▁on ▁March ▁ 2 2 , ▁ 1 9 7 0 ▁and ▁arrived ▁in ▁Oak land ▁two ▁days ▁later . ▁The ▁original ▁California ▁Ze ph yr ▁had ▁operated ▁for ▁ 2 1 ▁years ▁and ▁ 2 ▁days . ▁East ▁of ▁Salt ▁Lake ▁City ▁the ▁train ▁was ▁reduced ▁to ▁a ▁tri - week ly ▁schedule , ▁operating ▁as ▁California ▁Service ▁on ▁the ▁Bur ling ton ▁and ▁as ▁the ▁Rio ▁Grande ▁Ze ph yr ▁on ▁the ▁Rio ▁Grande . ▁ ▁The ▁Rio ▁Grande ▁portion ▁of ▁the ▁train ▁was ▁extended ▁beyond ▁Salt ▁Lake ▁to ▁Og den , ▁Ut ah , ▁allowing ▁Nev ada ▁and ▁California ▁passengers ▁to ▁connect ▁to ▁the ▁Southern ▁Pacific ▁Rail road ' s ▁City ▁of ▁San ▁Francisco . ▁ ▁This ▁continued ▁until ▁the ▁creation ▁of ▁Am tra k ▁on ▁May ▁ 1 , ▁ 1 9 7 1 . ▁ ▁Am tra k ▁intended ▁to ▁rev ive ▁the ▁California ▁Ze ph yr ▁as ▁part ▁its ▁original ▁route ▁network ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 1 , ▁using ▁the ▁Bur ling ton ▁Northern ▁east ▁of ▁Den ver , ▁the ▁Rio ▁Grande ▁between ▁Den ver ▁and ▁Og den , ▁and ▁the ▁Southern ▁Pacific ▁west ▁of ▁Og den , ▁Ut ah . ▁At ▁the ▁last ▁minute , ▁the ▁Rio ▁Grande ▁refused ▁to ▁join ▁Am tra k , ▁fear ing ▁the ▁new ▁company ' s ▁passenger ▁trains ▁would ▁inter f ere ▁with ▁prof itable ▁fre ight ▁traffic . ▁ ▁This ▁forced ▁Am tra k ▁on ▁to ▁the ▁Union ▁Pacific ' s ▁Over land ▁Route ▁through ▁southern ▁Wy oming