# Texas Eagle: Chicago to Dallas



## SarahZ (Dec 2, 2013)

*Part One:*

This was my first time on the Texas Eagle, and I must say, I enjoyed it quite a bit. I've only ever been on one other long-distance train (the Southwest Chief to Albuquerque), so this trip felt a lot shorter, even though it was still an overnight trip.

The Michigan trains have been "meh" as far as on-time performance, and it was imperative I make that connection since this was a business trip, so I booked one of the extra Thanksgiving trains instead of my usual Wolverine. I left at 6:15 AM on Saturday instead of 9:30, which gave me a few hours of wiggle room just in case the bridge over the Calumet River got stuck (again), freight traffic was stupid in Indiana (again), or some other variety of delay. This meant I had to be up at 5:00 AM. My alarm usually goes off at 8:00, so I was more than a bit confused when it woke me up at 5:00.

Brent was so kind. He offered to drive me to the train station so I wouldn't have to haul my luggage in the cold. It's only a half-mile from our house, and he's more of a night owl than I am, but he wouldn't take "no" for an answer. He explained it would take five minutes to drop me off and then he could go back to sleep and sleep until the afternoon. So, we went over there, and I realized the station wouldn't be open until 8:30 (or so I thought). I got some breakfast at Ghetto McDonald's and stayed there until 5:50, at which point I realized they'd opened the station early on account of the extra train.

The train backed in (I think - or maybe it came all the way from Chicago) at 6:00, and they let us board right away. There were only eight or nine people getting on at KAL, and I'm not sure if we picked anyone up along the way. I have never been able to sleep in coach, but I managed to get a 10 to 15-minute nap by using a trick I read on the forum. I reclined the seats so the one next to me was slightly in front of mine and then leaned against that seat as a pillow. It was like sleeping in the car.

We got into Chicago a few minutes early. I checked into the lounge (first passenger!), and the lounge dragon printed paper tickets for me. I'm not sure why they do this. I like the E-tickets because I don't have to carry more stuff and they save paper. Anyway, the Red Cap wasn't in the luggage room, so I thought maybe I was just too early. I went to sit down, and then I saw him watching TV. He stood up right away and offered to check my bags before I could even ask.







It was pretty cold that day, but I didn't want to sit around the station for five hours, so I decided to suck it up and be a proper Midwestern girl. Everyone on the forum has raved about Lou Mitchell's over the years, and I figured this would be the one time I was there early enough to avoid the line.

I was right! When I walked in, the hostess gave me a donut hole and Milk Duds, and then she showed me to a seat at the counter. The diner was maybe half full. I had barely taken my coat off when the waitress brought me coffee and a plate with an orange slice. I ended up ordering a ham and cheese omelet with cinnamon-raisin toast. Had I known how huge the breakfast would be, I would have skipped the toast (it was good, though).






The omelet was a bit "fluffier" than I liked (I prefer my eggs medium/firm), so I mixed the potatoes in to make it sort of a skillet dish. That was much better. I could still only manage one piece of toast and about half of the omelet/potato mixture. I hate wasting food, but they give you so much. Next time, I'll get something a bit smaller.

When I paid at the register, the cashier offered me a piece of broken cookie. They had a dish with various sizes of various cookies, all broken up. She said they saw it in New York City and thought it was really cool, so they started doing it as a little treat. I had a smaller piece of a chocolate-coated sugar cookie. It was really good. You can tell all of their bakery items are fresh. The cookies were probably day-old, but I actually prefer that.

After I left Lou Mitchell's, I went back to the Great Hall to warm up a bit. They had it decorated for Christmas, and the speakers were playing these dirge-ish Christmas carols. I can't think of another way to describe them. The singer sounded morose, sort of a deep tenor, and everything was kind of slow. When you added in the strange echo caused by the acoustics in the hall, it was downright creepy (and _awesome_). I felt like I was in _The Shining_ (the book, not the movie, which is totally NOT even a little bit based on the book, but I digress).






Once I finished that, I still had a ton of time to kill, so I took a bus to Barnes & Noble to see if they had a book I wanted. They didn't, but of course they had at least 1000 other books I wanted. There was an entire Chicago history section I would have snatched up in a heartbeat if I'd had enough money. I ended up buying the next book in a series I'm reading and then put my debit card away.

I took a picture of the Harold Washington Library (with the cool dragon-looking things) and ended up catching some kind of holiday trolley in the shot:






Then I noticed the L going by and figured I'd be remiss to not capture a train picture. 






After that, I took a bus back to Union Station and hung out in the lounge for a couple hours, trying not to fall asleep the entire time. Ironically, the Wolverine I usually take _was_ on-time, but I knew Murphy's Law would have made it late had I taken that train.  I was sleepy, but it was worth it to have peace of mind.

The lounge was really full, to the point people had trouble finding a place to sit. Just as I started to get up to allow some people to sit down, they called our train.


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## SarahZ (Dec 3, 2013)

*Part Two:*

We did the kindergarten walk to Track 18 around 1:10 or so. It was all kinds of organized, like a little line of ants, but then all hell broke loose once we rounded the corner to walk back into the station, past the gates, to the track. I always laugh when people jostle and rush out to the sleepers. You have an assigned car with an assigned room. It doesn't matter if you're first. 

