The Southern Pacific's crossing of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in northern California is spectacular, and riding Amtrak's California Zephyr is a spectacular way to experience this line - particularly in the Fall through Spring. On May 19, 1974, Amtrak train #6, the eastbound San Francisco Zephyr (at that date, the train had not yet become the CZ), pulled by a set of E-units (AMTK 330 was on the point) meets a westbound Southern Pacific freight, with SD45 9012 on the point. Fortunately, back in '74, riding in an open vestibule was often tolerated by Amtrak's on-board crews! Fresh mountain air, the rumbling of the Es as they defy gravity getting our train from nearly sea-level to 7000' of elevation, the sound of jointed rail, the smell of diesel exhaust and the rush of wind and noise when making a meet such as this - over forty years later, the memories are still vivid! (Although I'll be damned if I can recall this exact location...)
