Thanks all for the replies, especially the tip about the direction of the cars on the train. Honestly hadn't considered that. I may just pop on down to the local Amtrak station and talk briefly to one of the car attendants or the conductor sometime soon when the train passes through.

My purpose for this trip would actually be for work (to get to a small town southwest of Denver), so would need to detrain in Denver. Maybe some other time I could continue on in vacation mode to see the great sights further west.

Thanks
Jim