Why do people still take the train?
Taking the Zephyr to Glenwood Springs
I’ve received a few e-mails asking why people still take the train in 2010. It’s not that easy to take the train if you live in Gilpin County. If you’re west bound either you have to get up early and drive to Union Station in LODO (an hour and fifteen minute drive even on an early Sunday morning), or get up even earlier and catch the RTD bus from Nederland. East bound trains are easier to catch, scheduled out of Denver at 7:50 p.m. In either case you’re going to Denver to get anywhere on the train. Here’s a report on a recent train trip that may partially explain why some people do it.
The California Zephyr Report
Train #5, The California Zephyr (CZ) pulled out of Union Station Denver at exactly 8:05 a.m., the advertised, on May 2. The conductor welcomed us over the PA and reminded us that National Train Day, May 8, would feature special displays and even goodies in the old Union Station waiting room. That waiting room still seems rather grand. It’s many feet high and has those vaulting windows at either end. Some of the echoes in there have been reverberating for over a century it seems. It was a good place to ask my fellow passengers why they take the train.
I talked with one young couple as we lined up at the check in station. They were excited about riding the Zephyr all the way to Emeryville CA and on to San Francisco. That’s a long night on the train, but they were prepared. They had books to read in their sleeper and good cell phones and even a little hamper of food. They knew they could fly to San Francisco in a much shorter time, but they were off on an adventure.
Another gentleman claims that he’s figured the cost of driving his car to Salt Lake City and the train is much cheaper. With his National Railroad Passengers Discount card, plus using now and again his accrued AMTRAK miles he saves money each year.
Dining Car and View
Now to the question everyone asks, “How was the food”? As we pulled out through Denver’s western suburbs I was at the first seating in the fragrant breakfast diner. The coffee was good, strong and kept coming. The omelet of the day was tasty as well: Swiss cheese, grilled onion, green pepper and mushroom. The spuds were tasty too, though I added hot sauce. Grilled sausage was on the side. The servers were amiable, even downright interested in everyone. Price was what you’d expect for any medium priced restaurant, say compared to Roy’s Last Shot or the Sundance Cafe. They fed 94 patrons that morning, about a third of everyone on board.
One of my breakfast companions takes the train because she’s had it with airline travel. She sat on the tarmac for over an hour last time she went to DIA waiting for takeoff and felt she’d been “taken apart” by security. She’d fly again if she had to, but likes the train to Salt Lake City far better.
The view from the diner was worth the ticket price. Snaking up through the “S curves” above highway 93 is always lovely. Diners exclaimed as they saw elk, coyotes, and the big reservoir up above Eldorado Canyon come into view. The swirling mists and light snow made it all more picturesque. The tunnels come and come (44 in all) until one gets to the big one. Named for Mr. Moffat, those 6.2 pitch dark miles to Winter Park always seem a little mysterious. It’s the second longest tunnel in the U. S. and still impressive as it was in 1928.
Price and Equipment
My $66 fare to Glenwood Springs is almost exactly what the Greyhound would charge. If one figures auto expenses at the $.50 a mile the IRS uses, the train is a bargain. I know my “conservative” friends would argue that the train is subsidized. But, according to National Association of Railroad Passengers, my train trip was the least “subsidized” way to go. One would have to figure into an auto trip on I-70 the cost of the Eisenhower Tunnel, the State Patrol, the maintenance trucks and a dozens of other CDOT expenses. We don’t figure all of that cost when we hop in our flivvers.
The high level Superliner cars on the Zephyr have served well for 29 to 31 years. Some have been refurbished, but especially the coaches need work. Before long the superliners will need to be replaced, but they’ve served remarkably well and still cut a nice picture rolling through the Rockies.
Glenwood Springs station is a lovely old Victorian gem and the railroad museum inside worth a visit. The Springs itself is always worth a visit. While I didn’t have time to take the waters others were almost jumping into their swimsuits when we arrived. It’s been advertised as Colorado’s premier hot springs pool and gondola ride. Those I chatted with certainly agreed.
Some Great Conversations on the Ride Home
Train #6 pulled out right on the advertised at 12:50 p.m. and the bar car was filling up even then. I enjoy bar car conversations. For the price of a beer you can hear many a story. I heard from an ex-pat living in Latvia. Seems if you’d like to retire there, the Balkans are quite a bargain, though the common market has cut back on the luxury aspect somewhat. An interesting conversation happened with the night guy from the roundhouse in Durango. Seems the locals hate coal smoke (even though their economy likes it). They use wood chips to keep the boilers heated over the long cold nights to cut down on coal smoke and that causes some interesting moments. Two Mexicans from Aspen (here legally) chatted in Spanish about the jobs they do and how hard the hotels try to fill those jobs with Gringos. The Gringos all quit.
Jokes went around and one of the conductors joined in with a few of his own, all mildly off color. He thinks the U.P. Would still like to get this train off our scenic mountain route and re-routed though Wyoming so as to make way for the coal drags. When I asked why this group of travelers takes the train, they pretty much laughed at me. They are all veterans and just plain love train travel. The conductor warned that they’d not have liked it last summer when track work on the U.P. typically made the Zephyr two hours late. One of them said he’d still not mind. “More for the money!” said he. Folks did take time to gape at Gore Canyon as we rolled along and Red Canyon too. Most of those views are only possible if you pack in.
I was ready for dinner and got in for the first serving at 5:00. Again, a moderate price and a good crew. The young woman next to me had the steak which looked great while I enjoyed the bison meat loaf and baked spud. She was taking the train back to Denver because she’d been advised that I-70 over Vail Pass was a “nightmare” and had been closed off and on all day. We did see plenty of snow swirling outside the dining car. The wet snow added to the spring trip. Glenwood Canyon was especially lovely with the clouds parting and fresh white on those red crenellations. We backed slowly into Union Station early at 6:45. Many a “good by and good luck” were exchanged. The CZ is a fine trip.
What’s Going to Happen at Union Station?
The old gray lady is looking a little grim these days. Only one track remains and that’s soon to be torn up. Amtrak will build some kind of temporary facility out on Wewatta and 21st by Coors Field. RTD and some intercity Buses will still stop at Union Station, but it’s a long walk to the temporary train barn. COLOrail group is still suing to get more train access to the “new” Union station. It seems late in the game for that lawsuit, but we’ll see. The really hard part will be lugging the luggage across Wewatta to the tracks. They plan to install a pedestrian walk light, but good luck in blizzards.
Does that Answer the Question?
The folks I talked to on the CZ all had specific reasons for taking the train. They hated air travel. They were avoiding bad roads, or didn’t enjoy driving that much. The main group, though, just likes train travel. Maybe that answers the question.