NOL-CHI-SAS-NOL

[Fan_Trains]

Me and My Stepfather had just arrived NOUPT in New Orleans just 2 days ago. where we rode the city of New orleans from New Orleans to Chicago. the purpose of the trip is my stepfather is to to attend the VFW convention in San Antonio TX. we had just left Biloxi,MS by Trailways Bus at 6:30 am. we got into New Orleans LA at 8:35 am. we went into the station, went to amtrak ticket desk and check in. got our tickets, had our luggages checked. then we waited in the waiting room. I went to the New Orleans Hotdog CO. for Lunch. I had a redbeans and rice for lunch which was good. then I went back to the waiting area to await the boarding call of train. Soon a Amtrak Policeman came by and annouce boarding procedures. people had gotten in line and we got in line to board. we went out to board our coach. and we got our seats. the consist of this train is by p42#15 a transition sleeper diner,sightseer, 3 coaches,and a sleeper. we left New Orleans on time, as we left the city swamps and bayous pass by. soon we followed I-10 which is on lake Ponchartrain. then we turned north. we crossed the bridge at manchac passing lake pontchartrain and lake marapas. we made stops on our way to a major stop in Jackson,MS we stopped in Hammond,LA McComb,MS Brookhaven,MS Hazlehurst,MS and our major stop is Jackson,MS since Jackson is a smoke stop i got off the train took pictures. we left jackson on time and went into the delta country. i went to the sightseer to do some sightseeing. we stopped in yazoo city, and left on time.I went to the diner for dinner. for dinner I had a vegetable lasana, which is good, for desert I had a rassberry ice cream. after dinner i went back to the sightseer. we stopped in greenwood,MS. it was smoke stop so I got off the train and took some pictures. we left Greenwood on time. and it was getting dark. it was dark, and we pulled into Memphis,TN on time. it was an another smoke stop, so I got off took some pictures. i gotten the pictures of the locomotive, transition sleeper, diner,sightseer, 3 coaches, and a sleeper. I reboarded the train and we left memphis on time, we followed the mississippi river, passed the lighted bridge, and we passed through woodstock,TN. soon I went back to coach, and I went to sleep. I slept through the stops of Newbern,TN Fulton,KY Carbondale,IL Centralia,IL Effingham,IL Mattoon,IL. I woke up for good. I went to the diner for breakfast. for breakfast i Had a continental Breakfast of frosted Flakes, sausage, biscuit, yougert, and strawberries. durning Breakfast, we stopped at champaign,IL. we left champaign,IL after breakfast, I went to the sightseer.

We stopped at Kankakee, IL, Homewood,IL. we backed up into the station passing the locomotive shop and coache yard. we pulled into the station at 19 minutes late. we got off went the metropolitan lounge checked in, got our room assignment, and we got our passes expecting us to be back to the loung at exact time. i went out took a walk, went outside the station walked around the station, sat out on the bench, watch the tourboats go by. then I went back in, went to the food court, went to McDonald's for lunch. I had a Hamburger, Fries, coke, and a McCafe Chocolate Shake. after Lunch I went Back to the lounge, to wait the boarding call. soon the conductor at the checkin desk took our tickets, got our carry ons and the boarding call was made. so we went out, went to the gate, we boarded the train. I saw that our train was the same train that we had just come in. the city of New Orleans had just become train 21 the texas eagle. the consist is the same. we boarded our sleeper, we went up to room 4. we left chicago on time, we passed the coach yard and locomotive shops. we went through the chicago suburbs. we stopped in joliet,IL we stopped in Pontiac,IL I went to the sightseer. we stopped in Bloomington,IL, we stopped in springfield,IL we stopped in lincoln,IL we stopped in Carlinville,IL. we went to the diner for dinner. I had rays beef which was good. mashed potatoes, vegetables,for desert I had a rassberry ice cream. during dinner we stopped in alton, IL after dinner I went back to the sightseer. we crossed the mississippi river, and we arrived and stopped at St. Louis,MO. it was a smoke stopped. I stepped off the train and took some pictures. I reboarded the train and we left St. Louis. soon it was getting dark. then it got dark out. soon I was getting tired. so I went back to the sleeper climbed into bed and went to sleep. I slept through the stops of popular Bluff,MO Walnut Ridge,ARK Little Rock,ARK Malvern,ARK Arkdelphia,ARK and Texarkana,ARK/TX I woke up for good. I relize that we were 1 hour behind shedule. we must have lost time overnight. I went to the diner for breakfast. I had a contental breakfast of special K, biscuit, grapefruit and strawberries, with orange juice. during breakfast, we stopped at Malvern,TX then we left. after breakfast I went back to the sightseer. we stopped at longview,TX which is a smoke stop. I got off the train and took some pictures. we left Longview and continued ahead. we stopped at Minelo,TX and we stopped at Dallas,TX. it was another smokestop. so I got off the train and took some pictures. I reboarded the train. and we left dallas. after we left dallas, I went to the diner for lunch. I had a veggie burger, Potato chips,for desert, I had a chocolate ice cream. after lunch, I went back to the sightseer. we stopped at fort worth,TX which it was a another smoke stop. i got off the train and took some pictures. i reboarded the train and we left fort worth. we stopped at Cleburn,TX we Stopped at McGregor,TX we Stopped at Temple,TX. My stepfather and I went to the diner for dinner. I had Rays Beef, Mashed potatoes, Vegetables, and for desert, I had rassberry ice cream. during dinner, we stopped at Taylor,TX. after dinner, I went back to the sightseer. we stopped in Austin,TX and we stopped in San Marcus,TX after we left San Marcus it was dark. so I went back to the sleeper to get ready for arrival to san antonio. We passed the San Antonio Airport, went through the suburbs of San Antonio, we Passed the station, we Backed up to the station, and we arrived into San Antonio,TX about 1hour and 45 minutes Late. we got the train, got luggages, got a cab and took us to the crown plaza hotel which we are staying now. I will have more on Part 2

