The Calif. Zephyr #5 in Ft. Morgan on 19MAR2024 (Welcome to Spring!)

After a short delay east of Brush at Pineo Siding with a meet of the late #6 train, this California Zephyr #5 arrived in Fort Morgan at 0520 MDT (16 min. late). P42 #82 (wearing the Phase VII colors) and P42 #19 brought the 8-car train to a stop with car 7 to the station platform for passenger service to 2 new fares. The 3rd person didn't have a ticket and was non-English speaking. After the Zephyr departed, I did try to assist him in how to purchase a ticket to Denver. Didn't work very well but I did direct him to the local fire and police who have Spanish speakers that could assist him in getting a ticket.
My thanks to the crew for the wave from the cab and the greetings from the cars.
Everyone please stay safe!
It is almost Spring as official arrival isn't until 2106 EDT this evening. But Happy Spring to everyone!

[@curtisdavis5556]

Greetings Mike. Thank for this morning #5 California Zephyr double feature and for stepping up and assisting someone who was obviously in need. That what we Sailor’s do! Have a safe, warm, joyous entrance into spring Shipmate.

[@MikeJensen-jt9yr]

Good morning, Curtis; Thanks for stopping by as well as the comments. Yep. I've been in his position overseas. Didn't have cell phones with translation programs then. Anyway, I hope that he was able to get some assistance. I hope that you and yours have a great Tuesday out there. Please take care and stay safe!

[@barbaraurban9824]

Coming thru Ft Morgan on #5 , Thur. April 4th. My 3rd time. Last couple of years we took the Builder but we wanted to do the Zephyr for ride west of Denver. We're coming from Albany NY. Picking up Coast Starlight to LA and back east of the.Chief.

[@MikeJensen-jt9yr]

Good afternoon, Barbara; Thank you for tuning in and the info of your upcoming Zephyr ride Wow! You are having a trip coming from Albany. Are you riding the train all the way? I would enjoy that run again having ridden from NYC thru Albany and west on the Lake Shore LTD. I think your timing is super. At least for riding thru the Rockies. I do have you noted on the calendar. Have a great Wednesday afternoon and evening. Please take care and stay safe!

[@barbaraurban9824]

@@MikeJensen-jt9yr yes amtrak all the way. Lake Shore limited out of Albany.Gave done serveral across countries in last 10 years.

[@benedmonson3445]

Good morning Mike from sunny but cold mid Tenn. Appreciate your getting #5 & #6 today. Try to catch up on the sleep you gave up for this. #82 looked good but still a P42 & not the ALC42's yet.

[@MikeJensen-jt9yr]

Good afternoon, Ben; Thank you for dialing in along with the comments today. I saw that you good folks were getting some of the last of winter back there. It's 65 F as I write this out here. More of the same until the weekend when we are due for snow. That is a good-looking paint scheme on that P42. I don't think the ALC42s will be in revenue service out here for quite some time. But they may surprise me too. Tomorrow is the 75th birthday of the California Zephyr. I have not seen anything special to mark the event from AMTRAK. It will be interesting to see if they do something. Have a great afternoon and evening back there. Please take care, stay warm, and safe!

[@suzatlarge]

Thanks for the double feature today, Mike. And for helping that guy who clearly needed help. I hope you have a good day over there. Take care!

[@MikeJensen-jt9yr]

Good morning, suz; I thank you for looking in and the comments today. I had a thought that I would see #6 this morning when they hadn't cleared Granby before I shut the computer down. They hadn't made Denver when I awoke. Not often I get to see them both like that. The gent was from Venezuela and had been brought out here for work. Felt something was wrong and the person who hired him dropped him here without any further anything. I have been thru situations overseas where I needed help so knew what it was for him. The best thing he had was the translation program on his phone. IT helped but he needed to have some face-to-face communications with a Spanish speaking person to get any further. He had cash and more than enough to cover the cost of a seat, but the onboard personnel cannot sell the seats anymore. They have to go thru the reservations system that AMTRAK has. That calls for a credit or debit card. I do hope that he is able to return to Denver. Have a great Tuesday up there. Please take care and stay safe!

