Passenger Trains > CZ Sleeper upgrade & route info

I'll be taking the CZ EB from Sacto to Chicago in April. I have taken the CZ in both incarnations (and the SFZ for that matter, and the City).

Does Amtrak still call you up x amount of weeks before hand and offer an upgrade to sleeper (from coach) at a reduced rate (during slower times)? is April a slower month?

Are there specific route books (I think Altamont Press used to put one out) for the routes? Any preferences? Recommendations? I know the route itself fairly well, but the ones I am referring to had mile posts, speed limits, facilities (that might have changed) etc.

Thanks in advance!

While I received such a call from Amtrak several years ago when I was booked in coach on #5 from Denver to Emeryville, it hasn't happened to me in several years, even when I expected that there were vacancies in the sleepers.

Regarding route books, the Altamont Press California timetable covers the route as far east as Sparks, Nevada. East of Sparks, the Altamont Press Rocky Mountain Timetable covers the route to the Colorado/Nebraska Line.

For a very detailed trip guide, I would suggest the three book set by Eva J. Hoffman -- A Guidebook to Amtrak's California Zephyr: Salt Lake City to San Francisco, Denver to Salt Lale City, and Chicago to Denver. Publisher is Flashing Yellow Guidebooks, Pub Place, Evergreen Co, 80437. The author is an environmental engineer for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Don't know if these books are sold at the California State RR Museum bookstore in Sacramento, but they are available at the Grand Junction, Colorado Amtrak station bookstore, and at the train museum inside the Glenwood Springs, Colorado station.

I picked up a route guide for the California Zephyr at Grand Junction. It was a two set volume. Course this kinda defeats the purpose if you have to wait all the way to the station stop of Grand Junction to get a route guide. Grand Junction is similiar to the Albuquerque stop for the Southwest Chief - service stop where one can get off the train to shop at a local store and produce stand.

They also may have this two volume book for sale at Denver Union Station. It sounds like a lot of reading, but its not, it's just a paper bound book. If interested I can try to find it and see if I have an address of how you can obtain the book ahead of time. Send me a private message if interested.

Thanks for the information - about what I had thought. I wonder if they offer better deals on sleeper upgrades when you call in still. Worth checking, I suppose. Thanks Again!

I wouldn't count necessarily on a call from Amtrak. If the sleeper space is pretty much sold out in advance, doubt they would call. Amtrak's kinda trying to get all the revenue they can. If you want the guarantee of a sleeper, I would just book it. I've always travelled in sleeper class on the long distance, as its luck of the draw if sleeper space is available or if a call is even made. Good Luck!