Texas Eagle discussion H2 2024

[Bob Dylan]

421's consist is always one sleeper and one coach (unsure if its a particular type of coach).

It's usually a Standard Coach with ADA Seats downstairs, the #21 Coach is a Coach Bag since the Eaglete does not have a Bag Car in the 4 Car consist.

 

[JWM]

To summarize, there was a Jack Benny routine where he is at the race track and a tout sidles up to him and stage-whispers "take the Chief. It's a sleeper!"

As noted above, the Chief gets better westbound if it runs late.

I remember on one of the rare mornings the "Super Chief" was running late, I saw snow on Cajon Pass while having a wonderful breakfast of, what else, French Toast>

 

[Cal]

It's usually a Standard Coach with ADA Seats downstairs, the #21 Coach is a Coach Bag since the Eaglete does not have a Bag Car in the 4 Car consist.

Do they transfer through checked bags in SAS then?

 

[Bob Dylan]

Do they transfer through checked bags in SAS then?

Yes!

 

[MrsRedlegTexian]

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.

Which 3 days have the 422? I'm guessing that's dependent on Sunset Limited. I know that Sunset running east bound through SA is there Tue, Fri, Sun.

I just figured I'd ask about it. I understand all the reasons I may not be able to go into the station, it was just a thought plus I like seeing other stations.

 

[Shanson]

It was announced that there would be an extra coach and extra sleeper on the days the Eagle connects with the Sunset, but I do not recall what the effective date is.

 

[MccfamschoolMom]

It was announced that there would be an extra coach and extra sleeper on the days the Eagle connects with the Sunset, but I do not recall what the effective date is.

The date was mentioned up-thread; I think it might be early September. (Haven't yet scrolled up the thread to get the precise date, though.)

 

[F900ElCapitan]

It was announced that there would be an extra coach and extra sleeper on the days the Eagle connects with the Sunset, but I do not recall what the effective date is.

From my earlier post.

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.

 

[kangforpres]

I will be on the Eagle on May 11, 2025. In a bedroom so I guess I have a 50/50 chance of it having a full service Dinning Car. For my 60th birthday I splurged on an Amkrak vacations package 1. Coast Starlight OKJ to LAX, transfer to Sunset Limitied LAX-SAS (same day, amtrak gods permitting). 2 nights in San Antonio, then Texas Eagle from SAS to CHI, I was reapply disopinted when I discovered it;s the only Superliner long distance train west of the Mississippi with "Flexible Dining". 2 Nights in Chicago, then Back home to the Bay Area on the Zypher CHI-EMY

 

[zephyr17]

I will be on the Eagle on May 11, 2025. In a bedroom so I guess I have a 50/50 chance of it having a full service Dinning Car. For my 60th birthday I splurged on an Amkrak vacations package 1. Coast Starlight OKJ to LAX, transfer to Sunset Limitied LAX-SAS (same day, amtrak gods permitting). 2 nights in San Antonio, then Texas Eagle from SAS to CHI, I was reapply disopinted when I discovered it;s the only Superliner long distance train west of the Mississippi with "Flexible Dining". 2 Nights in Chicago, then Back home to the Bay Area on the Zypher CHI-EMY

Don't count on traditional dining returning by next May on the Eagle. If it happens, great, but I wouldn't lay 50/50 on it.

 

[Cal]

but I wouldn't lay 50/50 on it.

Closer to 98/2 I think.

 

[Keith1951]

I think I heard the answer before, but forgot. Why do some call it the Texas Eaglete as opposed to Eagle?

 

[Rasputin]

I think I heard the answer before, but forgot. Why do some call it the Texas Eaglete as opposed to Eagle?

Due to the loss of the sightseer lounge and the dining car (with traditional dining) the Eagle is not considered to be a fully adult long distance train.

 

[zephyr17]

I think I heard the answer before, but forgot. Why do some call it the Texas Eaglete as opposed to Eagle?

Derisive diminutive nickname because it is half a train, having lost its Sightseer Lounge and traditional dining.

 

[me_little_me]

I think I heard the answer before, but forgot. Why do some call it the Texas Eaglete as opposed to Eagle?

Properly, it should be called an "Eaglet", the correct spelling of a baby eagle.

