When it came in I noticed it only had 1 engine!
How long ago did the Eagle start being run by only one engine?

I also noticed that there was only 1 sleeping car and that was on the end of the train, and usually the LA sleeper is on the end.
My question is, Did Amtrak stop putting a sleeping car on the Eagle for passengers going from Chicago to San Antonio or are you allowed to get a room in the LA sleeper or Transition Car from lets say STL to San Antonio?

Did you ever notice on a train with one engine that pulls 8 superliner cars that the engine looks really puny?
I thought so

One sleeper was eleminated. Rooms 17 - 24 in the transition sleeper are open for sale with passengers restricted to the upper level and rear portion of the car. On days when the LAX section does not operate, the sleeper terminates at San Antonio. Train attendant responsible for the transition car sleeper space is also respnsible for the smoking coach behind the lounge although the smoking area is supposed to be the responsibility of the attendant covering the other two coaches.

The Dallas agent told me the Eagle has been very full all summer. Also, one of the station employees at Fort Worth had a heart attack loading baggage in our lovely Texas sunshine. While he is mending, the rest of the station crews are working seven-day weeks.

Having a train with one engine fail with its associated compensation to customers and host railroad, lets say once a month, may well be more cost effective than hauling a spare Genesis on every train. I imagine that's the way Amtrak are looking at it right now.

Mr W - the Eagle *was* scrapped a few years ago for a while. Luckily the states saved it after a huge outcry but I agree it is being run down again. I went on it a year ago last October and it was virtually empty between San Antonio and Fort Worth - good to hear it has been busier this summer.

There was speculation that we could be in the Transition Sleeper, but that did not happen. Unfortunately, we left Joy Smith's phone number at the house, or I would have been calling her about the situation.

I have heard they are doing this on other routes, the Cardinal being one.

As far as the sleeper goes, I was able to select a standard room online for a trip this fall, but nothing booked yet.

I'm planning on just riding coach, but asking for an upgrade to a sleeper while on the train, if avalible.

If the transition sleeper is the only thing running, I wonder if the conductor would be less likely to try to fill the space.

Mr Williams is right by saying that this is a train killing technique. Just remember the recent KC cut.

On my southbound trip (after 5/28), my sleeping car was sold out and I heard from another passenger that the coach seats were oversold (one coach was lost from the consist in CHI) and Amtrak was asking/bumping passengers from CHI-STL to take the late night train instead of the Eagle which left in mid-afternoon from CHI.
They said that those who would accept were asked to sit in the lounge car until they reached their station. Note that this is an all-reserved train!

The meals from FTW-San Antonio were a cold, box lunch for supper southbound and was OK but not thrilling. The southbound train served us from the expensive but filling dinner menu at Lunchtime (just before Dallas) and was consequently not busy since the prices and portions were too much for a daytime meal (as voiced by several patrons).

Northbound the only breakfast was a microwaved or cold meal from the lounge car and was generally unappetizing for the sleeping car passengers. The coach passengers complained that they had to wait to get any breakfast until the line was gone from the sleeping car. Everything was a bit confused and people didn't listen to the announcements.

Northbound the lunch was a microwaved or deli sandich from the lounge car which was only available for sleeping car passengers. After all sleepers got their choice, coach passengers were allowed to buy their choice.

The new "no diner" rule from San Antonio to Fort Worth made the sleeping car a less desirable alternative, especially northbound since it is a daytime trip with two microwaved or cold meals.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by UncleBuck44:
[B]For as long as I remember its had two sleepers, one behind the Transition sleeper for Chicago to San Antonio passengers, and then there was one on the back(along with a coach)for the passengers wishing to connect with the sunset in San Antonio.

quote:

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Originally posted by mikesmith:
The transition sleeper is all standard rooms. It was built for crew members, not revenue.

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Actually, there were built for BOTH crew space and revenue space, but until recently on the Eagle, they haven't been used that way. There's more info on this page. http://www.narprail.org/h0306.htm Look under June 6th and scroll down a little to the third news item on the page.

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Trust God, love your neighbor, and never mistake opinion for truth.
-Mr. Toy

And at NARP, the article states that "some" transition sleepers were built for a combination of revenue and crew quarters. There is a door that sections off the crew compartment in those cars.