Passenger Trains > "Then and Now" in the Namesake Town...

For many, many decades now, the former Chicago, Burlington & Quincy main line, today's BNSF Chicago Subdivision, known informally as the "Racetrack," has hosted a mid afternoon westbound passenger train out of Chicago, destined to California, by way of Denver. Here are two views of Amtrak's version of it, taken from very close to the same spot in Hinsdale IL, nearly 42 years apart.

1. Amtrak Train #5, "San Francisco Zephyr," 5-75
2. Amtrak Train #5, "California Zephyr," 4-17-17

Cheers,

aussiehinz



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/19/17 11:12 by aussiehinz.

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Minor nit pick. In 1975 the train was called the "San Francisco Zephyr." Because Rio Grande was still running the real one! The CZ name didn't begin until Rio Grande ended service between Denver and Salt Lake City.

andersonb109 Wrote:
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> Minor nit pick. In 1975 the train was called the
> "San Francisco Zephyr." Because Rio Grande was
> still running the real one! The CZ name didn't
> begin until Rio Grande ended service between
> Denver and Salt Lake City.


Yes, I rode the San Francisco Zephyr as a teenager in the mid-1970's between Osceola IA and Sacramento CA and Sacramento CA and Denver CO. I don't remember why I had to get on the train in Sacramento back then but my parents handled the drop off and pick up. It must be the SFZ didn't make stops in Davis CA, which was about 25 minutes or so west of the Sacramento station. Anyone know?

Cheers, Jim Fitch

andersonb109 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Minor nit pick. In 1975 the train was called the
> "San Francisco Zephyr." Because Rio Grande was
> still running the real one! The CZ name didn't
> begin until Rio Grande ended service between
> Denver and Salt Lake City.

Minor nit pick. It was the Rio Grande Zephyr, NOT the California Zephyr that was operated by the D&RGW. And it was only a shell of its former self: it wasn't a daily and there were no sleepers.

Regards,
Burlington John

cool shots! thanks!

burlingtonjohn Wrote:
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> andersonb109 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Minor nit pick. In 1975 the train was called
> the
> > "San Francisco Zephyr." Because Rio Grande was
> > still running the real one! The CZ name didn't
> > begin until Rio Grande ended service between
> > Denver and Salt Lake City.
>
> Minor nit pick. It was the Rio Grande Zephyr, NOT
> the California Zephyr that was operated by the
> D&RGW. And it was only a shell of its former self:
> it wasn't a daily and there were no sleepers.
>
> Regards,
> Burlington John
True, but the windows were made of glass, it had steam heat, a full diner and everything worked.

Right you are. I simply forgot.

Posted from iPhone

Would the 1975 train also included the Pioneer and Desert Wind sections?

Railrev Wrote:
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> Would the 1975 train also included the Pioneer and
> Desert Wind sections?

Not in 1975. The Pioneer began running in 1977 as a separate train and the Desert Wind was inaugurated in 1979. In 1981 they were combined into Amtrak trains 5 & 6.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/19/17 19:07 by RuleG.

Great comparison! Is it really 42 years...  :^(

Lance