Texas Eagle 22(31), 3 car train on 3/31/22

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I did hear the 2 car Eagle we’re talking about needed an axle count from STL to Chicago so they sent a sleeper to fill the role. Couldn’t believe it but the previous post seems to back it up. Then again the consist needed a sleeper for the next day so maybe it makes sense vs sending the typical diner or bag car for axle counts.


from JVB

“As we left Chicago, we had two sleepers and 3 coach cars. When I asked “why the 2 sleepers?,” an OBS staff member said that a northbound 22 train would need that sleeper. They dropped it off in St. Louis”
 
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The two car Eagle is actually a three car Eagle as we all know by now. :)

And it will become a 4 car Eagle after the Sleeper is added.

It is actually good news that going forward it intends to be a 5 car Eagle if that pans out. Now we can only hope that the SSLs in mothball will fly out as moths soon and a few of them will join the TE/Cap consist pool.
 
Amtrakfflyer said:
I did hear the 2 car Eagle we’re talking about needed an axle count from STL to Chicago so they sent a sleeper to fill the role. Couldn’t believe it but the previous post seems to back it up. Then again the consist needed a sleeper for the next day so maybe it makes sense vs sending the typical diner or bag car for axle counts.


from JVB

“As we left Chicago, we had two sleepers and 3 coach cars. When I asked “why the 2 sleepers?,” an OBS staff member said that a northbound 22 train would need that sleeper. They dropped it off in St. Louis”
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I've never heard of a Sleeper being cut in St Louis, only the #321/#322 Coach that runs between St Louis and Chicago on the Eagle.
 
Did anyone mention Amtrak management when it comes to insuring all consists have levels of service the customers have paid for? 'Who's minding the store?' - i.e. so what happened to the pax who had paid for sleeper accommodations on this 'ghost of a TE' consist???
 
20th Century Rider said:
Did anyone mention Amtrak management when it comes to insuring all consists have levels of service the customers have paid for? 'Who's minding the store?' - i.e. so what happened to the pax who had paid for sleeper accommodations on this 'ghost of a TE' consist???
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I don't know what is happening in this case. But in the past when something like this has happened to me I have gotten a refund. In some cases I got the entire trip refunded and flew. In other cases the Sleeper accomodation charge was refunded and I traveled by Coach.
 
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JP1822 said:
Superliner Cross Country Cafe Car, Superliner Coach, Superliner Coach. In the changeover to make this a DAILY through train with the Capitol Limited, Amtrak needed to have a spare sleeper and coach in San Antonio for Thursday's departure north. They forgot to position this. Henceforth, it operated without a sleeper and one less coach! So much for planning a smooth transition!
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At least it was hopefully a one off. However, more sleeper space was cancelled on March 30th on the westbound Capitol.

jis said:
I don't know what is happeni9ng in this case. But in the past when something like this has happened to me I have gotten a refund. In some cases I got the entire trip refunded and flew. In other cases the Sleeper accomodation charge was refunded and I traveled by Coach.
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They got a call offering a refund for the sleeper charge and a coach ticket. Someone I know was on the Capitol on March 30. He opted to fly.
 
JVB said:
I’m currently seated in a coach car on the Texas Eagle (#21) southbound toward San Antonio. The credit card machine at the snack bar displays “The Capitol Limited” across the window: this seemingly confirms the new arrangement whereby the CL presses through Chicago as the Texas Eagle! 🤣

As we left Chicago, we had two sleepers and 3 coach cars. When I asked “why the 2 sleepers?,” an OBS staff member said that a northbound 22 train would need that sleeper. They dropped it off in St. Louis.

Interestingly, this train boasts 3 coach cars—and not the usual two—. I had expected the 3rd coach to be dropped off in St. Louis. But we are now in Marshall,Texas, and we still have the 3rd coach. When I asked a conductor about it, he said this will be the new configuration. 🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️
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so wait, they have more sleeper people joining from St. Louis to Chicago than on the rest of the northbound route? Odd. I suppose if I were super rich or using points I'd get a sleeper whenever I could, but if I were taking a couple-hour train trip, I'd just do coach; for me the real value of a sleeper is (a) relative quiet and privacy to sleep and (b) being able to lie totally flat instead of something like a recliner


ETA: I guess this was actually a one-day glitch? Here's hoping we soon get back to a 2-sleeper, 3-coach, proper diner AND SSL car Eagle like we once had.
 
