Hi there, I am building a layout based loosely on Donner Pass but I would like to be able to back date it in such away that I don’t have to change any of the signals etc. I am modelling present time, early 80’s and the transition era, mainly because I love Intermountain’s AC12 and I can’t wait for Athearn’s Genesis skyline cased MT-4.
What I am struggling with is the consist of the CZ in the early 80’s. From pictures and DVD’s, the train seems quite short and the consist seems to have two baggage cars, a ex SF step-down car, four Superliner I coaches or sleepers, the sightseer and diner, both Superliner I’s at the rear, all powered by two F40PH’s.
Is anyone able to give me a correct consist for the CZ in that time frame.
Julian
What specific year are you going for? This train changed a lot in the 80s and a specific year would help me a lot to pin point a consist for you.
Also you mention Donner Pass so I’m assuming you want to model the train before the Pioneer and Desert Wind sections were added to the consist.
The Amtrak “California Zephyr” didn’t exist in the early 80s as the Rio Grande Zephyr ran until 1983.
If you want prior to 1983, then the train would be the Amtrak San Francisco Zephyr.
There is an excellent on-line resource with most of Amtrak’s timetables. This should help narrow down the train you want to model:
Timetable Website
I wanted to model the San Francisco Zephyr between 1980 and 81. I did not realise that the Desert Wind and Pioneer were added to the train as well (at Denver?).
I assume the train would be hauled by F40PH’s by then as the SDP40F’s would have been withdrawn from service by then.
Julian Sprott
OK 1980-81
I’m more familiar with the mid to late 80s when I used to take the Desert Wind a lot. But I found an interesting YouTube video of the San Fran Zephyr in September 1982.
Amtrak San Francisco Zephyr
In the video it stops at Borie Wyoming. The Desert Wind and Pioneer were added at Ogden Utah back then. And the consist looks to have more then one trainset in it based on the placement of the last sleeper. I’m not sure if the Desert Wind was running back then so it might only be a combined Zephyr and Pioneer. And more like a run through coach and sleeper then a fully combined train like it was in later years.
Here’s what I see:
- UP GP40X
- Amtrak F40 in phase III
- Amtrak F40 in phase III
- Heritage baggage in phase II (likely former Santa Fe baggage)
- Heritage baggage in phase II (likely former Santa Fe baggage)
- Hi-Level coach dorm in phase III
- Superliner I sleeper in phase II
- Superliner I sleeper in phase II
- Superliner I diner in phase II
- Superliner I lounge in phase II
- Superliner I coach baggage in phase II
- Superliner I coach in phase II
- Superliner I coach in phase II
- Hi-Level coach in phase III
- Superliner I sleeper in phase II
I’ll see if I can find more info on a specific consist for your era and locale.