MrEd
Conductor
9/27
Waiting for the Texas Eagle.
Service City Scheduled Actual/Estimate Status
22 Texas Eagle Departs San Antonio, TX (SAS) 7:00 am
Arrives Fort Worth, TX (FTW) 1:58 pm
27-SEP-09 The scheduled arrival time is 1:58 pm. Presently, no further information is available. Please check back later for updated information.
422 Texas Eagle Departs San Antonio, TX (SAS) 7:00 am , 27-SEP-09
Arrives Fort Worth, TX (FTW) 1:58 pm
27-SEP-09 estimated Estimated Arrival Time: 28 minutes late.
I was surprised to see the status of the 422 train is 28 minutes down from the 22 train.
I returned my Fort Worth Amtrak Hertz rental, and then sat at the station for 4 hours. I got to see the TRE special trains to the Texas state fair. The TRE normally does not run on Sunday. The Heartland Flyer pulled into the station on time, and then began thirty minutes of pulling forward, backing up, disconnecting engines and cars, it was very entertaining. The southbound Texas Eagle came into the station at the same time another TRE came in, so it was very busy. Then two attack helicopters were buzzing over head, I can only assume this is normal for Fort Worth.
The northbound eagle pulled in early and I was waiting on the platform, it was getting hot out so I was glad to get on the train. Charles is my sleeping car attendant; he is a nice guy that has room one setup with drinks and snacks. He collected my ticket, gave some coach people a tour of the sleeper but could not convince them to upgrade.
We are parked behind the Heartland Flyer so coach people have a long walk to reach their cars. My last trip on the eagle the flyer was parked out of the way. Same as my last trip a couple people came running out at the last minute. We pushed out of the station on time, backing up past a switch, actually several switches before we got on the right track out of town. They give excellent announcements on this train, explaining the whole process.
My sleeper is in the basement next to the family room, it’s very quiet down here. The door stop for my room is missing so it bangs shut when the train slows down. Going past Arlington the train started to blow its horn, there was a man walking next to the tracks. I guess that explains my door slamming because we had to slow down for him.
We had a 30 minute layover in Dallas, so I went down to Deally Plaza to get some pictures. You have to watch it crossing the two sets of tracks, look both ways. When I got back to the train Charles had a mug root beer soda waiting for me, it’s hot here too. Charles told me the man in room 9 got off in San Antonio for a newspaper and the train left him. He then had to fly to Dallas, so he just reboarded the train, ouch. Maybe it is best not to leave track side.
Lucius the Lead Service Attendant stopped down for a visit, actually taking reservation. He advised me to get there early, the BBQ rib special won’t last long. Sounds messy but I might give that a try for something different. They are already out of two dishes so maybe the stocked the car last week, not sure. The elderly gentlemen across the way can not walk, so he might be stuck with a hamburger.
I tried a magazine and train schedule as a door stop, both are ineffective, should have brought the duct tape. The train passed Terrell; they had a big parade this weekend for hometown hero Jamie Fox. I saw a small station that looked like at one time they had train service, but it has been discontinued long ago.
Very early into Marshall, so we sat there for over thirty minutes, we also switched crew at this stop so people had to stay on, no chance for fresh air stop. Ribs were excellent, I am sure that will be a highlight of the trip, what a pleasant surprise. The LSA actually saved an order for me as they were almost out of them before they started serving.
At Texarkana there is time to get off, just not much to see. I convert to sleeper mode and call it a night. It seemed to me the ride through the Ozarks was a little bumpy.
The train arrived to St Louis ninety minutes early, it was still dark out. Good time to shower while we are sitting still. I had time to walk downtown for some pictures; it was a little chilly compared to Texas. They had what looked like a refurbished car, 54516, parked at the station, not sure but that might be a heritage car. They have some old railroad bridges over the river; rails are multi level and going in all different directions.
Ride into Chicago was uneventful and we arrived early. It was a nice trip, only trouble I had was my broken door, food was good, service excellent. My last few trips all had early trains, heck even the weather has been good. Others in Chicago had to be put up in hotels because of some frieght incident, but not the eagle.
