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I am going to San Antonio, TX from Charlotte, NC via the Crescent, 3 Rivers and Texas Eagle. I have ridden the first two trains several times but this is my first trip on the Texas Eagle. How is the service?
Posts: 57 | From: Huntersville, NC USA | Registered: Nov 2001
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I think you'll find the service on the Texas Eagle comparable to Amtrak's other trains.
Please be aware that there is no dining car service south of Fort Worth. If you are in coach, then you will have to purchase your dinner meal the last night from the lounge car. Sleeping car passengers are provided with a cold dinner (beef, chicken, or salmon), which is pretty good. My last trip in the sleeper they served us the cold dinner in the dining car which was a nice touch.
The Texas Eagle usually has a smoking car (it's one of the coach cars), so if you are adverse to cigarette smoke, you will want to avoid this car.
The good news is that recently, the southbound Texas Eagle has been running on time or a little early the times I've ridden this year or observed it at the Dallas station. My last two trips recently we arrived 45 minutes to 1 hour early into San Antonio.
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Usual consist for the Texas Eagle is: 1 Genesis Engine 1 Baggage Car 1 Transition Sleeper(Some rooms available to passengers) 1 Diner 1 Lounge(For a while this was not on there but it has been on there consistently now a days) 3 Coach Cars 1 Sleeper(available to all Paying Passengers not just LA bound passengers 1 Coach(Always removed in STL)
*In that Order
I live in STL and frequently watch it arrive and depart here, and for the most part its either early or on time into here. Usually it can get quite late in Southern Arkansas and Northern Texas. Most times(Lately it seems) the train can be on time, early, or only a half hour late.
Posts: 547 | From: St. Louis, MO, USA | Registered: Nov 2002
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"I live in STL and frequently watch it arrive and depart here, and for the most part its either early or on time into here."
UncleBuck: Have you noticed this for the north AND southbound Texas Eagles, or mostly southbound? I would assume southbound. Just curious. At one time this train was horrendous at time keeping, but I think it has been improving this past year -course the extra padding has helped! The consist you mention below for the Eagle - is that typically the order north and southbound? I like it when the sleepers are on the rear - I wish this was more standard.
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JP That consist is mostly for the Southbound train as I rarely see the northbound, but Id imagine its pretty close to the same.
And that is exactly what the consist has looked like the last 3 times ive seen the Eagle(All withing about a month).
About the Northbound's ability to keep time into STL is different from the Southbound, seeing as how the southbound only has to stay on time for 250 miles before it gets to STL, as where the Northbound has to stay on time for about 1000 miles before STL
Posts: 547 | From: St. Louis, MO, USA | Registered: Nov 2002
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Jimmy - the fastest way to get from Charlotte to San Antonio is to take the Crescent to New Orleans, then transfer to the Sunset Ltd (overnight stay in New Orleans) -- that is, unless you are like me and others on this board, who just like to ride as many trains as possible.......
Posts: 2428 | From: Grayling, MI | Registered: Mar 2002
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Thanks for the good info. I checked into the New Orleans route but as the old ad says, "Half to fun is getting there". I don't need a quick trip just a good one.
Posts: 57 | From: Huntersville, NC USA | Registered: Nov 2001
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quote:Originally posted by CoastStarlight99: ...Texas eagle is the only train with its own website that is not an amtrak dumb site, or a trainweb site which are amatuer.
CoastStarlight99, I checked my faves and have these sites on file that are similar to that of the Texas Eagle:
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Not that Coast Starlight site. There used to be a particular Coast Starlight site, to which I was referring, that was well-done and good looking.
------------------ _________Thë Çhîeƒ _|_|_|_|_
Posts: 190 | From: Fort Worth, Texas | Registered: Dec 2002
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Yes, there used to be an official Coast Starlight site that was very nice. All gone now.
Posts: 2649 | From: California's Monterey Peninsula | Registered: Dec 2000
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