Tuesday, October 2, 2018

California Zepher Day 2 - Reno to Grand Junction

Our first night on the train went pretty well though Marianne was either too hot or too cold and on subsequent nights in the top bunk she reversed her direction with head towards the engine. It's easier to climb into the bunk that way. 


During the night the train passes through Salt Lake City. I was asleep at the time. 

 

We woke in Utah close to the Colorado border. The second day of this trip across Colorado is supposed to be one of the most scenic train journeys in the world.




A formidable landscape.


Deer.







Just sit there and watch all the magnificent scenery pass by. Somebody has to do it.





Close to the border of Utah and Colorado. Note the altitude of 4436 feet. And the train is barreling along at 72 mph. It's quite a smooth ride and you don't feel that you are travelling that fast.




The horizontal lines are wires that detect rock falls so that the train drivers can be warned.



No, that is not a flying saucer in the top right. It's just a reflection of a cabin light.









It's an amazing landscape. It was cut out by the Colorado River which was on the other side of the train. Yes, it's the same river that carved out the Grand Canyon in Arizona.







Here you can see the train track on the north side of the river.



The flying saucer is back.













Crowd of people waiting for the train. It's a popular day trip from Grand Junction to Denver.


The old station could do with a refurbishment.



The train stopped for a few minutes so we were able to get off and stretch our legs.


The other side of the old station. It's a great pity that so much of America's train network has fallen into such neglect and disrepair. In its heyday, it must have been really something.

It was about 10:20 am and it was time to get back onto the train. This morning's journey has been spectacular but it was about to get even better.


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