We looked at taking the Rocky Mountaineer and decided that for the price of a 2 day journey (cheapest trip), we could take Amtrak sleepers in (high priced) June from the east to Grand Junction (GJT), pay for a rental car and 10 days of hotels in GJ, Moab and in between. We go this June.
From Denver the tracks flirt (parallel) with I70 and the Colorado river crossing the continental divide
From Glenwood Springs the tracks parallel I70 to the Junction of Highway 191
at Crescent Junction (west of Thompson Springs) then parallel that Hy 191 to the Junction of 279 at that point there is
an Uranium Mining siding that looks to be the staging place at the end of the line for turning the train around for the trip back.
The tracks do go on thru a tunnel to that Potash facility as posted by jis.
Google Map LINK
Blow it up Zoom it In and Out to follow the tracks - - - - - You will really need to ZOOOM it in to see the tracks and when the
tracks disappear voila a tunnel find out where it comes out on the other end - fun !
https://www.google.com/maps/@39.2012185,-107.2814676,263717m/data=!3m1!1e3
I could now afford ten days in western Colorado and eastern Utah instead of two.But, you don't get to ride the rail to Moab...
Was. We cancelled it until such time as Amtrak actually implements the dining we expect at the prices they charge.that is actually a great choice
A roomette on the Zephyr between where and where? If it was Chicago to Emeryville, that's a 3 day trip. And on the Rocky Mountaineer, you sleep in a hotel (and have dinner in a regular restaurant). Two completely different products. You should be comparing prices with other tourist train excursions, not a common carrier that goes from one place to the other.The price isn’t too crazy.
$1100 for a 2-day train trip, meals included.
I’m seeing about the same price ($1044) for a roomette on the zephyr this summer.
You should be comparing prices with other tourist train excursions, not a common carrier that goes from one place to the other.
I'd still rather ride the Canadisn or the Zephyr than that Rich persons Land Cruise.Not same oranges apples bananas pears and apricots - - -
Zephyr -
all day/night trip -
sleeping eating lounging all in the same train car -
checked baggage service ? no portage -
train travels at track speed between points -
travels at night -
questionable class of service
R M -
daylight trip -
lounging viewing and *some meals on the train -
* evening dinners not on train -
sleeping separate hotel accommodations -
complete baggage service hotel to hotel each night
leisure pace speed w/narration -
all First Class service w/ comp beverages and liquor
I'd still rather ride the Canadisn or the Zephyr than that Rich persons Land Cruise.
You sound like UK Bob when he's telling us we shouldn't compare the cost of planes and trains but it's all coming out of the same budget anyway so who cares?You should be comparing prices with other tourist train excursions, not a common carrier that goes from one place to the other.
Well, some people seem to give the impression that they'll never ride Amtrak because the food service has been downgraded and the fares are too high, but they're interested in this tour, which might serve better food, but won't give you the full long-distance train experience. My preference would be to ride Amtrak to Denver or maybe Grand Junction, getting the full long-distance train ride experience, even if the food isn't so hot, and then rent a car and drive around Colorado and Utah, staying at motels, eating at local restaurants, and seeing the sights. I did plan such a tour and found that doing it myself would be cheaper than organized group tours.You sound like UK Bob when he's telling us we shouldn't compare the cost of planes and trains but it's all coming out of the same budget anyway so who cares?
You stole that idea from me. That's exactly the trip I planned but cancelled due to flex meal extension. I plan to do it later this year. Two weeks total including Cardinal to/from Chicago and Zephyr to/from Grand Junction. Rental car and hotels.Well, some people seem to give the impression that they'll never ride Amtrak because the food service has been downgraded and the fares are too high, but they're interested in this tour, which might serve better food, but won't give you the full long-distance train experience. My preference would be to ride Amtrak to Denver or maybe Grand Junction, getting the full long-distance train ride experience, even if the food isn't so hot, and then rent a car and drive around Colorado and Utah, staying at motels, eating at local restaurants, and seeing the sights. I did plan such a tour and found that doing it myself would be cheaper than organized group tours.
Anyway part of the fun of the "long-distance train ride experience" is that things might not always go according to plan, which makes each ride a bit of an adventure.
Well, some people seem to give the impression that they'll never ride Amtrak because the food service has been downgraded and the fares are too high, but they're interested in this tour, which might serve better food, but won't give you the full long-distance train experience.
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