After getting as little Rain :excl: :excl: :excl: yesterday, and seeing the temp drop to a cool 94 :lol: , decided to take a little Point run on the Eagles from AUS-TPL-AUS.The OTP had been pretty poor for #21/#421 Lately, for all the usual reasons, but with the Hats Off Bonus Promo running out the 31st decided to risk it! Went to TPL instead of TAY so I wouldnt have to wait so long for the Return on the Late #21/#421!
#22/#422 rolled in to AUS about 30 minutes down due to "Freight Congestion" on the UP tracks between SAS and AUS! (Surprise!
) I boarded Coach #422 (#22 was SOLD OUT!), about 30 others boarded with me, the Train was basically SOLD OUT, no Single seats the announcement said! I usually ride in the Sightseer Lounge but there wasnt one on this consist! Engine/Transdorm/Diner-Lounge(CCC)/Another CCC subsitituted for the SSL / Three Coaches, the Revenue #21/#421 Sleeper and bringing up the Markers was the Deadheading CCC that was Bad Ordered this week in SAS! (3 CCCs on one Train! :help: ) We made Taylor On Time, rolled into TPL @ 11:30PM on Time! (Didnt see any Freights except in the TAY (UP) and TPL(BNSF) yards!
After a nice Lunch at a Mom and Pop Diner :wub: ,(Wes' Burgers and More, great specials, I had Catfish!)and visiting in the Modern and Nice City Library,I headed back to the Train Station (old Santa FE, now a Museum/Events Hall/Amtrak Waiting Room-Station) about 5PM since I had determeined the Train was running about an Hour down!)stopping for some Dairy Queen Ice Cream on the way since it was 109 today!
There were three others already waiting, I hung out in the AC Lobby shooting the breeze with the Agent (she let us listen to her Scanner and kept us updated on the latest @ Amtrak including rumours, official announcements and OTP of various Trains! By this time #21/#421 was about an Hour and a Half down, rolled in @ 6PM. The consist was Engine/Transdorm/Diner-Lounge(CCC), Sightseer Lounge :wub: , Three Coaches and bringing up the Markers the #21/#421 Revenue Sleeper! Full Train to AUS the Conductor said as boarding, no Private seats again! I headed for the Lounge, my usual MO! Dinner was already underway since the Train had started serving @ 5PM and there werent anymore slots till 730PM, since I was only going to AUS Id pass and eat @ Home! (Little did I know!) We rolled out heading South, got to TAY, stopped @ the "Station" (aka Picnic Table with a Shed), several pax got on/off, when then rolled out to ouf town heading for AUS one hour down, not bad!
Once we got out to the TAY yards we pulled into a siding, the Conductor came on and gave his spiel about "due to Freight Congestion on the UP Rails etc. etc" We set for Two Hours as two really Loooooong and Slooooooow Gravel and Coal trains chugged by heading North. Finally, now 3 hours down, we rolled out heading South very slowly (about 15-20 mph) due t Slow Orders due to Heat! On through Round Rock, into North Austin, under 183, down MOPAC, Opps, were not on the Main, we come to a stop and sit for about 20 minutes, were maybe 5 miles from the AUS Station! Finally the Conductor tells us UP is running another Coal train by us, and it slowly comes up the hill, a veeeeeeeeeery long Coal train!
Finally it clears, we get the green and slowly roll down Mopac (heavy traffic still, its Friday night in River City!)and into the Station, finally Home @ 10:15PM, 3 Hours and 45 minutes down!! Only took 2 hours and 45 minutes to go 22 miles!
A large crowd was waiting to board and the new Station Agent (Cliff, long time good guy Retired this month!), a petite female, seemed overwhelmed with all the luggage! The AC was helping her out too! My TA was helping Load/Unload the Coaches (she had two)including helping with baggage! She had already been cleaning up while we waited, the bathrooms were the Cleanest Ive seen on a LD Train Late in its Route, she was First Rate! and will get kuddos for her Great work and attitude! (I seldon tip Coach attendants but I did her!) Her name is T. Booker! Look for her on your next trip, shes a good one!
