# Trip Report - 3 Rivers, TX Eagle, Lake Shore



## Amfleet Fan (Jul 22, 2003)

Please excuse the length of this report, I'm new to these forums but figured the more imformation, the better.

I've always wanted to travel overnight by train and last week I got to take my dream trip. I guess I could say it was everything I anticipated, however my expectations of service were a little bit higher than I received, maybe because I deal with customer quality issues and my standards are pretty high. Regardless, it was a great trip.

I decided to take my vacation to Dallas, since I have friends there and I've always enjoyed that city. Being 25 years old, it's a great place for people my age.

Being this was my first LD trip, I may be wrong about some equipment info or how some things are supposed to be run so please feel free to let me know if I'm incorrect on something.

NYP to CHI

Train 41 - The Three Rivers

Viewliner Sleeper - Moonlight View - 62020 - Bedroom 1

Checked into the Acela lounge and waited for my boarding call. I was greeted by Heath who was my sleeping car attendant. He immediately perceived this was my first time on a LD Train and went through all the features of the Viewliner. Needless to say, I left him a nice tip. I was incredibly impressed by the layout and features of the Viewliner and after the completion of my trip I can say I definitely prefer them over the Superliner Sleepers.

We left NYP on time and were early getting into Philly. At Philly they attached express boxcars and roadrailers.

At Philly, an additional Lounge Car Attendant - Katie - takes your reservation for dinner and explains the menu choices. For dinner the end of the lounge closest to the sleeper is adorned with linen tablecloths and flowers in vases. A nice touch for a train with no diner. Dinner is served on faux dishware. Unfortunately, they sat me with an older couple with their three year old brat who kept pulling the tablecloth and playing with everything on the table, I couldn't enjoy my dinner at this point.

Horseshoe Curve was visible and proved impressive since the train was pretty long this point, albeit mostly with freight cars.

Went to sleep after Pittsburgh, even though I it was a tough choice since the moon was full and much of the scenery was visible. We arrived into Chicago at 7:30am, 15 minutes early. I would say this was my favorite part of the trip and I would recommend this train over the LSL any day, even though it doesn't have a full diner.

Consist: 2 Genesis, 2 Heritage Baggage, 1 Viewliner (Moonlight View), 1 Horizon Dinette, 1 Amfleet II Coach, 2 Horizon Coaches, 10 Express Boxcars, 10+ Roadrailers.

CHI to NYP

Train 21 - The Texas Eagle

Superliner Sleeper - 32044 - Bedroom 4

Left CHI about 5 minutes late and by Joliet we were up to 45 minutes late already. I can't really tell the difference between Superliner I or II but if I had to venture I guess I would say most if not all of this train was made up of Superliner I equipment. Half of the window in my bedroom was clouded over which made picture taking a challenge. Car Attendant Robert was helpful and friendly and always there when you needed him. He kept the sodas and juice in bedroom 1 until the rear coach to St. Louis was detached. He was fearful that the coach passengers walking through would take them.

My reservation for dinner was 7:15pm and I was quite lucky to have a table by myself. I had the Delmonaco Steak which was very good. Dining car waiters were friendly, the Steward was a bit gruff.

Trips to the smoking lounge proved quite enjoyable. One female passenger enjoyed telling us how she must take the Eagle every two weeks to Chicago to go to court, since they will be putting her in jail for 12 days.

I must say that the caliber of people who take this train is not exactly the highest. When asked by fellow passengers who were riding in coach where I was sitting, I told them sleeper, they immediately shot me a look of contempt. Actually, to be blunt the people on this train were really scary.

For Breakfast I had the pancakes, and lunch the Turkey Tenderloins, both were very good.

We arrived in Little Rock, AR at 7:00am, 3 hours late. However we made up time between there and Dallas were only 1 hour late getting into DAL Union Station.

While in Dallas I took a day trip up to Fort Worth and had lunch at the Fort Worth Rail Market. Definitely a good place for Train Watching. While I was there the Southbound Heartland Flyer arrived with a two Genesis Engines (one on each end) 2 ex-El Capitan High Level Coaches and a Superliner Coach.

Consist:

1 Genesis

1 Trans Dorm

1 Diner

1 Lounge

3 Coaches

1 Sleeper

1 Coach to St. Louis

DAL to CHI

Train 422 - The Texas Eagle

Superliner Sleeper - 62038 - Room 14

At Union Station I was called up to the front desk and informed that the bedroom on my ticket, Room 9 had been bad ordered and to go to the Trans Dorm when the train arrived and there would be a room for me up there.

I did just that and the car attendant up there had no idea what I was talking about and told me "I can't help you" and to go back to the other sleeper. The car attendant of the other sleeper which I was supposed to be in said "I don't have any other rooms" and to go up to the lounge car. Half way up to the lounge the attendant found me and he magically had room 14 available. I liked the fact that I was on the lower level this time since it was closer to the shower and bathrooms and had less traffic.

