With California facing an unprecedented budget crisis, eleven California urban planners, architects, engineers, public officials, developers, retail managers and a journalist are convening a seminar on the challenges of making towns and cities in the new realities of fiscal chaos, energy constraints and climate change. Instead of flying to Denver, this group of California New Urbanists has chartered two private railcars from California Zephyr Rail Charters, Inc. that will be pulled by Amtrak’s regular Zephyr train. The California New Urbanists are committing the time needed for a structured, deep conversation among accomplished professionals. They are also practicing what they preach: train travel is 21 percent more efficient than automobile travel, and 17 percent more efficient than airline travel.