Texas Eagle Discussion

[bdawe]

That amounts to a bit more than $400 per the consumer price index

[mtuandrew]

A bit off topic to the current discussion, but whilst looking at the detour on the map, I looked north. and I wondered if a slight dogleg , from Little Rock to Memphis , then on up to St.Louis, was possible / viable?

As noted by electricron, it's not the best route. However, MEM - STL (- KCY) would be a worthwhile Regional perhaps.

[electricron]

And who would pay the subsidy for such a train? Tennessee?
Illinois is already paying for trains heading to its largest metro, I can't see them doing so for a city in Tennessee? Kentucky doesn't want to subside trains, and if it did it certainly not subsidize one going to a city in Tennessee. Why should Tennessee subsidies another train to a city that is already visited by the City of New Orleans? If the train instead of going to St. Louis went to Nashville they might pony up some funds. But definitely not a train to St. Louis, Little Rock, Birmingham, or any other city not within Tennessee.

Here's an idea, lets instead change the Texas Eagle routing to the way it once was. A train from Chicago through St; Louis all the way to Longview, where the train breaks up into three parts; the first part heads towards Houston, a second part heads towards San Antonio and ultimately Monterrey via Laredo, and a third part towards El Paso via Dallas and Ft. Worth. Shucks, extend the third part all the way to LA and you could kill the Sunset Limited entirely. But that would never happen, and neither will changing its route to Memphis - unless you decide to break the train into four parts.

[quincunx]

The Arcadia, MO station

[Tadman]

There appears to be a long layover in San Antonio for through cars to LA. Are folks allowed to leave the train for dinner in town?

[Backshophoss]

There used to be a "riverwalk"" shuttle for the thru passengers to tour on,with 21 having a habit of running late,#1 is waiting for the connection to show up!

[electricron]

There appears to be a long layover in San Antonio for through cars to LA. Are folks allowed to leave the train for dinner in town?

Yes. The car attendant isn't going to be able to stop someone determined to leave the train for a quick drink or food. The Eagle arrives late enough at 9:55 pm that most restaurants will be closed, but early enough that the bars and clubs are still open. Keep in mind the train is scheduled to depart at 2:45 am almost 5 hours later. And considering the train arrives in San Antonio late more often than not, that 5 hours could be 4, 3 or even 2 hours.

[R36 Combine Coach]

A similar situation would be the case in PGH if/when through service NYP/PHL-CHI is operated via the Capitol and Pennsylvanian with through cars.

[Backshophoss]

Buy now there might be a "package store" and 7-11 or Circle K store nearby,but if 21 is late into San Antonio with a midnight arrival time,
common sense would be to stay on board or on the platform at the station. San Antonio is a staffed station and handles checked baggage,
but may have weird hours that they are open.

[Woody]

There appears to be a long layover in San Antonio for through cars to LA. Are folks allowed to leave the train for dinner in town?

If you've never visited San Antonio, seize the moment! Get a taxi from the station.

The popular Mi Tierra restaurant, located in the city's former marketplace, features a friendly neon sign reading "We Never Close".

The famed River Walk is lined with places serving snacks, sandwiches, or full meals to the late-lingering tourists.

Any taxi driver can give you a quickie tour: pass the lighted Alamo and the somber cenotaph memorial to the dead, enjoy restored facades of classic downtown buildings, survey the former grounds of the Hemisfair (1968) with its Tower of the Americas, regard the venerable San Fernando Cathedral, and more. Not as good as a full day daylight tour, but helluva better thing than sitting in a parked railcar.

[electricron]

I’ll agree if you are a night owl. But I would be sleeping in my bunk for an early morning rise to view the west Texas scenery the next day.
San Antonio is too nice a city to tour within just a few hours at night.

[Tadman]

Thanks for the update, guys! I would probably find something to eat and have a late dinner but not looking for extreme night owl activities. Per someone's comments, it would also depend on arrival time. If we arrive at midnight, I'm staying aboard (or perhaps going to 7-11 if nearby).

Also this is one of many situations where Uber and Lyft have made Amtrak more viable. Suppose one arrives at 11p with a layover til 2a. At one time, depending on station location and city size, one was essentially stuck. Now, one can go anywhere within reason.

[Gilbert B Norman]

Thanks for the update, guys! I would probably find something to eat and have a late dinner but not looking for extreme night owl activities. ).

We report You decide

[Tadman]

Looks a mile from downtown? I am proud to know many cities but it's been ten years since I was in San Antonio. As my friend Tom Callahan once said, you can get a good look at a steak by sticking your head up a cow's behind, but why not take your butcher's word for it?

[east point]

Heartland flyer shows operating from DAL - FTW -OKC any substitute for Eagle ?

Heartland Flyer

Train 822 departing Dallas 10/15/2017


Mile

Code

Station

Sched

Actual

Status


0 DAL Dallas, TX
Union Station 10/15 CT Dp 2:15P 2:34P Departed 19 minutes late.
31 FTW Fort Worth, TX
Intermodal Transportation Center Ar
Dp 3:15P
5:25P 3:50P
5:26P Arrived 35 minutes late.
Departed 1 minute late.
96 GLE Gainesville, TX 6:30P 6:36P
6:43P Arrived 6 minutes late.
Departed 13 minutes late.
135 ADM Ardmore, OK 7:11P 7:25P
7:34P Arrived 14 minutes late.
Departed 23 minutes late.
180 PVL Pauls Valley, OK 8:01P 8:27P Estimated to depart 26 minutes late.
202 PUR Purcell, OK 8:26P 8:51P Estimated to depart 25 minutes late.
217 NOR Norman, OK 8:47P 9:07P Estimated to depart 20 minutes late.
237 OKC Oklahoma City, OK
Santa Fe Depot 10/15 CT Ar 9:27P 9:25P Estimated to arrive 2 minutes early.

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Location History

Last updated 7:40PM CT