Confused on Amtrak "California Zephyr" Consists.

Amtrak did not operate a California Zephyr until the early 1980s.  And by then it had Superliners.  So I'm a little confused by this post.

I think you might mean the San Francisco Zephyr?

Take a look at these links:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Zephyr

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Francisco_Zephyr

My understanding is that Amtrak ended up with 27 ex CZ cars (20 of which have been released by Atlas in their Amtrak livery) and incorporated them into various passenger consists. I don't know whether Amtrak ever ran a consist made up entirely of CZ cars though. But the point is you could make up two complete consists with Amtrak CZ cars.

i guess what I'm trying to say is that just because Atlas produced two coaches with conductors windows doesn't mean they are intended to be run in the same consist.

The SFZ was a mixed bag and was different depending on the year.  What year are you aiming for? I have "the book" and can look it up....

Ok.... I got the book out. Here's a few samples: 

Of significant note: The only domes that traveled west of Denver were ex-SP. 

August 1971:

To Denver (daily):

Baggage 

Coach

Coach

dome coach

coach

dome coach

dome coach

dome bar lounge dorm

diner (48 seat)

slumbercoach (24-8)

sleeper (10-6)

sleeper (10-6)

Typically 9-12 cars

To Oakland (triweekly)

Baggage dorm

coach

coach

coach

coach

coach

lunch counter lounge

diner

full dome bar lounge

sleeper (11dbl)

sleeper (10-6)

sleeper (10-6)

August 1972:

4 E's Chicago to Denver, 2E's Denver to Ogden, 3-4F's Ogden to Oakland

Bag dorm

Coach 

Coach

Coach 

Coach

Diner

Coach

Dome coach/coach

dome coach

coach/snackbar

slumbercoach (24-8)

Sleeper (10-6)

dome bar lounge

diner

sleeper (11DBL)

sleeper (10-6)

sleeper (10-6)

The train was typically 8-18 cars. the mid section of the train, from the coach diner to the dome bar lounge was dropped in Denver. 

August 1973:

4 E's Chicago to Denver, 3 E's Denver to Oakland (1F helper Sparks-Oakland)

bag dorm

slumbercoach (drop denver)

sleeper (10-6, drop denver)

dome coach (drop denver)

coach or dome coach (drop denver)

Coach

coach

lunch counter diner

coach

coach

coach

coach

coach

full dome bar lounge

diner (48 seat)

sleeper (11dbl)

sleeper (10-6)

sleeper (11/10 br)

typically 14-18 cars.

Several example consists are provided and the following roads are represented: UP, SP, GN, NP, BN, CBQ, ATSF, SCL. 
The cars are majority CBQ, UP and SP.

IMO, you cannot have an Amtrak train from this era that matches. Its as out of place as a steam engine hauling doublestacks.

The Slumbercoach can be picked up from GGD (at last I checked they still had some), its an extremely nice car. 

Obtaining the SP low profile domes is probably going to be challenging, but some of the other cars can be found. 

All of this info is from the book"Zephyrs, Chiefs and Other Orphans: The First Five Years of Amtrak" by Fred W. Frailey. It was published in 1977 and is pretty much a bible of early Amtrak info (train consists, car diagrams, etc....). It is not easy to find, and its a paperback that looks like it was made on a typewriter, but I suggest you track it down if you're interested in this era.