Texas Eagle discussion H2 2024

[Bob Dylan]

To me, the most irritating frequent situation with the Eagle, is it can be pretty much on time in Temple, but before the dispatcher authorizes the train to head south at Temple, the TE sits and waits and waits...

Temple has BNSF and UP Freights running past the Station, and the Dispatchers give preference to both RRs over the Eagletes.

Taylor, the last stop before Austin, has a Freight yard (UP)that also causes delays, especially since Tesla started shipping Cars out of this yard.

 

[frequentflyer]

To me, the most irritating frequent situation with the Eagle, is it can be pretty much on time in Temple, but before the dispatcher authorizes the train to head south at Temple, the TE sits and waits and waits...

Tracks between Temple and Taylor is dark terrirtory, no CTC.

Unless UP spent money on it the line and brought it into the 21st century.

 

[IndyLions]

I am currently on 21 heading to Longview, and ultimately to Houston for the Lions – Texans game. Lifelong Lions fan - I always enjoy getting to road games on Amtrak.

I drove over from Indianapolis to Bloomington-Normal and picked up the Eagle there. First time I've used that station. Like a lot of stations in Illinois it is very nice. Not fancy, but very functional. Really nice parking garage for long-term parking for my vehicle – which will be there for about five days. I wish the stations in Indiana were half as nice as that one.

Dinner (flexible dining) was much better than the Cadinal. It makes a real difference to actually have a diner (CCC) to sit in. The crew also made a concerted effort to improve the presentation of the meal. And the fact that there is a kitchen available also allowed them to prepare the food about as well as it could be .

My normal train is the Cardinal. Same food, terrible presentation, inconsistent preparation, lousy eating environment. Even if they just added the VL Diner to the Cardinal without a food change – it would make a huge difference as a start.

Overall, I am pleasantly surprised thus far. Also – it was nice to see the longer train today as the consist includes 421.

 

[MccfamschoolMom]

Really nice parking garage for long-term parking for my vehicle – which will be there for about five days.

I've been in that parking garage several times, as it's the same one we've used when attending book sales at the Normal Public Library (currently undergoing renovations, so all of their programming is off-site for the duration). Non-Amtrak parking there is all via an app now, which I find far more confusing than the paper ticket + payment kiosk setup which used to be there. (And if the hubby weren't with me, he'd be sunk, since he doesn't own a smartphone.)
I will have to remember your comparison of TE dining vs. Cardinal dining, should the hubby & I ever ride the Cardinal!

 

[frequentflyer]

I see the consists with 8 cars. Kudos to Amtrak for finding extra cars for Thanksgiving and running them ontime.

 

[drdumont]

Just got in from DAL-CHI-DAL over T-Day.
Same glop in "diner", slight change in choices, but still glop in a takeout pan left cooling on the table until you arrive. Plastic utensils, some broken (!), have to ask for ice, breakfast omelette, potatoes and sausages really the only edible part of the menu. We were finishing meal, told we had to eat up and leave, as "more people were coming in".
SCA sez Transition sleeper recently added, now "Permanent", used as crew dorm, plus Roomettes sold to the public. SCA said additional cars due to change of the Star into the Floridian.
On time both ways, no equipment failures, no Sightseer lounge. SCAs OK,

 

[Bob Dylan]

Just got in from DAL-CHI-DAL over T-Day.
Same glop in "diner", slight change in choices, but still glop in a takeout pan left cooling on the table until you arrive. Plastic utensils, some broken (!), have to ask for ice, breakfast omelette, potatoes and sausages really the only edible part of the menu. We were finishing meal, told we had to eat up and leave, as "more people were coming in".
SCA sez Transition sleeper recently added, now "Permanent", used as crew dorm, plus Roomettes sold to the public. SCA said additional cars due to change of the Star into the Floridian.
On time both ways, no equipment failures, no Sightseer lounge. SCAs OK,

Only needs 3 things: Sightseer Lounge,Traditional Dinning and better Time Keeping!( lots of Freight Congestion between St Louis and Austin!!!)

 

[Cal]

Only needs 3 things: Sightseer Lounge,Traditional Dinning and better Time Keeping!( lots of Freight Congestion between St Louis and Austin!!!)