 

[frequentflyer]

I think I heard the answer before, but forgot. Why do some call it the Texas Eaglete as opposed to Eagle?

I don't call it the Eaglet. but it is sad for those of us that remember 9-10 car summertime consists. Now reduced to 4 cars.

 

[Traveller]

But what's the reason for the Eagle/Eaglet/Eaglette having to make the harshest cuts of all Amtrak's LD trtains? Revenue, route or what?

 

[Bob Dylan]

But what's the reason for the Eagle/Eaglet/Eaglette having to make the harshest cuts of all Amtrak's LD trtains? Revenue, route or what?

Stupidity!

Check the Fares and the Room chargers on this Orphan, most days the Rooms are Sold out , and when there are any Rooms( the Crew occupies some of the Roomettes since there's no Transdorm)they're in High Buckets.

The Rail Charges also fit the same pattern,.( for example, to ride #421/#14 from Austin to Emeryville in a Roomette, it would have been over $1,200 for one, and to Chicago around $800-$1,000!

In addition there is No Sightseer
Lounge( they're being used as Axle Count Cars on Illinois Trains) and Flex Meals are served in the CCC!

Why I no longer ride my home Train!( I can fly to California or Chicago for $127-$200 )

 

[John Santos]

But what's the reason for the Eagle/Eaglet/Eaglette having to make the harshest cuts of all Amtrak's LD trtains? Revenue, route or what?

Maybe ridership is lower because Chicago <-> LA is way faster on the Chief and the Chief has better scenery. Or maybe the 5-6 hour layover (west-bound) in SAS? (Though it is fun to walk around San Antonio in the relatively cool evening.)

I'm sure they use models and spreadsheets to decide how to allocate limited equipment and crews to the existing routes to maximize ROI, but those models may be based on inaccurate assumptions or obsolete data. We argue a lot here, based on little or no information, about what those assumptions might be and whether they are correct. Some things, such as equipment availability, can be estimated by looking at the number of cars at maintenance sites like Beech Grove, or parked in rail yards in various places. It is harder to know how many under utilized train crews exist and how many people have been hired but are still being trained, and how many have retired or moved on recently. It is almost impossible to know how elastic demand is, or how many people look into taking a train, but decide not to because planes are so much faster and/or cheaper, or who have had a bad experience, especially without access to marketing surveys. It's all speculation, but that will never stop us. I think most of us think that if there were more trains, we would ride them!

 

[zephyr17]

But what's the reason for the Eagle/Eaglet/Eaglette having to make the harshest cuts of all Amtrak's LD trtains? Revenue, route or what?

Route has always been a bit of an orphan. It isn't as long or as scenic as the other western runs, so if they are short of equipment, it gets picked.

 

[Rasputin]

Properly, it should be called an "Eaglet", the correct spelling of a baby eagle.

Possibly by calling it the Eaglete, some thought they were honoring the French history of the region through which the train runs by giving it a French-sounding name. But in that case I guess they should probably call it "Le Petit Aigle."

 

[MccfamschoolMom]

Possibly by calling it the Eaglete, some thought they were honoring the French history of the region through which the train runs by giving it a French-sounding name. But in that case I guess they should probably call it "Le Petit Aigle."

On the Texas portion of the route (until it joins the Sunset Limited), it could have a Spanish nickname as "La Aguilita". (Which could also work as a "filk song" to the tune of "Adelita," if someone could come up with appropriate lyrics.) If it were to attain the dignity of other Western LD routes, one could just go with a straight Spanish translation of the train's official name, and call it "La Aguila Tejana". (And if my US English keyboard could do a proper job with accent marks, there should be one above that A at the beginning of "Aguila".)

 

[zetharion]

Gathering dust?

Isnt that what all Amtrak equipment does?

 

[frequentflyer]

It used to be called the Inter American (yeah that rolls off your tongue), then Eagle if I remember correctly, then Texas Eagle.

 

[Bob Dylan]

It used to be called the Inter American (yeah that rolls off your tongue), then Eagle if I remember correctly, then Texas Eagle.

Pre Amtrak, the Missouri Pacific( MoPac)ran several Trains that were called Eagles, including the Texas Eagle that ran between St Louis and San Antonio, hence Amtrak adopted the Name when taking over the Route.