!!!Texas Eagle Consist Update!!!
Alright, I just got off a sold out Texas Eagle tonight in Austin coming from Dallas. Consist was Engine, Dorm, Sleeper, CCC, Coach, Coach, LAX Coach. I wasn't able to ask an agent today, but I did look at a load manifest of pax getting on in Dallas. All those booked in a sleeper were indeed booked as #421 in the 2130 car, even though some were getting off in AUS or SAS. No one getting on the train in Dallas was boarding the Trans Dorm, so I couldn't really verify if those in the Dorm were booked as #21, but I assume they were. In checking Amtrak.com, you can indeed book a sleeper on either 21 or 421. If you pick 21, you'll automatically be in the dorm car. I'll have to confirm this next time I get to see a manifest though.
Randy did a good job on figuring out how they maneuver those cars in SAS. I sat for about 10 minutes trying to figure it out, and it almost made my head spin and I gave up. I guess I had never thought about how things went down there. I need to take a trip to SAS soon and this time stay awake for the switching! ha.
I suppose northbound, the same thing happens. The full sleeper is only 422, and the dorm is 22. In fact riding to the Gathering I left Dallas on a Sunday which is a 422 day. But my ticket had 22 printed on it and I was in the Trans Dorm. Originally I was leaving on a Monday, a non 422 day, and I was ticketed on 22 in the full sleeper.