Anyway, the TE consist is loco, transdorm, sleeper, dining car, lounge, and then coaches. There was a sleeper car attendant greeting people at the first sleeper, but it was obvious nobody was manning the transdorm. I asked him if we should just walk through the sleeper to the transdorm, and he said, "No, go up to the next car." So, I and a few others walked up there, and the door was shut. A line was starting to form at that point, so I waited about two seconds before I thought, "Screw it," and opened the door myself. The people behind me kind of gasped, like I was going to get in trouble, and I said, "What? The door was unlocked." ^_^


I hauled my luggage upstairs and realized we still didn't have a car attendant, so I went back down and helped some people bring their luggage up, pointed out the restrooms, and so on.
Apparently, that made me Queen of the Train. I thought I was going to get all kinds of peace and quiet in the transdorm, but oh my gosh, NO. If you picture my room as the bottom right corner of a square, there were two brand new travelers in the rooms at the top left and top right of the square. Top Left Lady complained the second she got on (and didn't stop), and Top Right Lady was really insecure and clingy. No worries; I'm a customer service professional.

After 10-15 minutes of answering non-stop questions and addressing complaints, though, I remembered I don't work for Amtrak and wasn't getting paid to put on my customer service face. So, it might have been cold, but I shut my door and pulled the curtain during a break in the onslaught. I'm always happy to answer questions, but when it starts to feel like work, I have to nip it in the bud. It's one thing to help someone find the dining car. It's a whole other thing to address multiple complaints about how small the roomettes are.

Eventually, we got rolling, and then our car attendant came around to introduce herself. Her name was Shonte' (pronounced shawn-TAY), and she was really nice. Also, to be honest, she was drop-dead gorgeous. She talked to Top Left and Top Right for a long time and then came to my room. We spoke briefly before Top Right showed up with more questions. Shonte' handled it really well, telling her she'd be with her in just a moment and to please feel free to help herself to coffee and juice in the meantime. After we finished our introductions, she went to Top Right's room immediately and spent a few minutes with her before moving on. I was really impressed. Every time she came by, she called me by name. She wasn't there often, but just enough. It was perfect.

I felt kind of bad for Top Right. She asked everyone who walked by (crew or passenger) if they had something to read, and she kept calling her kids. I knew she was going to San Antonio, so I had a feeling she'd been visiting family in Chicago and felt lonely. I was torn between being in desperate need of quiet and alone time after a horrible week at work and visiting family and the basic human feeling of wanting to be decent and kind. I ended up hiding in my room, feeling a little guilty, constantly reminding myself that it didn't make me a bad person to put myself ahead of others for a change.

Anyway, some thoughts on the transdorm:

The first thing I noticed was the lack of a closet:






I was a bit surprised, but I actually kind of liked this. It opened up the space next to the seat and made the room feel a little bigger, and I still had plenty of room for my coat and shoes. Plus, I usually have to open the closet door at night to keep it from rattling, so this eradicated one rattle. 

I also liked that, overall, it was much quieter than the regular sleepers. Yeah, Top Left was whining and moaning, and Top Right kept talking the crew members' heads off about everything from traveling to their jobs to her kids to her hobbies (to their credit, they were extremely kind and patient with her), but it was still rather peaceful. A father and kid got on at St. Louis and were so loud it was unreal, but more on that later.

The one thing I didn't like, and this surprised me, was the horn. On the TE, the transdorm is the first car behind the locomotive. Usually, the horn puts me to sleep and is kind of peaceful, but this was like going from the mellow tones of a saxophone playing on the corner to the sound of a trumpet playing jazz right in your ear. It was incredibly loud. Every time I'd start to fall asleep, it would go off again. It was like the engineer knew. 

The bathrooms were much better than the normal sleeper bathrooms. There were two, one by the coffee pot and another by the entrance to the crew area, and they both had showers. This meant there was a bit more space to work with, plus two showers on the upper level. Bonus.

So, all in all, I'd probably book the transdorm again, but not on the TE. Having a second loco plus a baggage car, like on the SWC, would allow for some noise reduction. I didn't mind it during the day, but even with headphones, I couldn't get to sleep.


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## CHamilton (Dec 3, 2013)

Sarah, Queen of the Train! There's a show in there somewhere... 

The configuration without the Amcloset is standard for Superliner IIs.


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## SarahZ (Dec 3, 2013)

CHamilton said:


> Sarah, Queen of the Train! There's a show in there somewhere...
> 
> The configuration without the Amcloset is standard for Superliner IIs.


Yeah, I had to laugh because I posted a picture to Facebook with sort of a, "Why no closet? Is this an old car?" caption, and TraneMan and Saxman were on it within seconds.  AU = instant answers.


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## SarahZ (Dec 3, 2013)

*Part Three:*

I'd read some conflicting information on AU regarding lunch out of Chicago. Team Lunch seemed to think the boarding time meant lunch would be served, and Team No Lunch thought dinner was the first meal. Top Right approached me three times to ask about it, as she'd neglected to eat in Chicago. She figured we'd have lunch. I told her that when you board during a meal time, they generally give you a reservation time, and Shonte' hadn't done that, so we probably wouldn't have lunch. Plus, it was nearly 2:30 at this point. She kept standing in my doorway fretting about it, talking about how hungry she was, so I told her to follow me to the dining car.

When we got to the dining car, I ran right into the head server (I think?) and asked, "I may be mistaken, but we don't get lunch out of Chicago do we?" He said, "No, sorry. Dinner is the first meal served." I started to turn around, and then Top Right started in about how hungry she was and it was lunch time and so on. The server was very polite - I wish I could remember his name - and kept apologizing to her. I told her, "There's a cafe car just one car down. They have sandwiches and all kinds of things. Let's go get something to eat," and tried to sort of nudge her along, but she just stayed there, repeating herself. I thought maybe she didn't have much money, so I offered to buy her something, but she declined and started walking back to her room. I thanked the server and walked back with her.

