Texas Eagle

[Gingee01]

We are booked on the Texas Eagle. I think we have a bedroom (window on each side). We don't have a bathroom (that I know). Don't they have those rooms that there is a isle on on side where people walk through the car on this train? Nothing came up for anything but roommetes when I check this train on-line just now. Any recent experience on this train?

Thanks

 

[eliyahu]

We are booked on the Texas Eagle. I think we have a bedroom (window on each side). We don't have a bathroom (that I know). Don't they have those rooms that there is a isle on on side where people walk through the car on this train? Nothing came up for anything but roommetes when I check this train on-line just now. Any recent experience on this train?

we just got back from a trip to springfield, MA this past weekend, and went on the texas eagle from austin to chicago. well, actually, from fort worth to chicago because the southbound eagle from the previous day had been massively delayed because of the winter storm two weeks ago. the eagle no longer has a regular sleeper, but rather a transition dorm/sleeper where revenue passengers are booked -- and only roomettes are available in this car. to book a bedroom, you would normally need to book onto 421/422, the through cars that attach to the sunset limited for travel out to LAX. there is a through sleeper and coach (on the end of the consist), and it was into this car we booked a bedroom (which has a built in shower/latrine).

our experiences were surprisingly positive given that we had to be bussed from austin to fort worth. the 422 sleeper we booked into had been partially refurbished with new upholstry and faux wood panelling in the hallways, but the actual bathrooms, vanities, and internals of the car were the same as before. there are a few photos here.

while our sleeper attendent was a little gruff -- and impossible to find unless you went to the dining car where he seemed permanently ensconsed -- the diner crew and lounge attendent were first-rate. both the diner and lounge had been recently refurbished, and in an excellent state. the lounge attendent even kept the train abreast of NFL scores as they happened from his on-board sirius satellite radio. despite starting from fort worth behind schedule, the engineer would slowly make up time along the way, only to be dashed into a siding in arkansas during the early morning hours where another freight train was unable to move (probably needed a crew replacement).

we were the first train to head north across the section of rail from st. louis to springfield, which had been shut down for nearly 36hrs due to fallen trees and iced-over switches, and the landscape was an icy and snowy wonderland. we took along our toddler, who enjoyed the trip very much, as did we all for our first long-distance run. once into chicago, a red cap took our luggage, checked it through on the lake shore limited, and we were escorted to the metropolitan lounge to relax.

i've read posts from other forum members describing a dirty train and dilapidated equipment, but our experience was anything but. although every conductor we had was surly to the last man, and our sleeper attendent was rather poor, we've since been converted to train travel very much because of this trip. the eagle doesn't have much in the way of scenary, but the equipment should be up to par, and you should arrive refreshed and relaxed.

now, about your room choice: although we had a bedroom on the eagle, we did have a roomette on the viewliner-equipped LSL out of chicago heading east. despite one's initial reaction to the size of the room, if you're only travelling by yourself or with a significant other, you would be plenty comfortable in the cheaper roomette. it will get a bit cramped if you both want to recline in your seats, though -- but you can always head to the lounge car. unlike other LD trains, the texas eagle is rarely packed with passengers south of st. louis, so you should be able to find a lounge seat easily. the bathrooms in the sleepers aren't exactly spacious, but they are at least larger than the private ones in the bedrooms, and the shower is much more generous. so, unless you're particularly private or have a larger party, a roomette should be fine. but from the sounds of your description, perhaps you booked the family bedroom? it's the only room on the car (other than the handicapped one) that runs the entire length of the car but has no bathroom.

i have seen where amtrak will let you book into the end sleeper car on days that it does not run through on the sunset limited, but not sure why this doesn't work from time to time on amtrak.com. you may be hitting that problem now. calling reservations might actually be a better idea, although it's hit and miss getting a knowledgable agent. i'll let the very capable alan fill you in on general details of the superliner sleeper cars and the choices you have, but i think you'll enjoy your trip regardless of how you go!

-- eliyahu

austin, tx

 

[Gingee01]

Thank you for your full description. There will be three of us. My husband and I and our eighteen year old daughter. I am 5-1 so I am hoping the "child size" beds will be okay with me. I slept in a roommete this past year on the way to Seattle and back. It was fine for the two of us (okay a little squishy) but we had fun. Our room attendants were great and they got a tip from us. If we don't get a good one, then he or she won't get tipped.

I think we get on at 6:15 p.m. on the return trip from Longview (bussed from Galveston) so I was wondering

"do you think we will get our dinner on board"?

Thanks and I will go look at your pictures.

