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Can anyone tell me if it makes sense to book a hotel room in San Antonio instead of assuming that the Sunset Limited will connect with the Texas Eagle? I am going from Chicago to Tucson on the Texas Eagle which connects with the Sunset Limited, and I don't want to have to ride a bus for several hours if either train is late!
Posts: 12 | From: Lexington, MA, United States | Registered: Jan 2005
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Most of the time, the Eagle connects with the Sunset OK. It is the return trip that can get messed up.
However, if Amtrak misses the connection and wants to bus you from El Paso to Dallas, whine until they put you up in a hotel in San Antonio, instead of bussing.
IOW, plan on the possibility that you might spend the night in SAS, at Amtrak's expense.
Posts: 1418 | From: Houston, Republic of Texas | Registered: Jan 2001
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IOW = in other words SAS = San Antonio. This is Amtrak's three letter code for their system, so some people usu it as a shorthand name for the city. Like airline city codes, some of them are intuitively obvious, some of them are not.
Like airline codes, don't mess them up, or you may be surprised where you end up. Classic example:
MEM = Memphis, Tennessee, USA MFM = Macau, China
Posts: 2808 | From: Olive Branch MS | Registered: Nov 2002
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Ah--then can anyone recommend a hotel near the train station in Jacksonville?
I hope it was clear that I'll be on the Sunset Limited in both directions: Texas Eagle to Sunset Limited to Tucson, then Tucson to Jacksonville to DC on the Silver Meteor.
Thanks for the translation--and I hope this isn't a duplicate message. I lost what I wrote before!
Posts: 12 | From: Lexington, MA, United States | Registered: Jan 2005
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Two private cars on the back of the Texas Eagle today leaving Dallas for Chicago. They were blue and cream and one was a smooth sided dome with open observation platform on the rear. I didn't recognize the name but it was not AOE. The two extra cars meant they needed a second locomotive. Wonder how much that cost?
Posts: 70 | Registered: Feb 2004
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Hi all! I am planning a trip on the Texas Eagle/Sunset Limited on 7/29 from FTW-LAX. I have read somewhere that they no longer have dining car service from Ft. Worth to San Antonio. Is this true? Since I am travelling in a bedroom, I am wondering that if there is no dining car service, would they provide meals in the Cafe Car?
Posts: 5 | From: Prince George, British Columbia | Registered: May 2005
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PG - the current AMTRAK timetable says there is no dining car service on the Texas Eagle between San Antonio and Austin only, and that sleeping car passengers will be given "cold meal service" on that segment. And yes, food is always available in the cafe car (while the attendant is on duty, that is!)
Posts: 2428 | From: Grayling, MI | Registered: Mar 2002
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pgrail: You would need the lottery to pay for that. Gosh those cars look great. Wonder why they were headed to Chicago and with who on board?
Posts: 70 | Registered: Feb 2004
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pgrail... since you are getting on at Fort Worth and the dining car crew does not leave until Austin, you will get a full hot dinner in the dining car. The cold meal only applies to those passengers wanting dinner after the dining car crew departs the train at Austin.
My last trip in February, I had a full dinner in the dining car between McGregor and Temple.
Posts: 19 | Registered: Mar 2003
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