We left DAL 30 minutes late. This train was sold out. Mostly due to a group of teenagers on their was to St. Louis for a religious retreat. Everyone on the train commented on how rude this group were. They were dispersed throughout the coaches, did not move out of the aisles when someone said "excuse or pardon me" and were just generally rude and misbehaved. The chaperones did absolutely nothing. Glad I was in sleeper.

I think this train was all Superliner II's since the interiors were different than those on my way down to Dallas.

The PA system didn't work in the sleeper so were were not informed of anything, but the crew on this train was generally unhelpful and did not communicate with the passengers at all.

Some stories from the smoking lounge: a bearded man who explained how his teeth were rotting and when he couldn't stand the pain anymore, he yanked them all out with a wrench; and a woman who explained that you can get great stuff by lowering someone into the Salvation Army box and taking out the bags of donations. The people on this train were worse than the Eagle on the way to Dallas.

Dining car staff was not friendly at all and were blasting music from the downstairs kitchen. For dinner I had the Beef Tenderloin.

The A/C in our sleeper was not working and by midnight I was burning up. Cloyee, our car attendant was never around and was not the most helpful soul. I finally found him and he said he would hit the override for the A/C. However, 30 minutes later it was an oven again. This went on all night.

We were 2 hours late getting into St. Louis.

Ride was uneventful to CHI and we got in at 4:00PM.

Consist:

1 Genesis

1 Trans Dorm

1 Diner

1 Lounge

3 Coaches

1 Sleeper

1 Coach added at St. Louis

CHI to NYP

Train 48 - Lake Shore Limited

Viewliner Sleeper - Palm View? - Room 3

We left Chicago 20 minutes late, the diner opened around 7:30 but no announcement was made. I had the Lemon Encrusted Salmon for dinner, another good choice. Sleeping car attendant Tracy, was friendly and explained the features of the bedroom even though I told her she didn't need to, but nice of her anyway. I asked her if she could put down the top bunk while I was at dinner. Well, it was never done, and we didn't see her until the end of the trip.

Dining car staff was okay, friendly enough but if you weren't sure of what you were ordering, they would huff and puff. Diner was of Southern Pacific Heritage. Although not refurbished inside, it was a nice looking car inside and out. Desert was not allowed to be eaten in the dining car, instead they gave it to passengers in a Styrofoam bowl to go.

I returned to my room and started talking to the man in the room across the aisle from me. Turns out he was the Employee Development Manager for Amtrak and was on his way to NY to teach a training class. We talked until Cleveland and then I turned for the night. He was a really nice guy and explained a lot about Amtrak and what they will be doing and what they would like to do to improve service as well as general history of trains. Probably one of the most enjoyable conversations I've ever had with anyone about trains and travel.

Now, the amazing part, we arrived into NYP early, at 1:35 pm actually. I was thoroughly amazed, especially when we were at Albany for only 20 minutes. Through the night and morning, we stayed at a consistent 20 minutes late, but the time was made up and then some.

The car attendant actually got on the PA before we arrived NYP and apologized for being early stating that "we are usually 1 to 3 hours late". The gentleman I was speaking to earlier just rolled his eyes and couldn't believe what he just heard.

Overall, the LSL wasn't as bad as I expected it to be, I would take this train again.

Consist (NYP to ALB)

2 Genesis

(BOSTON)

1 Heritage Baggage

1 Viewliner Sleeper

2 Amfleet II Coaches

1 Amfleet II Lounge

(NYP)

3 Amfleet II Coaches

1 Heritage Diner

2 Viewliner Sleepers

1 Dorm Lounge

1 1700 Series Baggage

I plan on writing a letter to Amtrak about the good service I received from the employees on the 3R, they have to be one of the friendliest crews on the system, I just need to know who and where to send it.

If anyone has any questions, please feel free to ask.


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## AMTRAK-P42 (Jul 22, 2003)

Sounds like a lot of fun. By chance do you happen to get some of the Engine numbers? 

Thanks.


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## Amfleet Fan (Jul 22, 2003)

AMTRAK-P42 said:


> Sounds like a lot of fun. By chance do you happen to get some of the Engine numbers?  Thanks.


Unfortunately I didn't get the engine numbers. I was hoping to get more of the car numbers, however I kept forgetting my journal and pen whenever I would walk through the cars.

I even forgot the sleeper name I was in on 48. I have to wait to get the pictures back for that info.

Thanks


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## battalion51 (Jul 22, 2003)

One of the things you can generally do is either A: walk through the train to get consist info (not so easy with MAil and Express) or B: ask the Conductor/AC to see the Consist on his/her manifest. Most Conductors don't have a problem with this, but if they say no accept it and move on. One of the things that really helps in a trip report is specifics on numbers so that we can really visualize the consist.


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