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Is it me or does the Texas Eagle seem to be running less on time as better weather is arriving? I've been checking the stats somewhat regularly and noticed arrivals into SAS were around an average of 30-50 minutes late in the winter and are now over 300 minutes late. Any reasons why? Excessive freight traffic? More scenic Texas tumbleweeds (just kidding).
Erik
Posts: 26 | From: southbridge, MA USA | Registered: Jul 2003
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Well…that depends. Do any other members of the Forum know how much effort and energy and money that Union Pacific has poured into upgrading the track and expanding capacity along the route?
-------------------- "Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one corner of the Earth all one's life." Posts: 506 | From: Wisconsin | Registered: Mar 2002
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I was on #21 yesterday - depart CHI 4/17. We lost 3 hrs between St. Louis and Poplar Bluff due to slow orders for track work. We sat for 5 1/2 hrs about 40 miles east of Dallas because there was "a kink in a rail" and there was NO TRAFFIC until UP got out there to replace the rail. Amazingly we then were first out and went straight into DAL. The train was terminated at FTW at 10:30 and we all transfered to busses. For me a 4 hr bus ride to Austin arriving 3:30 this morning. I still have a headache; I'll post more later. Right now I think I WON"T write a complaining letter to Amtrak angling for a voucher; it was not their fault, I understand their choices and they did the best they could I think.
Posts: 326 | From: San Antonio Texas USA | Registered: Dec 2003
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Unless things have changed, the Texas Eagle runs the hilly and curvy 163 mile long DeSoto Subdivision north of Poplar Bluff, along with very little freight traffic. This was the original main line of the St Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern, and the route of all Missouri Pacific's passenger trains to Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas. There has been concern in some quarters that this line would go the way of the Phoenix West line. Freight going south out of St. Louis to Little Rock and south follows the Mississippi River on the Illinois (east) side for about 120 miles and then crosses, taking about 195 miles on the Chester Subdivision to get to Poplar Bluff. Even though 30 miles longer this line is mostly flat and straight. Except for freight interference, the passenger train run time for the two routes would probably be about the same. Pre UP becoming the Borg, the line north of the bridge was owned by Missouri Pacific and the line south of the bridge by Cotton Belt, with the bridge jointly owned.
Posts: 2808 | From: Olive Branch MS | Registered: Nov 2002
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To enhance Mr. Harris' posting, the principal MP yard is in Dupo on the Illinois side near St Louis. Also, here is a photo of the X-ing used by MP freights to X "Old Man River':
Additionaly, I have learned that UP has instituted one way operations through that area. Most traffic is run one way on the SSW (Cotton Belt), the other on the MP.
Posts: 9976 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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Even more bizarre last night: #21 seems to have lost the customary 3-4 hrs in AR departing the Megaplex some 2.5 hrs late. It somehow arrived in AUS 8.5 hrs late. According to Amtrak status report something happened between Taylor and Austin. Boy, that would have been frustrating to me. They seem to have gotten it turned and serviced and out of SAS as #22 by 8:30 am this morning. That's some fancy footwork! They need more equipment!! The TX Eagle I was on was SOLD OUT in coach (3 coach cars), the one sleeper was full and the crew car where I was was mostly filled with paying customers, many of them going on beyond SAS. Since there was only one sleeper, if they hooked that one onto #1, there would be no sleeper for #22 the next day. How do they do that?
Posts: 326 | From: San Antonio Texas USA | Registered: Dec 2003
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quote:Originally posted by City of Miami: Even more bizarre last night: #21 seems to have lost the customary 3-4 hrs in AR departing the Megaplex some 2.5 hrs late. It somehow arrived in AUS 8.5 hrs late. According to Amtrak status report something happened between Taylor and Austin. Boy, that would have been frustrating to me. They seem to have gotten it turned and serviced and out of SAS as #22 by 8:30 am this morning. That's some fancy footwork! They need more equipment!! The TX Eagle I was on was SOLD OUT in coach (3 coach cars), the one sleeper was full and the crew car where I was was mostly filled with paying customers, many of them going on beyond SAS. Since there was only one sleeper, if they hooked that one onto #1, there would be no sleeper for #22 the next day. How do they do that?
The Texas Eagle carries an additional through coach and through sleeper on the rear of the train the three days each week that the Sunset provides service westward from SAS. The other four days of the week there is no extra sleeper on the rear and the sleeper in front of the diner turns back at SAS as the sleeper on #22 the following morning.
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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Delays I understand but look at these numbers:
485 minutes late 04/19 389 minutes late 04/13 365 minutes late 04/12 220 minutes late 04/10
I'm wondering if I should cancel my hotel room for the night I'm supposed to arrive in SAS.
Posts: 26 | From: southbridge, MA USA | Registered: Jul 2003
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Master: and that's not even counting the dreaded "service disruption" which on at least the 18th meant bustitution arr SAS around 5am.
David: The thing is there were NOT those cars on the end of the train. All the folks going on west beyond SAS were mixed up among us. There were 3 coaches, 1 lounge, 1 diner, 1 sleeper and 1 crew car. They did handle checked baggage so I guess it was in the crew car somehow - which I was in also. Oddly, on the board in CHI it was listed as 3 trains: 21 to SAS, 421 to LAX, and 321 (I think) to STL. And there was really only one train with 7 cars that only made it to Ft. Worth!
I still wonder what happened to #21 on Sat the 19th between Taylor and Austin!
Posts: 326 | From: San Antonio Texas USA | Registered: Dec 2003
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quote:Originally posted by City of Miami: Master: and that's not even counting the dreaded "service disruption" which on at least the 18th meant bustitution arr SAS around 5am.
David: The thing is there were NOT those cars on the end of the train. All the folks going on west beyond SAS were mixed up among us. There were 3 coaches, 1 lounge, 1 diner, 1 sleeper and 1 crew car. They did handle checked baggage so I guess it was in the crew car somehow - which I was in also. Oddly, on the board in CHI it was listed as 3 trains: 21 to SAS, 421 to LAX, and 321 (I think) to STL. And there was really only one train with 7 cars that only made it to Ft. Worth!
I still wonder what happened to #21 on Sat the 19th between Taylor and Austin!
Hi City,
Can't explain why there wasn't a through sleeper on the rear the night you rode. Maybe they had an extra sleeper for protection in San Antonio.
I'm wondering if this sparse of a concsist is seasonal and will increase for the summer or if this is what it's going to be?
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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