[@kenclifford5556]

hi Mike , you are a kind soul trying to help that gentleman. thanks for the catch of #5 today. have a great 1st day of spring and a safe one.

[@MikeJensen-jt9yr]

Good afternoon, Ken; Thak you for tuning in ass well as the comments. I have been down that road during my time in the Navy. I know what he was going thru even with the translation program on his phone. He needed to be able to communicate face to face and the best places I could think of were where I took him to. Anyway, I hope that you have a great Tuesday back there. Please take care and stay safe!

[@marksmith4582]

Good morning again Mike! Nice to see the newer engine heading up the number 5 this morning! Hopefully your local PD was able to help out the person needing a ride! Have a great Tuesday! Nice here today! Should be 61 degrees here today! Have a great day! Mark in Iowa.

[@MikeJensen-jt9yr]

Good morning, Mark; Thanks for dropping by as well as the comments. No that is an overhauled P42 wearing the newer paint. Beech Grove is overhauling and putting new paint on the P42s. The ALC42s aren't approved to operate out here yet. Still have some issues with the type of snow we usually get out here grounding out the traction motors. Sooner or later, we will see them in revenue service. Hope that you have a great Tuesday. Please take care and stay safe!

[@jamesburnside3023]

Good morning Mike like #50 enjoyed be safe out there my friend

[@MikeJensen-jt9yr]

Good morning, James; Thanks for dialing in along with the comments. I appreciate it. I hope you have a great Tuesday up there. Please take care and stay safe!

[@ginny9311]

Good morning Mike, 27 degrees here. Winter returned yesterday with snow, but it's all gone now and we will be back close to 70 next week. Spring!! One wonders about the back stories of these people who try to get a ticket from the conductor. Do they have no one to help them? It all seems sort of sad on the surface. I think at one time you could get a ticket from the conductor, yes? Anyway, I have a woodpecker going crazy on a tree outside. Maybe getting some of the sap that ran before the cold hit again. Taffy is by her register. Have a good day. Thanks for the Zephyr.

[@MikeJensen-jt9yr]

Good morning, Ginny; I thank you for dialing in as well as the comments. That snow didn't come from out here. Blame that on the Gulf of Mexico. LOL! Sounded like freeze warnings for Georgia and Florida last night. The conductors cannot sell passage on the trains. The rural stations have no ticket agent for years. I tried to get him to understand via his translation program how to purchase a ticket from the AMTEAK reservation center. But he wasn't carrying a credit or debit card. Had cash though. That was the best I could do. Time for coffee again. Have a great Tuesday back there with the woodpecker and all. Please take care and stay safe!

[@davidduffy308]

Good morning Mike. An interesting situation today. Hope that person makes it where they want to go. Has to be hard. Maybe wherever he's from you can just get on the train. Rough situation, anyway thanks for the #5and 6 so close together. Enjoy the heat wave.

[@MikeJensen-jt9yr]

Good morning, David; Thanks for dropping by along with the comments. I hope so as well. I got him in touch with the fire department who have a Spanish speaking person and the interpreter for the police dept as well. He had cash but no credit or debit card and was using the translation program on his phone. I'm sure someone will be able to do more. Anyway, have a great Tuesday up there. Please take care and stay safe!

[@geraldjones8032]

Good morning Mike. You sure have some interesting experience there. I hope the local agency can help him. We had beautiful day in Albuquerque yesterday. Hope today is as good. Enjoy your coffee when you get some place warm. Have a good day.😊😊😊😊😊

[@MikeJensen-jt9yr]

Good morning, Gerald; Thanks for looking in and the comments today. I do as well. I am sure that someone who can communicate with him directly can get across what I could not. I have been in that situation overseas. At least he was using a translation program on his phone. Didn't have that luxury when I was overseas. The coffee was great this morning as was the company it was drunk with. We're to be in the mid60ss today and warmer tomorrow with another snow predicted for the weekend. Typical spring weather for here. Have a great Tuesday. Please take care and stay safe down there.

[@natrajarts6746]

Good morning.

[@MikeJensen-jt9yr]

Good morning and thanks for stopping by. Please take care and stay safe!

