Because a couple of Wonderful British Ex-Pats and AU Friends that are touring the US were kind enough to let me get an Open Sleeper Ticket to share their Bedroom on a Day Trip from Austin to Dallas,( they are riding from LAX to Illinois), I rode the Eagle for the first time since last June.
Iam not enamored of what they've done to my home Train( down to only 4 Cars! No Sightseer Lounge,No Bag Car, No Transdorm!!!
), and serving Flex Meals to only Sleeper Passengers and having only 1 Person serving as the SCA for the Diner and the Cafe while doing the work of 4!!! And the Train is usually Full resulting in High Bucket Coach and Sleeper Fares.
On a Cold,(37)Cloudy Damp Winter Day the Train rolled around the bend into the Austin Station right on time!
The consist was 1 P-42 ,1 CCC ( Diner/Cafe) 1 Coach/Bag( very tired and ratty) ,1 Rehabed Coach with the New Seats,Carpet,Lighting and Bathrooms
and the #422 Sleeper that came from LAX.( there's No Eagles on Wed and Thursdays on the 5 day LD Schedules)
I joined the lovely Couple in the CCC for Last Call Breakfast ( Flex, but the Coffee was good as was the Yogurt, I skipped the Breakfast Sandwich)
After we finished eating the LSA told us we couldn't stay in the CCC, that we had to return to our Sleeper since there was no Lounge Car and he had to serve the Cafe passengers, that you could only stay while eating and drinking what you had ordered from the CCC( no Personal food or Beverage)
We returned to their Bedroom and they were kind enough to let me sit in the Forward Facing Chair since the Couch faced the Rear of the Train and I get motion sickness riding "backwards."( same in the Diner!)
We caught up on the past 2 years since they last visited Austin, their current trips, their future plans and pretty much solved all the problems of the World!
After the stop in Temple where got off for some " Fresh Air" we went to Lunch in the CCC which had been pre-ordered @ Breakfast and was served @ 12 Noon since the LSA was again having to close the Cafe part of the Car to do 4 peoples work in the Diner!
I had the Beef Short Ribs with Potatoes,Gravy,Carrots and Green Beans with a Warm Roll and Butter, and while there were Small Portion of each, it was surprisingly Tasty, Well Heated and easy to chew.( not tough or over cooked)
The Brownie for Desert was Soft and Tasty
, all in all by far the best of the Fresh and Contemporary and Flex Meals Amtrak was slinging over the past few years when Real Diners went into Mothballs!
My friends told me the Salmon was fairly tasty and so was the Veggie option.( Black Bean Enchilladas I belive??)
We kept right on time as we rolled across the Brazos River and into Ft Worth where we got off for another "Fresh Air Break"but since the Wind was bitterly Cold we hopped right back on the Train.
The Heartland Flyer to Oklahoma City hasn't been running for 3 days due to icing and neither has DART, the Light Rail.
With the Airports shut down in the DFW Metroplex for 2 days, ( Wed and Thurs), TexRail Express from Ft Worth and TRE from Ft Worth to Dallas also weren't running.
Today, both were back in Action,but DART, the Dallas Light Rail to both Airports was NOT running!!!
As we chugged around the Curve into Union Station we looked @ Dealy Plaza and the Texas Book Depository from the Bedroom Window where JFK was assisinated.
I hopped off, and since the Wind was really Cold,gave a Hug and said Goodbyes to our Friends !
I went into the Amtrak Station ( another Basement Dungeon like Indy and Pittsburgh), and had to show my Amtrak ticket to the Security Guard as it's not Open to DART and TRE Passengers!
That's when the Amtrak Agent told me that DART wasn't Running Trains, so to get to the Airport ( Love Field)I'd have to take a Cab or a Ride Share!
I walked out Front where Busses and Cabs and Ride Share pick-up/drop off, and a nice Cab Driver told me it was a flat $30 to Love Field,$50 to DFW.( Uber and Lyft were doing Surge Pricing/ $50 and $75!!)
I hopped in, we crept up I 35N which was clogged with traffic , got to Love Field @ 5pm for my 7:30PM Flight on Southwest to Austin.
Due to the Airport being Shut down for 3 days, it was packed with people filling all the Chairs,Lines everywhere, and lots of Delays and Cancellations showing on the Boards.( most coming/going North and East)
I made my way to TSA Security ( was lucky enough to get picked for PRE which Southwest does by Lottery).
It took me 40 minutes to make it through, the TSA people told us they were " Shorthanded" like everywhere now!
Then I headed to the Food Court, which had Lines @ most places. I picked Chick- Fil-A as it was the shortest.
As all the Tables were Full in the Food Court , I ate my meal @ the Gate where I'd board, charged my phone and was glad they have comfortable seats @ the Gates unlike most Airports!
We were supposed to board @ 700pm for a 730pm Flight, but it was delayed coming from Nashville, and told it would board @ 800pm for an 8:30pm takeoff.
Finally the Plane arrived, we started boarding @800PM, the Plane was Full, bug luckily Id done early boarding ( worth the $25 Fee) and got a good aisle seat.
We pushed back @ 830PM for the 36 Minute Flight to Austin.
The weather in Austin was announced as 37 with Light Rain and a 25mph North Wind, and it was ever bit of that as we arrived @ the Gate for a 9:15PM exit from the 737-700.
I made a pit stop, them went out front and hopped on the Cap Metro Airporter Bus that runs every 15 Minutes between the Airport and Downtown. ( only $1.25 Fare, a Real Deal!)
The bus let me off a Block from my Apartment and I walked into my place @ 10:05PM, tired but thrilled to have seen my friends and once again riding on a LD Train!