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Outside of the day-to-day minutia, what's your opinion of the trip so far? I've never ridden the CONO but I've always been curious how much of a cleaning occurs before it becomes the Texas Eagle and vice versa.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Outside of the day-to-day minutia, what's your opinion of the trip so far? I've never ridden the CONO but I've always been curious how much of a cleaning occurs before it becomes the Texas Eagle and vice versa.

Glad you enjoyed the ride, as you mentioned not too much scenery on these routes but sounds like a smooth trip so far! Have fun in san Antonio, it's not the best time of the year to be there but the Tourists keep on coming, just like in Orlando!

Chris:The CHI yard crews are notorius for doing a lick and a promise on the consists when they are turned to become the Eagle/CONO runthrus. :angry: Jay Hadley and I have commented on this many times on this forum! Wonder if theyll mention the Heat there in River City, it gets pretty brutal downtown and out @ Sea World, Fiesta Texas and all the other Tourist Meccas as you know!

 

[Fan_Trains]

Outside of the day-to-day minutia, what's your opinion of the trip so far? I've never ridden the CONO but I've always been curious how much of a cleaning occurs before it becomes the Texas Eagle and vice versa.

Well My opinion of the trip so far was excellent. it was a smooth ride.

 

[Fan_Trains]

Two Days ago, Me and Sterpfather had just boarded Train 2. The Sunset Limited From San Antonio to New Orleans. we would'vd had stayed in San Antonio TX and leave Saturday night as planned, But Mom was worried about the Storm that was forming in the gulf of Mexico. so she wanted me and my Stepfather back home as early possible. so we left the hotel and took a cab the the train station. My stepfather had got our tickets changed. and we waited for our train. Train 2 the sunset limited. had arrived at the station about 2 hours and 45 minutes late. we boarded the train, we went to room 12. that was in the lower level accomation. we left san Antonio TX about 2 hours and 55 minutes late we went to bed and slept. by morning I woke up for good. and I discovered that we were about 4 hours late out of houston. it appears that we had lost some time overnight. I went to the diner and had some breakfast. for Breakfast, I had a coninental breakfast of frosted flakes, bacon, biscuit yougert, and strawberries. and also orange juice. after breakfast, I went to the Sightseer and do some sightseeing. we pulled into the houston about 4 hours Late. i got off the train. and took some pictures. and I look at the consists. the sunset limit is pulled by 2 p42 engines, 2 sleepers, diner, sightseer, and 2 coaches. I got back on the train. and we left houston. went through the yards and came to the rural areas of texas. before we pulled into beamont, the crews work hours had expireed, so they pulled the train out into the middle of nowhere. they got off the train and went their van. and then they were replaced by fresh crews. then we got under way. we stopped in Beaumont, TX abot 6 hours late. it appears that we lost some time. during the crew change. we left Beaumont. then we crossed the sabine river and enter lousana. I went to the diner and had lunch. for lunch I had the Angus burger, Potatoe chips, and rassberry ice cream. after lunch, I went back to the sightseer. we stopped at Lake charles, LA about 6 hours late. we left Lake Charles. we continued through Lousiana. we arrived in Lafayette, LA Almost 7 hours late. we left Lafayette and we continued on.soon the diner had called out the sleeper passenger for a complimentery dinner. for dinner I had chicken stew dinner which it was good. during dinner we stopped at Bew Iberia, Louisana 7 hours late. we left New Iberia, LA. After dinner I went back to the sightseer. soon we stopped at Schriever, LA at 7 hours Late. we left Schriever and continued on. it had started raining. it was from the storm that was out in the gulf. We went over the huey p long Bridge and arrive into New Orleans at 6 hours and 30 minutes late. we had just our 6:30 pm bus to biloxi. and we had to stay overnight in New Orleans at the home of our Friends. then we got a 50 am Bus to Biloxi, MS after we got into Biloxi, MS we were home just a day early. I must say that our trip into San Antonio was good. of course we wold'vd stayed until Saturday night but it didn't worked out as planned. by next year it will be better. there will be an another convention by july of next year.