[@dennisforner6090]

Morning Mike - hope you got to enjoy your coffee this morning - busy day- # 6 & # 5 today. I noticed the new Charger up-front, loco # 82 - if I recall correctly it was attached to #5 the other day. Looks like the Charges are starting to dominate Amtrak's passenger fleet. The GEs sure were the workhorse for Amtrak but I suppose that's progress. Hope they are as good as what they are replacing!

[@jackchen7003]

Thats not a charger. Its a P42DC repainted into the new Amtrak livery

[@dennisforner6090]

@@jackchen7003 Yes sorry I thought it was a new Charger - another senior moment on my part!

[@MikeJensen-jt9yr]

Good morning, Dennis; Thanks for dropping by along with the comments. One load of coffee down and another to go. LOL! That P42 wearing the Phase VII livery is the second I have seen out here wearing it P42 #174 is working the Winter Park Express train between Denver and Winter Park Resort. I would have liked to see both of them working together. The Alc42s haven't shown the ability to work in the usual type of dry snow we have out here. Once they figure that out, we may see them infiltrate the long-distance trains more than just the Empire Builders. Anyway, have a great Tuesday. Please take care and stay safe!

[@jeanmccallum3546]

Hi Mike! Happy almost Spring! ⚘️🌷⚘️🌷 Waited for 6, and still only 15 minutes late? Nice! Poor guy... I hope he gets it figured out, and we see him tomorrow, with a ticket. I really think the conductor could have attempted to help him a little more. That slam in the face.. no words. Thank YOU for trying to help! His translation, talking app on his phone is great! I bet we see him tomorrow. Have a great day! Thanks for 5! Jean

[@MikeJensen-jt9yr]

Hi again, Jean; Thanks for the comments here. I have been thru similar situations overseas. Wish that cell phones and translation programs were available back then. But I was usually able to babble my point across without getting slapped or slugged. I do hope that he is able to purchase a ticket with help from the right folks. Have a great Tuesday back there. Take care and stay safe!

[@roberthansen2008]

Yeah that livery looks pretty good. The phase seven. I'm sure we'll see a lot more of that.

[@MikeJensen-jt9yr]

Beech Grove shops are painting all that come thru for overhaul and some if not all will be wearing those colors.

[@carolynsteed3649]

Hi Mike, I hope your day is going well.I've seen this happen once when going to Ft.Worth, dont know how the person got on but was under the impression you could purchase a ticket on the train.As big as the OKC station is, no agents available.It was remodeled with ticket windows but no agents yet & most people dont know this & the conductor was not a people person.It can be kind of embarrasing, which it was for this person, ( was across from me).The employee was removed & sent to people, 101 for awhile then returned, but, alas, to no avail.I could never get a smile or even a smirk, so I quit trying.I guess you can tell I like to talk, not everyday, but I seem to make up for it other times.Have a blessed day, am going to see if I can run across the latest WPE.👋😉😅

[@MikeJensen-jt9yr]

Good afternoon, Carolyn; I thank you for dropping by and the comments. AMTREAK quit taking cash for passage as COVID hit. At least on the Zephyrs. Having the ticket thru the reservation center is also a security measure. I think the same holds true on the other long-distance routes. Some of the larger stations have automated kiosks to purchase seat by. That doesn't happen out here in the boonies. Thai station has not had an agent in 40+ years. Other rural stations are the same. I can't get them to repair the lighting out here let alone sell a ticket. Tomorrow is the 75th birthday of the California Zephyr. I was going to make a banner and a cake with a large candle but decided to take a nap instead. Oh well. I don't see AMTRAK doing anything special either. Anyway, Have a great evening down there. Please take care and stay safe! 🤓👋👌👍🐓🐓🎂👏

[@carolynsteed3649]

I couldnt remember how to spell kiosh, but OKC has them.I guess the days of ticket agents are a thing of the past, sad.May I suggest a bakery or Walmart for cupcakes maybe with train decration for the car crew & engibeers.The no buy ticket on train sarted before covid but I understand just some people dont know You know, if not already done there should be a sign on the station door with all the info about riding the train.Perhaps then people would have time to make a call to AMTRAK.