Near Dwight, IL, I saw my first Amtrak ad. It was a billboard advertising that you can save on gas if you take the train. Sadly, I didn't have my camera ready. I also saw some of the old Burma Shave signs along the roadway, which was kind of fun. Again, I couldn't get any pictures, as we were going pretty fast and they were a blur. I read that that area is part of the original Route 66, so it was kind of cool that they had the signs, even if they weren't original.

Later, we had that same server. He wasn't the LSA (the LSA was a younger female with a pink Chicago Bears lanyard - yay!), but he had a red tie and served all of the tables. The dining car was only half-full at the 5:00 dinner time. It was kind of a CCC, in that it didn't have the mob tables, but the tables were narrow/wide like everyone described. Even the wider portion, though, had more belly space than the normal dining cars. It seemed like it, anyway.

For dinner, they sat me with a family - husband, wife, and young son named Atticus (yes, after Atticus Finch - I asked). The husband was from Chicago and had moved to St. Louis, where his fiance-now-wife lived. They were friendly, but I felt a little bit like a fourth wheel. Atticus was polite and quite smart and spent the entire time coloring a picture for his uncle.

I didn't care for a lot of the dinner offerings - spicy, spicy, catfish, that awful veggie pasta, I don't want half a chicken, etc - so I opted for the traditional Amsteak with Amgravy, an Ampotato, and Ambeans. The green beans were actually quite good, not mushy at all, and the steak was great as always. They used to put the gravy on top, but now it comes in a little container. I didn't take a picture because I'm pretty sure everyone has seen that meal. 

For dessert, I had the cheesecake. It seems like a smaller portion now, but that was actually perfect. It was round and had strawberry topping. The topping had big chunks of strawberries and wasn't too sweet. I really enjoyed it.

Once I got back to my room, I was ready to relax with a book, maybe even go to sleep (even though it was only 6:00), but the bottom bunk was not cooperating. I thought maybe I was just inexperienced and reclined one seat to a comfortable level, figuring that was good enough. I did manage to get the top bunk down and tossed my bags up there so I could put my feet on the other seat.

Shonte' came by about 30-45 minutes later to check on me, and when she saw that I'd semi-turned the room, she asked if I wanted the beds made up. I nodded and grabbed my bags and the pillows to give her some room. She couldn't get the bottom chairs to move either, so it wasn't just me. I actually ended up holding the lever down for her while she got onto the seats and punched/kicked/rammed/shoved them into submission. I had to stifle a laugh because she was the sweetest little thing, and it was funny to see her turn into a wild woman kickboxing those seats.

She did make my bed up the wrong way (head toward the loco), so I ended up turning the bedroll around. Those things are kind of heavy and unwieldy. I commend the SCAs for making the beds as quickly as they do and keeping the bedding intact when they do it. By the time I got it in place, I had to re-tuck everything.

I really enjoyed the approach to STL. It was dark, so I couldn't get any decent pictures, but we had a great view of the arch and the skyscrapers along the approach. There was a gorgeous bridge too, but I don't know the name of it, and Google Maps didn't have it labeled. Dallas has one just like it. Anyway, we crossed the Mississippi, during which I sort of braced myself and noted the window pull. I don't know why - maybe it was that wreck in Louisiana all those years ago - but I always get a little nervous when the train goes over a larger body of water. We crossed safely, of course, and then I did manage to get some pictures of Busch Stadium for my Cardinal-hating boyfriend. 

At STL, a father and his nine or ten-year old boy got on and moved into the roomette kitty korner from me, back to the left. I had my door shut and headphones on, and I could still hear them laughing, singing, and talking. They were incredibly loud, like they were trying to talk over a concert. It wasn't even normal-people voices. I considered that maybe they were both hard of hearing or something and tried not to be judgy, but it honestly sounded more like a combination of being excited about being on a train (which I get) and being hopped up on donuts and Mountain Dew. I'm sure it was a great experience for dad and his kid, and they were obviously bonding, so I just scowled like an antisocial curmudgeon and figured I'd try to ignore it until quiet hours. TraneMan and I were chatting, and he told me that if they didn't pipe down around 10:00 or so, that I should ask the SCA to talk to them, but they did quiet down right at 10:00 when the snack car guy announced quiet hours and said he'd be closing at 11:00.

I feel like I didn't sleep much. I was too warm, the horn was loud, and the train was rocking quite a bit, but I don't remember stopping at Poplar Bluff, and I lost some time between Walnut Ridge, AR and Texarkana. In fact, I don't remember Little Rock at all, and I tend to wake up at station stops (and check in on Facebook). I heard the double blast at Texarkana, so the stop must have awakened me. It was 6:15, so I decided to actually get up for breakfast for a change. I wanted all the meals I'd paid for. 

At breakfast, I sat with an older father and son (the father told me he'd just turned 92, and the son was maybe 60) who were traveling back to Tyler and a woman on her way back to Nacogdoches. I really enjoyed hearing the Texas dialect, and they were all really friendly and welcoming. I was still nervous, as always, but we had a nice conversation. It reminded me of the AU Gathering. 

I had a cheese omelet with a croissant and chicken-apple-maple sausage patties. The omelet was great, made with real eggs, and the croissant was warm and fluffy. I put about a pound of butter and jam on it. I could have eaten six of those. The sausages were pretty good too. I couldn't finish them, but only because I was pretty full.

