Part I- Austin to Temple
Since I had a rare few days off from my various Partime Gigs, and the Spring Weather was predicted to be as Good as it gets here, I decided to book a day trip from Austin to Temple, one of my favorite places in Texas, on the Texas Eaglette.
I was able to snare a Roundtrip Value Fare in Coach of $15 ( can't drive for that).
Thursday morning dawmed Clear and Cool with a Light North Breeze after a Night of Storms moving through Central Texas.
Had a quick Breakfast @ home ( Austin is last call for Sleeper Passengers in the CCC but I'm in Coach and they still have Flex Food and don't care for what the Cafe has on offer @ Stadium Prices).
Checked on the Eaglette which was on time out of San Marcos, only stop between San Antonio and Austin, and headed for the hard to get to Station through the usual Rush Hour traffic.
The Station now is only Open 9AM-7PM, but is still Staffed with Checked Luggage Service.
Picked up a backup e-ticket ( don't trust my Phone when traveling)and was told the Eaglette was running a few minutes Early which is Very Rare on this UP Freight heavy Route!
Lined up " Under the Canopy" in front of the Station with about 20 folks catching the Train North, 2 Lines, Sleepers on the Left,Coach on the Right.
At 910AM, the #22 Eaglette came chugging around the Curve leading to the Station after crossing Lady Bird Lake on the Oldest continously used RR Bridge in Texas.( 1881)
It had the usual Consist of 1 P-42,( Very Dirty and full of Dings and Patches, truly on its last legs from the looks of the thing), the CCC and 2 Coaches.
The Conductor scanned our tickets, the Coach attendant gave us Seat Checks ( pick your own seat in either Coach) and we boarded as those aboard took Smoke and Fresh Air Breaks.
The LSA in the CCC announced Last Call for Breakfast for Sleeper Pasengers, and said that since he was the only One Working the Food Service Car, that the Cafe wouldn't be Open until after the Taylor Stop.( 45 Minutes North)
This is the First time since I started riding this Route over 60 years ago, that I didn't know any of the Crew, Conductors or OBS, lots of New Hires in Chicago and San Antonio I was told.
Both Coaches had the New Refreshed interiors with the Faux Leather Seats and New Lighting but the Bathrooms were still the Old Style, and were Trashed and Filthy, even though they had only Bern used since leaving San Antonio this Morning @ 7AM.
At 9:31AM, the Horn tooted and we slowly rolled out heading North up the Middle of the "Mopac Expressway", which is still Gridlocked with Rush Hour Traffic@ this time of day.
We made good time till we slowed for the rough track through the " Town" of McNeil, which consists of a White Lime Works and a Small General Store and Post Office which has existed since Austin was still called Waterloo, and the Capitol of Texas was in Houston.
We then rolled through RoundRock ( Home of Dell Computer), the Rapidly Growing Suburb of Hutto and approached Taylor.
After the Conductor announced the upcoming Stop @ Taylor in 10 minutes,we came to a sudden stop on the Outskirts@ 10:15AM.( Carded Station Stop is 10:25AM)
The Conductor then announced that UP had decided to make up a Train on the Main Line by the Taylor Station as there is a Freight Yard Located there in what is the District Headquarters for UP.
He announced There would be a Lengthy Delay,and that we would then be following the Freight North to Temple and apologized for the Delay.
After sitting for an Hour, the LSA announced that the Cafe was now Open for Purchases, and that he would take Lunch Reservations for Sleeper Passengers in the Cafe since we were facing a long delay.( Lunch is usually served after the Temple Stop).
Finally, about 1130AM, the Conductor announced that we would be making in the Station Stop in a few Minutes, soon as the Freight on the Main left heading North.
At 1145AM, the Whistle Sounded, and we slowly rolled through the Freight Yards and stopped @ the Taylor "Station".( the Old Mopac Station is UPs Headquarters and not Open to the Public, the Amtrak Station is a Picnic Table with a Carport type Roof over it!)
We had to make 2 Spots, one for the Sleeper, and One for the Coaches since the Platform is so small @ this Stop, even for a 4 Car Consist!
We finally finished the Station Work and the Horn Sounded as we rolled out and around the Curve where the Tracks split, with the Old Route of the Mopac Texas Eagle heading straight for East Texas, and the Freight Tracks for Ft Worth branch off to the North, the current Route of the Eaglette.
We rolled along Slowly, about 30MPH, following the 2 Mile Long Freight through the Small Farming Communities between Taylor and Temple.
Finally we started rolling very Slowly through the Outskirts of Temple about 130PM, now 2 Hours Down.
At 138PM, we stopped @ the Nice Old Santa Fe Station now owned by the City of Temple, and I detrained along with about 5 others. There was a Large Crowd on the Platform awaiting the Train.
I went into the Amtrak part of the Station ( on the Northwest end of the 2 Story Building), used the Bathroom and visited with my Old Agent Friend, now the District Manager for Amtrak.
I usually eat @ my favorite Mom and Pop Cafe, The Bird Creek Burger Company and Brew Pub, but she reccomended a BBQ Joint across the Tracks called Pit Stop BBQ.
Being a Big Q Fan, I walked over the Overpass a Couple of Blocks to the Small Red Shack and went inside to order Lunch!
