There's the variable that could scuttle your trip. That transfer could be a lot tighter than planned. Take the Chief.
Texas Eagle discussion H2 2024
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toddinde
OBS Chief
If I understand this, you would fly from El Paso to LA? You’re missing the best scenery on the Sunset in New Mexico and Arizona. There’s no way I would do that. No diner on the Eagle. Schlep your stuff from the El Paso station to the airport, fly to LA. I get stressed just thinking about it. What if the Sunset is late? Timekeeping is better since the STB complaint, but it isn’t perfect. I can’t imagine why anyone would do that over the Chief. The Eagle is great, and if you were going all the way, my answer would be different. The Sunset Route through New Mexico and Arizona is some of the most beautiful desert anywhere and well worth the ride.
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I understand that the changes to the Eagle consist will be "sometime this fall." If anyone has a more specific date, please let us know.
There was a time when railroads often announced that a change would take place on a certain date, but it appears that Amtrak likes the word "sometime."
There was a time when railroads often announced that a change would take place on a certain date, but it appears that Amtrak likes the word "sometime."
I agree, I don’t want to be on a train for 48 hrs worrying about a connection to complete my trip.
The only real " change" on the Orphan Eaglete "sometime this Fall", are adding a Coach and 2nd Sleeper on 421/422 days,( 3 days a week) but not a Sightseer Lounge or Traditional Dinning between Chicago and San Antonio.
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So if I understand correctly, on the 421/422 days there will be additional capacity on the Eagle over the present capacity.
And with all the added capacity, I am sure that fares will be significantly reduced on those days. (Surely I jest.)
In an Alternate Universe perhaps?
If those are my only two options: stay on the Chief. But I wonder what the purpose of the train trip is. Is there some event or other constraint in LAX that makes scheduling more complex?
If you want to be on a different train than the Chief, want to be on a train for two nights, and flying partway is at least reasonable, I'd probably fly CHI-HOU and take the SL to LAX. You get the full dining car, plus you don't miss out on the good scenery of New Mexico and Arizona as @toddinde mentioned. Having been on the entire TE route and most of the SL route, I'd say the actual TE route isn't very scenic and the SL in Texas gets better as you go west from San Antonio. I think the Chief has better scenery overall than the SL, even heading westbound, but that might be a subjective take.
The advantage of flying first is that it'll be easier to change flights in case things go pear-shaped getting to Houston. ELP is a small, small airport and flights can be difficult to get unless you're flying Southwest.
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That's because Amtrak has to allow for the inevitable tripping over their own feet.
Train trip is for a vacation in LA. I'm staying on the SWC, since its already booked. I read on this forum a while back, someone said that paying $2000 for a train trip is too much. They said I would be better off flying first class. It just got me thinking. The price for CHI-LAX was $2138 at that time on the SWC and the TE. When I saw it go down to $1955 on the SWC I jumped on it. It was only $183 savings, but I was hoping it would reduce again. It still might. Anyway, I would rather ride a train in a bedroom than fly first class, that's just me, I love the train. To me, the train is a vacation in itself. When I saw the price from CHI-ELP at $1275 for a bedroom, that was a $680 difference, and I said hmmmmm. I still had to get too LAX, and if I flew, I priced a ticket for $500, 5 hours after the TE arrival in ELP, I would still be saving $200. (And thats if there were no delays). Thats how I got to my original post getting all y'all's opinions. But I'm staying pat with the SWC thanks to all those opinions. Thanks for your help and thanks to everyone else.
Hopefully the Fares will drop on the SWC, keep monitoring daily and if they do drop, call in and Modify your Reservation( Don't Cancel and Rebook, you'll usually pay a Higher Price ).
If you get an Agent that says they can't do that, ask for a Supervisor or call back for another Agent.( if you're Select or Above with AGR you can talk with AGR, their agents are usually more knowledgeable than Regular Amtrak agents.)
sporksradiant
Train Attendant
I've heard September 8th roughly for the northbound added coach and sleeper.
