Texas Eagle discussion

fillyjonk said:

It does seem these days that the diner is at the head end and the sleeper is at the end, I bet you're right about those final two cars deadheading. Usually in St Louis a coach is attached or detached to the very end (depending on direction of travel, in most cases, or how heavily the passenger load getting on is)

do they even have enough staff on the TE to staff BOTH a diner (usually 2 people these days) AND a Lounge? I'd love to see the lounges back but I want to see traditional dining back first.

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Good points but I'd take the Lounge first!

Much quicker to implement, just clean it up, inspect and hook it up in the consist!

Highball!

Wonder if Amtrak is in a chicken and egg situation. Not enough OBS to expand not only the Eaglette but other routes. Still fault Amtrak not hiring OBS starting OCT 1st with the new FY 2022 money but waited too late ilste spring 2022 to cover summer 2022 OBS needs.

Word on another list indicates that the Texas Eagle bus bridge has been extended through July 10, 2024. I do not see any update on the Amtrak website.

Trying to understand why is the TE consistently leaving San Antonio late. If anything, OTP should improve.

frequentflyer said:

Trying to understand why is the TE consistently leaving San Antonio late. If anything, OTP should improve.

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Because #21 is arriving Very Late into SAS due to delays between Longview and Ft Worth and Freight Inteference between FTW and SAS.

The T&E Crews have to have the Required Rest before taking #22 the next morning.

Bob Dylan said:

Because #21 is arriving Very Late into SAS due to delays between Longview and Ft Worth and Freight Inteference between FTW and SAS.

The T&E Crews have to have the Required Rest before taking #22 the next morning.

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Thank you. Pretty sure the motorcoaches can do the same if not better timing traveling down I-20 in East Texas. It's the FTW-San Antonio delays that make no sense. BNSF is pretty good at getting the TE on time between FTW and Temple. But then UP takes over on dark territory for about 50 miles. Sigh, UP had improved recently.

The Eaglette NB is showing as 8 hours and 19 minutes late at St Louis today. * hours lost between Longview and Marshall yesterday. Estimated arrival Chicago at 11:07 PM. Ugh.

Any ideas as of yet as to when the trackwork will end?

Widfara said:

The Eaglette NB is showing as 8 hours and 19 minutes late at St Louis today. * hours lost between Longview and Marshall yesterday. Estimated arrival Chicago at 11:07 PM. Ugh.

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The NB Eaglette typically passes Dwight, IL (approx. 20 miles NE of the station stop at Pontiac, IL) sometime between Noon and 3PM, always before I see the SB Eaglette passing my office window (usually sometime around 3:15PM-3:30PM). Had I been at work today (the courthouse was closed, so our law firm was closed), I would never have seen even the NB Eaglette before heading home for the day!

sporksradiant said:

Any ideas as of yet as to when the trackwork will end?

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It's been extended a month until July, but I'll believe it when I see the Eaglete actually run between Longview and Ft Worth!

21 ran by Big Sandy today and is on it’s way to Dallas and points south. According to the VRF chat, it sounds like the remainder of the time (through July 10) will be a crap shoot if the train goes through or there is a bus bridge.

F900ElCapitan said:

21 ran by Big Sandy today and is on it’s way to Dallas and points south. According to the VRF chat, it sounds like the remainder of the time (through July 10) will be a crap shoot if the train goes through or there is a bus bridge.

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Would that be the same case for northbound to Chicago?

sporksradiant said:

Would that be the same case for northbound to Chicago?

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Yesterday( 6/20) #22 and #21 both ran the regular Eagle Route and actually were " On Time" most of the way, which lately is rarer than a Hens tooth !

See why the costs of TE and SL are high. Don't remember the TE/SL switching being as complicated as in this video.

For travel between Chicago and San Antonio only.

Which is better- southbound (originate in Chicago) or northbound from San Antonio?

Southbound you get to see St. Louis and the MacArthur Bridge in the daytime, and a full day of Texas scenery, but arriving in San Antonio at 10:16 (if you're on time- yeah right) or later does not sound fun.

Northbound leaves San Antonio at a reasonable 6:48 am and has a full day of Texas scenery, and a reasonable arrival time (if on time!) of about 2 pm in Chicago.

I'm aware of serious delays in Texas (which I hope will be resolved by early next year), but since I don't have a crystal ball, I can't tell how exactly that is going to affect travel.

What do you like better?

I seem to enjoy the southbound trip better but I don't have a great reason for this.

As you pointed out, there's advantages to both, but if you have to choose one direction, I'd go with Northbound due to the departure and arrival times in SAS and CHI.

With the current consist of the Eaglete being only 4 Cars, CCC, 2 Coaches and 1 Sleeper, and the Flex Meals served in the CCC,I currently don't do over night trips on my home Trains due to the lack of a Sightseer Car and the High Bucket Fares.

Bob Dylan said:

As you pointed out, there's advantages to both, but if you have to choose one direction, I'd go with Northbound due to the departure and arrival times in SAS and CHI.

