestion

[longdistance]

Hallo ,

As a newbie from Europe we we will depart Chicago on thursday 17 March. I see on video's from "Agency" à-train that the CZ travels with winterconsist with coaches instead of sleepers rear. Will it change to "normal" (sleepers rear) before my traveldate?

Is roomette number 5 a smooth quiet room?

We are looking forward to a trip of a lifetime!

We travelled by Amtrak many, many years ago!

Thank very much!

 

[oregon pioneer]

Roomette #5 is one of my favorites, because it is farther from both the end doors and the slamming bathroom door. Can't say about smooth, but it is not over the trucks, so that is supposed to be good. Views may be on either side of the train, so be sure and head down to the Sightseer Lounge car for views out both sides.

I don't know when the "winter consist" ends, but I know there is usually still plenty of snow and cold in March, so I would expect the train would still be in winter mode.

Have a great trip, and let us know how it turns out!

 

[Thirdrail7]

Hallo ,

As a newbie from Europe we we will depart Chicago on thursday 17 March. I see on video's from "Agency" à-train that the CZ travels with winterconsist with coaches instead of sleepers rear. Will it change to "normal" (sleepers rear) before my traveldate?

However, the best way to tell will be after 15 FEB. Check back then.

 

[Tennessee Traveler]

I traveled the CZ January 13-15 Chicago to Emeryville. According to the sleeping car attendant the sleepers at the front was at the request of Amtrak maintenance placing the two sleepers following the transition sleeper. It was not pointed out to be a "winter consist". So only time will tell. Possibly when they add the third sleeper and additional coaches, they may return to the back of the train.

 

[PaulM]

I traveled the CZ January 13-15 Chicago to Emeryville. According to the sleeping car attendant the sleepers at the front was at the request of Amtrak maintenance placing the two sleepers following the transition sleeper. It was not pointed out to be a "winter consist". So only time will tell. Possibly when they add the third sleeper and additional coaches, they may return to the back of the train.

If I recall, the 3rd sleeper has been going all the way, not just east of Denver, for the last year or so. So, operationally, there would be no reason to move them to the back, as much as I would like them to.

 

[D.P. Roberts]

As far as I can tell, the California Zephyr usually switches from winter to summer consists in the middle of May. So, your trip should still be in the winter consist.

As others have said, Roomette #5 is one of the best. I think 5 and 6 are the best, but 3 and 4 are good too.

 

[KmH]

I boarded the #5 CZ last year on April 30 and the consist had the sleepers on the back of the train at that time.

If I remember correctly the consist was in that configuration for at least a couple of weeks before I boarded.

 

[shelzp]

For about the first ten trips I took on Amtrak I had Roomette 5 every single time which seemed amazing to me. By now I've been in plenty of other rooms and I think that 5 is the best as far as upstairs roomettes because it's in the middle of the car and very smooth. However at some point I was assigned a downstairs Roomette and found I like those because of how easy it is to get off at brief stops for some fresh air. Lately I've been taking bedrooms instead and that's messed up my guest rewards program points balance.

 

[Tennessee Traveler]

Location of sleepers is not based on season consist. I rode the CZ late January 2015 and the sleepers had already been returned to the back even though the Winter consist was still running without a baggage car or transition sleeper. In fact the Sightseer Lounge was first car right behind the locomotives followed by coaches, dining car, and sleepers. When I rode January 13 CZ this year 2016 train included baggage car and transition sleeper followed by sleepers, dining car, sightseer lounge and coaches. There were only two sleepers and two coaches. Rather than a seasonal consist, I think from viewing You Tube videos that Amtrak increases and decreases number of sleepers and coaches based on expected demand. As an example the CZ ran with three sleepers and three(sometimes four) coaches during the 2015-2016 holiday season. My conclusion: whether sleepers will be returned to end of the CZ will be determined by result of the actual experiment going on right now. Some Amtrak areas requested the current sleeper in front arrangement so currently CZ is abiding by that request.