Honestly I'd be fine with just the first two. If you got those, who cares how long you're on board for?

Joking, partly.

 

[drdumont]

Honestly I'd be fine with just the first two. If you got those, who cares how long you're on board for?

Joking, partly.

Traditional Dining and the Sightseer Lounge are indeed the priorities. Frankly, the freight congestion is here and it will stay. It really doesn't bother me if the train is late at our destination. It is the wait for it to attive at the journey's start that is annoying.

 

[Keith1951]

Traditional Dining and the Sightseer Lounge are indeed the priorities. Frankly, the freight congestion is here and it will stay. It really doesn't bother me if the train is late at our destination. It is the wait for it to attive at the journey's start that is annoying.

I can understand why coach passengers would want the Sightseer Lounge, but if you have a bedroom I don't think you would need to go to the Sightseer Lounge car, even though you can see only out of one side from the bedroom. And once we are on the TE, headed to our vacation spot, the delays don't bother me either because Amtrak is a vacation in itself, to me.

 

[drdumont]

I can understand why coach passengers would want the Sightseer Lounge, but if you have a bedroom I don't think you would need to go to the Sightseer Lounge car, even though you can see only out of one side from the bedroom. And once we are on the TE, headed to our vacation spot, the delays don't bother me either because Amtrak is a vacation in itself, to me.

The sightseer lounge is a great place to see both sides of the rail and even the sky We watched the eclipse from Beaumont area in the SSL.

It is also more comfortable to enjoy a snack, stretch your legs, even <GASP!> strike up a conversation with new acquaintances.

We also used to have long running games of Hearts or Spades among passengers from both ends of the trains. Good times

Bring back our SSLs !!

 

[Rasputin]

Whether I have a roomette or a bedroom, I want to go to the lounge and the dining car. I don't travel by train to sit or eat in isolation although I understand that some may prefer that.

 

[MARC Rider]

The sightseer lounge is a great place to see both sides of the rail and even the sky We watched the eclipse from Beaumont area in the SSL.

It is also more comfortable to enjoy a snack, stretch your legs, even <GASP!> strike up a conversation with new acquaintances.

We also used to have long running games of Hearts or Spades among passengers from both ends of the trains. Good times

Bring back our SSLs !!

All of these can be achieved by using the existing Cross Country Cafe as a lounge when meals aren't being served. That doesn't cost Amtrak anything more than having a firm policy of an open lounge for all.

 

[drdumont]

All of these can be achieved by using the existing Cross Country Cafe as a lounge when meals aren't being served. That doesn't cost Amtrak anything more than having a firm policy of an open lounge for all.

But then where would the SCAs, CCAs, Conductors and other staff have a place to spread out, lounge, BS about how bad their jobs are and store their crap instead of keeping tabs on that for which they are supposed to be caring?

Silly you...

<Insert grinning emoji here>

 

[Steve4031]

The priority should be reinstating the sightseer lounge and full service in the dining car. This could be accomplished by snagging sightseer lounge cars off of the Saluki/Illini consists. It may be necessary to service or refurbish the sightseers before getting them onto the Texas Eagle.

 

[MarkInAustin]

We have a RT Austin to OKC in January and Aus-Chi in June. I will look for improvements...

meanwhile I will be following this forum closely.

 

[MccfamschoolMom]

We have a RT Austin to OKC in January and Aus-Chi in June. I will look for improvements...

meanwhile I will be following this forum closely.

I assume you'll be transferring to/from the Heartland Flyer in Fort Worth on that January trip? Not looking at the PDF schedule, so I'm not sure how long a wait you'll have between trains, but if you need to go into the station proper from the platforms in-between trains, be prepared for a LONG hike (approx. 1/4 mile)! Or ask about the "shuttle" if you have mobility issues or are elderly (the hubby & I were both the latter); the driver is very nice. If you only have a short wait at the platforms between trains, there are lean-against "benches" along the platforms, but those aren't low enough to allow passengers to actually sit down.

 

[MarkInAustin]

Yes, we will be transferring of course. We know the FW station and would only worry about the walk if there were an ice storm - although our combined age is 150. While we have never transferred to the Flyer before we had seen the shuttle used by others. But we did not know that simply being seniors gave us a pass! Thanks.