Alternative Amtrak journeys

We will be in the USA next year from late May to early July - tourists from
Australia - and have a choice (to fit available time etc).

#1. Amtrak from Los Angeles to San Antonio (Sunset Limited) - late May.

#2. Amtrak from Denver to Sacremento (California Zephyr) - early July.

Which would you recommend (please ignore if you don't like Amtrak - we like
trains - just which to know which of the above is the better in your
opinion!)?

Thanks.

On Oct 17, 3:35*am, " A Mate" wrote:
We will be in the USA next year from late May to early July - tourists from
Australia - and have a choice (to fit available time etc).

#1. Amtrak from Los Angeles to San Antonio (Sunset Limited) - late May.

#2. Amtrak from Denver to Sacremento (California Zephyr) - early July.

Which would you recommend (please ignore if you don't like Amtrak - we like
trains - just which to know which of the above is the better in your
opinion!)?

Thanks.

#2 no question, if not purely for the historical interest. If you are
looking for reading material before your trip, try "Nothing Like It in
the World" by Stephen Ambrose.

(A*Mate) wrote:

We will be in the USA next year from
late May to early July - tourists from
Australia - and have a choice (to fit
available time etc).

#1. Amtrak from Los Angeles to San
Antonio (Sunset Limited) - late May.

#2. Amtrak from Denver to Sacremento
(California Zephyr) - early July.

Which would you recommend (please
ignore if you don't like Amtrak - we like
trains - just which to know which of the
above is the better in your opinion!)?

Thanks.

I'd recommend the California Zephyr--much better scenery, crossing both
the Rockies (day 1) and the Sierras (day 2) by daylight. Also, this
would give you a bit more flexibility in scheduling, since the CZ is
daily, while the Sunset only runs three days a week.

Alan Follett

On Sat, 17 Oct 2009 09:41:07 -0700, (Alan
Follett) wrote:

(A*Mate) wrote:

We will be in the USA next year from
late May to early July - tourists from
Australia - and have a choice (to fit
available time etc).

#1. Amtrak from Los Angeles to San
Antonio (Sunset Limited) - late May.

#2. Amtrak from Denver to Sacremento
(California Zephyr) - early July.

Which would you recommend (please
ignore if you don't like Amtrak - we like
trains - just which to know which of the
above is the better in your opinion!)?

Thanks.

I'd recommend the California Zephyr--much better scenery, crossing both
the Rockies (day 1) and the Sierras (day 2) by daylight. Also, this
would give you a bit more flexibility in scheduling, since the CZ is
daily, while the Sunset only runs three days a week.

The Sunset habitually runs rather far behind schedule, as well

--
************* DAVE HATUNEN ) *************
* Tucson Arizona, out where the cacti grow *
* My typos & mispellings are intentional copyright traps *

#1. Amtrak from Los Angeles to San Antonio (Sunset Limited) - late May.
#2. Amtrak from Denver to Sacremento (California Zephyr) - early July.

I haven't done #1, but #2 is definitely more scenic than the three
other Amtrak routes I've taken through the Rockies, so it's the one
I'd recommend. You should book early for this one, particularly if
you want sleeping-car accommodation.

If they haven't changed since the last time I used one of these trains,
the sleeping cars each have:

* 5 "bedrooms" (formerly called "deluxe bedrooms"), comfortable for
two people and with a toilet and a small shower, on the upper deck
of the car. These occupy most of the width of the car with just a
on the other side.

* About 14 "roommettes" (formerly called "economy bedrooms'),
compartments on one side of the central aisle with a single seat
facing forward and one facing backward, converted to beds at night.
These are comfortable for one person and, ah, *a bit cozy* for two.
I think 9 of these are on the upper deck of the car and 5 on the lower.
They have no plumbing; I think the cars have one toilet on the upper
deck and several more on the lower deck.

* On the lower deck of the car, one "family bedroom" and one
handicapped-accessible bedroom. I don't know about these in detail.

There is coach seating too, if you want to sit up all night.
Individual seats are not reserved.

I always want to be on the upper deck, as you can see out better.
You enter the train from the lower deck but you walk between cars
on the upper deck. If you have a sleeping car room, you will probably
spend much of the daytime in the upper deck of the lounge car, with
high windows for viewing the scenery.

Be prepared for the possibility that the train will run substantially
late no matter which route you take.
--
Mark Brader, Toronto | A driver I know is getting uncomfortably close to
| earning the nickname "Crash". --Lee Ayrton

My text in this article is in the public domain.

"PeterL" wrote in message
...
On Oct 17, 3:35 am, " A Mate" wrote:
We will be in the USA next year from late May to early July - tourists
from
Australia - and have a choice (to fit available time etc).

#1. Amtrak from Los Angeles to San Antonio (Sunset Limited) - late May.

#2. Amtrak from Denver to Sacremento (California Zephyr) - early July.

