Travel spotlight: Riding the rails on the California Zephyr train

This undated image provided by Amtrak shows the California Zephyr train on a snowy route passing through Rocklin, Calif. The Zephyr’s journey from its starting point, Emeryville, Calif., to Reno, Nev., is a 236-mile route that offers beautiful views as well as history. It crosses the Sierra Nevada mountain range and follows the same course as the historic Transcontinental Railroad, a 19th century engineering feat that bolstered the nation’s western expansion. The Zephyr’s ultimate destination is Chicago, a 51-hour trip from Emeryville. (AP Photo/Amtrak, Phil Gosney)