I see the question of what happen in San Antonio come up rather frequently here. I have contributed responses but, on my recently completed round trip from Los Angeles to Temple, TX via San Antonio on train #422, I paid particular attention to the operations that took place in San Antonio. I hope this is useful.
I will use geographical (compass) directions, not railroad directions. I am providing this description based on my observations from the 2130/2230 sleeper during two round trips (422/421) through the area. Listening to the radio chatter on the scanner provided information as well. I do not have specific, detailed railroad or other knowledge of the area. With that, I am using geographical or compass directions versus railroad directions. If you have (constructive) input to this, please do so – without being snippy about it! I know that things may be different from time to time. Thanks.
When trains enter the depot area, they are switched from the main to station Track 3 and to AAR Channel 22 - 160.440 MHz to communicate with the Amtrak “yard” crew. The Amtrak yard crew (engineer, conductor, and mechanical) handles the switching of the cars may refer to the movements as the “Amtrak Yard Job”. From what I could see, the Sunset Limited typically ends up on Track 2 and the Texas Eagle on Track 3.
SAS STATION TRACK LAYOUT:
Reviewing a Google map/satellite view might be helpful to follow this description. At SAS, the tracks run geographically north-south. The station building is on the west side of the tracks. Going west to east the station tracks are numbered 1, 2 and 3 with main tracks 1 and 2 of the Del Rio Subdivision east of the station tracks. The station itself is located between E. Commerce Street, to the north and Montana Street to the south.
Station track #1 is a stub with the switch on the north end connecting to track #2 at about Center Street. It is this track where the SP 794 steam loco is on display at the north end of the depot just south of E. Commerce Street. Track 1 joins track 2 at a switch just north of Center Street.
Station track #2 is a siding off track #3 with a switch at each end. The south end is between Montana and Dakota Streets and the north end between Center and E. Crockett Streets.
Track #3 is a siding off Main 1 with a switch at each end. The south end is at Dakota Street and continues north with a crossover to Main 1 just north of E. Crockett Street.
EASTBOUND SUNSET LIMITED #2 and NORTHBOUND TEXAS EAGLE #22 (8/16/13):
On our eastbound trip, #2 arrived SAS on station track 2 at 4:15AM (head end to the north). The Texas Eagle was already parked on track #3 also with the head end to the north.
After passenger unloading in SAS, #2 backed up (south) past the switch onto track 3 where the 2230 (sleeper) and 2215 (coach) cars were uncoupled. #2 pulled forward (north) back into the station platform area leaving the 2230 and 2215 cars on track 3 south of Montana Street by the Alamodome.
The SAS switching crew now backed the Texas Eagle south on Track 3 and coupled the 2230 and 2215 cars onto the rear of its consist. After “stretching” the coupling, air tests, etc. #22 pulled forward back into the station platform area on Track 3 outboard of Sunset Limited #2 which was on track 2. Both trains remained in these spots until their respective departure times.
The Sunset Limited #2 departs, continuing its movement through the station on the UP Del Rio Sub at 6:26AM. Once #2 departs, the platform area is clear so #22 may begin passenger loading. Texas Eagle #22 departs SAS at 7:00AM with a reverse move south out of the station. Once past the San Antonio River (CP SA211 aka: Tower 112) and then forward (north) on the UP Austin Sub #2 out of town.
SOUTHBOUND TEXAS EAGLE #21 and WESTBOUND SUNSET LIIMTED #1 (8/22/13):
This movement is somewhat more complicated than that described above. Train 21 arrives in SAS via the Austin Sub Track #1 and heads north into the station on track 3 with the head end on the north. The 2130 Sleeper was on the rear of the train with the 2115 Coach just forward in the consist.
Our train #21 was 2 hours late and #1 was already in the station on Track 2 with the head end south. We pulled in on Track 3 next to the Sunset Limited #1. Note: the two trains are facing opposite directions.
Because train #1 was blocking #21 from station access, it pulled forward (south) sufficiently to allow train #21 access to the station platforms. Once the Texas Eagle had unloaded (except for the 2130 and 2115 cars), the Sunset Limited pulled back into the platform area.