About halfway through breakfast, the son's wife came into the dining car with a cup of coffee in her hand and sort of made a point that she planned to eat breakfast and now where was she going to sit? She was nice about it, but you could tell she was upset. She said, "I'll just go back to the room, or maybe I'll sit back here," and then changed her mind and left the dining car. The other lady and I kind of looked at the son, and he said, "I asked if she wanted to get up for breakfast, and she said no." Then, after another moment, he sighed and said, "Well... I guess I'll go throw my hat in and see if it stays." I started laughing because I have never heard that expression before, and it was so southern, so very Texas that it was just perfect. I couldn't stop smiling.

Edit: I'm going to have to post the rest of the trip and my experiences in Dallas tomorrow. I just realized how late it is, and I have more training tomorrow morning.


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## Bob Dylan (Dec 3, 2013)

:hi: Glad you (Mostly) liked your First Trip on the Eagle and in a Transdorm! Sounds like with the Exception of a Few "Unusual Passengers" and the Train Horn your Trip went Well! I've ridden this Route a Time or Two and I Don't Wake Up for the Little Rock Stop Either! ^_^

I've had your SCA, She is a Good One! I Agree with You about the New Deserts!(The Brownie and the Vanilla Gelato are Delicioustoo!) If they have the Ribs on the way Back to CHI give them a Try IF you like Ribs! The Healthy Choice Option is Excellent if you want a Smaller Meal and Like Spinach and Lentils with Fish or Pork Loin! (it Varies on the Entree)

Hopefully you'll Enjoy Big D and the Great Fall Weather we're having this Week in Texas! I Look Forward to Reading and Sharing your Experiences on the Rest of Your Trip! Welcome to Texas!!!


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## VentureForth (Dec 3, 2013)

Glad you enjoyed your trip - sorry you didn't get much sleep. Funny how you pay to get nicer sleeping accomodations but it turns out that the excitement keeps you up anyway... But I'd still rather be awake in a sleeper than asleep in coach. 

How crowded was the train? Could you tell how busy things were in coach?


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## AmtrakBlue (Dec 3, 2013)

Sarah, I was almost late to work today...reading this travelogue.  

I could have warned you about the portions size at Lou Mitchell's (hey, I didn't get a donut hole or a mild dud  ). I asked for one egg scrambled and thought they had scrambled an ostrich egg. I did finish it, though.

And the library looks familiar. Passed it each day to/from the hostel. 

Hope the rest of your trip goes well.


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## SarahZ (Dec 3, 2013)

AmtrakBlue said:


> Sarah, I was almost late to work today...reading this travelogue.


Sorry.  These are a journal for me and meant to, hopefully, help other travelers who find it on Google (hence the reason I don't use a lot of abbreviations at first), so they're a bit long.


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## CaliforniaMom (Dec 3, 2013)

I'm enjoying reading this, thanks!


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## AmtrakBlue (Dec 3, 2013)

SarahZ said:


> AmtrakBlue said:
> 
> 
> > Sarah, I was almost late to work today...reading this travelogue.
> ...


Not the length, but how interesting it was. Didn't want to put my iPod down to get ready for work...but I did.


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## SarahZ (Dec 3, 2013)

jimhudson said:


> Hopefully you'll Enjoy Big D and the Great Fall Weather we're having this Week in Texas! I Look Forward to Reading and Sharing your Experiences on the Rest of Your Trip! Welcome to Texas!!!


Fall? It feels like summer!  I've been so happy the past three days. I just want to sit in the grass and enjoy the weather. I wish the hotel windows opened. I'd love to sleep in a fresh breeze again.

We've been eating lunch outside; luckily, our classroom has lots of windows (of course, that makes it harder to pay attention). I want to go enjoy the sun and warm temperatures while I can.

I see it's supposed to be yucky again on Thursday and Friday, but that's fine. I'm heading back north on Friday, so I'm glad I had nice weather while here.

I didn't realize just how spread out Dallas is until I got here. I wish I had more time to explore and see things, but we're in class from 8:00 - 4:30 every day. Lots of museums and such close at 5:00. I keep finding a bunch of things I'd rather do, but I don't think the company would appreciate that. 

I like the rental car (Nissan Versa), so I was thinking about going for a drive tonight, just to see the skyline at night and explore the freeways. The High Five is really cool. I wish I could have taken pictures of the stars and such on the pillars, but that's not exactly safe while driving.

We've had some good food, but I'll post more about that when I continue the trip report.


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## Bob Dylan (Dec 3, 2013)

Ya'll need to take a Vacation to the Metro Plex (but not in the Summer when it Boiling Hot!)and Explore, there's Plenty to Do and See and Now you know the Area! (And your BF can Translate for you! :giggle: )


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## SarahZ (Dec 4, 2013)

VentureForth said:


> How crowded was the train? Could you tell how busy things were in coach?


The sleeper and transdorm were completely booked. I'm not sure about the coaches, but I think they added a coach for St. Louis. It was numbered 321 instead of just 21, and I saw a ton of people getting on/off there.

I went to the SSL in the morning, around 10:00, and it was maybe half-full. I was surprised. On the SWC, we usually can't find a place to sit if we travel around a holiday. It was nice that they had a real SSL, though, instead of a CCC. I was in "hide" mode on the way to Dallas, but I'll probably spend some time in there on the way back to Chicago.


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## Railroad Bill (Dec 4, 2013)

Sarah, Very much enjoying your trip report. It is so interesting to read and your sense of humor shows through and through. It is so true that riding Amtrak is an adventure  Looking forward to reading your northbound trip stories.


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## cassie225 (Dec 4, 2013)

Hey Sarah where do I find your blog. Can you post that info on here.