 

[Gingee01]

What a cute little girl. How was the sleeping with her? Of course she looked like she slept in the chair all right.

 

[eliyahu]

I think we get on at 6:15 p.m. on the return trip from Longview (bussed from Galveston) so I was wondering "do you think we will get our dinner on board"?

assuming the train isn't terribly late into longview, you shouldn't have any problems getting dinner once boarding at longview. i believe last call for dinner was well past 8PM on our trip.

-- eliyahu

austin, tx

 

[eliyahu]

What a cute little girl. How was the sleeping with her? Of course she looked like she slept in the chair all right.

thank you. as it turned out, sleeping with her on the bottom bunk wasn't terrible at all. at nearly the full width of a twin bed, we all had plenty of room on the eagle. once on the LSL, though, it was a tighter fit in the roomette. we had a chance to see the inside of the family bedroom, and it looks fantastic. shame they don't have anything comparable on the eastern LD trains!

-- eliyahu

austin, tx

 

[AlanB]

Thank you for your full description. There will be three of us. My husband and I and our eighteen year old daughter. I am 5-1 so I am hoping the "child size" beds will be okay with me. I slept in a roommete this past year on the way to Seattle and back. It was fine for the two of us (okay a little squishy) but we had fun. Our room attendants were great and they got a tip from us. If we don't get a good one, then he or she won't get tipped.

If you think that you can be comfortable in a 4' 9" bed, then go for it.

I think we get on at 6:15 p.m. on the return trip from Longview (bussed from Galveston) so I was wondering "do you think we will get our dinner on board"?

You should get dinner, since you are scheduled on at 6:15. Your sleeping car attendant should request a dining time for you in anticipation of your boarding at Longview. Of course if the train is running late you might miss out on dinner.

 

[AlanB]

we had a chance to see the inside of the family bedroom, and it looks fantastic. shame they don't have anything comparable on the eastern LD trains!

Alas there is simply no way to have a family bedroom on the eastern trains, since it would cut off access to the other cars. It's only something that actually works on a double deck car, where one can block off the lower level and while still allowing access to other cars on the upper level.

 

[Gingee01]

I didn't know if it matters if you are on sleepers, if they will wait dinner for people scheduled to come in on a 6:15 p.m. time.

 

[AlanB]

I didn't know if it matters if you are on sleepers, if they will wait dinner for people scheduled to come in on a 6:15 p.m. time.

Forgive me if I'm not correctly understanding what you are saying, but hopefully my reply will answer any questions.

If you are in coach, then all bets are off as to whether you'd get dinner in the dining car boarding at Longview at 6:15 PM, assuming an on time arrival. You might get lucky, but I sure wouldn't count on getting into the diner.

If you are in a sleeper and boarding during diner time, then your sleeping car attendant is supposed to secure a seating time for you from the LSA who runs the dining car when he/she comes around to make reservations for those passengers who are already on board the train. So again assuming an on time arrival, or an arrival that's not too late, you should have a reservation waiting for you.

However, if the train arrives into Longview very late, beyond normal dining car hours, then you won't get dinner even if the sleeping car attendant had made a reservation for you.

 

[Gingee01]

Thanks Alan. Yes we do have a sleeping room accomodation. I am not sure if the Texas Eagle runs late a lot or not. We will be taking the Amtrak bus from Galveston so we won't have much opportunity to find dinner on the way. I think it is a five hour bus ride. I just checked my time sheet from a while back and it looks like it leaves Longview at 7:05 p.m. and our bus is suppose to arrive at 6:30 p.m. We will have left Galveston at l2:35 p.m. What is the latest the food accomodations run? 8:00? Do they have a snack bar or something after that time and if so, is the food free since you are in the sleeper?

 

[AlanB]

What is the latest the food accomodations run? 8:00? Do they have a snack bar or something after that time and if so, is the food free since you are in the sleeper?

Officially the last seating in the dining car is supposed to be at 9:00 PM. If you hit a really nice crew and the train was running late, they might make an exception if they missed picking you up at Longview by that hour assuming that it wasn't more than a half an hour later. But after 9:30 I'd guess that you'd be out of luck.

After that it would be the cafe car or hunger and there are no provisions in place for you to get free food out of the cafe car. You would have t contact Amtrak after your trip in an effort to get some credit for what you purchase in the cafe car.

I would expect however that the bus will make at least one stop along the way, so if you check with Julie and the train is running very late, you might want to get something at that stop.

 

[Gingee01]

Okay, here is the timetables and wondering about this.

Going to Galveston - leave Bloomington, IL at 4:19 p.m. arriving in Longview at 9:00 a.m.