The yard crew then pulled the Texas Eagle forward on Track 3 where the 2130 sleeper was uncoupled and left between Center and E. Commerce streets. The Texas Eagle then pulled forward (north) sufficiently to clear the switch north of Center Street. They then backed down Track 2 and uncoupled the 2115 coach leaving it parked on Track 2 between Center and E. Commerce Streets (next to the sleeper).
The Texas Eagle again pulled forward (north) past the switch and then back down (south) to Track 3 where they coupled onto our 2130 Sleeper. They pulled our car forward (north) sufficiently to clear the switch and back down (south) and coupled the sleeper onto the north end of the coach. This reversed the positions of the two cars relative to each other.
When the 2130 and 2115 cars were coupled together, both were pushed south on the #2 station track and coupled onto the end of the Sunset Limited, now in their normal configuration with the sleeper on the rear of the train. After checking the coupling, etc., the Sunset Limited was ready to go.
The Texas Eagle then continued north on track 2 past the switch to Track 1 where two Superliner cars were parked on Track 1 between Center and E. Commerce Streets. They were coupled onto the rear of the Texas Eagle (in our place) and the train continued north to clear the switch north of Center Street and then back south on Track 3 to the depot to be parked until the morning’s 7 am departure.
Our train, the Sunset Limited #1 departed the station on time and headed to Los Angeles.
FROM THE “YMMV” DEPARTMENT:
When we were on 421 in December, the 2130 sleeper was entrained between the transition sleeper and the Cross Country Café (diner). The 2115 Coach was somewhere else in Texas Eagle consist. Obviously, this would necessitate a different switching sequence in San Antonio than what I described above with both cars on the rear of the train.
Power was off several times for differing amounts of time…from a few minutes to 30 minutes at a time.
I stepped off the train several times but stayed in the platform area. I wanted to ride the train through the switching moves. Times in the station will vary depending on which direction you are traveling and the train’s arrival/departure times. Check the schedules for these two trains.
If ADMIN feels this is better suited to be in the "Travelogue" forum, please feel free to move it.
I will use geographical (compass) directions, not railroad directions. I am providing this description based on my observations from the 2130/2230 sleeper during two round trips (422/421) through the area. Listening to the radio chatter on the scanner provided information as well. I do not have specific, detailed railroad or other knowledge of the area. With that, I am using geographical or compass directions versus railroad directions. If you have (constructive) input to this, please do so – without being snippy about it! I know that things may be different from time to time. Thanks.
When trains enter the depot area, they are switched from the main to station Track 3 and to AAR Channel 22 - 160.440 MHz to communicate with the Amtrak “yard” crew. The Amtrak yard crew (engineer, conductor, and mechanical) handles the switching of the cars may refer to the movements as the “Amtrak Yard Job”. From what I could see, the Sunset Limited typically ends up on Track 2 and the Texas Eagle on Track 3.
SAS STATION TRACK LAYOUT:
Reviewing a Google map/satellite view might be helpful to follow this description. At SAS, the tracks run geographically north-south. The station building is on the west side of the tracks. Going west to east the station tracks are numbered 1, 2 and 3 with main tracks 1 and 2 of the Del Rio Subdivision east of the station tracks. The station itself is located between E. Commerce Street, to the north and Montana Street to the south.
Station track #1 is a stub with the switch on the north end connecting to track #2 at about Center Street. It is this track where the SP 794 steam loco is on display at the north end of the depot just south of E. Commerce Street. Track 1 joins track 2 at a switch just north of Center Street.
Station track #2 is a siding off track #3 with a switch at each end. The south end is between Montana and Dakota Streets and the north end between Center and E. Crockett Streets.
Track #3 is a siding off Main 1 with a switch at each end. The south end is at Dakota Street and continues north with a crossover to Main 1 just north of E. Crockett Street.