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## OlympianHiawatha (Dec 4, 2013)

I have always enjoyed riding the _*Texas Eagle*_ as unless I am just going to FTW on the _*Heartland Flyer*_, I have to ride the _*Eagle*_ to get somewhere. Many consider it to be a "******* Train" claiming it gets the least amount of attention and draws last from the equipment pool but that has never bothered me. I've learned to enjoy the Triple C Diner, especially with the new tables. Last time I rode from CHI-FTW I was in the Transdorm and once we left STL only 2 of the Roomettes were occupied, giving the feel of a Private Car.

I strongly second Jim Hudson's recommendation on the Ribs! I wish I had some in front of me right now


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## SarahZ (Dec 4, 2013)

Are the ribs spicy? Keep in mind I think too much black pepper is spicy and can't be anywhere near a jalapeno.


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## SarahZ (Dec 4, 2013)

cassie225 said:


> Hey Sarah where do I find your blog. Can you post that info on here.


I will once it's set up. I don't have an official travel blog, but I'm working on one. It'll probably be a few weeks. I am insanely busy with business trips, work, finals, and our Christmas trip to Albuquerque.


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## OlympianHiawatha (Dec 4, 2013)

I did not find them to be but then again I have an extremely high tolerance for spice. Jalapenos are like Jelly Beans. The Ribs are beyond filling; there were 2 nice "racks" of them on my plate and I had to struggle to get through them all.


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## Bob Dylan (Dec 4, 2013)

SarahZ said:


> Are the ribs spicy? Keep in mind I think too much black pepper is spicy and can't be anywhere near a jalapeno.


I'd skip the Ribs then Sarah! As was said they ARE a Tad Spicy! On the way to the Gathering I talked Dick (Shanghai ) into trying them and he thought they were Too Spicy!! Guess up North ya''l l don't have Hot Spices! :lol:


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## SarahZ (Dec 4, 2013)

*Part Four:*

After breakfast, I went back to my room and semi-flipped it back to the daytime configuration. I'd gotten some practice in Walnut Ridge, AR, as my phone had fallen from the little ledge by the window and gone through the crack between the mattress and the wall. I couldn't get my arm down there, so I had to move the top half of the bed back into semi-seating position to get to my phone. Talk about frustrating. It took a while, and we were rocking back and forth so hard I knocked my head on the room door a couple times. (I may or may not have sworn at the engineer, even though I knew it wasn't his fault.)

Anyway, at least I had the trick down, so I put one seat into daytime position and shoved the top bunk back up. This allowed the cool air vent to blow onto the lower portion of the room, so now I know the trick to keeping cool during the night is to keep the top bunk in the daytime position. Sorry, Brent, but you're going to have to learn to sleep squished up against the wall.

Shortly after I did that, Shonte' came by and saw me all chummy with the bedroll and a half-tilted seat, so she finished setting up the room and then asked if I wouldn't mind hanging out in the hallway while she vacuumed and such. She had some passengers getting on in Dallas.

I mostly just stayed in my room and tried to get some pictures, but there are lots of trees along the TE's route, so it was pretty much impossible. I saw a lot of Baptist churches and a sign that said, "JESUS Welcomes You to Hawkins". There were also several ranches and some longhorn cattle. I'd never seen longhorns before. They were really cute, and I felt bad for eating them. 






At this point, it was around 10:00, and I realized I hadn't gone to the SSL. I went to check it out, as some people thought it would either be a CCC or an SSL. It was an SSL, and it was only half-full. I'm used to it being really crowded on the SWC, so I'd avoided it during the trip, but if it's like that again on the way home, I'll probably hang out more.

I ended up going back to my room to watch the approach to Dallas. Even though we'd been 15-45 minutes late all the way there, we were predicted to arrive in Dallas 20 minutes early.

We'd picked up a hilarious conductor in Marshall, I think. We made a double-stop for crew and pax. He sounded like an old cowboy, someone you'd play poker and have a beer with. He started talking around Longview, explaining that, "This is a family-oriented train, so I don't want to hear any cussin' or anything inappropriate." Then he said, "This is also a non-smoking train. If we smell smoke at any point, we will not have a smoke stop until San Antonio." It was said the same way my dad would threaten to pull the car over if we misbehaved.


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## Bob Dylan (Dec 4, 2013)

Nice Pics Sarah! Too bad you didnt get to go Upstairs to the Old Waiting Room where Wolfgang Puck now has a Catering Biz! The Amtrak Waiting Room you took Pictures of is Like a Basement and in the Bad Old Days of Segregation was where Black People had to Wait for Jim Crow Trains!  And You Don't have to Worry about Eating Longhorns! They're too Tough and Stringy, We Only use them for Mascots and for Picture Taking by Tourists! ^_^

As for the Conductors, they Change in Ft. Worth after the Marshall Crew Change and the Good Ole' Boy you Heard is a Character and a Nice Guy! Also We have Some Good Old Timers between Ft. Worth and San Antonio including JJ, John, and Fred! And there are several Female Conductors/ACs and Engineers that Work this Route which is Cool!


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## SarahZ (Dec 4, 2013)

I was going to post some more about my day wandering around in Dealey Plaza and such, but I just ran out of steam. It's been a long week. So, that'll be separate. I did go to Cindi's Deli.


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## VentureForth (Dec 5, 2013)

As much as large conference hotels near the airport are very spacious and accomodating, as well as convenient to the airport, I feel that companies do their employees AND the City of Dallas a disservice holding conventions at DFW. I suppose the facilities are smaller and costs are higher and convenience is nil to book a national convention of sorts in Downtown Dallas, but being able to be close to the heart of Texas (sorry Jim Hudson!) is an experience.