Which would you recommend (please ignore if you don't like Amtrak - we
like
trains - just which to know which of the above is the better in your
opinion!)?

Thanks.


Having read a lot about them previously: California Zephyr. It's on my list
of 'things-to-do'.
http://www.vacationsbyrail.com/usa/a...hyr/index.html

I had read that the SCENIC part is Denver to Salt Lake City, so that's all
I planned to do. Perhaps consider going to Emeryville ?
http://www.hemispheresmagazine.com/2...san-francisco/

Which side to sit on ? Check out http://www.trainweb.com/routes/route_5.htm
for the answer, as well as a slide show, stop-by-stop info etc.

one mo
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractio...alifornia.html

"- Bobb -" wrote in message
...

"PeterL" wrote in message
...
On Oct 17, 3:35 am, " A Mate" wrote:
We will be in the USA next year from late May to early July - tourists
from
Australia - and have a choice (to fit available time etc).

#1. Amtrak from Los Angeles to San Antonio (Sunset Limited) - late May.

#2. Amtrak from Denver to Sacremento (California Zephyr) - early July.

Which would you recommend (please ignore if you don't like Amtrak - we
like
trains - just which to know which of the above is the better in your
opinion!)?

Thanks.


Having read a lot about them previously: California Zephyr. It's on my
list of 'things-to-do'.
http://www.vacationsbyrail.com/usa/a...hyr/index.html

I had read that the SCENIC part is Denver to Salt Lake City, so that's all
I planned to do. Perhaps consider going to Emeryville ?
http://www.hemispheresmagazine.com/2...san-francisco/

Which side to sit on ? Check out
http://www.trainweb.com/routes/route_5.htm
for the answer, as well as a slide show, stop-by-stop info etc.

Many thanks to all. The Denver to Sacramento trip wins by acclamation. I'll
book it right now.




"Mark Brader" wrote in message
...
#1. Amtrak from Los Angeles to San Antonio (Sunset Limited) - late May.
#2. Amtrak from Denver to Sacremento (California Zephyr) - early July.

I haven't done #1, but #2 is definitely more scenic than the three
other Amtrak routes I've taken through the Rockies, so it's the one
I'd recommend. You should book early for this one, particularly if
you want sleeping-car accommodation.

If they haven't changed since the last time I used one of these trains,
the sleeping cars each have:

* 5 "bedrooms" (formerly called "deluxe bedrooms"), comfortable for
two people and with a toilet and a small shower, on the upper deck
of the car. These occupy most of the width of the car with just a
on the other side.

* About 14 "roommettes" (formerly called "economy bedrooms'),
compartments on one side of the central aisle with a single seat
facing forward and one facing backward, converted to beds at night.
These are comfortable for one person and, ah, *a bit cozy* for two.
I think 9 of these are on the upper deck of the car and 5 on the lower.
They have no plumbing; I think the cars have one toilet on the upper
deck and several more on the lower deck.

* On the lower deck of the car, one "family bedroom" and one
handicapped-accessible bedroom. I don't know about these in detail.

There is coach seating too, if you want to sit up all night.
Individual seats are not reserved.

I always want to be on the upper deck, as you can see out better.
You enter the train from the lower deck but you walk between cars
on the upper deck. If you have a sleeping car room, you will probably
spend much of the daytime in the upper deck of the lounge car, with
high windows for viewing the scenery.

Be prepared for the possibility that the train will run substantially
late no matter which route you take.
--
Mark Brader, Toronto | A driver I know is getting uncomfortably close to
| earning the nickname "Crash". --Lee Ayrton

My text in this article is in the public domain.

On Sun, 18 Oct 2009 09:52:27 +1000, " A Mate"
wrote:

Many thanks to all. The Denver to Sacramento trip wins by acclamation. I'll
book it right now.

Close by the Sacramento railway station is the California State
Railway Museum, definitely worth a visit, as is the adjoining Old
Sacramento.

http://www.csrmf.org/
http://www.oldsacramento.com/

--
************* DAVE HATUNEN ) *************
* Tucson Arizona, out where the cacti grow *
* My typos & mispellings are intentional copyright traps *

Yeah! Thanks Dave - we haven't been to the Railway Museum since the early
1980's (took our children - now themselves parents) - in fact haven't been
to Sacramento since then. Looking forward ro renewing our experience.




"Hatunen" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 18 Oct 2009 09:52:27 +1000, " A Mate"
wrote:

Many thanks to all. The Denver to Sacramento trip wins by acclamation.
I'll
book it right now.

Close by the Sacramento railway station is the California State
Railway Museum, definitely worth a visit, as is the adjoining Old
Sacramento.

http://www.csrmf.org/
http://www.oldsacramento.com/

--
************* DAVE HATUNEN ) *************
* Tucson Arizona, out where the cacti grow *
* My typos & mispellings are intentional copyright traps *