Waiting for the Texas Eagle.
Service City Scheduled Actual/Estimate Status
22 Texas Eagle Departs San Antonio, TX (SAS) 7:00 am
Arrives Fort Worth, TX (FTW) 1:58 pm
27-SEP-09 The scheduled arrival time is 1:58 pm. Presently, no further information is available. Please check back later for updated information.
422 Texas Eagle Departs San Antonio, TX (SAS) 7:00 am , 27-SEP-09
Arrives Fort Worth, TX (FTW) 1:58 pm
27-SEP-09 estimated Estimated Arrival Time: 28 minutes late.
I was surprised to see the status of the 422 train is 28 minutes down from the 22 train.
I returned my Fort Worth Amtrak Hertz rental, and then sat at the station for 4 hours. I got to see the TRE special trains to the Texas state fair. The TRE normally does not run on Sunday. The Heartland Flyer pulled into the station on time, and then began thirty minutes of pulling forward, backing up, disconnecting engines and cars, it was very entertaining. The southbound Texas Eagle came into the station at the same time another TRE came in, so it was very busy. Then two attack helicopters were buzzing over head, I can only assume this is normal for Fort Worth.
The northbound eagle pulled in early and I was waiting on the platform, it was getting hot out so I was glad to get on the train. Charles is my sleeping car attendant; he is a nice guy that has room one setup with drinks and snacks. He collected my ticket, gave some coach people a tour of the sleeper but could not convince them to upgrade.
We are parked behind the Heartland Flyer so coach people have a long walk to reach their cars. My last trip on the eagle the flyer was parked out of the way. Same as my last trip a couple people came running out at the last minute. We pushed out of the station on time, backing up past a switch, actually several switches before we got on the right track out of town. They give excellent announcements on this train, explaining the whole process.
My sleeper is in the basement next to the family room, it’s very quiet down here. The door stop for my room is missing so it bangs shut when the train slows down. Going past Arlington the train started to blow its horn, there was a man walking next to the tracks. I guess that explains my door slamming because we had to slow down for him.
We had a 30 minute layover in Dallas, so I went down to Deally Plaza to get some pictures. You have to watch it crossing the two sets of tracks, look both ways. When I got back to the train Charles had a mug root beer soda waiting for me, it’s hot here too. Charles told me the man in room 9 got off in San Antonio for a newspaper and the train left him. He then had to fly to Dallas, so he just reboarded the train, ouch. Maybe it is best not to leave track side.
Lucius the Lead Service Attendant stopped down for a visit, actually taking reservation. He advised me to get there early, the BBQ rib special won’t last long. Sounds messy but I might give that a try for something different. They are already out of two dishes so maybe the stocked the car last week, not sure. The elderly gentlemen across the way can not walk, so he might be stuck with a hamburger.
I tried a magazine and train schedule as a door stop, both are ineffective, should have brought the duct tape. The train passed Terrell; they had a big parade this weekend for hometown hero Jamie Fox. I saw a small station that looked like at one time they had train service, but it has been discontinued long ago.
Very early into Marshall, so we sat there for over thirty minutes, we also switched crew at this stop so people had to stay on, no chance for fresh air stop. Ribs were excellent, I am sure that will be a highlight of the trip, what a pleasant surprise. The LSA actually saved an order for me as they were almost out of them before they started serving.
At Texarkana there is time to get off, just not much to see. I convert to sleeper mode and call it a night. It seemed to me the ride through the Ozarks was a little bumpy.
The train arrived to St Louis ninety minutes early, it was still dark out. Good time to shower while we are sitting still. I had time to walk downtown for some pictures; it was a little chilly compared to Texas. They had what looked like a refurbished car, 54516, parked at the station, not sure but that might be a heritage car. They have some old railroad bridges over the river; rails are multi level and going in all different directions.
Ride into Chicago was uneventful and we arrived early. It was a nice trip, only trouble I had was my broken door, food was good, service excellent. My last few trips all had early trains, heck even the weather has been good. Others in Chicago had to be put up in hotels because of some frieght incident, but not the eagle.