That being said, yes - the DFW Metroplex is HUGE and VERY spread out. With most of the expansion taking place between the I 820 and I 635 loops over the last 50 years, now you are seeing the sprawl moving North and South. Used to not be too much between I-30 and I-20. Not any more.

To Jim Hudson's point about Jim Crow laws, it's been a long time since I've been, and with the Lofts now, I'm sure it's been refurbished. But in the early 2000s, I wandered the lobby of the Texas and Pacific building at the last stop on the TRE (NOT Fort Worth ITC, but one more past it). Beautiful building. Love seeing it refurbished for condos, but really miss the grandeur of it being a real train station. Anyway, when I roamed it's hollow shell, there were still restrooms with "Colored" or "White" listed on them.

You're really making me homesick, Sarah. 

I know you're running out of time, but if you can see the McKinney Ave Trolley, check it out. Really cool (and free) ride!


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## cirdan (Dec 5, 2013)

jimhudson said:


> The Amtrak Waiting Room you took Pictures of is Like a Basement and in the Bad Old Days of Segregation was where Black People had to Wait for Jim Crow Trains!


 Interesting piece of history that.

Do you know if any of the decor / architcural features are original? Did they make it intentionally ugly and lacking in features for black folks? Or is that the result of modern refurbishments?

I've always been a bit disappointed by Dallas Union Station seeing its so historic and pretty on the outside that there's not much of interest inside. At least not in the parts that you get to see as a regular passenger.


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## VentureForth (Dec 5, 2013)

I was just wondering if the Grand Hall upstairs (see THIS old post) used to extend to the ground floor. It would (sadly) make sense that they added the new floor and made the upstairs private. It would also explain why the windows go all the way to the floor. Looks a bit odd from the inside. That being said, though, from the outside, it looks like it could go either way.


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## SarahZ (Dec 5, 2013)

I didn't even try to get upstairs while I was there. It reminded me of a mall when it's closed. Kind of 1980s, air-conditioned, dim, fake plants, just that "mall" feeling. I liked the chandeliers, though, and the benches were rickety but looked nice. It even had a shoe shine station. 

That's sad about Jim Crow, but I do like knowing that added history. I'll see if I can look around more tomorrow. It will depend on how quickly/slowly I travel in that ice storm.


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## VentureForth (Dec 5, 2013)

I finally got to see your pics (work internet blocks 'em). It looks WAY nicer than I remember!


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## OlympianHiawatha (Dec 5, 2013)

Whenever I had to catch a train at Dallas, the comfort level of those waiting room benches motivated me to wait on the platform area with the Human Debris. Though if you stay away from the _*DART*_ boarding areas it is not so bad.


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## Bob Dylan (Dec 5, 2013)

I honestly know Nothing about the Architcural or Decor Features and any Rehab of Union Station.I was lucky enough to be Given a Station Tour by AU Member saxman when he Voluntered @ the Station! I agree that the Benches arent very Comfortable to Wait on, if the Weather is Nice just Waiting on the Platform helps Pass the Time! Plenty of Trains to Watch! Another Feature that may be of Interest is the Tunnel that Runs from the Station under the Tracks (lots of times the Elevator Up to the Platforms is Out of Service) over to the Reunion Hotel and where the Reunion Tower with it's Wolfgang Puck Restaurant is Located/Pricey but a Nice View of Dallas! (there Used to be a Sports and Special Events Hall called Reunion Arena here also but it was Torn Down when the American Airlines Arena was Built)

Since we have a Thread about Boarding and Platform Access Running, @ Dallas Union Station Passengers (and Homeless Folks looking for a Little Help) are Allowed to Access the Platforms by Crossing the Several Tracks(shared by Amtrak/UP Freights/DART and TRE Trains!) to the Trains! (Several Folks have been Hit by Trains whether intentional or Not!

As for the Old T&P Station in Ft. Worth which is Located on the UP Mainline a few Blocks West of Ft. Worths Intermodel Station. it Was and Is a Beautiful Building, with Free Parking Across the Tracks, and Since It Is an Active TRE Station a Good Place to Park and Catch the Train Without Going to the Intermodel Station where Amtrak Stops. The Big Hall , like in Chicago, is Rented Out for Events but you Can Visit during TRE Operating Hours! (The Condos Entrance is via a Seperate Door) Next Door there is also One of the Grand Old Post Offices and Mail Handling Facilities with Platforms where Mail used to be Loaded/Unloaded, also Worth a look!

At one time Ft. Worth had 5 Rail Stations and was the Cross Roads of Texas Railroading! Only 2 are Left (the T&P and the Old Santa Fe Station which is Located Next to the intermodel Station!) The Ft. Worth Station has some interesting Pictures and History about this plus you can Google Up Info on Ft. Worth Rail and History if you are Interested in the Details!

It's Worth Buying a Day Pass that's Good on TRE, DART and Buses in Ft. Worth and Dallas! A Great Way to Sightsee in the Metroplex (it will even get you To/From DFW Airport)and only $5 for Seniors!( Note; TRE Doesn't Run on Sunday!)

Lastly, the Jim Crow and Segregation Stuff (the Aftermath of the Civil War) Was and Is the Shame of America,  it's Great that it's Gone, but Let's Don't Ever Forget So it Doesn't Happen Again!


