Segments of our 9,000 mile train trip

[margo]

1st Segment-Sunset Ltd. out of Lake Charles,LA. Our journey didn't start very well-the SL from NOL was 1 1/2 hours late. I learned to call for train status 30 minutes to 1 hour before it's due (or go online to www.dixielandsoftware.com). The LCH station is really just a covered area, very small building and a parking lot( not very convenient for waiting). Since we had a sleeper, our SCA had made our dinner reservations(which was very good-steak, potato, salad and cheesecake). We had roomette #2 which is very handy, but very small. Next trip will be a bedroom. Room 2 is handy to the restroom and the coffee and juice. Our SCA never set up our beds. Apparently, you have to ask for that service. We arrived in San Antonio before daylight and stayed there about 2 hours. It takes about 24 hours to cross TX. It's not very scenic. The biggest excitement was the removal of 4 passengers-1 for smoking, 2 for drunkenness and 1 by Border Patrol. Breakfast was good-omelet, bacon, biscuit, potatoes and always a fresh strawberry. We learned that the only change in the menu on the different trains was the regional special at lunch and dinner.The SL travels along the TX/Mexico border and the Rio Grande. The Armistad Reservoir and the ?Pecos Canyon area were pretty. We saw deer, antelopes, eagles and buzzards. The Angus burger for lunch is large and very good. Southern CA is scenic, some mountains around Palm Springs. We had some very interesting companions in the dining car (it's community seating). We arrived in Los Angeles 1 1/2 hours late. It's a large beautiful station. I'll post here about our return trip to LCH since it was on the Sunset LTD. The train (SL) coming from LAX was 2 1/2 hours late, so we had to wait in the San Antonio station, which is small, until 12:30 am to board. We were late all the way to LCH. My next post will be the Coast Starlight from LAX.

 

[Bob Dylan]

:hi: Thanks for Posting! The Sunset Route isnt the most Scenic but it's the Oldest Named Continously Run LD Route in North America (my First time in a Sleeper and Diner as a Boy was on the Old SP Sunset Ltd.! :wub: ) and has Four Historically Interesting Cities on it's Route (NOL/SAS/ELP/LAX). Look Forward to your Starlight Report!