Conny and I recently took Amtrak’s California Zephyr train from Chicago back home to San Francisco. Knowing the troubled relationship the US has with railway travel, I was anxious about being on a train for 48 hours. But the small inconveniences of living on a train were far outweighed by the enjoyment of watching the countryside pass by outside the window.
Since regularly crossing Germany by train to get to an from boarding school, I enjoy trains as one of the few places where I experience boredom, albeit only in homeopathic doses. This time, I had the serendipitous idea to “tweet-storm” a series of 29 photos from the 2,438 miles long trip. Here are the tweets:
And so it begins! Getting on the California Zephyr train in Chicago to head back to San Francisco 🚂🚅 pic.twitter.com/vYhDiG53cy
— Jonas Neubertâ„¢ (@jonemo) April 9, 2017
We are halfway through Illinois already and evidence so far suggests that all of Illinois looks like this (taken somewhere near Leland, IL) pic.twitter.com/XAR5xyEZcS
— Jonas Neubertâ„¢ (@jonemo) April 9, 2017
"Adams Pressed Metals Corp"
— Jonas Neubertâ„¢ (@jonemo) April 9, 2017
Galesburg, IL pic.twitter.com/hCtHtGcH7Y
Mendota, IL pic.twitter.com/t4Kru37gBb
— Jonas Neubertâ„¢ (@jonemo) April 9, 2017
Crossing the Mississippi in Burlington, IA #amtrak #californiazephyr pic.twitter.com/2puABEpJlD
— Jonas Neubertâ„¢ (@jonemo) April 9, 2017
Somewhere near Fairfield, IA #amtrak #californiazephyr pic.twitter.com/Sit272Ibjy
— Jonas Neubertâ„¢ (@jonemo) April 9, 2017
Good morning Colorado! Sunrise over some natural gas facility just outside Denver #amtrak #californiazephyr pic.twitter.com/fmyfzSCz7g
— Jonas Neubertâ„¢ (@jonemo) April 10, 2017
Looking over the Colorado plains at Big Ten Curve just outside Denver earlier this morning #amtrak #californiazephyr pic.twitter.com/A1B2QddP98
— Jonas Neubertâ„¢ (@jonemo) April 10, 2017
Getting to see some snow near Fraser, CO pic.twitter.com/VVXDDctnL2
— Jonas Neubertâ„¢ (@jonemo) April 10, 2017
Been following this little creek called "Colorado River" on our way down the mountains since Ganby, CO pic.twitter.com/5UNO9PEa7u
— Jonas Neubertâ„¢ (@jonemo) April 10, 2017
Colorado River gained some volume. Looks like a miniature version of the Grand Canyon here near Dotsero, CO pic.twitter.com/LS0cQBwenY
— Jonas Neubertâ„¢ (@jonemo) April 10, 2017
Back to civilization and almost done with state no four out of seven on this trip: Grand Junction, CO pic.twitter.com/zGM942SCST
— Jonas Neubertâ„¢ (@jonemo) April 10, 2017
This also means that we are now in @UnionPacific land after more than 1000 miles on @BNSFRailway track pic.twitter.com/rk54z9z7rh
— Jonas Neubertâ„¢ (@jonemo) April 10, 2017
Ruby Canyon in McInnis Canyon National Conservation Area, still following the Colorado River pic.twitter.com/nF4D2NYwsE
— Jonas Neubertâ„¢ (@jonemo) April 10, 2017
Mt Waas behind Cisco, UT pic.twitter.com/sRfMshemOP
— Jonas Neubertâ„¢ (@jonemo) April 10, 2017
Art? In Green River, UT. Shortly before I had my first ever shower on a train. #amtrak #californiazephyr pic.twitter.com/R5vqgz4TCL
— Jonas Neubertâ„¢ (@jonemo) April 11, 2017
Good morning! Still pre-sunrise, this is the (active) Florida Canyon Gold Mine with Thunder Mountain as backdrop #amtrak #californiazephyr pic.twitter.com/POiCuejMA9
— Jonas Neubertâ„¢ (@jonemo) April 11, 2017
The desert is flooded. Lots of puddles and green in areas that are just yellow on satellite view in Google Maps. Near Lovelock, NV. #amtrak pic.twitter.com/wgpmGDjFh2
— Jonas Neubertâ„¢ (@jonemo) April 11, 2017
Racing trucks on I-80, somewhere in the middle of nowhere, Nevada. pic.twitter.com/CRXoiC0tqk
— Jonas Neubertâ„¢ (@jonemo) April 11, 2017
Old Hwy 40 bridge in Boca, CA from where they used to ship ice to Central Valley for cooling produce in transport. #amtrak #californiazephyr pic.twitter.com/D3kuBlf2i5
— Jonas Neubertâ„¢ (@jonemo) April 11, 2017
Donner Lake view from the highest point of the Dinner Pass rail route. It's all downhill from here. #amtrak #californiazephyr pic.twitter.com/h2jvtIJev9
— Jonas Neubertâ„¢ (@jonemo) April 11, 2017
Soda Springs ski resort. Seeing a lot more snow here in the Sierras than in the Rockies yesterday. pic.twitter.com/Gxne39Jv5d
— Jonas Neubertâ„¢ (@jonemo) April 11, 2017
Looking at the Sierras from the Observation/Lounge/Cafe Car #amtrak #californiazephyr pic.twitter.com/tcXGljRcYk
— Jonas Neubertâ„¢ (@jonemo) April 11, 2017
The American River Canyon near Baxter, CA. Wikipedia says the gold rush started at this river. pic.twitter.com/hwIcWwtCjn
— Jonas Neubertâ„¢ (@jonemo) April 11, 2017
The Sacramento River from I St Bridge​ (sic) in Sacramento, CA pic.twitter.com/lxDYkJcYpV
— Jonas Neubertâ„¢ (@jonemo) April 11, 2017
My intuition corroborates with Google Maps: The Sacramento River is not usually here. #amtrak #californiazephyr pic.twitter.com/czVp7reX6f
— Jonas Neubertâ„¢ (@jonemo) April 11, 2017
Back in the beautiful SF Bay Area, near Martinez, CA pic.twitter.com/yasskZNBHY
— Jonas Neubertâ„¢ (@jonemo) April 11, 2017
The Hwy I-80 bridges near Vallejo, CA pic.twitter.com/v0IrMIdbul
— Jonas Neubertâ„¢ (@jonemo) April 11, 2017
Fin. #amtrak #californiazephyr pic.twitter.com/4ZIlDE1RU8
— Jonas Neubertâ„¢ (@jonemo) April 11, 2017
If you are feeling inspired to hop on a train, here is the Amtrak route network map.
