Texas Eagle Question

[JC_620]

My sincerest apologies if this question has been answered in another post somewhere but...

To clarify, does the Texas Eagle #421#422 operate either with a dining car offering traditional dining, and/or a sightseer lounge car??

We intend to either be out of Maricopa heading north on #422 OR out of Chicago on #421 to Maricopa in November so unsure about the Eagle right now.

Thanks!

 

[zephyr17]

There is traditional dining and a Sightseer on the Sunset Limited, which has the 421/422 cars west of San Antonio. East of San Antonio, the 421/422 cars are attached to the Texas Eagle and there is only a diner/lounge with Flex dining and no Sightseer.

Personally, I wouldn't ride the Eagle in its current state, which isn't an issue for me since I'd have to go out of my way to do it anyway. However, if I were in the Phoenix metro and wanted a train trip to Chicago, I'd head to Flagstaff and take the Southwest Chief.

 

[Rasputin]

Personally, I wouldn't ride the Eagle in its current state, which isn't an issue for me since I'd have to go out of my way to do it anyway. However, if I were in the Phoenix metro and wanted a train trip to Chicago, I'd head to Flagstaff and take the Southwest Chief.

Just plain wonderful advice.

 

[F900ElCapitan]

I agree with both of the above posters. Although I have to admit the Sunset Limited ride from Maricopa to San Antonio is very nice. Great desert scenery, great track, and especially being able to patronize the “burrito lady” in El Paso. An opportunity so good that I have given up my free meal in the diner for her burritos, yes they are that good!!

Now the kicker is being able to put up with the Texas Eagle and ”flexible dining” or their cafe food between San Antonio and Chicago. If in coach, the food will be very similar to the cafe in the Sightseer Lounge on the Sunset Limited, although the latest info I have is that there is only one attendant in the diner lounge between San Antonio and Fort Worth and the line for cafe food can get VERY long during breakfast and lunch service for sleeper pax. If in a sleeper, the food will go downhill quickly due to flexible dining. I will say the majority of the kitchen staff on 21/22 try there best to make the food palatable, but they only have so much latitude.

 

[JC_620]

Thank you for the replies and the suggestions folks.

Has there been any talk as to when, or if, the diner will return to #421 eventually, this year maybe...this decade even?
I will not even wish for a return of the Sightseer Lounge...

Thanks!

 

[zephyr17]

Thank you for the replies and the suggestions folks.

Has there been any talk as to when, or if, the diner will return to #421 eventually, this year maybe...this decade even?
I will not even wish for a return of the Sightseer Lounge...

Thanks!

Nobody knows...it is in the same silent limbo as the Eastern trains.

It is really 21 and 22 that are at issue. "Train" 421/422 is just a through sleeper and coach that are switched between 1/2 and 21/22. Its separate train number is an artifact of the reservation system.

 

[ja5151]

I'm considering the Eagle for CHI-ALN next month. Wondering if the 1:45p-6:06p time would include lunch and/or dinner? (Even if it's flex meals.) Debating whether to spend the AGR points for the room vs. traveling coach. I'll be with 1 or 2 family members.

 

[zephyr17]

Dinner, no lunch.

Personally I wouldn't spend either money or points on the Eagle in its current state. If it were me and a train like that were the only option, I'd drive...

 

[Bob Dylan]

You'll be better off taking an Illinois/Missouri Train in Coach ( or Biz Class if the Bucket is Right)than riding the Sad Sack Eaglete with its 4 Car Consist,Flex Meals and High Bucket Rooms!

 

[toddinde]

Dinner, no lunch.

Personally I wouldn't spend either money or points on the Eagle in its current state. If it were me and a train like that were the only option, I'd drive...

While I miss the Sightseer Lounge, there isn’t anything particularly wrong with the Eagle except it’s short. The attendants worked very hard when I rode. The flex dining isn’t ideal, but isn’t bad. It’s never been the trip of a thousand wonders, but it’s enjoyable.

 

[bratkinson]

In my opinion, taking a regional train would be superior to paying any premium fare or points for a room and so-so food. Given the new cafe car menus and that you're departing from Chicago, everything should be available and reasonably tasty, if reviews thus far are accurate.

 

[ja5151]

I used to sometimes opt for the Eagle from the ALN-CHI trip just so I could show friends the Superliner cars, but lately it seems the service and on-time performance have lagged quite a bit, so it's harder to recommend it.

