Scenic highlights on #21/ #2/ #20 (CHI-SAS-NOL-WAS)

[spidersfan351]

I am taking an extensive trip in three weeks, (#20 Culpeper, VA - NYP, #49 NYP-CHI, #21 (technically #421) CHI-San Antonio, #2 San Antonio-NOL, #20 NOL - Culpeper, VA). Starting out we have two roomettes for four of us, and will make sure to view the Hudson side on #49. I've ridden the Texas Eagle through Illinois a bit before, but not any further south. Any highlights I should be aware of from those of you who have ridden the Eagle, Sunset, and/or the Crescent? Did a "round the country" run last winter, and I understand this is not like the CZ, CS, or Empire Builder (which we rode), but I still look forward to a SSL to San Antonio/New Orleans, and then a Viewliner from New Orleans north.

I'm not sure if it can be determined in advance which side you will be on any way. I could always look into switching once aboard, since apparently both trains are wide open right now and may not be sold out. Any ideas?

 

[Shanghai]

I have taken the trains that you mention although not all on the same trip.

Hopefully your two roomettes will be on opposite sides of the trains which

will give you party windows on each side of the car.

I like the scenery on the left side coming into DC. You know about the left

side on the Lake Shore Limited along the Hudson River north of NYC. I also

suggest the Mohawk River on the left side in upstate NY. I look for the GE

locomotive works in Erie, PA, also on your left side. In Cleveland, the Browns

stadium is on your left. As you pass through Elkhart, IN you can catch sight of

the New York Central museum, on your left.

On the Texas Eagle, about three hours out of Chicago you see the Mississippi

River on your left. In Springfield, IL, you can see the Capitol building on your right.

As you enter St Louis, if it is dark, you get a beautiful view of the lights of the city

and the Gateway Arch.

From STL south, there isn't much to see and will likely be dark.

Not too much to see until Marshall, TX. It is a crew change point so I

usually get off and walk around for a few minutes.

Upon entering Dallas, there are sights of the city. The stop here can be

lengthy if the train is on schedule. In Fort Worth, the Intermodal station

is good, again depending on the length of the stop. Not much to see to Austin

and dark until San Antonio. There, you must detrain and wait for the Sunset Ltd.

I usually sit in the station until called for the SL (midnight). It's dark until

after Houston. I liked passing over the Mississippi on the Huey P. Long bridge

and then into New Orleans.

I hope you have an enjoyable trip.

 

[AlanB]

I'm not sure if it can be determined in advance which side you will be on any way. I could always look into switching once aboard, since apparently both trains are wide open right now and may not be sold out. Any ideas?

As long as you've got one roomette with an even number you'd have one room on the Hudson side going towards Albany.

 

[Bob Dylan]

I am taking an extensive trip in three weeks, (#20 Culpeper, VA - NYP, #49 NYP-CHI, #21 (technically #421) CHI-San Antonio, #2 San Antonio-NOL, #20 NOL - Culpeper, VA). Starting out we have two roomettes for four of us, and will make sure to view the Hudson side on #49. I've ridden the Texas Eagle through Illinois a bit before, but not any further south. Any highlights I should be aware of from those of you who have ridden the Eagle, Sunset, and/or the Crescent? Did a "round the country" run last winter, and I understand this is not like the CZ, CS, or Empire Builder (which we rode), but I still look forward to a SSL to San Antonio/New Orleans, and then a Viewliner from New Orleans north.

I'm not sure if it can be determined in advance which side you will be on any way. I could always look into switching once aboard, since apparently both trains are wide open right now and may not be sold out. Any ideas?

:hi: Nice trip! Since others have mentioned some high lites will just offer a couple of ideas and also make a correction re the Texas Eagle!

Believe you CANT get off in Marshall, it is a crew change point but Ive never been able to deboard here, the next stop, Longview, is where the thruway bus to Houston and Van to Shrevport start/end the bustitutions, you can get off there. Mostly trees and small towns through EastTexas, some swamps and water. In Dallas you go over the bridge that crosses Dealy Plaza and you can see where President Kennnedy was shot and the Book Depository! FTW usually has a long enough s top to be able to go into the Intermodel Station, there is a Subway there that lots of Coach folks patronize!

