Texas Eagle discussion

[Keith1951]

Im looking at the timetable for the Texas Eagle 21/421 out of Chicago to LAX. The train departs Chicago at 145pm daily. I see at San Antonio the train arrives at 955pm daily, then departs at 245am on Thu/Su/Tu. Please help me understand something. Since it leaves Chicago daily, if I catch it on Thursday at 145pm, I will arrive at San Antonio on Friday at 955pm. Do I have to wait till Sunday at 245am to depart, since according to this schedule it departs from SA Thu/Su/Tu? Thanks for any help.

 

[DavidSh]

According to Amtrak's schedules,, only the Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday Texas Eagle departures from Chicago join the Sunset Limited at San Antonio to continue on to Los Angeles, after about a six hour layover. The other trains terminate at San Antonio. I guess, if you really needed to depart Chicago on Thursday, you would have to get a hotel in San Antonio, at least for Friday night.

 

[Keith1951]

According to Amtrak's schedules,, only the Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday Texas Eagle departures from Chicago join the Sunset Limited at San Antonio to continue on to Los Angeles, after about a six hour layover. The other trains terminate at San Antonio. I guess, if you really needed to depart Chicago on Thursday, you would have to get a hotel in San Antonio, at least for Friday night.

So, you are saying I have to pack up my belongings, get off the Texas Eagle, and get on the Sunset Limited in San Antonio?

 

[DavidSh]

Not if you take a Tuesday, Friday, or Sunday departure. Those trains they attach to the existing Sunset Limited trains when they arrive. Or so I am told. I've only see this operation done on the Lake Shore Limited in Albany.

 

[Rasputin]

The Texas Eagle has a Chicago - Los Angeles thru sleeper and a thru coach three times a week which are attached to the Sunset Limited in San Antonio and go west on the rear of the Sunset Limited. If you are a Chicago - LAX passenger and are properly booked you will be in one of those thru cars and will not have to get off the train in San Antonio (unless you want to go to the Alamo or the Riverwalk.)

 

[AmtrakBlue]

You want to book 421 from Chicago. It is only offered three days a week.

 

[zephyr17]

21 is daily between Chicago and San Antonio.

The Sunset, train 1 is tri-weekly.

Train 421, which actually is the coach and sleeper switched onto the Sunset from the Eagle, is tri-weekly, since the Sunset is.

 

[zephyr17]

So, you are saying I have to pack up my belongings, get off the Texas Eagle, and get on the Sunset Limited in San Antonio?

Not if you are booked in 421, the through cars.

If you are booked on 21 and 1, yeah, you have to get off and reboard.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Between Chicago and San Antonio you'll be in either the 421 Coach ( Rear of the Train) or the Single Revenue Sleeper ,( No Transdorm or Sightseer Lounge on the Eaglette) which will be switched to the rear of #1 the Sunset Ltd when it arrives into San Antonio from Houston, generally around 11pm to Midnight.

You will have a different Train Crew from San Antonio Weat since the OBS and Conductors on the Eaglette layover in SAS and go back North the next morning on #22.

Note that the Texas Eaglette only serves Flex Meals to Sleeper Passengers in the Cross Country Cafe between Chicago and Austin ( Combo Diner/Cafe)but the Sunset Lts.has Traditionsl Dinning in the Diner and the Cafe is located in the Lower Level of the Sightseer Lounge.

 

[Shanson]

Even though there's a similar split/recombination procedure in Albany NY (Lake Shore Limited) and Spokane WA (Empire Builder), those don't create the same confusion as the Eagle/Sunset operation because of the tri-weekly schedule of #1 and #2. If Amtrak would make it a daily train, all this anxiety would go away.

Well, not all of it. Trying to get from southbound 21 to eastbound 2 requires leaving the train in SAS; same with westbound 1 (from NOLA) to northbound 22. The casual traveler doesn't understand why.

 

[jis]

Well, not all of it. Trying to get from southbound 21 to eastbound 2 requires leaving the train in SAS; same with westbound 1 (from NOLA) to northbound 22. The casual traveler doesn't understand why.

Casual traveler does not understand why they have to get off one train and get onto another to make a connection from one train to another? That is the first I heard of such clueless casual travelers I am afraid. But I suppose it takes one of each kind to make the world go round.

 

[Amtrak709]

Casual traveler does not understand why they have to get off one train and get onto another to make a connection from one train to another? That is the first I heard of such clueless casual travelers I am afraid. But I suppose it takes one of each kind to make the world go round.

jis: I think you used admirable restraint in your response. I know the connections in SAS to and from the Sunset Ltd. and Texas Eagle are a bit confusing in any direction because of the Sunset tri-weekly days of operation, but really??? My travels are always DAL-SAS-NOL-ATN which requires getting off 21 then getting on 2. I am still here to tell about it and have NOT missed a connection once.

