Photos from Andy Fletcher's travels on the Amtrak California Zephyr trains 5 & 6
Arriving in Sacramento we see the historic Southern Pacific Locomotive Works from the Amtrak California Zephyr window.
Osceola, IA
Amtrak California Zephyr stations: Omaha, Lincoln. Hastings, Holdrege & McCook, Nebraska and Fort Morgan, Colorado are usually visited during the night & very early mornings.
Glenwood Springs Resort, Amtrak Station and Scenic Glenwood Canyon
Attending Amtrak Train Days in Denver in 2015
Passing the sister Amtrak California Zephyr #6 train heading to Chicago.
Views from the Amtrak California Zephyr as the train approaches Grand Junction, Colorado.
I was honored to visit with Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper and Amtrak CEO & President Joseph Boardman in Denver, Colorado in October 2015.
The Amtrak California Zephyr stops in Elko, Winnemucca & Reno, Nevada.
Marty makes sure your fun level on the California Zephyr is on Max!
Visiting with Ronald Rocha, artist and fellow Amtrak fan and regular rider from San Antonio, TX.
Chicago Union Station Great Hall Stairway
Amtrak California Zephyr stations: Mount Pleasant, Ottumwa, Osceola & Creston. Crossing the Mississippi at sunset.
On the Amtrak California Zephyr we pass through the Moffat Tunnel, named for railroad pioneer David Moffat. The tunnel takes 10 minutes to pass through in complete darkness. Shortly after leaving the tunnel we arrive in Colorado's Ski Resort, Fraser/Winter Park.
Lounge car attendants make sure you have a great time and great snacks and drinks in the Sightseer Lounge.
Great to railfan the Burlington Junction ASLRRA short line in Burlington, IA
John Busbee, Amtrak California Zephyr's, On Board Services Manager and Conductors for the California Zephyr.
Denver Union Station
Meeting a fellow railfan, Eric Miller, while traveling across Utah.
Coors Field, viewed from the Amtrak California Zephyr
A novella by Andy Fletcher
Galesburg's Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Steam engine and heavy weight passenger train cars.
The Amtrak California Sightseer Lounge gives you almost a 360 degree views of the beautiful American West.
Be sure to stretch your legs and visit Dave's Depot during the Amtrak California Zephyr stop in Grand Junction, Colorado.
Crossing the Mississippi River on the Amtrak California Zephyr.
Meeting Amtrak Board Member Tom Carper at Galesburg, IL Amtrak Train Days 2015
Eating in the Amtrak diner means, great food, amazing views of America and getting to meet new friends.
The California Railroad Museum adjacent to the Sacramento Amtrak Station preserves railroad history. Among their great collection of railroad equipment is a Southern Pacific cab forward engine. The museums docents provide tours of the cab.
It is always a party in the lounge with the conductor pointing out sights and landmarks. The brick building out the window was a diner in movie, "Thelma & Louise".
From the window of the Amtrak California Zephyr we see the Union Pacific JR Davis Yard in Roseville, California
Making sure your meals in the Amtrak diner are always the best, the Diner manager and chef.
Arriving in Galesburg, IL Amtrak Train Station
Metra Train departing Chicago Union Station
Creston, IA
Chicago Union Station Amtrak System Map
Night view of Denver Union Station
Click the California Zephyr train image to download "California Zephyr" by Andy Fletcher
The Galesburg, IL Amtrak Station serves two of Amtrak's long distance trains. The California Zephyr and the Southwest Chief. Here a group of boy scouts is preparing to board the Southwest Chief for camp near Raton, New Mexico.
Having lunch in the diner, nothing could be finer than a lunch on the California Zephyr that brings back great memories!
California Zephyr
Reno, NV is a crew change city for Amtrak engineers and conductors.
Ottumwa, IA
While traveling on Amtrak trains I give away and send postcards to share the history of America's Railway Post Office cars. Galesburg, IL has a historic RPO car.
Denver's Union Station platform.
Dave's Depot in Grand Junction has the greatest snacks & postcards. The ice cream is my favorite!
Amtrak City Sprinters and Chargers are built at the Siemens USA Locomotive Facility in Sacramento. Pictured here is Joseph H. Boardman, past President & CEO of Amtrak, taking delivery of the of City Sprinter #670 in June of 2016.
Dedication
California Zephyr is dedicated to my great friend, former Amtrak President and, CEO Joseph Boardman 2008-2016, and to the many men and women of Amtrak that keep our trains moving safely and on time across our nation.
Joseph Boardman took the time to listen to the men and women of Amtrak and to Amtrak’s passengers. Employee morale rose during Boardman’s administration. Ridership was on the rise as customer satisfaction caused passengers to return to America’s Railroad.
