Amtrak’s California Zephyr, considered by many rail enthusiasts to follow among the most scenic long-distance train routes in the U.S., operates between Chicago and Emeryville, California. The entire route takes some 52 hours and includes 33 stops.
“For a majority of people I met, traveling on the California Zephyr wasn’t about getting somewhere,” writes @martagiaccone for @nytimestravel. “Instead the trip was a reward — a slow and much-anticipated few days carved out of a busy lifestyle.”
In the observation car, floor-to-ceiling windows offer the best possible views of Nebraska’s yellow hills, the Rocky Mountains, the Colorado River Valley, the Continental Divide, the Sierra Nevada and the green forests of Northern California. The train’s other social hub is the dining car, where the booths sit four people and guarantee interaction with other passengers.
“There was a sense of community aboard the California Zephyr,” Giaccone continues. “After all, there aren’t many places where Mennonites, a Japanese student, smiley newlyweds, parents with their kids and grandkids in tow and retirees are all bundled together for such a long period of time, sharing their life stories.”
SOURCE: THE NEW YORK TIMES
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/18/travel/amtrak-california-zephyr-train.html