Sorry no pictures, I'm Hi-Tech Challenged!
Iam not enamored of what they've done to my home Train( down to only 4 Cars! No Sightseer Lounge,No Bag Car, No Transdorm!!!
), and serving Flex Meals to only Sleeper Passengers and having only 1 Person serving as the SCA for the Diner and the Cafe while doing the work of 4!!! And the Train is usually Full resulting in High Bucket Coach and Sleeper Fares.On a Cold,(37)Cloudy Damp Winter Day the Train rolled around the bend into the Austin Station right on time!
The consist was 1 P-42 ,1 CCC ( Diner/Cafe) 1 Coach/Bag( very tired and ratty) ,1 Rehabed Coach with the New Seats,Carpet,Lighting and Bathrooms
and the #422 Sleeper that came from LAX.( there's No Eagles on Wed and Thursdays on the 5 day LD Schedules)I joined the lovely Couple in the CCC for Last Call Breakfast ( Flex, but the Coffee was good as was the Yogurt, I skipped the Breakfast Sandwich)
After we finished eating the LSA told us we couldn't stay in the CCC, that we had to return to our Sleeper since there was no Lounge Car and he had to serve the Cafe passengers, that you could only stay while eating and drinking what you had ordered from the CCC( no Personal food or Beverage)
We returned to their Bedroom and they were kind enough to let me sit in the Forward Facing Chair since the Couch faced the Rear of the Train and I get motion sickness riding "backwards."( same in the Diner!
)We caught up on the past 2 years since they last visited Austin, their current trips, their future plans and pretty much solved all the problems of the World!
After the stop in Temple where got off for some " Fresh Air" we went to Lunch in the CCC which had been pre-ordered @ Breakfast and was served @ 12 Noon since the LSA was again having to close the Cafe part of the Car to do 4 peoples work in the Diner!
I had the Beef Short Ribs with Potatoes,Gravy,Carrots and Green Beans with a Warm Roll and Butter, and while there were Small Portion of each, it was surprisingly Tasty, Well Heated and easy to chew.( not tough or over cooked)
The Brownie for Desert was Soft and Tasty
, all in all by far the best of the Fresh and Contemporary and Flex Meals Amtrak was slinging over the past few years when Real Diners went into Mothballs!My friends told me the Salmon was fairly tasty and so was the Veggie option.( Black Bean Enchilladas I belive??)
We kept right on time as we rolled across the Brazos River and into Ft Worth where we got off for another "Fresh Air Break"but since the Wind was bitterly Cold we hopped right back on the Train.
The Heartland Flyer to Oklahoma City hasn't been running for 3 days due to icing and neither has DART, the Light Rail.
With the Airports shut down in the DFW Metroplex for 2 days, ( Wed and Thurs), TexRail Express from Ft Worth and TRE from Ft Worth to Dallas also weren't running.
Today, both were back in Action,but DART, the Dallas Light Rail to both Airports was NOT running!!!
As we chugged around the Curve into Union Station we looked @ Dealy Plaza and the Texas Book Depository from the Bedroom Window where JFK was assisinated.
I hopped off, and since the Wind was really Cold,gave a Hug and said Goodbyes to our Friends !
I went into the Amtrak Station ( another Basement Dungeon like Indy and Pittsburgh), and had to show my Amtrak ticket to the Security Guard as it's not Open to DART and TRE Passengers!
That's when the Amtrak Agent told me that DART wasn't Running Trains, so to get to the Airport ( Love Field)I'd have to take a Cab or a Ride Share!
I walked out Front where Busses and Cabs and Ride Share pick-up/drop off, and a nice Cab Driver told me it was a flat $30 to Love Field,$50 to DFW.( Uber and Lyft were doing Surge Pricing/ $50 and $75!!)
I hopped in, we crept up I 35N which was clogged with traffic , got to Love Field @ 5pm for my 7:30PM Flight on Southwest to Austin.
Due to the Airport being Shut down for 3 days, it was packed with people filling all the Chairs,Lines everywhere, and lots of Delays and Cancellations showing on the Boards.( most coming/going North and East)
I made my way to TSA Security ( was lucky enough to get picked for PRE which Southwest does by Lottery).
It took me 40 minutes to make it through, the TSA people told us they were " Shorthanded" like everywhere now!
Then I headed to the Food Court, which had Lines @ most places. I picked Chick- Fil-A as it was the shortest.
As all the Tables were Full in the Food Court , I ate my meal @ the Gate where I'd board, charged my phone and was glad they have comfortable seats @ the Gates unlike most Airports!
We were supposed to board @ 700pm for a 730pm Flight, but it was delayed coming from Nashville, and told it would board @ 800pm for an 8:30pm takeoff.
Finally the Plane arrived, we started boarding @800PM, the Plane was Full, bug luckily Id done early boarding ( worth the $25 Fee) and got a good aisle seat.
We pushed back @ 830PM for the 36 Minute Flight to Austin.
The weather in Austin was announced as 37 with Light Rain and a 25mph North Wind, and it was ever bit of that as we arrived @ the Gate for a 9:15PM exit from the 737-700.
I made a pit stop, them went out front and hopped on the Cap Metro Airporter Bus that runs every 15 Minutes between the Airport and Downtown. ( only $1.25 Fare, a Real Deal!)
The bus let me off a Block from my Apartment and I walked into my place @ 10:05PM, tired but thrilled to have seen my friends and once again riding on a LD Train!
Sorry no pictures, I'm Hi-Tech Challenged!
Last edited:
My Buddy.