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## MnMotherMary (Dec 5, 2013)

Thanks for the great story/trip report! I felt like I was riding along with you. I especially like the way you don't abbreviate so us rookies can understand what you are talking about


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## SarahZ (Dec 5, 2013)

After I arrived at Union Station, I waited a little while to drop my bags off with the counter agents. They were busy unloading checked baggage and assisting passengers, but it was swift and orderly. There weren't very many signs, but the agents were good at corralling people and explaining the process. I used that time to shove my winter coat into my suitcase (it was 66 degrees that day!) and change my shoes.

Once they were finished, I asked an agent if I could leave my bags so I could walk around and wait for Hertz to open. She was surprised to hear Hertz was open on Sunday. I told her they were open from 1:30 - 5:00, and maybe it was just for the Thanksgiving holiday. She said she'd check into it because it would be good information for passengers. She informed me the fee would be $4 per bag and then checked my ID against my ticket. She did not collect the fee right away and said I could just pay her when I came to pick them up. She didn't tag the bags, but they were the only ones back there, so I didn't worry.

I walked outside and soaked up the gorgeous temperature for a while. It was amazing. I haven't felt 66-degree weather in months. It smelled like spring. I do love having a crisp, snowy Christmas season, but that doesn't mean I don't appreciate a break from the cold. ^_^

I went to Cindi's for lunch. Several people had recommended it, and it did not disappoint!







It is directly across from Union Station, on Houston St. You really cannot miss it.

I ordered a tuna salad sandwich, which comes with fries and coleslaw (which I skipped). The waitress reminded me of Flo from "Alice". She was friendly, but she was a bit older and had that "kiss my grits" attitude. When I ordered a Coke, I expected her to ask, "What kind," but maybe it's somewhere else in the South that they refer to all soda as "Coke"? I couldn't remember if Texas was included in that. Anyway, she didn't ask and just brought me a regular Coke (which is what I wanted).

The tuna salad sandwich was delicious. It was FULL of tuna, as you can see:
















The counter had a large selection of fresh baked goods. They were HUGE, so I didn't get anything. The pie "slices" were about a 1/4 of a whole pie, and the cinnamon rolls were as big as my face. Even though it's a New York diner, it truly shows everything is big in Texas.


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## OlympianHiawatha (Dec 5, 2013)

Now my secret is out! One of my Lunch Run Destinations has been exposed! I usually order an Omelet at _*Cindi's*_ and it is more than a Washtub full! But that Tuna Platter looks good-I may have to do a run in a few days and find out


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## SarahZ (Dec 5, 2013)

After I finished my lunch, I started walking toward Dealey Plaza. It's not far from the station at all, so I recommend it to history buffs. It's also a very pretty walk, with a lot of scenery.

I saw some cool buildings:






And a pretty fountain (this is Dealey Plaza) with the new bridge in the background:






This is where it gets weird. I was expecting to see people, yes, but I figured most would be walking around, looking at the area, and just being sort of solemn and respectful.

HA.

The place was a circus. It was sort of horrifying, really. I wasn't alive when JFK was assassinated, but I learned about it in history classes and have seen a lot of documentaries about it. It's very sad, and even though I was looking forward to seeing Dealey Plaza, it wasn't because I was excited - it was because of it's importance.

Unfortunately, the place was a bit of a zoo. They had a neon sign that said "GRASSY KNOLL", a bunch of people wandering around selling conspiracy theory pamphlets, some guy with a portable PA going on and on about the conspiracy, and tourists blocking traffic to stand on the X and *smile* while someone took a picture of them.

Who on earth *smiles* when they stand in a place where someone was murdered?  :angry:

Anyway, here are some pictures:
















The X on the street is not official. No one really knows who painted it. Some people think it was just more "fans" of the whole JFK incident. They repaved the street before the anniversary the week before, and someone re-painted the X in the meantime.

The book depository has a "Sixth Floor Museum" now, and you can stand in the window to see Lee Harvey Oswald's point of view. I did not take a tour, as I was still pretty sickened by people who were excited for the wrong reasons. I thought about going to the store to buy something for my parents, but then I realized buying a souvenir from a place where someone was murdered is kind of tacky. I mean, could you imagine if they had 9/11 snow globes 40 years from now?

One thing that really struck me was that the area is much smaller than it looks in pictures. The photos from that time period are taken down the hill a ways, so everything sort of looms. When you're actually there, it's not a very big area at all. In fact, the distance from Houston St to the overpass is so short that I kept thinking that maybe he'd be alive if they'd been going just a bit faster (unless that overpass wasn't there at the time?)


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## SarahZ (Dec 5, 2013)

This is what Brent and I had to say about the ridiculous circus and that tacky banner:






After I finished wandering around Dealey Plaza, I walked back to the train station to get my bags. I had completely forgotten about the bag fee and used cash to pay for lunch. I was so embarrassed. I had $3 in my pocket, and I owed her $8. I asked if there was an ATM nearby, and she said there wasn't, but not to worry about it. She didn't charge me. I still felt bad, since she'd just told me about it an hour before. I wondered if she thought I'd pulled a fast one on her. It was just really embarrassing. I gave her the $3 and told her to keep it as a tip. Then I kind of scurried out of there. :blush:

I saw this really cool building, which I think is my favorite building in Dallas, second only to the Omni Hotel at night (more on that later). I love the shape and glass:






I also really liked this peaceful water feature and statue of Rosa Parks. Coincidentally (or not), it was at a major bus/rail hub:






Hertz was about a mile-ish from the train station. In retrospect, I probably should have taken a cab or taxi, because walking in the humidity with a huge carry-on and my heavy backpack proved to be a bit tedious. On the other hand, I doubt they would have been able to get away because it was pretty busy when I showed up. The group at the counter was foreign and didn't understand a single thing about rental cars or their contract, so it took them 15-20 minutes to check out. The guy behind them was huffing and puffing like the Big, Bad Wolf, making it SUPER OBVIOUS that he did not want to wait a second longer.