fillyjonk said:
so wait, they have more sleeper people joining from St. Louis to Chicago than on the rest of the northbound route? Odd. I suppose if I were super rich or using points I'd get a sleeper whenever I could, but if I were taking a couple-hour train trip, I'd just do coach; for me the real value of a sleeper is (a) relative quiet and privacy to sleep and (b) being able to lie totally flat instead of something like a recliner
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No ...
Amtrakfflyer said:
I did hear the 2 car Eagle we’re talking about needed an axle count from STL to Chicago so they sent a sleeper to fill the role. Couldn’t believe it but the previous post seems to back it up. Then again the consist needed a sleeper for the next day so maybe it makes sense vs sending the typical diner or bag car for axle counts.
Click to expand...
 
fillyjonk said:
so wait, they have more sleeper people joining from St. Louis to Chicago than on the rest of the northbound route? Odd. I suppose if I were super rich or using points I'd get a sleeper whenever I could, but if I were taking a couple-hour train trip, I'd just do coach; for me the real value of a sleeper is (a) relative quiet and privacy to sleep and (b) being able to lie totally flat instead of something like a recliner
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What I made from it is that they were just ferrying the car down to STL so the northbound Eagle (The one without ANY sleeper upon departing SAS) could have a sleeper for it's consist. It also fulfilled the axle requirement so it's a two-in-one for Amtrak.
 
Anyone know why the Texas Eagle and the Capitol Limited (and the Crescent) have been getting this level of disrespect? It seems to be unique to the long-distance trains. I mean, we're talking, severely shortened consists and no SSL, not to mention Flex food. Even the Silvers, despite having the two trains combined, seem to have the capacity (most of the time) of both trains. And the City of New Orleans, even though burdened with flex food still ahs the SSL, and no one seems to be complaining about And the western trains, while still on a 5 day a week schedule, have improved service and decent capacity. So why is Amtrak management picking on those 3 trains?
 
Oreius said:
Say hello to the “Texas Eaglet.”
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Three cars and one engine reminds me of the Keystones before electrification in 2006. They ran sets of 3 Amfleet 1 coaches between Philadelphia and Harrisburg. An AEM-7 (and possibly another car) was added for the trips continuing to NYP. Electrification ended that practice between Philadelphia and Harrisburg in late 2006.

Restoring electrification on the line was probably the best thing Amtrak did. In 2008, the first gas price shock occurred and ridership skyrocketed! Since 2006, I think ticket revenue has more than made up the $145 million cost to upgrade the line!
 
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MARC Rider said:
Anyone know why the Texas Eagle and the Capitol Limited (and the Crescent) have been getting this level of disrespect? It seems to be unique to the long-distance trains. I mean, we're talking, severely shortened consists and no SSL, not to mention Flex food. Even the Silvers, despite having the two trains combined, seem to have the capacity (most of the time) of both trains. And the City of New Orleans, even though burdened with flex food still ahs the SSL, and no one seems to be complaining about And the western trains, while still on a 5 day a week schedule, have improved service and decent capacity. So why is Amtrak management picking on those 3 trains?
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I suspect because of the shortage of operable cars and crews to man them, something has to give and they chose these as the less popular routes rather than the Western trains.
 
AmtrakMaineiac said:
I suspect because of the shortage of operable cars and crews to man them, something has to give and they chose these as the less popular routes rather than the Western trains.
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Exactly. When they went back to daily they simple didn’t have enough SSLs due to mothballing cars. So they prioritized the two night routes and Starlight due to their being more popular for sight seeing (and also because traditional dining was being returned to these trains and thus a second food service car is essential) and the CONO due to its axle count requirement. I think the choice of trains to cut them from was appropriate if they indeed had to.
 
Just as an FYI, in order to restore the SSL to the Cap/TE pool, one needs six SSLs in working order. Without pooling the two trains seven would be required, not counting common shared contingencies of course.

Having 7 SSLs in the current wreck line does not help.
 
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jis said:
Just as an FYI, in order to restore the SSL to the Cap/TE pool, one needs six SSLs in working order. Without pooling the two trains seven would be required, not counting common shared contingencies of course.

Having 7 SSLs in the current wreck line does not help.
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Why can't they run some sets with SSL and some without? Especially since the SSL doesn't affect reservations. They'd just need to pull an LSA from the extra board.
 
joelkfla said:
Why can't they run some sets with SSL and some without? Especially since the SSL doesn't affect reservations. They'd just need to pull an LSA from the extra board.
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They probably wouldn’t even pull an LSA. On the CONO the car is completely unmanned all food service is in the dining car. They’d probably do the same on the CL/Eagle. If they come back that’s likely how it will be. I don’t see traditional dining and separate dining/cafe returning to either train anytime soon. If they do start to return traditional dining to more routes it wouldn’t likely start with these two.
 

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