While hanging around Martinez, where my railfanning obsession began with my older brother watching Southern Pacific Daylight 4-8-4s and cab forwards passing our family's house across from the mainline, I noted that Amtrak train 6, the eastbound California Zephyr, was due to arrive in half-an-hour. So, I relocated from the station (not the old one, where our parents met in person for the first time 78 years before, but the newer one) to a spot closer to the old SP (now Union Pacific) Ozol Yard to catch it passing under the impressive pair of cantilever signals, and where the morning light would be better as well. What I didn't know, until mentioned by a young local railfan awaiting it as well, was that Amtrak P42DC 160, painted in tribute to my favorite of Amtrak's many paint schemes – nicknamed the "Pepsi Can" scheme, and applied to their 20 Dash 8-32BWH diesels – would be leading. As the train approached, I was very pleased to find that the trailing P42DC, 174, is wearing the carrier's new Phase VII paint scheme, my second favorite of their liveries! If I was away from home – and two of my kids – for Father's Day, this was a suitable substitute … and the kids would have told me to head trackside for at least part of the day anyway. (Martinez, California – June 16, 2024)
California-bound rail travelers from the east have three choices to reach the Golden State: California Zephyr, Southwest Chief, Sunset Limited/Texas Eagle. A look back through the years including the now-defunct Desert Wind
