The Grand Loop

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I am finishing my Grand Loop on a dramtic note....422 was right in the middle of the storm/tornado last night in Texas....had to stop the train twice for 45 mins waiting for tornado warnings to expire. We are about 8 hours late and just left St. Louis. Wonderful trip.....loved every 6200 miles of it!!
 
Glad you made it through the terrible weather happening in Texas and the Black Hole between Little Rock amd St. Louis!

Look forward to your trip report, especially the Service and Food aspects of the different Routes!
 
oregon pioneer said:
What a thrill!! So glad, as the man said, that Amtrak plays it safe and there were no problems, just some added excitement and some extra train time!
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That's exactly how I felt.....excited, and happy for the extra 8 hours on the train!. (However, if I'd mentioned being happy to the rest of the bunch on the thruway bus taking us home, I would have been "lynched!")
 
jimhudson said:
Look forward to your trip report, especially the Service and Food aspects of the different Routes!
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There were a few of the usual equipment problems.....on the EB, the rattling of doors and hall panels was by far the worst I have ever seen...sticking in cardboard and using duct tape did help some. Also on the EB whole-car air condioning couldn't be regulated by the attendant.....either way too cold, or he had to turn it off entirely....just minor things. But a bigger problem was on the Eagle for 24 hours before reaching San Antonio....water had leaked out somewhere so there was no water pressure to use toilets or wash hands. It was fixed during the layover in SAS, but did cause the train to depart the station 1.5 hours late.

Food and Sleeper Attendants were okay. There were no food shortages, and everything on the menus was available on all three routes. As for the Attendants, they were unremarkable.....neither extra good nor extra bad.

But, not surprisingly, the best experience was with the Starlight, and the Parlor Car. I don't know why so few seemed to avail themselves of meals in the Parlor because that DOES stand out, along with the excellent Service. Real dinnerware instead of plastic, real tableclothes.....and dinner music.

I most certainly will be doing this Grand Loop again next year, but in reverse this time.
 
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Hi, first time posting here. I live in the Seattle area, Bainbridge Island, specifically, and am planning a trip exactly as you did, except starting from Seattle. The only leg of the journey that I have done before is on the Coast Starlight, not all the way to Los Angeles, but to Santa Barbara and back several times, so I am familiar with that segment. A question I have is upon arrival in San Antonio, is it better to stay on the train, or disembark?
 
Welcome to AU! Riding the ferry to Bainbridge Island for Lunch when in Seattle, is one of my favorite activities!

If you catch the Texas Eagle #422 ( Sleeper and Coach on the end of #2) from LAX to CHI your Sleeper and the Coach will be cut out from the Sunset Ltd. #2 which goes on to NOL, and be switched to the Texas Eagle #22 @ the Station! You won't even have to get off the train!

If you ride #2 from LAX- SAS and transfer to #22, you will gave to de- board and stay in the small, uncomfortable Station until 6:30am when they board #22 for a 7pm departure for CHI!!
 
Thanks for the info, Jim! Where do you eat when you come to Bainbridge Island?

As far as the transfer of the sleeper and coach, are they at a platform where you can get off if you want to, or in some area of a yard where you cannot? And how long does it usually take? On the Amtrak website describing the route, it says 7 to 9 hours, but the schedule shows more like 2 to 5 depending on whether west to north, north to west! Wondering about being disconnected from power

and AC and such.
 
Guest said:
Thanks for the info, Jim! Where do you eat when you come to Bainbridge Island?

As far as the transfer of the sleeper and coach, are they at a platform where you can get off if you want to, or in some area of a yard where you cannot? And how long does it usually take? On the Amtrak website describing the route, it says 7 to 9 hours, but the schedule shows more like 2 to 5 depending on whether west to north, north to west! Wondering about being disconnected from power

and AC and such.
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After getting off the Ferry I walk to Winslow and usually have a brunch @ The Blackbird Bakery. My favorite Lunch ( Late) place has been Docs Marina Grill.
You can get off the train when it arrives into SAS! The switching is actually done in the yards Northeast of the Sunset Station area. Used to there would be a change of SCAs here, now the LAX-SAS attendant stays on the train to Austin, is joined by the new SAS- CHI attendant. All the rest of the crew goes on to NOL, the Conductors and Engineer change here!Ask before you get off how long you'll have, once the switching starts you can't reboard until #22/#422 is announced for CHI ( Boards about 6:30/Leaves @ 7am/Breakfast served about 730am on the way to Austin)) and #2 goes on to NOL( 6:25am)!

The headend power is cutoff during switching but before and after it is on!

In the case of #21/#421, if it arrives on time, 10pmish, #1 from NOL usually arrives early before Midnight, the switching is done and it heads out for ELP and LAX @ 2:45am. Breakfast will be served after DelRio as the sun comes up!

The old Sunset Station and SP Steam Engine on display by the Platform are worth a look. The Amtrak Station is small, brightly lit, usually full with uncomfortable seats and dirty restrooms! There are benches outside where you can sit while the trains are serviced,the switching happens, freights roll by etc.

Hope that helps!
 
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