With the current consist of the Eaglete being only 4 Cars, CCC, 2 Coaches and 1 Sleeper, and the Flex Meals served in the CCC,I currently don't do over night trips on my home Trains due to the lack of a Sightseer Car and the High Bucket Fares.

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Until less than a year ago you could find many low bucket fares of $623 on the Eagle from Chicago to LA and vice versa. Lowest I can find is $989, one of the upper buckets and being it is a three day a week train I checked every day for the next 11 months. Without a sightseer and the continued flex on the San Antonio to Chicago portion, I will bypass that route. I have taken it many times,but there comes a point where the value is just not there.

ygbsm said:

For travel between Chicago and San Antonio only.

Which is better- southbound (originate in Chicago) or northbound from San Antonio?

Southbound you get to see St. Louis and the MacArthur Bridge in the daytime, and a full day of Texas scenery, but arriving in San Antonio at 10:16 (if you're on time- yeah right) or later does not sound fun.

Northbound leaves San Antonio at a reasonable 6:48 am and has a full day of Texas scenery, and a reasonable arrival time (if on time!) of about 2 pm in Chicago.

I'm aware of serious delays in Texas (which I hope will be resolved by early next year), but since I don't have a crystal ball, I can't tell how exactly that is going to affect travel.

What do you like better?

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The hubby and I will be doing a roundtrip Pontiac, IL to/from Ft. Worth, TX in October, so I'll have a better idea of which direction has better scenery once we get back from that trip.

frequentflyer said:

See why the costs of TE and SL are high. Don't remember the TE/SL switching being as complicated as in this video.

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Looks normal to me. The only difference being that not every switch-out includes the protect cars. Since this is actually a simple switching move and has been necessary for decades it has jack-all to do with the Eagle or Sunset's current pricing. Far more relevant are fewer sleepers and more OBS in revenue rooms.

MccfamschoolMom said:

The hubby and I will be doing a roundtrip Pontiac, IL to/from Ft. Worth, TX in October, so I'll have a better idea of which direction has better scenery once we get back from that trip.

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You're familiar with the Corn and Soybean fields in Illinois, ( which you see in both directions, it's usually dark on # 21 going into St. Louis,( crossing the River with St Louis lighted up is cool) then the Best Scenery in Southern Missouri/ Arkansas is in the dark both ways.

From Texarkana to Ft Worth you'll be in daylight on #21 thru East Texas, but not much to see but Trees except for Mineola and Dallas to Ft Worth.

The Old Mopac Depot in Marshall which has a Museum(you can't get off during the stop but its nice to see)and the restored one in Longview( where the Thruway for Shrevport and Houston are) is worth a Look during the Station stop.

Be sure and check out Dealy Plaza,( site of the JFK Assassination) the Grassy Knoll, and the Book Depositiry as #21 and #22 Leave and Depart across the Trestle North of the Dallas Union Station.

Between Springfield and Joliet you get to pace I-55 and watch the cars and trucks lose the race and fall behind. Always satisfying.

Devil's Advocate said:

Looks normal to me. The only difference being that not every switch-out includes the protect cars. Since this is actually a simple switching move and has been necessary for decades it has jack-all to do with the Eagle or Sunset's current pricing. Far more relevant are fewer sleepers and more OBS in revenue rooms.

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"Costs" not "pricing". Costs for these two trains are high due to the SL's 3-day schedule, TE stub consists, switching crew, and other reasons.. I guess no matter how simple the operation the crew are necessary. I forget operating rules have changed over the decades (amazing back in the 80s the Tampa Silver Star section would join the Miami section on some obscure siding in Auburndale Florida, guess not permitted today just using train crew.)

Seen this operation many times, but thank you, you are right, adding the protect cars is throwing me off.

frequentflyer said:

I posted "costs" not "pricing". Costs for these two trains are high due to the SL's 3-day schedule, TE stub consists, switching crew, and other reasons.. I guess no matter how simple the operation the crew are necessary. I forget operating rules have changed over the decades (amazing back in the 80s the Tampa Silver Star section would join the Miami section on some obscure siding in Auburndale Florida, guess not permitted today just using train crew.)

Seen this operation many times, but thank you, you are right, adding the protect cars is throwing me off.

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I am not very familiar with the switching at SAS, but I know at Spokane for the Builder, the road crews do it. If a switch crew rather than a road crew does it at SAS, they'll get paid a minimum of 8 hours work irrespective of the time it actually takes, IIRC. Restrictions on switching would tend to be more a union agreement thing than an operating rules thing. As long as a crew is qualified on the territory used in the switching operation and is not pushing hours of service limits, they could perform the switching under operating rules.

frequentflyer said:

Between Springfield and Joliet you get to pace I-55 and watch the cars and trucks lose the race and fall behind. Always satisfying.

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I got to witness that last fall on the Lincoln Service/Missouri River Runner (same tracks as TE as far as St. Louis).