Prime Directive of Amtrak (and VIA) travel:
NEVER schedule a connection to another carrier the same day as arrival on any North American long distance train.
Even if ignoring that, 5 hours is to connect to a flight is far too short. Add in being at the airport a minimum of 90 minutes before your flight and 30 minutes to get to airport, your train can only be 3 hours late. Long distance trains are 3 or more hours late often.
This is the date that the trains article said.
Yes. I remember reading your Prime Directive before. All my mind saw was the price difference......of the train. But in the end, I made the right choice.
toddinde
OBS Chief
That’s a much better idea than the El Paso to LA flight. Good thinking!
It has also become much easier to “modify” a reservation online. I did it quite a few times for a trip this past March from Denver to Seattle. Keeping an eye on the fares and modifying at every drop saved me over $200 and many points. The only caveat is you pretty much have to be willing to accept whatever room you get assigned after the request. But if you really don’t want the new accommodation, then a call to Amtrak can help.
The first 21 with the added equipment is Sept 3 out of Chicago and the first return 22 will be on Sept 6. It’s even already loaded in the reservation system.
The other advantage to this arrangement, the way I see it anyway, is it will be much more difficult for the 422 cars to have a missed connection in San Antonio, and if they do, the cars can just hang out in San Antonio and catch the next days train. Since bussing to catch up with 22 won’t make sense anymore without the added cars (ie no more protection cars in SAS). Of course there’s always room for AmManagement to screw this up and just cancel 421 in SAS and leave the pax hanging.
Looking to see if anyone can answer this for me. I am travelling on the Texas Eagle next month and we will be in St Louis around 7 in the morning. Does anyone know if they have any breakfast food we can buy in the station or nearby? We will have been on the train about 12 hours at that point and I anticipate getting off to move around at minimum.
The length of the stop in St Louis depends on the time keeping, so if you're early you will have time to visit inside the Station which involves going up an escalator or elevator and crossing the tracks into the Train/ Bus Station.
Even if you havd time during the atop,there is nothing close by the Station for breakfast, although you MAY be able to arrange a delivery of food to the Station by ordering in advance IF you have Cell Phone Service as you approach St Louis.
Once you're inside, you'll realize that the food available isn't anything to write home about since there is only a combo Pizza/KFC food stand, which has a couple of heat and eat Breakfast type items that are not as good as what's available in the Cafe Car on the Train.
If the Eagete is running late( which is standard now days due to freight congestion) the crew will advise you to stay close tovteain side while the train is refueked,serviced and re-crewed.
St Louis is usually last call for breakfast on the Eaglete for Sleeping Car Passengers, with the Cafe Closed to Coach Passengers dueing the stop since the Diner and Cafe are both located in the Cross Country Cafe,and the Crew LSA and Server will be busy serving the Flex Breakfast to Sleeper passengers.
I recommend getting up before arrival into St Louis and getting Breakast in the Cafe before arrival into City.
Note: on 422 days ( 3 days a week) there will be an extra Coach and Sleeper in the Consist and perhaps a Coach cut in for the Trip to Chicago so you may have more time during the Station stop.
Note: Ask the Crew members when boarding as to what will be available upon arrival to St Louis the next morning.
Times, people and policies change, but several years ago I was on the Eagle and was denied access to the station during our layover. Granted, yes, we were well behind schedule but it wasn't train personnel who denied access, it was somebody who appeared to work in the station when I got to the top of the escalator. I was disappointed as I wanted just a quick look-see.
That's so annoying honestly. I like taking a look at other stations (even if they're not great).
Is it possible to predict the 421 Eaglette consist for the end of September this year?
421's consist is always one sleeper and one coach (unsure if its a particular type of coach).
Note 421 is not a standalone train, but cars attached to 21 that are switched to 1.
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