Another trip to West Texas to watch the Deer and the Antelope play! Left Austin on a jam packed Texas Eagle #421 on Monday 11/30 ontime for SAS.(Sleepers all SOLD OUT!No upgrade available!)The Diner was still serving but decided to wait to eat in SAS due to the overnight layover. Sat in the Sightseer Lounge due to the crowding and overwhelming Filthiness of the #421 Coach, ie Smells,filthy batrhrooms, trash overflowing, noise etc. Attendant no where to be seen??? Arrived in SAS so called station early at 9:15PM.
Lots of pax got off here so snaged a window seat with a power outlet in a good location, met new coach attendant, Kevin, that replaced the lazy and unseen person that supposedly "worked" this coach from CHI-SAS. Very friendly, professional guy, said he usually worked the LAX-NOL run but took this one as an extra to earn holiday $$$. He proceeded to clean up the car thouroghly, informed me he would try to not assign me a seat mate if possible, reminded the pax that were going through about what would be happening during our layover (ie switching/schedule/sites to see/avoid if you got off the train etc.)
Went to the River Wallk with several other people to see the Christmas lights, a Norther had blown in, it was starting to get very cold so went to the real SAS station, the Dennys, located close to the Riverwalk, place was jumping with Amtrak pax,tourists and street characters. Had a pretty decent dinner, then walked back to the "station" with some folks (lots of panhandlers out on Commerce Street between the two), found the Eagle gone! The agents told us that it had gone to the yard to be Y'd since we had done the eastern approach to SAS which is happening more and more lately.Joined the large crowd inside the too small station since it was very cold outside in the North wind.Able to snag a seat and watch the infommercials on TV till time to board. About 11:00PM the Sunset#2 from LAX came chugging into the station, stopped on track #1, proceeded to unload, be serviced, then cut out the coach and sleeper for the next mornings Eagle #422 for CHI, then pulled out on time for NOL at 11:55PM. Large amounts of checked luggage was taken off/put on the train. After the Sunset was out of sight the Eagle came rolling into the station, cut out the sleeper and coach for LAX,they were then hooked up to ground power and we were finally allowed to reboard about 12:30AM. Kevin was at the door, the car was now clean, warm and had the lights lowered for the overnite in the station!
At 2:30AM the West bound #1 came rolling in, unloaded and was serviced, then we were switched and hooked to the back of #1 with the sleeper on the rear of the train. The power wasnt out very long ,(very quick switch, the crews in SAS seem to be getting faster/more efficient!) then went back to sleep until 5:15AM when people started boarding. getting up etc. I went to the very clean bathroom/dressing room, cleaned up for the morning and took a walk in the now freezing air to wake up and await the 5:40AM departure whcih cam right on time! We were now riding "backwards" but the conductor and Kevin told us the seats would be turned around at the Del Rio stop, which they were.
Went to the diner at 6:30AM, first one there, had my pick of seats! (a first!), very friendly LSA named Jose and a very good server named Linda! Had the French toast,juice and coffee, of course paid with my AGR MC, even small amounts of Double Points add up!At Del Rio the sun was up on a cold, freezing morning, large amount of people boarding/deboarding, the Border Patrol was at the station but did not get onto the train. Rolled out on time, Sightseer Lounge now full, Park Ranger volunteers were doing a presentation on the way to Sanderson, passed Lake Amistad/Pecos High Bridge/Langtry etc. We actually stopped in Sanderson to let the Volunteers off (a first for me!), then arrived in Alpine, place on my birth, sunny but cold day, lots of people hanging out at the station (not much happens most days in Alpine!), we had about 30 minutes there, then rolled out on time.
About 10 minutes out of Alpine a female pax had a Grand Mal seizure,there actually was Doctor in the car, the conductor came quick etc. We rolled on up the line to Marfa where the train was met by an Ambulance and Law Enforcemnent, she was taken off on a stretcher and was to be taken to the only Hospital in the area back in Alpine! This put us an hour down now, finally rolled out heading West, had seen several herds of Antelopes ruunning, a few Deer eating at the feeders (a surprise again since its hunting season out here but it's very dry! Lots of areas have had fires,starting to look like California almost!)saw more Antelopes as we headed out across the plain for El Paso doing some fast running!