[@MikeJensen-jt9yr]

Carolyn, I just found this comment. I am sorry for not seeing and answering it a day or so ago. I am unaware if the gentleman was able to obtain a ride to the Denver area or not. I assume he got transportation a different way. The purchase by card is also a safety check for AMTRAK as it assures them this person is for real. Many crimes are permitted by those who travel by cash only. I am unsure of how they obtain passage on the trains in Venezuela as that was his home country. There is a bus service that is now operating thru here that makes a transfer stop in Brighton. There he could get a seat into Denver. It is named "Bustang" and also works up and down the I-25 interstate corridor. Anyway, I hope that he made it back to Denver and his family there.

[@user-ou8rf5tc4s]

Morning Mike. An interesting stop for the Zephyr, today. I wonder what that was about. Wrong date for travel or expired ticket? Yesterday's T storms didn't show up down here in PHX. But they sure did in the mtns east of here. That's the way it usually goes, around here. If they're within 35 or 40 miles of us, my dog won't go out the door! She went out all day, so they must've been well to the east. Didn't see or hear anything, but they sure showed up on radar. At least they were over the watershed that serves PHX. Mid 70s here today. 80s coming up later in the week. Too soon for me. Take care, stay safe, and I'll check in tomorrow.

[@MikeJensen-jt9yr]

Good morning, Phil; Thank you for tuning n as well as the comments. No ticket. Had cash but no understanding of how to use the AMTRAK system. The conductors cannot sell a seat. It has to go thru the reservation center with a credit or debit card in the purchaser's name. We made 60 yesterday and had clear skies all day. Supposed to be the same today yet warmer. My brother is down your way playing some golf with a very close friend who lives down there. They grew up together thru high school and beyond. I think they were caught in an afternoon T-storm. Anyway, have a great Tuesday down there. Please take care and stay safe!

[@TheFrogfather1]

Is the refusal to take walk on passengers just for the sleeper or in general? Even at unstaffed stations here there’s generally a ticket machine or you can get a ticket from the conductor. For the sleeper services you have to be pre-booked though.

[@MikeJensen-jt9yr]

Good afternoon, Frogfather; Thanks for looking in as well as the question. The answer is the conductors no longer sell ticketed passage. The passengers must be ticketed thru the AMTRAK reservation system. The gent had plenty of cash but no card to purchase passage thru the AMTRAK center. There was also a language barrier he was working around using the translation program on his phone.

[@xGRESHAM2010x]

Did you get 6? I’ll be on 6 to Creston Iowa today. I’ll be back home in Omaha on 5 tonight.

[@MikeJensen-jt9yr]

Wow! A day trip! Enjoy the rides, Dan Take care and stay safe!

[@roberthansen2008]

It appears that that third guy could have been trying to sneak on and do theft of service I bet.

[@MikeJensen-jt9yr]

No. He didn't communicate in English. He did use a translator program on his phone and had cash. Not an American.

[@Wambleeman]

"WOW!" The first ALC GOOD

[@MikeJensen-jt9yr]

Good morning and thanks for dialing in as well as the comment. I hate to be the bearer of bad news but that in not an ALC42 engine but an overhauled and repainted P42DC engine. All of the ALCs are numbered in the 300s. Thay still aren't approved to operate out here due to the type of snow we are subjected to. Once they get that worked out I am sure we will see them operating in revenue service. I hope you have a great Tuesday. Please take care and stay safe!

[@Wambleeman]

LOL, my mistake. I guess that wanting to see them so bad on the Zephyr and Sunset Limited has me seeing things. Beautiful anyway. Forgive me. D

[@MikeJensen-jt9yr]

No problem. I have seen and taken video of the units deadheading east on the #6 trains. Can't wait to see them in real service thru here. @@Wambleeman

[@jonathanmulder8784]

This is a very boring video.

[@MikeJensen-jt9yr]

Good afternoon, Jonathan Mulder878; I thank you for looking in and the observation. I will repeat a very old adage: "One can please some of the people some of the time and all of the people some of the time. But one cannot please all of the people all of the time. I would rather have a dull and boring video with a seldom seen P42DC locomotive leading a dull and boring train into a dull and boring rural train station than have shoot-'em-up make believe all the time. Keeps life interesting don't you think?? Anyway, I hope that you have a great and unexciting afternoon and evening. Please take care and stay safe!