But still, it's the only Superliner that goes through STL.

I haven't seen the upgraded cafe menus on the Lincoln Service yet but that'll be nice. I do like the four-person tables in the coach cars...great for playing cards and chilling out.

 

[Sidney]

I am on the Eagle now going to LA. Three Coaches and one sleeper,the 421. One person takes care of Coach and the Cafe car,plus he feeds the Sleeper pax the marvelous flex food. Only one sitting at 5PM. Coach pax aren't allowed in the dining car and cafe from 4:30 to 6PM.

How much further downhill can the mighty Eagle fall?

 

[zephyr17]

I am on the Eagle now going to LA. Three Coaches and one sleeper,the 421. One person takes care of Coach and the Cafe car,plus he feeds the Sleeper pax the marvelous flex food. Only one sitting at 5PM. Coach pax aren't allowed in the dining car and cafe from 4:30 to 6PM.

How much further downhill can the mighty Eagle fall?

History gives us the answer: SP's Sunset of the late 1960s, coaches only and vending machines for a 3 day, 2 night trip.

It isn't that far of a fall from the Eagle's current state.

 

[railiner]

History gives us the answer: SP's Sunset of the late 1960s, coaches only and vending machines for a 3 day, 2 night trip.

It isn't that far of a fall from the Eagle's current state.

I would venture a guess that "The Friendly SP's" timekeeping of their Sunset was a whole lot better than today...

 

[zephyr17]

I would venture a guess that "The Friendly SP's" timekeeping of their Sunset was a whole lot better than today...

Well, Espee was running a "timetable and train order" operation, so it was in their interest to keep all scheduled trains on their schedules, passenger and freight. It was still a First Class train, IIRC, and had rights over everything except other First Class trains moving in the "superior" direction. Don't know if Espee classed any Sunset route freights as First Class.

As an aside, I do recall that Rio Grande had classed the RGZ as a Second Class train in their timetable, so certain freights, being First Class, had rights over it. They pretty much ran it on time, though, and took pride in its operation.

 

[Widfara]

There is traditional dining and a Sightseer on the Sunset Limited, which has the 421/422 cars west of San Antonio. East of San Antonio, the 421/422 cars are attached to the Texas Eagle and there is only a diner/lounge with Flex dining and no Sightseer.

Personally, I wouldn't ride the Eagle in its current state, which isn't an issue for me since I'd have to go out of my way to do it anyway. However, if I were in the Phoenix metro and wanted a train trip to Chicago, I'd head to Flagstaff and take the Southwest Chief.

Alas, living in Austin, the Eagle is the only way to easily access the rest of the system. But, getting on in Austin going north, I can have real food with me for at least part of the day and a half trip. Might even be able to get a pizza delivered in Dallas at trackside (a friend lives right nearby).
I am at this time scheduled out of here on the Eagle on October 5th, to Chicago, then on the Empire Builder to Seattle on the 7th, visit friends there for a few days, then on the 12th south on the Coast Starlight to Scareamento (not accidentally misspelled), overnight there, then east on the CZ back to Chicago. Out on the 18th the Cardinal to Charlottesville, then the Crescent on the 21st to New Orleans, and the Sunset Limited to San Antonio on the 24th (where a very good friend is willing to meet me in the wee hours of the morning to haul me home).
Even if they take my one of sleepers from me, I will likely go, then forego Amtrak totally until (if/when) things get better.
What bothers me is that I saw a 35-minute video of Amtrak plans for the future, all about Viewliners and the east, nary a single mention of western routes or Superliner replacement. I guess they figure that if you can keep a B52 bomber for 50 years, the young Superliners (only about 40) have a lot of life in them. Or, maybe they do plan to do the old RR thing from the 50's and 60's, just let the western trains wither and die.

