I'm back from my excursion over to El Paso and back - 12 hrs each way and you never leave the state of Texas. I left on time on #1 Sunset Ltd Thursday morning at 5:40. The consist was baggage, 3 sleepers, 3 coaches, sightseer lounge, diner, 2 locomotives. I think I had exactly the same consist coming back on Saturday. Is that right? Does #1 arrive Fri am and depart Fri pm as #2?
The coaches were 90% full all the way both ways. There was the usual mix of Americana, maybe a little on the younger side and quite mannerly. For example I wasn't annoyed by cell phones a single time. Coming back there was a family of 5 going to NOLA sitting across from and behind me who were amazingly cordial and well behaved.
We lost half an hour somehow in the first few hours and maintained that all the way to El Paso. We met 5 or 6 freights and they all held for us. The only time we were held was to meet #2. We did stop a few times momentarily so the engineer could "copy slow orders." There were a lot because we spent much time doing 40 mph even though there were long stretches of 75 mph. No wildflowers at all not to mention Blue Bonnets.
On Saturday #1 arrived in El Paso early and departed on time. It looked like we were going to be an hour early into Alpine so we sat just west of Alpine for an hour, presumably waiting for #2 to arrive and get through the station, then we pulled in. There isn't even a concrete platform there ... just gravel and dirt like a parking lot. There is a station, and it's right downtown, but there's no platform. Odd. Then we hit those slow orders again I guess; the PA system did not work in my coach so there were no explanations about anything; the upside to that was I heard no announcements about the cafe car opening and closing or recitations of the menu in the diner. We did have to pull over and wait for one very long freight although 4 or 5 others waited for us. Even though there is an hour of padding between Del Rio and San Antonio we arrived 10 minutes late - which amount of time we hung about 100 yards outside the station by the Alamodome. I thougth we must be waiting for them to deal with #21 which is due in at the same time (!) but the website now says it arrived half an hour later.
I'm sure Amtrak has their reasons but the whole timing issue seems strange at SAS - like #21 & #2 due in at the same time when they have only one track to use. And then both trains sit there for hours before they continue on their way. The meet for #1 and #22 is not so bad but there's still a wait for everyone. I wonder where they put #22 when #1 rolls in. The SAS station is only staffed at night - 9pm to 7 am. Makes sense, but in Austin there were 2 staffers 7 days a week for #22 at 9am and #21 at 7pm daily - and they didn't even do luggage until recently!.
I looked around briefly on the ELP platform for a young station volunteer who might be named Kevin but didn't see any likely candidates. The station is very nice - as a matter of fact, the whole downtown area of El Paso impressed me.
Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :
But as I noted earlier, during Dec 1970, I rode an NdeM DMU Juarez-Chihuahua and return. But that was then.
Posted by City of Miami (Member # 2922) on :
It is incomprehensible, Mr. Norman. Friday afternoon I walked down Stanton St. (a very busy Mexican shopping street) all the way to the border where there was a large south bound only auto bridge and there was no one on it! I did see a couple of cross border vans along the street that had people in them. But on this side you would never know what was going on. I am told EP is among the safest cities in the nation due to the strong police presence although i did not detect such personally. The Border Patrol was much more evident on and from the train. I sighted several helicopters, numerous pickups (sometimes dragging auto tires behind them as if obliterating tracks on the dirt road) and plenty of personnel. At least a dozen agents boarded #1 in Alpine and there were that many more on the ground. If I may say so, the karma for this nation must be terrible for the people of Mexico to endure such suffering because of our vices.
Posted by smitty195 (Member # 5102) on :
quote:Originally posted by City of Miami: I'm back from my excursion over to El Paso and back - 12 hrs each way and you never leave the state of Texas.
A few years ago, I helped a friend and his family move from California to Cape Coral, FL. We took I-10 pretty much the entire way, and once we were in Texas, I thought it would NEVER end. You just keep going.....and going.....and going.....and going.....I didn't think we'd ever make it out of Texas! I know that California is large and you can easily drive all day and still be within the state, but it's nuttin' compared to Texas! We ended pulling over for a break in San Antonio, and to my surprise, we were right in front of USAA on Fredericksburg Road! I have been with USAA since 1983, so it was neat to end up right at their front door. I had no idea that the USAA buildings were so large, and looked like a small city.
Posted by SunsetLtd (Member # 3985) on :
quote: I looked around briefly on the ELP platform for a young station volunteer who might be named Kevin but didn't see any likely candidates. The station is very nice - as a matter of fact, the whole downtown area of El Paso impressed me. [/QB]
Glad you had a good visit, I wasn't there this past weekend because I was out of town with my Tennis team in Dallas at a tournament. Was they a lady working the ticket booth when you were there?
Posted by railrev (Member # 2640) on :
You were westbound on Thursday, March 11? We saw your train from Highway 90. Also saw the eastbound stopped in Alpine.
I heard that the BP "drags" the dirt roads and then goes slowly along them the next day looking for footprints. We didn't see the tire dragging, but did see the slow vehicles with officers leaning out each front window.
Texas is not good for scenery. Seen one mile, you've seen them all. 'bout the same from a car as it is from a train.
Posted by Mike Smith (Member # 447) on :
Entering Texas from the east on I-10 there is a mileage sign that states: Beaumont 23 miles El Paso 884 miles
The next time I am that way, I'm taking a picture of it. It's a great reminder on just how big Texas is.
Posted by RR4me (Member # 6052) on :
Nice trip report, and a pointed reminder of the sheer size of Texas. Don't really have a feeling for our karma, but the fact that we have an appetite for drugs doesn't force that kind of violence - I prefer to blame the actual perpetrators first.
Posted by Ocala Mike (Member # 4657) on :
There is certainly no shortage of "usual suspects" along the border. This AP report is taken from a San Antonio newspaper; I like to read the comments, the first of which seems to be in conflict with RR4me:
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