CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR: 32 Hours on a Train and I Loved Every Minute

I’ll be honest: I had no idea what to expect from a 32-hour train ride, but I didn’t expect to enjoy my time on the California Zephyr as much as I did. I don’t know if any other ride will be able to live up to it. But let’s back up.

After my packing my bags early morning in the hostel’s reading room so as not to disturb the other travelers, I hefted everything and ran to catch a bus to Union Station for my very first train ride–and the longest in duration. [*Side note: I am doing ALL the running and walking these days.] I arrived with just enough time to check my travel backpack and grab breakfast.

The train was running late, so I took my time and sat on one of the station’s fancy, plush sofas to eat my breakfast sammie, glancing over at the hard-backed benches filled with fellow Amtrak passengers every so often.

Y’ALL. Tell me why I looked over at one point, and those benches were EMPTY. ALL OF THEM. I grabbed my trainpack and sprinted out to the tracks to see everyone all lined up. I was literally one of the last of people in line–there might have been only three more behind me!

Needless to say, I made it onto the train but was dismayed to see I had a seatmate (despite being fully vaccinated since March, I’m still high-risk). As soon as I started talking to him though, I found out he was cool people and learned he’d been on the California Zephyr since its beginnings in Chicago twenty hours earlier!

Memorable Moments

Going through the Moffat Tunnel. 9 minutes and 40 seconds of darkness as the California Zephyr crosses the Continental Divide! They request people sit tight and don’t go between cars because of the diesel smell which can make it hard to breathe. If you get on the train in Denver, it’s near the start of the journey.

Being mooned NINE times by “moonies” or “river raptors!” Kayakers/rafters/paddlers like to pull down their swimsuit bottoms, bend over, and enthusiastically smack their asses when the train goes by. The conductor’s official announcement went something like this: “As we go by Ruby Canyon and Moon River, you might get mooned…just gonna leave that as a warning or opportunity. Just please don’t moon them back.”

The conductor borrowing someone’s guitar in the sightseer car. He and another passenger led a sing-along of “Take Me Home, Country Roads” in which no one knew the words except for the chorus (pretty par for the course).

Trying to sleep through the night (hard enough on a train in coach) with a man making very interesting, loud inquiries to Google such as, “Google, find a man on the train named Frank.” Also, twice he tried calling Amtrak with a “conductor complaint” which was a little awkward for all of us.

Waking up in Nevada and racing through the train to the sightseer car to chase the tail end of the sunrise.

The woman passing out M&M chocolate chip cookies to the last handful of us in the sightseer car who made it all the way to the very last stop, Emeryville.

People I Met

Someone asked me if people were social on the train…GOOD GOD, YES. If you’re in the sightseer car, you’re probably going to end up sharing your life story a couple of times and making a couple new friends. At one point I ended up sitting next to a kid in a Duke sweatshirt while I was in my UNC t-shirt, ended up telling his mom and grandparents about my trip, and learning the grandparents met at the Farmer’s Market in Los Angeles–one of the stops on my iconic LA tour. Small world! Back in the coach cars, it’s A LOT quieter since people tend to be sleeping or chilling with tablets. Anyway, I did meet some very interesting characters.

• My seatmate, Luiz! Probably the best seatmate I could have asked for! A Seattle software engineer originally from Brazil, Luiz and I spent hours talking about the train, food, travels, and our mutual interest in Spanish Netflix dramas. We spent a ton of time in the sightseer car watching the scenery go by.
• An elementary school science teacher who also bought a rail pass and is doing a trip similar to mine. She, Luiz, and I hung out a bunch. (I actually heard a few other teachers on board talking about their rail passes too. Looks like we all had the same great idea for summer break.)
• The lounge attendant who announced his every break. He had a dry wit and was hilarious.
• A dad who brought his newly-turned seven-year-old daughter on a birthday trip to make memories. I saw him all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed in the morning in the sightseer car soon after the ride began…and then I saw him barely able to remain upright that evening after downing two beers, haha.
• An older man who took the same ride in January, but apparently took a THC gummy and felt like the train was floating the whole time. I’d also like it to be known he was one of three behind me in line when we embarked, lol.

Tips

I’m thinking about doing a whole post on train life with some FAQs when my trip is all said and done. For now, these are my tips just from my time on the California Zephyr.

• Just enjoy the ride. I came on the train with a to-do list, laptop, and Kindle filled with books but I spent the overwhelming majority of my waking hours in the sightseer car being mesmerized by the views. I didn’t even need music. Also, they say the train has wi-fi but nope. And for a good portion of the time, you won’t even have cell service so hot spots won’t do you any good.

• If you’re riding coach, bring a blanket AND pillow. It’s hard to sleep on the train and those little creature comforts help a lot! I’d also recommend some fuzzy socks and a sweatshirt or long-sleeved shirt if you’re cold-natured like me.
• Bring snacks! Train food isn’t that great and it’s expensive—especially if you’re in coach. If you have a room or roomette, it might be a different story. It’s basically snacks and microwaved hot dogs, cups of noodles, or burgers (and no fries–just chips)! With the amount of luggage you’re allowed to bring, there’s no reason NOT to bring a back of snacks. Here’s everything I brought.

• Take advantage of the Grand Junction stop in Colorado! It’s the longest one you’ll have (10-15 minutes) on the California Zephyr, and it’s a convenience store with deli sandwiches, salads, fresh fruit, snacks, and drinks and it’s all super reasonably priced. Be sure to get a Palisades peach (dare I say, they rival Georgia’s). I got everything in the picture for $11.15. HUGE NOTE: Be one of the first off the train and run for it if you can! Greedy Gretchens will grab two or three sandwiches or salads and it feels like the entire train gets in line. THE TRAIN WILL LEAVE YOU so keep an eye out. Luckily, the cashiers know what’s up and have fast hands.

Overall Thoughts

I was surprised at how varied the landscapes were–especially Utah. I keep picking on Utah by referring to it as an alien planet, but I’ve never seen anything like it before. Those rounded rocks are just a little bit eerie and sinister-seeming for some reason. Also, they just plant random hotels and gas stations in the middle of nowhere like a damn Sims game. I guess the upside is, like Luiz pointed out, “In any room, you get a view.”

Not only would I go on the California Zephyr again, but I’d love to do it during wintertime. It’s an amazing way to see the country and many of the spots we saw were only reachable/visible from the train. I’d love to fly through the snowy mountains with skiers whizzing along next to the train. I wonder if they moon you too. 😉

Songs Added to the Playlist

The playlist grows slowly but surely! You can listen to the whole thing here.

• “She Lit a Fire” – Lord Huron: These guys make dreamy, wild, and rugged music that makes me want to strap on a backpack and hiking boots, head into the woods with a walking stick, and explore.
• “Ends of the Earth” – Lord Huron
• “Wonderful” – Gary Go: A really anthemic, majestic song that always makes me feel so small in the world (even though that’s the opposite of its meaning, haha). Perfect for the Zephyr.
• “Boardwalks – Little May
• “Break Me Out” – The Rescues: Very apropos song after making out of The Rockies and trees into the wide open landscapes.
• “Soulshaper” – Juke Kartel: This is a song I’d play after touching down on an alien planet and didn’t know what the hell was going on. Looking at you, Utah!
• “Get Lucky” – Daft Punk, Pharrell, Nile Rodgers: Utah is an alien planet…Daft Punk is an alien band.
• “Human Right” – The Strike: Gives me the same “Get Lucky” vibes. I think it’s the funky bass line.
• “The Strangest Dream” – The Strike

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As I mentioned earlier, I think I’ll do a post just about train life. Is there anything you specific you want to know about riding the train?