EASTBOUND SUNSET LIMITED #2 and NORTHBOUND TEXAS EAGLE #22 (8/16/13):
On our eastbound trip, #2 arrived SAS on station track 2 at 4:15AM (head end to the north). The Texas Eagle was already parked on track #3 also with the head end to the north.
After passenger unloading in SAS, #2 backed up (south) past the switch onto track 3 where the 2230 (sleeper) and 2215 (coach) cars were uncoupled. #2 pulled forward (north) back into the station platform area leaving the 2230 and 2215 cars on track 3 south of Montana Street by the Alamodome.
The SAS switching crew now backed the Texas Eagle south on Track 3 and coupled the 2230 and 2215 cars onto the rear of its consist. After “stretching” the coupling, air tests, etc. #22 pulled forward back into the station platform area on Track 3 outboard of Sunset Limited #2 which was on track 2. Both trains remained in these spots until their respective departure times.
The Sunset Limited #2 departs, continuing its movement through the station on the UP Del Rio Sub at 6:26AM. Once #2 departs, the platform area is clear so #22 may begin passenger loading. Texas Eagle #22 departs SAS at 7:00AM with a reverse move south out of the station. Once past the San Antonio River (CP SA211 aka: Tower 112) and then forward (north) on the UP Austin Sub #2 out of town.
SOUTHBOUND TEXAS EAGLE #21 and WESTBOUND SUNSET LIIMTED #1 (8/22/13):
This movement is somewhat more complicated than that described above. Train 21 arrives in SAS via the Austin Sub Track #1 and heads north into the station on track 3 with the head end on the north. The 2130 Sleeper was on the rear of the train with the 2115 Coach just forward in the consist.
Our train #21 was 2 hours late and #1 was already in the station on Track 2 with the head end south. We pulled in on Track 3 next to the Sunset Limited #1. Note: the two trains are facing opposite directions.
Because train #1 was blocking #21 from station access, it pulled forward (south) sufficiently to allow train #21 access to the station platforms. Once the Texas Eagle had unloaded (except for the 2130 and 2115 cars), the Sunset Limited pulled back into the platform area.
The yard crew then pulled the Texas Eagle forward on Track 3 where the 2130 sleeper was uncoupled and left between Center and E. Commerce streets. The Texas Eagle then pulled forward (north) sufficiently to clear the switch north of Center Street. They then backed down Track 2 and uncoupled the 2115 coach leaving it parked on Track 2 between Center and E. Commerce Streets (next to the sleeper).
The Texas Eagle again pulled forward (north) past the switch and then back down (south) to Track 3 where they coupled onto our 2130 Sleeper. They pulled our car forward (north) sufficiently to clear the switch and back down (south) and coupled the sleeper onto the north end of the coach. This reversed the positions of the two cars relative to each other.
When the 2130 and 2115 cars were coupled together, both were pushed south on the #2 station track and coupled onto the end of the Sunset Limited, now in their normal configuration with the sleeper on the rear of the train. After checking the coupling, etc., the Sunset Limited was ready to go.
The Texas Eagle then continued north on track 2 past the switch to Track 1 where two Superliner cars were parked on Track 1 between Center and E. Commerce Streets. They were coupled onto the rear of the Texas Eagle (in our place) and the train continued north to clear the switch north of Center Street and then back south on Track 3 to the depot to be parked until the morning’s 7 am departure.
Our train, the Sunset Limited #1 departed the station on time and headed to Los Angeles.
FROM THE “YMMV” DEPARTMENT:
When we were on 421 in December, the 2130 sleeper was entrained between the transition sleeper and the Cross Country Café (diner). The 2115 Coach was somewhere else in Texas Eagle consist. Obviously, this would necessitate a different switching sequence in San Antonio than what I described above with both cars on the rear of the train.
Power was off several times for differing amounts of time…from a few minutes to 30 minutes at a time.
I stepped off the train several times but stayed in the platform area. I wanted to ride the train through the switching moves. Times in the station will vary depending on which direction you are traveling and the train’s arrival/departure times. Check the schedules for these two trains.
If ADMIN feels this is better suited to be in the "Travelogue" forum, please feel free to move it.
