Long Ways From Chicago

[ckcarr]

The California Zephyr heading West through Southern Utah from my perfect vantage point...

View media item 592
View media item 593

 

[AlanLichty]

Much nicer than riding a bus

Any clue how fast they run those locomotives on open track like this? They push 80 on the Coastal Starlight running along the Pacific coast line but the tracks aren't as straight and wide open as you show here.

 

[Ben Egbert]

Very nice Craig, I know this area well, every time I go home from Moab I drive this stretch as you leave I-70 and head up 6 to Price.

 

[ckcarr]

Much nicer than riding a bus

Any clue how fast they run those locomotives on open track like this? They push 80 on the Coastal Starlight running along the Pacific coast line but the tracks aren't as straight and wide open as you show here.

I know exactly. I've taken the California Zephyr twice from Green River to Chicago and back. I had my GPS with me one time and somewhere in Nebraska we were hitting over 90 mph... It doesn't go that fast in this part of Utah because of the canyons it goes through. 80 mph is also pretty normal in Eastern Colorado through Iowa... Heck, our speed limit for cars now on I-70 is also 80 mph...

Someday I want to take the Zephyr again but with a sleeper car. Those are hugely expensive though, $400 to $1,200 depending on the day.