Joseph Boardman was a leader who could get the job done. Amtrak achieved great levels of safety during Boardman’s administration. During his administration, Amtrak acquired new rolling stock and City Sprinter locomotives.
Joseph Boardman, himself a Vietnam Air Force Veteran, set the bar by insisting that by 2015, 25% of Amtrak’s workforce be veterans.
Thank you, Joseph Boardman and to everyone at Amtrak.
The Amtrak Sightseer Lounge car is a great place to meet fellow travelers, read, play cards, read, knit and enjoy the be beauty of America you can see best from a train.
Departing Sacramento we cross the Sacramento River on the Union Pacific Railroad bridge. The Union Pacific Railroad maintains the tracks and the infrastructure that the Amtrak California Zephyr travels on from Denver to Emeryville.
A wrapped car advertising San Francisco's cable cars and the Golden Gate Bridge is on the train.
View from the Amtrak California Zephyr
Union Pacific Maintenance of Way Facility
Denver, Colorado
The Amtrak California Zephyr stops in Truckee, Colfax, Roseville, Sacramento, Davis, Martinez, Richmond & Emeryville with connection to San Francisco and other California cities on Amtrak California .
Granby Amtrak Station
Chicago Union Station Walkway to Great Hall
Conductors and crew members you make sure you have a save and enjoyable trip.
Denver's new Light rail & regional transit trains can connect travelers to the airport and outlying cities.
The Amtrak California Zephyr climbs the Rockies and follows the Colorado River. We can see our train in the curves.
View of the Colorado River and the locks on the near Glenwood Springs.
Naperville Metra and Amtrak Station
Mt. Pleasant, IA
Galesburg Railroad Days 2015 and participating in Amtrak Train Days 2015
Amtrak Train Days 2015 Chicago Union Station
I was honored to meet Denver Mayor Michael Hancock at Amtrak Train Days October, 2015.
View from the Amtrak California Zephyr BNSF Yard Denver, Colorado
Please share the book "California Zephyr," as it is a free book to promote railroading and travel aboard Amtrak. We would appreciate your comments about the book
Chicago Union Station benches
Denver downtown revitalization project: The Denver Union Stock Yards. National Western Stock Show is a beloved Denver institution.
Fraser Mercantile Company & Elizabeth Kurtak Art Gallery Fraser/Winter Park, Colorado
Passing through Galesburg in 2016 I got a chance to wave at fellow railfan John.
The Amtrak California Zephyr follows the South Fork of the Yuba River as we travel down the Sierras into the foothills of the Sacramento Valley. We get a glimpse of our train in the curves and I enjoy a final cup of Amtrak coffee.
My favorite breakfast in the Amtrak California Zephyr diner, Railroad French Toast, just the name makes it better.
As we pause in West Burlington, IA, I view the famous West Burlington shops of the Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy Railroad. This is a famous landmark for railfans.
Shortly after leaving Denver, heading west on the Amtrak California Zephyr you can spot a BNSF train on the Union Pacific tracks know as the Big Ten Curve.
Sights to see departing Chicago Union Station AAPRCO historic rail passenger cars, Metra trains, Amtrak long distance trains, Amtrak Locomotive Shop.
I never leave Chicago Union Station without my "NUTS ON CLARK" popcorn.
Amtrak's Colfax Station
Back home in Davis, California I carrying my Nuts on Clark carmel popcorn bag. The bag will soon contain more of my pens for future drawings on Amtrak trips. Giving a wave to Marty in the Sightseer Lounge car until we see each other again. The Davis Amtrak Station serves the California Zephyr, The Coast Starlight and the Amtrak California Capitol Corridor trains.
Galesburg is a historic railroad city. It served CB&Q, BN & Santa Fe Railroads before becoming today's BNSF Railroad city. BNSF brings in equipment for railfans to visit and see during Galesburg Railroad Days. I was able to get a cab tour of a new BNSF ES44C4 like I had seen built at the General Electric Fort Worth Facility in October 2014.
Helper, Utah
The California Zephyr stops in Green River, Helper, Provo and Salt Lake City, Utah.
Sitting in the Davis Amtrak Station built in 1913, always ready to see the beauty of America on an Amtrak train.
The camera does not do justice to the sunsets and sunrises you see on an Amtrak train. I recommend you see for the beauty of America from an Amtrak train.
The jewel of the California Sierra Nevadas is Donner Lake. This photo of the lake taken from the Amtrak California Zephyr Sightseer Lounge car.
More photos and videos will be uploaded soon.
Inside Denver Union Station
Amtrak Trains Days 2015 Denver Union Station Denver, Colorado
The Amtrak California Zephyr in Grand Junction, Colorado. It is always great to see an Amtrak engine I have drawn pulling the train.
Grand Junction, Colorado Amtrak Station
Meeting Amtrak friends, Brian, Brett and David at Amtrak Train Days 2015 Chicago Union Station