Passenger Trains > On Time California Zephyr, Train #5

BNSF 8540, SD70ACe, held the Pinecliffe Siding, CO, for Amtrak 164, Phase IV, and 69, Phase VII, on the California Zephyr, train #5, on Union Pacific's Moffat Tunnel Subdivision Friday, 6 February 2026.  Amtrak's California Zephyr have been running on time and sometimes early at the Colorado station stops.

NO sound video.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/08/26 17:55 by cozephyr.

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Nice video!  Seems like Amtrak could come up with 3 coaches for this popular train.

texchief1

Only 7 cars??!!

texchief1 Wrote:
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> Nice video!  Seems like Amtrak could come up with
> 3 coaches for this popular train.
>
> texchief1

At LEAST three coaches are needed year-round. And a THIRD sleeper is needed most of the year. 

I wonder why no baggage car on this run?

Tom Loftus
Omaha, NE

OmahaTom Wrote:
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> I wonder why no baggage car on this run?

With the demise of Amtrak Express it is questionable whether any of the Superliner trains with a regular coach baggage assigned (Seattle Empire Builder is the only exception I can think of) need the capacity of a baggage car.

Posted from iPhone

The new equipment designs do not call for a "full baggage car." 

I like to see that Amtrak engine smoking a bit and laboring or departing uphill I presume?
Congrats on VOD!

Posted from Android

Jim Baker
Riverside, CA

RailRat Wrote:
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> I like to see that Amtrak engine smoking a bit and
> laboring or departing uphill I presume?
> Congrats on VOD!
>
> Posted from Android

Any P42/P40 that smokes too much is in need for maintenance. Hard stop. And it's not Beech Grove mechanical fault. Someone in Amtrak has to priortize the locomotive for "maintenance" and then someone else needs to make sure the Beech Grove shops have the allocated money to get the job done. 

jp1822 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> RailRat Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I like to see that Amtrak engine smoking a bit
> and
> > laboring or departing uphill I presume?
> > Congrats on VOD!
> >
> > Posted from Android
>
> Any P42/P40 that smokes too much is in need for
> maintenance. Hard stop. And it's not Beech Grove
> mechanical fault. Someone in Amtrak has to
> priortize the locomotive for "maintenance" and
> then someone else needs to make sure the Beech
> Grove shops have the allocated money to get the
> job done. 

The westbound Zephyr in this video is pulling a 2% grade at 8000 feet elevation and increasing speed into a 45 MPH zone.  The throttle is in Run 8 so some smoke is inevitable for anything but a new locomotive.  BSB

First time I have seen ANY track where the left rail was jointed at 39-foot intevals and the right rail was continuously welded.

Hakk