Temple has a nice old Santa Fe Station thats a Rail Museum, Community Center and the Amtrak Station is in one end! There is some old rolling stock parked there, Amtrak and Freight, and the BNSF yards and engine repair house are across from the Station. Taylor is a brief stop before Austin (famous Bar-B-Q, sometimes the crew picks up to go chow here!) Its also the UP District Hdqs and freight yards. Austin has Sttreet Running down MOPAC (Officially Route #1 but the old Missouri Pacific RR Tracks are what you are on), Youll cross Lady Bird Lake on an 1880s RR Trestle leaving the Station, make a brief stop in San Marcos before taking a Loooooooong loop around San Antonio to the West before heading back East into the old SP Station and Amshak, where, as mentioned, you wait for #2 for NOL.

The Houston Station is right downtown under Freeways, the Station is the old SP Station, has the old Platforms and some nice pictures/brochures etc. about Trains in Houston in the old days mounted on the walls! The trip through Beaumont (sight of the infamous Cement Slab Station now being replaced by an expensive AMSHAK!)into Louisiana will see you crossing lots of Swamps/Rivers etc. As was saids the entrance to New Orleans over the Huey long Bridge is Great, also leaving NOL across the Lake will be a high lite! Mostly trees, water and mostly uninteresting towns through Mississippi, Alabama and into Atlanta.

Of course the Superliner Trains have a Sightseer Lounge (Double deck) for good viewing, the Viewliner Trains Lounge/cafes suck but the Double Windows in the Viewliners make for interesting sight seeing! The Eagle has a CCC for a Diner, but pretty good food, the Sunset has a real Diner, usually outstanding OBS and good food! The Eastern Trains seem to have so so food and not so hot OBS generally! YMMV!!! Have a Great trip and wave when you roll through Austin!

 

[spidersfan351]

Thanks guys! I am particularly obsessed with seeing the Mississippi - crossed it after dark on the CZ in December and felt mildly cheated!

One idea I had was since this is an AGR reward to San Antonio, I actually booked the ticket to Del Rio, TX in order to have use of the roomette until 5:40am the next morning. Figured that would be a great way to get some shut eye before a very long day of Texas sightseeing - I'm going to check out the Alamo and rent a car and drive to Austin for a bit. Have any of you ever pulled this stunt? Figured I'd let the "Porter" know my plans, and have him wake me if my alarm fails at departure, but if I get a particularly uptight one I may have to do this on my own. Worst case I go to Del Rio, and catch #2 a bit earlier than I expected. I may even stretch my eastbound coach ticket from San Antonio to New Orleans out to reflect this just in case.

Any Austin recommendations for lunch or dinner? I want to come back for a more extended visit soon, but would like to get a taste of what to expect. Also, will get dinner at New Orleans and would love to find a great restaurant. It's kind of an experience, and since the trip comes so cheap, it's worth it to drop some coin an a good dinner.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Good strategy to book to Del Rio on the AGR award, sleep on the Train! Remember you can get off and go to the Riverwalk/Dennys and visit the outside of the Alamo that night but check with your SCA about reboarding, some lock the cutout Sleeper up and only the cutout Coach is open all night!

Suggestion: Instead of renting a car and fighting the IH35 War (worst in Texas!!!) consider riding the Texas Eagle#22 to Austin (Leaves @ 700AM/Arrives 9:30AM), the evening Eagle#21 leaves @ 6:30PM/Arrives SAS about 9:30PM. Fare is only $12 each way. This gives you most of the day to explore downtown Austin, I live here, and if you want ideas/suggestions for places/resturants PM me. You could check your luggage to New Orleans/leave carry on stuff with the Agents in SAS (the Amshak sucks but the agents aree friendly and helpful!)freeing you up to checkout downtown Austin! If youd rather drive, I'll still be glad to send you ideas, PM me as was said! Nice trip, I'm envious!