 

[Gary Behling]

Alas, living in Austin, the Eagle is the only way to easily access the rest of the system. But, getting on in Austin going north, I can have real food with me for at least part of the day and a half trip. Might even be able to get a pizza delivered in Dallas at trackside (a friend lives right nearby).
I am at this time scheduled out of here on the Eagle on October 5th, to Chicago, then on the Empire Builder to Seattle on the 7th, visit friends there for a few days, then on the 12th south on the Coast Starlight to Scareamento (not accidentally misspelled), overnight there, then east on the CZ back to Chicago. Out on the 18th the Cardinal to Charlottesville, then the Crescent on the 21st to New Orleans, and the Sunset Limited to San Antonio on the 24th (where a very good friend is willing to meet me in the wee hours of the morning to haul me home).
Even if they take my one of sleepers from me, I will likely go, then forego Amtrak totally until (if/when) things get better.
What bothers me is that I saw a 35-minute video of Amtrak plans for the future, all about Viewliners and the east, nary a single mention of western routes or Superliner replacement. I guess they figure that if you can keep a B52 bomber for 50 years, the young Superliners (only about 40) have a lot of life in them. Or, maybe they do plan to do the old RR thing from the 50's and 60's, just let the western trains wither and die.

If I were getting on the train in Austin, I would have a fresh plate of Franklin BBQ with me and certainly wouldn't be thinking of Pizza in Dallas.

 

[zephyr17]

Or, maybe they do plan to do the old RR thing from the 50's and 60's, just let the western trains wither and die.

Actually, the western trains fared pretty well right to the end. UP, GN, NP (with BN only coming in fairly shortly before Amtrak), and, famously, Santa Fe, kept service standards high, and even were running secondary trains. SP was the only rabidly anti-passenger railroad in the west. Santa Fe received their last series of Hi Levels as late as 1964.

Other than SP, their trains were clean, well maintained, well staffed, with spectacular dining service and lounge space. Even what SP ran was always clean, even if you couldn't get a bed or a decent meal.

Of course, all the railroads were losing money on passenger services, and it became a flood of red ink after the Great Mail Off in 1967. They petitioned ICC for discontinuance of trains and got it in many cases, but most flagship trains remained (the real CZ and the Chief being notable exceptions). And they were great to the end.

The Empire Builder, North Coast Limited, City of Los Angeles, San Francisco Chief, and Super Chief that departed their terminals on April 30th, 1971 were far, far superior to anything Amtrak is running or has been running for many, many years.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Alas, living in Austin, the Eagle is the only way to easily access the rest of the system. But, getting on in Austin going north, I can have real food with me for at least part of the day and a half trip. Might even be able to get a pizza delivered in Dallas at trackside (a friend lives right nearby).
I am at this time scheduled out of here on the Eagle on October 5th, to Chicago, then on the Empire Builder to Seattle on the 7th, visit friends there for a few days, then on the 12th south on the Coast Starlight to Scareamento (not accidentally misspelled), overnight there, then east on the CZ back to Chicago. Out on the 18th the Cardinal to Charlottesville, then the Crescent on the 21st to New Orleans, and the Sunset Limited to San Antonio on the 24th (where a very good friend is willing to meet me in the wee hours of the morning to haul me home).
Even if they take my one of sleepers from me, I will likely go, then forego Amtrak totally until (if/when) things get better.
What bothers me is that I saw a 35-minute video of Amtrak plans for the future, all about Viewliners and the east, nary a single mention of western routes or Superliner replacement. I guess they figure that if you can keep a B52 bomber for 50 years, the young Superliners (only about 40) have a lot of life in them. Or, maybe they do plan to do the old RR thing from the 50's and 60's, just let the western trains wither and die.

Nice trip!

I'm an Austinite also and am Boycotting the Eaglete except for Day Trips, until the Consist is increased to the Normal One ( Sightseer Lounge,2 Sleepers ) and Traditional Dining returns to the CCC!

 

[Sidney]

Nice trip!

I'm an Austinite also and am Boycotting the Eaglete except for Day Trips, until the Consist is increased to the Normal One ( Sightseer Loune,2 Sleepers ) and Traditional Dining returns to the CCC!

Have a feeling with the current Amtrak administration,that will not happen. I'm on 421 now heading to LA. Tomorrow morning real food and a SSL! Can't believe there is only one sleeper. Chet is doing double duty handling sleeper meals and running the cafe car. A single seating at Noon for lunch and 5 PM for dinner,and Coach pax cannot use the cafe car from 11 to 1 and 4 to 6.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Have a feeling with the current Amtrak administration,that will not happen. I'm on 421 now heading to LA. Tomorrow morning real food and a SSL! Can't believe there is only one sleeper. Chet is doing double duty handling sleeper meals and running the cafe car. A single seating at Noon for lunch and 5 PM for dinner,and Coach pax cannot use the cafe car from 11 to 1 and 4 to 6.

And the Beat Goes on!