July 6.2009 AUS-SAS
TE #21 Coach Arrived 30 minutes late from North due to delay between Taylor and Aus/freight traffic!!(UP)
The start of our journey begins @ the old MP station,last one left in Austin.Too much luggage.of course! :lol:
No bagge check,attendants in Austin are helpful and informed,large group boards the train including
many students and boyscouts headed for camps and summer adventures!Not being an equipment guru
didnt write down the engine/car #s but the consist was" 1 engine/1 transition dorm/1 sleeper/1 lounge/
1 diner(crew detrained here)/3 coaches. Left only 10 minutes late after a quick boarding(the spot in Austin
makes the sleeper pax walk a ways!),stowed the gear and went to the lounge for a quick snack!Of course the
usual Amtral snack prices were pricey but Stacy tells me the Cheese burger is excellent!No Coke/only PEPSI!!
:lol: Hot and humid, as the train leaves its first and only stop in San Marcos and an orange and beautiful sunset
is followed by a huge RAINBOW due to a large thunderstorm to our SE, a welcome sight to a hot and parched
Central Texas!!!(2 months of 100+ and No Rain!!!!Must be Phoenix!!! :lol: )A quick word about the so called
SAS Amshack, it replaced the old beautiful Sunset Station which is now an entertainment and Conference/Convention
mecca and is closed and locked up on a Summer Monday night!We arrive 45 minutes early due to NO freight traffic,
the tracks between San Marcos and SAS are very rough, a bouncy and rough ride for sure!!UP strikes again!!
Very friendly and helpful on board staff on this segment, wish the same could be said for the station crew!! :angry:
The station is very small, hot and undoubtadly hbas the filthiest bathrooms this side of a greyhound Bus station!
Graffiti,dirty,smelly/broken fixtures and street people and gang bangers hanging out asking for "change" and
for lights/cigarettes etc. etc. The seats are all full allready with folks awaiting the 1:00AM SSL#2 to NOL and the
folks staying the night on the coach and sleeper to be hooked to SSL#1 in the morning!The counter is closed while the
station staff work the baggage,they seem to be overwhelmed with the amount and the hot conditions outside!
Vending machines are empty in the station and an employee tells pax who inquire that there is nothing
open in the area except going downtown to the Riverwalk and the tourist spots that abound there, its not
that far but the area is not the best and there are no cabs present(and no parking either, its all contract
lots and valet for the pricey resturants and hotels in the area(violators will be towed! :lol: )One final comment
about the equipment on TE#21, it seems to be the old and worn out cars in need or rehab, lots of
seats/latches/doors/restrooms etc. that dont work,need duct tape :lol: /cleaning/replacing etc.
We went across the street to the Best Western Sunset Suites to spend the night, it is an Excellent hotel,
a little pricey but everything is in this tourist town but an oasis before we begin our Western Journey
of many thousands of miles in the morning @ an ungodly hour of 5:40A.M.!!
More to come when
Im rested and find my notes(no laptop/phone problems to be mentioned later) after
a long,tireing,beautiful and soul enriching trip by train!!!!!!!!A quick add on: the usual great circle route through
the yards past the beautiful old T&P station(now a credit union)completley around SAS and backing into the
station,upon leaving this will not happen,is this any way to run a railroad!!!!
TE #21 Coach Arrived 30 minutes late from North due to delay between Taylor and Aus/freight traffic!!(UP)
The start of our journey begins @ the old MP station,last one left in Austin.Too much luggage.of course! :lol:
No bagge check,attendants in Austin are helpful and informed,large group boards the train including
many students and boyscouts headed for camps and summer adventures!Not being an equipment guru
didnt write down the engine/car #s but the consist was" 1 engine/1 transition dorm/1 sleeper/1 lounge/
1 diner(crew detrained here)/3 coaches. Left only 10 minutes late after a quick boarding(the spot in Austin
makes the sleeper pax walk a ways!),stowed the gear and went to the lounge for a quick snack!Of course the
usual Amtral snack prices were pricey but Stacy tells me the Cheese burger is excellent!No Coke/only PEPSI!!
:lol: Hot and humid, as the train leaves its first and only stop in San Marcos and an orange and beautiful sunset
is followed by a huge RAINBOW due to a large thunderstorm to our SE, a welcome sight to a hot and parched
Central Texas!!!(2 months of 100+ and No Rain!!!!Must be Phoenix!!! :lol: )A quick word about the so called
SAS Amshack, it replaced the old beautiful Sunset Station which is now an entertainment and Conference/Convention
mecca and is closed and locked up on a Summer Monday night!We arrive 45 minutes early due to NO freight traffic,
the tracks between San Marcos and SAS are very rough, a bouncy and rough ride for sure!!UP strikes again!!
Very friendly and helpful on board staff on this segment, wish the same could be said for the station crew!! :angry:
The station is very small, hot and undoubtadly hbas the filthiest bathrooms this side of a greyhound Bus station!
Graffiti,dirty,smelly/broken fixtures and street people and gang bangers hanging out asking for "change" and
for lights/cigarettes etc. etc. The seats are all full allready with folks awaiting the 1:00AM SSL#2 to NOL and the
folks staying the night on the coach and sleeper to be hooked to SSL#1 in the morning!The counter is closed while the
station staff work the baggage,they seem to be overwhelmed with the amount and the hot conditions outside!
Vending machines are empty in the station and an employee tells pax who inquire that there is nothing
open in the area except going downtown to the Riverwalk and the tourist spots that abound there, its not
that far but the area is not the best and there are no cabs present(and no parking either, its all contract
lots and valet for the pricey resturants and hotels in the area(violators will be towed! :lol: )One final comment
about the equipment on TE#21, it seems to be the old and worn out cars in need or rehab, lots of
seats/latches/doors/restrooms etc. that dont work,need duct tape :lol: /cleaning/replacing etc.
We went across the street to the Best Western Sunset Suites to spend the night, it is an Excellent hotel,
a little pricey but everything is in this tourist town but an oasis before we begin our Western Journey
of many thousands of miles in the morning @ an ungodly hour of 5:40A.M.!!
More to come whenIm rested and find my notes(no laptop/phone problems to be mentioned later) after
a long,tireing,beautiful and soul enriching trip by train!!!!!!!!A quick add on: the usual great circle route through
the yards past the beautiful old T&P station(now a credit union)completley around SAS and backing into the
station,upon leaving this will not happen,is this any way to run a railroad!!!!
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