Texas Mini Gathering - DFW - January 7-8 2012

[tonys96]

I will call her tonight. Will post when it is a "done deal".

 

[Devil's Advocate]

In another thread it was pointed out by HenryJ that today's NB Texas Eagle 1022/1422 was five hours late. But I can't seem to get Amtrak.com to spit out any status times for today or tomorrow. I guess they just turn that stuff off whenever there is a bus bridge?

 

[City of Miami]

No, it works....just enter '22'. Its says 22(06) left on time. 21 arrived last night shortly after 11pm, the previous night it was ~half an hour earlier. 1021 has been leaving FTW up to an hour late each day so far so we'll have a long afternoon in FTW and not much daylight after we get rolling.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

No, it works....just enter '22'. Its says 22(06) left on time. 21 arrived last night shortly after 11pm, the previous night it was ~half an hour earlier. 1021 has been leaving FTW up to an hour late each day so far so we'll have a long afternoon in FTW and not much daylight after we get rolling.

Normally I don't put any train number and just let the website populate that information for me. If I try that now with the "Arrival" radio button it spits out Error 108A. If I try it with the departure button it does actually find the 1022 but only gives the scheduled times with a notice that updated status is currently unavailable. If I plug in the 22 by name then I get an on-time departure with a 1:45 late arrival into FTW. I'm glad to see the status update service is still working, but I'm not sure how easy it would be for random passengers to figure this out.

 

[saxman]

It's a yes from me. I'll try and meet 22 in FTW. I'll where my official station host uniform and will have an lanyard on as well. Sunday I will be volunteering on the the anniversary train all day. Sorry about the late notice! I too will have my car.

 

[tonys96]

I will call her tonight. Will post when it is a "done deal".

BTW, I forgot to post here, but did in the message forum...Hoffbrau is a done deal for 7:00 pm.

Remember this, they will be adding a 20% gratuity to each seperate check (customary for large groups) so be aware of this when comes to tipping.

 

[tonys96]

Posted in the message forum that I will be easy to find...........the great looking fella with the "trophy" girl on his arm. :lol: :lol:

 

[Devil's Advocate]

It's a yes from me. I'll try and meet 22 in FTW. I'll where my official station host uniform and will have an lanyard on as well. Sunday I will be volunteering on the the anniversary train all day. Sorry about the late notice!

No problem. Glad to hear you'll be able to make it.

OK, so here's the final tally as I understand it.

Username | (Dinner) | 21/22/821/TRE/CAR | Hotel

Y Texan Eagle (1) CAR

Y tonys96 (2) TRE

Y Texas Sunset (2) 22 Sheraton

Y City of Miami (1) 22 Sheraton

Y henryj (1) 22 Lawrence

Y MistyOLR (1) 21

Y saxman (1) CAR

Y boxcar817 (0)

Y CNW (2) TRE Plano Best Western

Y jimhudson (2) 22 Lawrence

Today's Northbound Texas Eagle (22/1022/1422) was apparently two hours late or so. :unsure: Hopefully there won't be any delay's tomorrow, but if it is we'll just roll with it and make do as best we can. Is everyone OK with meeting near the head locomotive of the museum train upon arrival of the Northbound Texas Eagle?

 

[tonys96]

It's a yes from me. I'll try and meet 22 in FTW. I'll where my official station host uniform and will have an lanyard on as well. Sunday I will be volunteering on the the anniversary train all day. Sorry about the late notice!

No problem. Glad to hear you'll be able to make it.

OK, so here's the final tally as I understand it.

Username | (Dinner) | 21/22/821/TRE/CAR | Hotel

Y Texan Eagle (1) CAR

Y tonys96 (2) TRE

Y Texas Sunset (2) 22 Sheraton

Y City of Miami (1) 22 Sheraton

Y henryj (1) 22 Lawrence

Y MistyOLR (1) 21

Y saxman (1) CAR

Y boxcar817 (0)

Y CNW (2) TRE Plano Best Western

Y jimhudson (2) 22 Lawrence

Today's Northbound Texas Eagle (22/1022/1422) was apparently two hours late or so. :unsure: Hopefully there won't be any delay's tomorrow, but if it is we'll just roll with it and make do as best we can. Is everyone OK with meeting near the head locomotive of the museum train upon arrival of the Northbound Texas Eagle?

I will be there early, on the TRE that arrives 11:19. Margie and I will walk a bit in FTW and probably grab a small bite to eat, and she will shop. hboy:

We will be back at the intermodal before the southbound bus bridge arrives and will hang around with anyone who shows up!

I will be wearing a "Texas Blues Radio" T-Shirt..........(previous post about being good looking was facetious, of course, but Margie is a really cute Mexican lady.)