A long day for sure, but 300 Points for a $22 Senior Fare wasnt too shabby, a Great Luch, getting out of Dodge on a LD Train, :wub: Priceless! As Bob Dylan sang: "It can cure the soul, can make it whole!"
#22/#422 rolled in to AUS about 30 minutes down due to "Freight Congestion" on the UP tracks between SAS and AUS! (Surprise!
) I boarded Coach #422 (#22 was SOLD OUT!), about 30 others boarded with me, the Train was basically SOLD OUT, no Single seats the announcement said! I usually ride in the Sightseer Lounge but there wasnt one on this consist! Engine/Transdorm/Diner-Lounge(CCC)/Another CCC subsitituted for the SSL / Three Coaches, the Revenue #21/#421 Sleeper and bringing up the Markers was the Deadheading CCC that was Bad Ordered this week in SAS! (3 CCCs on one Train! :help: ) We made Taylor On Time, rolled into TPL @ 11:30PM on Time! (Didnt see any Freights except in the TAY (UP) and TPL(BNSF) yards!After a nice Lunch at a Mom and Pop Diner :wub: ,(Wes' Burgers and More, great specials, I had Catfish!)and visiting in the Modern and Nice City Library,I headed back to the Train Station (old Santa FE, now a Museum/Events Hall/Amtrak Waiting Room-Station) about 5PM since I had determeined the Train was running about an Hour down!)stopping for some Dairy Queen Ice Cream on the way since it was 109 today!
There were three others already waiting, I hung out in the AC Lobby shooting the breeze with the Agent (she let us listen to her Scanner and kept us updated on the latest @ Amtrak including rumours, official announcements and OTP of various Trains! By this time #21/#421 was about an Hour and a Half down, rolled in @ 6PM. The consist was Engine/Transdorm/Diner-Lounge(CCC), Sightseer Lounge :wub: , Three Coaches and bringing up the Markers the #21/#421 Revenue Sleeper! Full Train to AUS the Conductor said as boarding, no Private seats again!
I headed for the Lounge, my usual MO! Dinner was already underway since the Train had started serving @ 5PM and there werent anymore slots till 730PM, since I was only going to AUS Id pass and eat @ Home! (Little did I know!) We rolled out heading South, got to TAY, stopped @ the "Station" (aka Picnic Table with a Shed), several pax got on/off, when then rolled out to ouf town heading for AUS one hour down, not bad!Once we got out to the TAY yards we pulled into a siding, the Conductor came on and gave his spiel about "due to Freight Congestion on the UP Rails etc. etc" We set for Two Hours as two really Loooooong and Slooooooow Gravel and Coal trains chugged by heading North. Finally, now 3 hours down, we rolled out heading South very slowly (about 15-20 mph) due t Slow Orders due to Heat! On through Round Rock, into North Austin, under 183, down MOPAC, Opps, were not on the Main, we come to a stop and sit for about 20 minutes, were maybe 5 miles from the AUS Station! Finally the Conductor tells us UP is running another Coal train by us, and it slowly comes up the hill, a veeeeeeeeeery long Coal train!
Finally it clears, we get the green and slowly roll down Mopac (heavy traffic still, its Friday night in River City!)and into the Station, finally Home @ 10:15PM, 3 Hours and 45 minutes down!! Only took 2 hours and 45 minutes to go 22 miles!
A large crowd was waiting to board and the new Station Agent (Cliff, long time good guy Retired this month!), a petite female, seemed overwhelmed with all the luggage! The AC was helping her out too! My TA was helping Load/Unload the Coaches (she had two)including helping with baggage! She had already been cleaning up while we waited, the bathrooms were the Cleanest Ive seen on a LD Train Late in its Route, she was First Rate! and will get kuddos for her Great work and attitude! (I seldon tip Coach attendants but I did her!) Her name is T. Booker! Look for her on your next trip, shes a good one!
A long day for sure, but 300 Points for a $22 Senior Fare wasnt too shabby, a Great Luch, getting out of Dodge on a LD Train, :wub: Priceless! As Bob Dylan sang: "It can cure the soul, can make it whole!"
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