 

[Devil's Advocate]

I live here, and if you want ideas/suggestions for places/resturants PM me. You could check your luggage to New Orleans/leave carry on stuff with the Agents in SAS (the Amshak sucks but the agents aree friendly and helpful!)freeing you up to checkout downtown Austin! If youd rather drive, I'll still be glad to send you ideas, PM me as was said! Nice trip, I'm envious!

Post that stuff for everyone to see Jim! I'd be curious what you'd choose to recommend myself. I tend to avoid downtown Austin since it's a bit of a pain for parking and the restaurant waits are often longer than I'm willing to tolerate. But maybe I'm simply unaware of what's good down there. I'm usually visiting with family and eating at home but if there's a unique place to visit with good food I'd probably be willing to give it a try.

 

[had8ley]

About thirty minutes out of NOL on #2 you'll cross over the Huey Long Bridge. They are totally re-building the car lanes which are adjacent to the 2 track bridge. On the up river side is Avondale ship yards slated to close in 2013. The river rises 175 feet above mean high water in order for ships to continue on to Baton Rouge and the Exxon refinery. The Baton Rouge rail/car bridge was purposely built lower to keep ships from going up river and taking commerce away from Louisiana. On #20,try getting into the diner as soon as they open or your tix get lifted. Sit on the west side (left) in the diner and you'll see Lake Pontchatrain. If you sit on the right the sunrise may be a little bright. After you leave Slidell, the first stop out of NOL, be on the look out for Big Foot in the Honey Island swamp. After that, if you're good at counting pine trees there is not much except for multiple tired old towns. Hattiesburg has a beautifully restored station and Meridian is a palace that cost 5 million to build. It's home to Gil Carmichael who was the head of the FRA and John Daly Smith who was mayor and on the Amtrak board. Birmingham is a disgrace and will soon be the absolutely worst place to stop when they finish the Beaumont station (which you will also see out of Houston.)There's a waiting area for first class pax in NOL that might hold 12-15 people comfortably~ it ain't much but it is a seperate and apart area.Enjoy your trip.

 

[AlanB]

The river rises 175 feet above mean high water in order for ships to continue on to Baton Rouge and the Exxon refinery.

Wow!

New Orleans thought the flooding was bad from Katrina, but having the Mississippi River 175 above mean high water would put just about everything but a skyscraper underwater. :lol:

Heck, that might even put water in your backyard. :lol:

Me thinks you meant that the bridge was 175 feet above.

 

[Eric308]

Thanks guys! I am particularly obsessed with seeing the Mississippi - crossed it after dark on the CZ in December and felt mildly cheated!

One idea I had was since this is an AGR reward to San Antonio, I actually booked the ticket to Del Rio, TX in order to have use of the roomette until 5:40am the next morning. Figured that would be a great way to get some shut eye before a very long day of Texas sightseeing - I'm going to check out the Alamo and rent a car and drive to Austin for a bit. Have any of you ever pulled this stunt? Figured I'd let the "Porter" know my plans, and have him wake me if my alarm fails at departure, but if I get a particularly uptight one I may have to do this on my own. Worst case I go to Del Rio, and catch #2 a bit earlier than I expected. I may even stretch my eastbound coach ticket from San Antonio to New Orleans out to reflect this just in case.

Any Austin recommendations for lunch or dinner? I want to come back for a more extended visit soon, but would like to get a taste of what to expect. Also, will get dinner at New Orleans and would love to find a great restaurant. It's kind of an experience, and since the trip comes so cheap, it's worth it to drop some coin an a good dinner.

New Orleans has some of the best food in the world. If it were me and I had a short time, I would go here in the French Quarter on Iberville St. Memorable.http://www.acmeoyster.com/

 

[had8ley]

The river rises 175 feet above mean high water in order for ships to continue on to Baton Rouge and the Exxon refinery.

Wow!

New Orleans thought the flooding was bad from Katrina, but having the Mississippi River 175 above mean high water would put just about everything but a skyscraper underwater. :lol:

Heck, that might even put water in your backyard. :lol:

Me thinks you meant that the bridge was 175 feet above.

WOW is right...I must still be having dreams about Katrina :lol: