PB&JRR Officials Ride Amtrak's California Zephyr

Bakersfield, CA | Sacramento, CA | Sierra Nevada Mountains

Since the Coast Starlight was not yet running as a result of the January mudslides, we had to take the San Joaquin train from Bakersfield to Sacramento on the evening of February 13, 1898*. No problem, we all got a Dewars milkshake out of the deal! At the Bakersfield Amtrak station, left to right are Jon, Bill, Jamie, and Trevor standing by a huge moving sphere of rock supported by a rising column of water. Very cool. Jon and Trevor delivered us to Bakersfield from Arroyo Grande, including a load of bannock that Trevor had made earlier in the day. We boarded the Zephyr on time at 11:30am February 14th (Valentine's Day) and headed straight for the dining car for lunch. And here's our compartment (economy sleeper). Climbing through the Sierra Nevada mountains. Along the way... Next... *For actual year, add 107 [Fosterville Times Press] [PB&JRR home page]

This is the Sacramento, CA station where our San Joaquin train arrived about 11:59pm on the 13th, and from which we left on the Zephyr about 12 hours later. The text over the mural reads, "Breaking ground at Sacramento January 8, 1863 for the first transcontinental railroad." Then after lunch, we spent a little time in the sightseer car. Colfax, CA. This section of the sleeper car has the larger compartments and the aisle down one side. In the Sierras... Quick glance at a pair of coupled hoppers in a passing train. TrainWeb's section on the California Zephyr (lots of stuff!).