During this 200+ mile stretch to El Paso we gained an hour with the switch to MST (some fast running for sure), didnt see a single freight until we got to El Paso, entered the yards, rolled into the old Classic Union Station right on time at 4:15PM MST. All in all, like all train trips, a nice adventure, stepped off, tipped Kevin (another first for me in regards to Coach attendants), and hugged my Sweetheart Vickie and headed for the hotel for a shower, a Margarita and New Mexico style mexican food among other treats yet to come!
Lots of pax got off here so snaged a window seat with a power outlet in a good location, met new coach attendant, Kevin, that replaced the lazy and unseen person that supposedly "worked" this coach from CHI-SAS. Very friendly, professional guy, said he usually worked the LAX-NOL run but took this one as an extra to earn holiday $$$. He proceeded to clean up the car thouroghly, informed me he would try to not assign me a seat mate if possible, reminded the pax that were going through about what would be happening during our layover (ie switching/schedule/sites to see/avoid if you got off the train etc.)
Went to the River Wallk with several other people to see the Christmas lights, a Norther had blown in, it was starting to get very cold so went to the real SAS station, the Dennys, located close to the Riverwalk, place was jumping with Amtrak pax,tourists and street characters. Had a pretty decent dinner, then walked back to the "station" with some folks (lots of panhandlers out on Commerce Street between the two), found the Eagle gone! The agents told us that it had gone to the yard to be Y'd since we had done the eastern approach to SAS which is happening more and more lately.Joined the large crowd inside the too small station since it was very cold outside in the North wind.Able to snag a seat and watch the infommercials on TV till time to board. About 11:00PM the Sunset#2 from LAX came chugging into the station, stopped on track #1, proceeded to unload, be serviced, then cut out the coach and sleeper for the next mornings Eagle #422 for CHI, then pulled out on time for NOL at 11:55PM. Large amounts of checked luggage was taken off/put on the train. After the Sunset was out of sight the Eagle came rolling into the station, cut out the sleeper and coach for LAX,they were then hooked up to ground power and we were finally allowed to reboard about 12:30AM. Kevin was at the door, the car was now clean, warm and had the lights lowered for the overnite in the station!
At 2:30AM the West bound #1 came rolling in, unloaded and was serviced, then we were switched and hooked to the back of #1 with the sleeper on the rear of the train. The power wasnt out very long ,(very quick switch, the crews in SAS seem to be getting faster/more efficient!) then went back to sleep until 5:15AM when people started boarding. getting up etc. I went to the very clean bathroom/dressing room, cleaned up for the morning and took a walk in the now freezing air to wake up and await the 5:40AM departure whcih cam right on time! We were now riding "backwards" but the conductor and Kevin told us the seats would be turned around at the Del Rio stop, which they were.
Went to the diner at 6:30AM, first one there, had my pick of seats! (a first!), very friendly LSA named Jose and a very good server named Linda! Had the French toast,juice and coffee, of course paid with my AGR MC, even small amounts of Double Points add up!At Del Rio the sun was up on a cold, freezing morning, large amount of people boarding/deboarding, the Border Patrol was at the station but did not get onto the train. Rolled out on time, Sightseer Lounge now full, Park Ranger volunteers were doing a presentation on the way to Sanderson, passed Lake Amistad/Pecos High Bridge/Langtry etc. We actually stopped in Sanderson to let the Volunteers off (a first for me!), then arrived in Alpine, place on my birth, sunny but cold day, lots of people hanging out at the station (not much happens most days in Alpine!), we had about 30 minutes there, then rolled out on time.
About 10 minutes out of Alpine a female pax had a Grand Mal seizure,there actually was Doctor in the car, the conductor came quick etc. We rolled on up the line to Marfa where the train was met by an Ambulance and Law Enforcemnent, she was taken off on a stretcher and was to be taken to the only Hospital in the area back in Alpine! This put us an hour down now, finally rolled out heading West, had seen several herds of Antelopes ruunning, a few Deer eating at the feeders (a surprise again since its hunting season out here but it's very dry! Lots of areas have had fires,starting to look like California almost!)saw more Antelopes as we headed out across the plain for El Paso doing some fast running!
During this 200+ mile stretch to El Paso we gained an hour with the switch to MST (some fast running for sure), didnt see a single freight until we got to El Paso, entered the yards, rolled into the old Classic Union Station right on time at 4:15PM MST. All in all, like all train trips, a nice adventure, stepped off, tipped Kevin (another first for me in regards to Coach attendants), and hugged my Sweetheart Vickie and headed for the hotel for a shower, a Margarita and New Mexico style mexican food among other treats yet to come!