So then, it was that guy's turn, and he didn't understand his contract either. All of that huffing and puffing, and he created the same problems!






Once it was finally my turn, I smiled at the clerk to show him I wasn't mad at _him_ and gave him my name. Once he saw I was with The Good Neighbor, he was all smiles. Hertz gets a lot of our customers, so we're on the phone with them quite a bit. He relaxed and chatted with me while he ran my card and got everything set up. He said, "I noticed you have bags, so I'm going to give you a car with lots of trunk space." He put me in a Nissan Versa (which I _love_) and gave that first, angry, awful group a Chevy Aveo. Hahaha.  To be fair, he'd tried to talk them into a larger vehicle, but they refused to spend more money, so... they got a compact. I also got a compact, but my compact was better because I'm better.  You see what happens when you're nice to the customer service rep? You get PERKS.


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## Bob Dylan (Dec 5, 2013)

Nice Pics as always! As to Dealy Plaza and the Book Depository, originally the Rulers of Dallas wanted to Tear Down the Book Depository and Pave the Grassy Knoll for More Parking!  (Dallas is About Money!!!)Sometimes the Trains stop on the Railroad Overpass while waiting to get to Union Station and you can get the Perspective of the People that were on the Overpass and Grassy Knoll on that sad Day when President Kennedy was Murdered! As you said, Dealy Plaza Really is Small and Compact, in other Words a Perfect Place for an Ambush! Not to get into all the Conspiracy Theories (there are Lots and this has Become an Industry as you Mentioned!  )but if you want a Pretty Good Idea of all the Various Theories and Events Rent or Download "JFK" by Oliver Stone!

Cindis does serve Large Portions, it's sort of a Texas/Southern Thing! Nice of you to tip the Agent also, :hi: (as Alan had said, Lot sof them Waive the $4 Fee for Sleeper Pax that have a Good Attitude) Lots of Folks forget about this around the Stations for those other than Red Caps! Agents can give Rides, help with Luggage etc etc. As you've said, When it comes to Service A Smile and a Kind Word can Work Wonders Compared to Scowls and Rudeness!


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## SarahZ (Dec 5, 2013)

I was booked at the Doubletree near DFW, so it was maybe a 15-20 minute drive from Hertz to my hotel. The first thing I noticed was that 1) the speed limit on the highways is 60 mph and 2) unlike Chicago and Detroit, people actually stick to 55-60 mph. :angry:

Okay, so I know it's safe, and legal, and what-have-you, but come on. At least go 60-65. 

I really liked the High Five. I didn't know the name of it until I looked it up later, but I loved the designs on the pillars. Albuquerque does a similar thing, using turquoise stripes down the middle, and then areas like Pojoaque paint symbols and such on theirs to show their cultural pride. I couldn't take pictures while driving, obviously, so I grabbed these online:











I couldn't find a picture of my favorite part. When you get near the end of the interchange, there's a cowboy "etched" into the pillar. It looks really neat.

Traffic was pretty light, so I got to my hotel quickly. I got a warm chocolate-chip & walnut cookie at check-in and went straight to my room. The rooms are pretty nice. The bed has been quite comfortable, and I'm close to the highway, restaurants, and shopping. It's also just a mile from the new training facility, which is where my classes have been held all week.


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## SarahZ (Dec 5, 2013)

jimhudson said:


> Sometimes the Trains stop on the Railroad Overpass while waiting to get to Union Station and you can get the Perspective of the People that were on the Overpass and Grassy Knoll on that sad Day when President Kennedy was Murdered!


That reminds me. I got a great video of the TE departing over that overpass, and a DART train passed by at the same time. It looked really cool, and I was pleased to see a lot of people paused to watch it go by. 

Anyway, I'll upload that once I can get it switched to the proper format. It looks great on my phone and in Windows Live Movie Maker, but when I convert it to a file that'll work with YouTube, it's super blurry and awful.


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## VentureForth (Dec 7, 2013)

Just stop it! You are making me homesick!  I remember when the High Five (named for the I-63*5* and US-7*5* junction) was being built. It was really scary seeing that height disconnected....

Thanks for the memories!


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## VentureForth (Dec 7, 2013)

Just stop it! You are making me homesick!  I remember when the High Five (named for the I-63*5* and US-7*5* junction) was being built. It was really scary seeing that height disconnected....

Thanks for the memories!


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## MARC Rider (Dec 8, 2013)

SarahZ said:


> *\*
> 
> The first thing I noticed was the lack of a closet:
> 
> ...



You know, I could do very well with no closet in my roomette.

When I went to the gathering, my outbound trip was in a Viewliner (the Cardinal). I has able to fit mu big roller-bag where the closet is found on the Superliners, securing it with a srp, and having all of my stuff available for me. When I went home on the Capitol in a Superliner roomette, my bag wouldn't fit in the room, and I had to leave it n the rack downstairs. That's OK, except that I had to rummage through the bag during the trip to find stuff I needed for the night.

I think the sell rooms in the transdorm on the Capitol. How can I reserve a transdorm room?


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## SarahZ (Dec 8, 2013)

I would probably call and ask the agent to book you in the transdorm. The transdorm car numbers on the Capitol are 2909 and 3009.


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