 

[jpakala]

A year ago this month we went from Alton, IL to Tucson and I got off & walked around the platform and little station but my wife was already getting ready for bed. Just to clarify perhaps, nobody gets off one train and gets on the other when they are arriving in SAS when the tri-weekly train from NOL is coming through. When it is not, they get off and stay at a hotel to await a day that it is. We were asleep well before the sleeping car and coach were attached to the train from NOL. We then were the last car and had a nice view out the back door, rather than being the car behind the locomotive as we were from Alton to SAS.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Casual traveler does not understand why they have to get off one train and get onto another to make a connection from one train to another? That is the first I heard of such clueless casual travelers I am afraid. But I suppose it takes one of each kind to make the world go round.

For people who travel internationally Amtrak can seem trivially simple in some ways, but many Americans have no idea that long distance passenger rail still exists in the US, so even if someone does not understand that a route like the Sunset is 3x weekly or that clumsy overnight connections may be required at SAS they can still be among the most educated passengers in the country.

 

[DennisInGeorgia]

jis: I think you used admirable restraint in your response. I know the connections in SAS to and from the Sunset Ltd. and Texas Eagle are a bit confusing in any direction because of the Sunset tri-weekly days of operation, but really??? My travels are always DAL-SAS-NOL-ATN which requires getting off 21 then getting on 2. I am still here to tell about it and have NOT missed a connection once.

Greetings from ATL. You appear to be more familiar than we with parking around the ATN (Anniston AL) station. Is there any security around parked cars there, or do we just run any risk of smashed windows, etc? ATN would be worth the drive just to avoid the ATL neighborhood after midnight IF we could park our car safely there for 10 days or so.

 

[frequentflyer]

Both 21 and 22 have freight units on them and running four hours or more late. 21 will probably cancelled at FTW.

The Gennies are old and tired. Some running for almost 30 years.

 

[zetharion]

They better be working just fine on Saturday!! I do know they are terminating in FT and bustituting FT Worth to San Antonio. I’m off in Dallas so don’t care.

 

[frequentflyer]

21 continued onto San Antonio for some reason. Maybe to pickup a locomotive from 2. 9am and 22 have not left San Antonio yet.

 

[Bob Dylan]

21 continued onto San Antonio for some reason. Maybe to pickup a locomotive from 2. 9am and 22 have not left San Antonio yet.

Amtrak Status showing today's #22 ( 22) as Cancelled between SAS and FTW, originating in FTW, which means Bustitutions for Passengers between SAS and FTW.

 

[frequentflyer]

Amtrak Status showing today's #22 ( 22) as Cancelled between SAS and FTW, originating in FTW, which means Bustitutions for Passengers between SAS and FTW.

Yet last night Amtrak was showing 21 heading south of Cleburne to McGregor. I see today on the FTW cam 22 is there waiting for the bus from San Antonio.

21 was having power issues with a freight unit on the front last night. Must be using one of the locomotives from the Heartland Flyer or BNSF shops got the Genesis working again.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Yet last night Amtrak was showing 21 heading south of Cleburne to McGregor. I see today on the FTW cam 22 is there waiting for the bus from San Antonio.

21 was having power issues with a freight unit on the front last night. Must be using one of the locomotives from the Heartland Flyer or BNSF shops got the Genesis working again.

This is a Common Occurence for the Eaglette which usually only runs 1 P-42,all of which have been "Rode hard and Put up Wet!"

 

[MccfamschoolMom]

Just spotted what could have been the northbound Eaglette going past my office window at about 1:20PM (at least they were all Superliner cars), but it was going slowly, as if it had just stopped at Dwight, which the TE never does. Was the Lincoln Service using Superliner cars today?

 

[JP1822]

I still can’t believe this pathetic consist - and the Capitol Limited’s for that matter. These two trains are setup for operational and financial failure, let alone passenger disappointment, right from the start.…. On days the “run-through cars” are in the consist of the Texas Eagle, there used to be an extra Superliner Coach and Sleeper, cause the mindset was it was attracting a wider range of passengers as a train with connections to/from Chicago and LA. So constricting at present, along with the other words I mentioned.

 

[sporksradiant]

FYI - Amtrak Advisory | Track Work Affects Texas Eagle Trains 21/421 and 22

Track Work Affects Texas Eagle Trains 21/421 and 22
Effective Select Mondays and Wednesdays April 24 - October 4, 2023
Due to track work being performed by Union Pacific, schedule changes impact Texas Eagle Trains 21/421 and 22 on select Mondays and Wednesdays, April 24 through October 4, as outlined below. Schedule times listed on Amtrak.com have been updated to reflect these changes.


April 23, June 27, September 10, and October 3

• Train 21, which normally operates between Chicago and San Antonio, will terminate at Fort Worth, with alternate transportation provided via Bus 3021 between Fort Worth and San Antonio, making all intermediate stops.
• Train 421, which normally operates between Chicago and Los Angeles, will originate at San Antonio.

April 24, June 28, September 11, and October 4

• Train 22, which normally operates between San Antonio and Chicago, will originate at Fort Worth, with alternate transportation provided via Bus 3022 between San Antonio and Fort Worth, making all intermediate stops.

Anyone want to wager a guess as to how this would affect fares? As well as methods to best deal? I'm looking at a roomette from SAT to CHI at some point this summer.

 

[JWM]

The T.E. and C.L. seem to be orphans. Run properly with the right equipment, they could do much better.