Westbound Zephyr consist numbering

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wdscott

Train Attendant
Joined
Jul 6, 2015
Messages
72
Location
San Diego, CA
For this coming June I’ve put my mom & stepdad on train 5 in a rather elaborate scheme of getting to my home in The Diego.

My mom has asked how far their room will be from the diner. I gave her a generic answer of “one or two cars away” as I’ve understood some trains have a car 30 and some do not. I’ve not been on the CZ myself.

They will be in car 0531. How many cars from the diner will they be?

She also told me the room number. I’ll spare you all that gory detail and explain to her about Superliner room numbers and car orientation.

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Specifically the consist is engines, baggage, transition dorm, coaches, sightseer lounge, dining car, Sleeper 531, sleepers 532 and sometimes 533. This is the summertime consist which usually begins around Memorial Day. Until then the Winter/Spring consist is the engines, baggage, transition dorm, sleepers 533 and 532. Sleeper 531. dining car, sightseer lounge, and coaches. In either consist order the Sleeper 531 is always next to the dining car.
 
@Tennessee Traveler: That was very useful information. Thanks! By the way, is that published information (Amtrak System Timetable?) or just something you happen to know?
 
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For this coming June I’ve put my mom & stepdad on train 5 in a rather elaborate scheme of getting to my home in The Diego.
If you have booked a roomette for them, you might want to warn them of the coziness. Also, if they are taking the California Zephyr to get to San Diego, there is more to it than you have mentioned. I expect you're aware of that, but if not, it's better to find out sooner than later.

There is no "30" car on the CZ. They will enter the diner from their car. Roomettes 11-14 are downstairs. All the others are upstairs.
All the other roomettes, yes. Rooms 15 and H are also downstairs.
 
For this coming June I’ve put my mom & stepdad on train 5 in a rather elaborate scheme of getting to my home in The Diego.
If you have booked a roomette for them, you might want to warn them of the coziness. Also, if they are taking the California Zephyr to get to San Diego, there is more to it than you have mentioned. I expect you're aware of that, but if not, it's better to find out sooner than later.

There is no "30" car on the CZ. They will enter the diner from their car. Roomettes 11-14 are downstairs. All the others are upstairs.
All the other roomettes, yes. Rooms 15 and H are also downstairs.
They will be in a bedroom from Chicago to Sacramento. Next day in coach or business on the Coast Starlight to San Luis Obispo. Next day some combo of coach/business and Starlight/Surfliner to the Coaster station nearest my house. Did I call this “elaborate” or something like that in the original post? [emoji6]

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On the CS, I suggest taking a look at a roomette as I have gotten one for $120 before and by the time you include meals, it may be worth the investment.

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@Tennessee Traveler: That was very useful information. Thanks! By the way, is that published information (Amtrak System Timetable?) or just something you happen to know?
Woodcut60, it is really just something I know from riding the Zephyr two or three times each year for several years now plus it has been discussed here on this forum several times. At one time there was a topic that listed the consists with car numbers for all the LD trains but that has not been updated in several years. Also I watch the trains leaving Chicago on the MH Cam on Railstreams - a site I pay for with cams all over USA and Canada. In fact, I rode the Zephyr in February westbound and will ride eastbound in April.
 
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