 

[Texan Eagle]

I will be driving down to Dallas Union Station, park my car there (either there or at Victory station, depends on my mood tomorrow) and take the TRE to FTW, the one which arrives FTW at 1.14pm, so I should be there before northbound TE arrives (unless it pulls in an hour earlier than schedule

). I plan to grab a quick bite at the Subway in the FTW station and then hang around at the station, around the Anniversary train. I will make my way to the head locomotive (not NPCU!) by the time TE arrives but if anyone of you is at the station earlier and see a young Indian guy suspiciously roaming about at the station

, do come by and say hi!

BTW, sorry I will not be able to make it to the dinner. I will head back after taking TRE with the group back to Dallas Union Station, but I am up for joining you all again on Sunday morning if any plan has been decided for that.

See ya'll tomorrow!

 

[AlanB]

I just hope for your sake's that they actually leave the P42 attached to the consist. They don't always do that, depending on platform length and/or servicing needs. They don't actually have to keep that P42 attached since the NCPU is equipped with a generator to provide HEP to the consist.

 

[Misty.]

21 arrived STL 10 minutes early according to the tracker. Left 19 minutes late, and now we're sitting barely out of STL after an estop. Conflicting stories of what happened - some say kids were throwing stuff, some say we were somehow ran into. No damage, but hope we move sooner than other stories I've heard of .

 

[Devil's Advocate]

The streets were closed off and difficult to navigate, but northbound Texas Eagle 22/422/1022/1422 is away!

Were still backing up but are essentially on time at this point.

 

[Misty.]

FTW buses are now leaving Longiew. Slightly disappointed about last night's happenings, but given how uneventful past rides have been, I was about due i guess

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Hope things go smoothly on the AmBus Misty. Currently north of Taylor on the 22. So far so good. Passed several UP freights on the way up here.

 

[Misty.]

It's a bus but I'll live. About five minutes away from the station now

 

[Texan Eagle]

I an on the Tre that's ready to depart from Dallas in five minutes. I see one am bus is already here. If anyone of you is on this train and reading this, I an on lower level on second car. Come by to day hi.

 

[saxman]

Is there a consensus on what TRE we are taking back east to Dallas? Since I will be seeing the anniversary train tomorrow, all day, I don't see a point of me seeing it today. You can send me a PM if you want.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

5:15 or so IIRC Sax. Still moving smooth with two engines no less.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Were almost there, waiting for a power move apparently.

 

[CNW]

Just want to say that my son and I had a very enjoyable time meeting and greeting. Although we didn't attend the supper we visited with most everyone at some point and I would do it again.

 

[tonys96]

Just want to say that my son and I had a very enjoyable time meeting and greeting. Although we didn't attend the supper we visited with most everyone at some point and I would do it again.

We enjoyed meeting and visiting with you also...along with everyone else!

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

 

[henryj]

Just want to say that my son and I had a very enjoyable time meeting and greeting. Although we didn't attend the supper we visited with most everyone at some point and I would do it again.

We enjoyed meeting and visiting with you also...along with everyone else!

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

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. Enjoyed the steak dinner Sat night. 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. Sunday I rode the blue line to Ledbetter and then Garland and finished up on MATA where I ran into a couple of our group. I took the green line and 39 bus to Love Field. DART has spent a ton of money on their light rail. Going out to Garland we were flying. I saw speed limit signs of 65mph. Is that the top speed or a limit? I think top speed is what ever the car will do. lol. I think the lady running our train liked running fast. I also rode the red line to Plano Saturday. The TRE moves along quite briskly also. Coming over on the Sunset Friday night it was hard to sleep as we were rocking and rolling. We left Houston a little late and got into SAS before 2AM. Just stopped briefly at the fuel racks just east of SAS. The Eagle was my first trip over that route. But our 'host' Jim Hudson gave a running commentary all the way. Nice trip.

 

[City of Miami]

The TX Mini-Gathering was my first AU gathering too, henryj. I had a good time and especially enjoyed meeting all the new people - about a dozen of 'em all together. We must have just missed you on the M-line trolley. TS, Misty and I were on the first run out of City Place Sunday morning. I liked it - reminded me of the cable cars in SF.

#21 departed FTW right on the tick with 4 of us aboard, proceeded about 50 yards and stopped for almost 2 hrs waiting on a UP freight stalled across all that interlocking just east of the station. Boo!!! The OTP on 22 had been so good.....we sat in the SSL much of the time and listened to the aforementioned running commentary. :giggle: We pulled into San Antonio at 11:35 - not so late that I was stranded but way past my bedtime! We went in the hole for 2 freights south of Austin - first time in the whole roundtrip.

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

 

[MrFSS]

Anyone take pictures to share with the rest of us?