Longview (bus) departure at 9:10 a.m. Okay, that only gives us ten minutes. I wonder what happens if the train doesn't get in on time?

On the return

Leave Galveston at ll:45 a.m on their bus and arriving in Longview at 5:40 p.m.

Leave Longview at 6:15 p.m. and arriving at Bloomington at ll:42 a.m. Once again there is a short time between their bus arrival and train departure.

I wonder, what happens if we miss the bus due to the train being late or vice versa?

 

[Gingee01]

Oh, I need to call this weekend to put the reservation in for sure. I am on hold since last Sunday.

 

[eliyahu]

Okay, here is the timetables and wondering about this.Going to Galveston - leave Bloomington, IL at 4:19 p.m. arriving in Longview at 9:00 a.m.

Longview (bus) departure at 9:10 a.m. Okay, that only gives us ten minutes. I wonder what happens if the train doesn't get in on time?

On the return

Leave Galveston at ll:45 a.m on their bus and arriving in Longview at 5:40 p.m.

Leave Longview at 6:15 p.m. and arriving at Bloomington at ll:42 a.m. Once again there is a short time between their bus arrival and train departure.

I wonder, what happens if we miss the bus due to the train being late or vice versa?

for the trip southbound from longview to galveston, you need not worry. the bus won't leave until everyone detrains that's headed for houston/galveston off of the texas eagle. as for the northbound trip, i'd be fairly shocked if the bus would arrive later than the train. frankly, given the eagle's OTP in texas itself, the train will usually be the late arrival, giving you time to sit around the longview station.

alan: although it's terribly unlikely, if something weather-related or otherwise causes a thruway connection to miss the train's arrival, if it's a guaranteed connection, i assume they'd hold the train, correct?

-- eliyahu

austin, tx

 

[AlanB]

alan: although it's terribly unlikely, if something weather-related or otherwise causes a thruway connection to miss the train's arrival, if it's a guaranteed connection, i assume they'd hold the train, correct?

Unless the bus is late by less than a half hour, I doubt very much that they would hold the train. Either they would run the bus to a station further up the line, or Amtrak would provide lodging for all passengers on the bus and book them onto the next day's northbound Eagle.

 

[Gingee01]

I just ended up calling Amtrak and you were right Alan. If the train is late, then the bus should wait. Of course we were three hours late coming back on the Cardinal in Indy and the bus did not wait. We would have had to wait several hours until the next bus. Since we were four hours from home, we could cancel the bus portion and we rented a car and drove home.

Now if the bus is late, most likely the train won't wait. I know busses usually aren't late but who knows, there could be a big traffic jam or something. They told us they would get us a room or accomodate us if we missed the train.

Going down to Galveston we are due in 3 p.m. on the l8th. We have reserved a cruise on the 20th of May and that usually leaves in late afternoon.

Coming back it shouldn't be that big of a deal. We leave a day after our cruise (leaving time in case something unusual happens on the cruise). It would mess up our hotel reservations in Galveston though since we have to give them 24 or 48 hour notice (going to Galveston).

 

[railfangns]

I have booked a trip on the Eagle departing SAS on january 11.I fudged and booked a bedroom even

though i am traveling alone.I have never ridden the Eagle and want to know if it has 1 engine or 2,does

it have 1 sleeper or 2,and hows the food in the diner?Also are there stops where we can get off and

stretch our legs and hows the on time performance into Chicago?I plan to connect with the capitol limited the evening of the 12th going to Washington DC and i booked a roomette on it. I have almost 5 hours

between trains in chicago does the eagle run later than that often?Does the eagle run on any UP trackage?

if so look out, I might not make my capitol limited connection.

UP the railroad that loves to make amtrak run very late :lol:

 

[AlanB]

For a while Amtrak was running the Eagle with one engine only, but I believe that Amtrak has stopped that practice on almost all long distance trains. I know that CSX demanded that they stop doing that and I think UP also asked for that too. The Eagle usually runs with one full sleeper that runs through to California on the Sunset Limited days, as well as rooms being sold in the Trans/Dorm.

The food in the diner is the same typical SDS food found in the rest of the Amtrak system.

OTP for this train used to be halfway decent, but it wasn't good from this spring through the summer. I think that things have been doing better of late for the Eagle, but I haven't really been monitoring it of late.

Now with the later departure time of the Capitol Limited, as of the Fall timetable change, the odds are much better than they used to be for connections to the Capitol.

Finally, yes, the Eagle runs on UP tracks for most of its journey. You'll be on BNSF from SAS to Fort Worth, then UP all the way to Joliet where you'll move onto CN tracks.