Texas Mini Gathering - DFW - January 7-8 2012

[Bob Dylan]

:hi: Great weekend in DFW with the AUers! Wonderful to see "old friends" and meet new ones! Thought the Porkchops I had @ Hofbrau were the best I ever had! :wub: (the beer wasnt bad either! :lol: )Hotel Lawrence was pretty nice for the price and convience (thanks for the tip and to those that made arrangements and helped make it a fun weekend! ^_^ )and the TRE ride from FTW-DAL was fun and quick!

The Anniversary Train in FTW was lots more easy to view than the Zoo on NTD in WAS this year, and one of our members, Saxman, was working the Train as a Volunteer!We missed seeing the Fantastic T&P Station in FTW since it was being used for a Wedding Show! but the Post Office Next door is a reminder of Washington DC and how they used to build Government Buildings back in the day!

The Eagles up and back had really good/clean equipment (a first for me! :excl: :excl: :excl: ), the food was tasty in the CCC,(we had Low Bucket Roomettes! :wub: ) and our Waitress, the infamous Miss Polly, was very Friendly and provided Good Service, member complaints must have been heard and acted on!!

The Bustitution from DAL back to FTW to catch #21 was seamless, was surprised to see that the crew that got off #22 for the ride to LGV got to ride in a Stretch Limo while Pax rode on Busses and Vans! Arrived home 2 hours down in AUS in a Cold Rain from the Norther that blew in, but overall a great weekend! Hope the Florida Mini-Gathering goes as well, lets do it again gang!

Also the DFW Area would be a Fantastic Place to hold the Annual Gathering when its our "Zones" turn to host the Gathering!!!

 

[Misty.]

Anyone take pictures to share with the rest of us?

Of course I have pictures. :giggle: I think the wifi at STL would have a fit and refuse to upload them, though. (just finished a STL-HEM RT, now I'm waiting for the STL-BNL RT to begin. ^_^

 

[boxcar479]

Sounds like the gathering and dinner were great. Sorry I missed you guys on Saturday, but it was a pleasure to run into Jim & his girl, and City of Miami on Sunday, and view the museum train. I second holding the big Gathering down here too! Can't wait until the next one, thanks TS and Tony for putting this all together and making it happen! Sorry I missed the rest of you guys/gals

 

[Texan Eagle]

It was my first time meeting any AU member in person, and it was nice to be able to associate faces to names I read every day on this forum I could not wait for the dinner and got busy with some work Sunday morning too, but for whatever time I met the AUers, it was fun. I have taken some photos (none involves any AU members, only trains related stuff), I will upload some later in the day today, hopefully!

 

[City of Miami]

Isn't if funny how no one EVER looks like I imagine they do from reading many posts and what few useless clues there are from avatars and whatnot! And the same for places - like when we emerged finally at the surface at the 'City Place' DART stop yesterday it didn't look anything like the mental picture I had sketched in. And, boy, was it deep: like two long escalators, a funicular and several circular flights of steps! I exaggerate, of course please excuse me.

I think the Metroplex might be a good National Gathering option. I still have never ridden the Heartland Flyer or the new A-line up to Denton - and much of the DART system either. And there's also an excursion train around Grapevine, isn't there? I think FTW especially is an interesting place.

 

[saxman]

I can't remember everyone, but who was the young man that sat next to me that has ridden every existing LD train? What an accomplishment.

That was me.

I just met the group for dinner, and saw a few people on Sunday when I was on the 40th Anniversary Train. I felt bad for the folks who sat outside the station for two hours. We were watching. Luckily a family of 3, for some reason decided to arrive at the station at 3:10 for a 3:10 departure, were able to board down the platform.

 

[tonys96]

Misty,

My friends live in Richmond Heights............I knew there was an "H" in it somewhere! :blush:

 

[AlanB]

Glad to hear that things worked out ok, and that my suggestion of where to dine worked out very well. I know they took good care of another group that I belong to several years ago, and that they weren't super pricey either, so I had no qualms about suggesting them.

And Dallas is certainly on the list as a future full Gathering event. Biggest problem is lack of Amtrak riding, can only really make the quick run DAL-FTW. But the odds are good that we'll be coming that way on one of the next Central US events.

 

[Shanghai]

Fort Worth might be another option.

We could ride the TRE to Dallas and return

on Saturday morning, then take the Heartland

Flyer to Oklahoma City and return on Saturday

afternoon and Sunday!!

 

[Shanghai]

The trip to Oklahoma City could be made from Dallas as well as Fort Worth.

While only coach service is available from FTW to OKC and return, Pennyk

could get a bedroom from DAL to FTW & return!!

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Just want to say that my son and I had a very enjoyable time meeting and greeting.

It was nice meeting you both as well! On the way back from the closed subway I saw your suggestion of Pete's and it looked pretty good for next time.

To those who we did not see on Sunday, as we told those that we did see, hope your trips home were good.

Thanks again for making the reservations at the restaurant and for providing a fun and interesting commentary of the TRE on Saturday!

This was my first 'gathering' to attend and I had a good time. Thanks to everyone and hope you all had a good time also. We really dodged the weather bullet as we have had torrential rain and flooding in Houston this morning and from the radar it looks like Dallas and Ft Worth got hit also.

Glad to hear it! Yes, we somehow managed to avoid the bad weather. It was already wet in AUS and getting wet in SAS shortly after I got home. Of course UP doesn't need bad weather to randomly foul a huge interlocking with a broken freight train moments before departure. Ha. Ha. Ha.

Thanks for helping this happen, Texas Sunset!! I look forward to next time.

It was my pleasure to get this ball rolling and I'm glad you decided to come along and visit with us!

Great weekend in DFW with the AUers! Wonderful to see "old friends" and meet new ones! The DFW Area would be a Fantastic Place to hold the Annual Gathering when its our "Zones" turn to host the Gathering!!!

I couldn't have said it better myself and I agree that the DFW area offers plenty of sites, transportation, and lodging for a national gathering should the organizers decide to include it in their consideration. It was good to see you again Jim!

Thanks TS and Tony for putting this all together and making it happen! Sorry I missed the rest of you guys/gals

I was mainly the catalyst more than anything, but I certainly appreciate the sentiment. I wish I had been able to meet you on Sunday but I was off looking for other options for food and drink and catching up on the games. I guess that will have to wait until next time.

It was my first time meeting any AU member in person, and it was nice to be able to associate faces to names I read every day on this forum.

It was nice meeting you as well TE! If you desire to come on down to SAS again feel free to give me a ring ahead of time and maybe we can meet up for a drink or something.

Luckily a family of 3, for some reason decided to arrive at the station at 3:10 for a 3:10 departure, were able to board down the platform.

Well, at least something good came out of it. I'm glad we were able to meet you Saturday night. What did you think of the Shiner Cheer Draught?

Fort Worth might be another option. We could ride the TRE to Dallas and return on Saturday morning, then take the Heartland Flyer to Oklahoma City and return on Saturday afternoon and Sunday!!

Personally I thought Dallas had a lot more to offer, but FTW would be a great Friday or Saturday trip to kick things off before the TRE goes on hiatus.

 

[AlanB]

Fort Worth might be another option.

We could ride the TRE to Dallas and return

on Saturday morning, then take the Heartland

Flyer to Oklahoma City and return on Saturday

afternoon and Sunday!!

The Heartland Flyer unfortunately requires an overnight stay in Oklahoma City. No same day round trip is possible from Fort Worth.

 

[Misty.]

Here, have pictures