To be Continued!!!( Sorry no Pictires)
Since I had a rare few days off from my various Partime Gigs, and the Spring Weather was predicted to be as Good as it gets here, I decided to book a day trip from Austin to Temple, one of my favorite places in Texas, on the Texas Eaglette.
I was able to snare a Roundtrip Value Fare in Coach of $15 ( can't drive for that).
Thursday morning dawmed Clear and Cool with a Light North Breeze after a Night of Storms moving through Central Texas.
Had a quick Breakfast @ home ( Austin is last call for Sleeper Passengers in the CCC but I'm in Coach and they still have Flex Food and don't care for what the Cafe has on offer @ Stadium Prices).
Checked on the Eaglette which was on time out of San Marcos, only stop between San Antonio and Austin, and headed for the hard to get to Station through the usual Rush Hour traffic.
The Station now is only Open 9AM-7PM, but is still Staffed with Checked Luggage Service.
Picked up a backup e-ticket ( don't trust my Phone when traveling)and was told the Eaglette was running a few minutes Early which is Very Rare on this UP Freight heavy Route!
Lined up " Under the Canopy" in front of the Station with about 20 folks catching the Train North, 2 Lines, Sleepers on the Left,Coach on the Right.
At 910AM, the #22 Eaglette came chugging around the Curve leading to the Station after crossing Lady Bird Lake on the Oldest continously used RR Bridge in Texas.( 1881)
It had the usual Consist of 1 P-42,( Very Dirty and full of Dings and Patches, truly on its last legs from the looks of the thing), the CCC and 2 Coaches.
The Conductor scanned our tickets, the Coach attendant gave us Seat Checks ( pick your own seat in either Coach) and we boarded as those aboard took Smoke and Fresh Air Breaks.
The LSA in the CCC announced Last Call for Breakfast for Sleeper Pasengers, and said that since he was the only One Working the Food Service Car, that the Cafe wouldn't be Open until after the Taylor Stop.( 45 Minutes North)
This is the First time since I started riding this Route over 60 years ago, that I didn't know any of the Crew, Conductors or OBS, lots of New Hires in Chicago and San Antonio I was told.
Both Coaches had the New Refreshed interiors with the Faux Leather Seats and New Lighting but the Bathrooms were still the Old Style, and were Trashed and Filthy, even though they had only Bern used since leaving San Antonio this Morning @ 7AM.
At 9:31AM, the Horn tooted and we slowly rolled out heading North up the Middle of the "Mopac Expressway", which is still Gridlocked with Rush Hour Traffic@ this time of day.
We made good time till we slowed for the rough track through the " Town" of McNeil, which consists of a White Lime Works and a Small General Store and Post Office which has existed since Austin was still called Waterloo, and the Capitol of Texas was in Houston.
We then rolled through RoundRock ( Home of Dell Computer), the Rapidly Growing Suburb of Hutto and approached Taylor.
After the Conductor announced the upcoming Stop @ Taylor in 10 minutes,we came to a sudden stop on the Outskirts@ 10:15AM.( Carded Station Stop is 10:25AM)
The Conductor then announced that UP had decided to make up a Train on the Main Line by the Taylor Station as there is a Freight Yard Located there in what is the District Headquarters for UP.
He announced There would be a Lengthy Delay,and that we would then be following the Freight North to Temple and apologized for the Delay.
After sitting for an Hour, the LSA announced that the Cafe was now Open for Purchases, and that he would take Lunch Reservations for Sleeper Passengers in the Cafe since we were facing a long delay.( Lunch is usually served after the Temple Stop).
Finally, about 1130AM, the Conductor announced that we would be making in the Station Stop in a few Minutes, soon as the Freight on the Main left heading North.
At 1145AM, the Whistle Sounded, and we slowly rolled through the Freight Yards and stopped @ the Taylor "Station".( the Old Mopac Station is UPs Headquarters and not Open to the Public, the Amtrak Station is a Picnic Table with a Carport type Roof over it!)
We had to make 2 Spots, one for the Sleeper, and One for the Coaches since the Platform is so small @ this Stop, even for a 4 Car Consist!
We finally finished the Station Work and the Horn Sounded as we rolled out and around the Curve where the Tracks split, with the Old Route of the Mopac Texas Eagle heading straight for East Texas, and the Freight Tracks for Ft Worth branch off to the North, the current Route of the Eaglette.
We rolled along Slowly, about 30MPH, following the 2 Mile Long Freight through the Small Farming Communities between Taylor and Temple.
Finally we started rolling very Slowly through the Outskirts of Temple about 130PM, now 2 Hours Down.
At 138PM, we stopped @ the Nice Old Santa Fe Station now owned by the City of Temple, and I detrained along with about 5 others. There was a Large Crowd on the Platform awaiting the Train.
I went into the Amtrak part of the Station ( on the Northwest end of the 2 Story Building), used the Bathroom and visited with my Old Agent Friend, now the District Manager for Amtrak.
I usually eat @ my favorite Mom and Pop Cafe, The Bird Creek Burger Company and Brew Pub, but she reccomended a BBQ Joint across the Tracks called Pit Stop BBQ.
Being a Big Q Fan, I walked over the Overpass a Couple of Blocks to the Small Red Shack and went inside to order Lunch!
To be Continued!!!( Sorry no Pictires)
( she's now the District Manager/ New Agents)
).
.
