Texas Eagle from CHI to LAX
- Thread starter Jreisswnw
- Start date
Help Support Amtrak Unlimited Discussion Forum:
No wifi, bad flex dining from a severely overworked LSA CHI-SAS.
Move over to the SW Chief if at all possible.
Move over to the SW Chief if at all possible.
Don't like to be a "Debbie Downer" about my "Home Train", but Honestly right now this is the poorest LD Route you can ride because:
There's been lots of discussion about the Texas Eaglette on this Forum, but the Main points to know about are 1) The Consist has No Sightseer Lounge and No Transdorm which means the OBS will take up Rooms in the Sleeper resulting in a,Shortage of available Rooms @ High Bucket ( Expensive).
If you're lucky you'll get one of the "Good Crews" on this route, which means they'll be friendly, helpful and do their jobs correctly.
And let you use the Diner Portion of the Cafe /Diner Car as a Lounge between Meals, if you're a Sleeping Car passenger! Otherwise you'll be stuck in your Room ( or Seat if in Coach from Chicago to San Antoniofor the 32+ Hour Trip!
The Time Keeping has been Very Poor due to Freight Interference around the "Black Holes" between St. Louis and Little Rock and in East Texas and South of Ft Worth to San Antonio.
Once the 2 Cutout Cars are switched to the #1 Sunset Ltd in San Antonio, there is another "Black Hole" in West Texas.
The Good News is that Traditional Dining is served in the Diner ( for Sleeing Car Passengers only), Juanita the Burrito Lady sells some Delicious Food @ the Station Stop in El Paso,there is a Sightseer Lounge in the consist, and the Crews are generally Friendlier and more helpful than those out of Chicago on the Eaglette,and Best of all you'll be on a Train going places you've not been before!
There will be long stretches of Black Holes where you'll not have Cell Service, including the Black Hole South of St Louis, South of Temple to Taylor in Texas, most of West Texas West of San Antonio to El Paso ( 600 Miles!) and across the Arizona/California Desert except when in the few Cities located there.
There's been lots of discussion about the Texas Eaglette on this Forum, but the Main points to know about are 1) The Consist has No Sightseer Lounge and No Transdorm which means the OBS will take up Rooms in the Sleeper resulting in a,Shortage of available Rooms @ High Bucket ( Expensive).
If you're lucky you'll get one of the "Good Crews" on this route, which means they'll be friendly, helpful and do their jobs correctly.
And let you use the Diner Portion of the Cafe /Diner Car as a Lounge between Meals, if you're a Sleeping Car passenger! Otherwise you'll be stuck in your Room ( or Seat if in Coach from Chicago to San Antoniofor the 32+ Hour Trip!
The Time Keeping has been Very Poor due to Freight Interference around the "Black Holes" between St. Louis and Little Rock and in East Texas and South of Ft Worth to San Antonio.
Once the 2 Cutout Cars are switched to the #1 Sunset Ltd in San Antonio, there is another "Black Hole" in West Texas.
The Good News is that Traditional Dining is served in the Diner ( for Sleeing Car Passengers only), Juanita the Burrito Lady sells some Delicious Food @ the Station Stop in El Paso,there is a Sightseer Lounge in the consist, and the Crews are generally Friendlier and more helpful than those out of Chicago on the Eaglette,and Best of all you'll be on a Train going places you've not been before!
There will be long stretches of Black Holes where you'll not have Cell Service, including the Black Hole South of St Louis, South of Temple to Taylor in Texas, most of West Texas West of San Antonio to El Paso ( 600 Miles!) and across the Arizona/California Desert except when in the few Cities located there.
If in coach, I would recommend bringing some food along, as coach passengers can't use the dining car, and there's very limited cafe car service until San Antonio, when the train is connected to the Sunset Limited.
If in sleeper, you'll get the flex meals in the dining car until you get to San Antonio. This would be a 2 dinners, a breakfast, and a lunch. If you like to have snacks or drinks, you might want to bring them along, as the cafe car service is limited before San Antonio.
After San Antonio, the Sunset Limited is a regular long-distance train with a proper dining car (alas, for sleeper passengers only), a Sightseer Lounge, and a proper cafe car. I think that the sleeping car passengers get a lunch and a dinner after San Antonio, but I'm not sure about breakfast, as the train is scheduled to arrive in Los Angeles very early in the morning. On the other hand, it's likely to be running late, so perhaps they have breakfast food for such a contingency.
If in sleeper, you'll get the flex meals in the dining car until you get to San Antonio. This would be a 2 dinners, a breakfast, and a lunch. If you like to have snacks or drinks, you might want to bring them along, as the cafe car service is limited before San Antonio.
After San Antonio, the Sunset Limited is a regular long-distance train with a proper dining car (alas, for sleeper passengers only), a Sightseer Lounge, and a proper cafe car. I think that the sleeping car passengers get a lunch and a dinner after San Antonio, but I'm not sure about breakfast, as the train is scheduled to arrive in Los Angeles very early in the morning. On the other hand, it's likely to be running late, so perhaps they have breakfast food for such a contingency.
Last time I rode,they said if the Sunset gets into LA after 8 they will serve breakfast. We got in at 7:50. i really could have used a cup of coffee
Sleeper. Roomlette
- Joined
- Jan 17, 2019
- Messages
- 1,713
Hope you have a great trip. I have done LAX to Chicago eastbound but westbound I have only done Chicago to El Paso. I recall those trips on the Texas Eagle/Sunset as being remarkably pleasant but that was when there was also a full dining car and a sightseer lounge car on the Chicago - San Antonio portion in addition to San Antonio - LAX. I especially enjoy the desert scenery west of San Antonio.
If I were taking the trip again, I would definitely pack a supply of snacks such as granola bars and a couple good books. Also don't forget a sleep mask as the roomette curtains often do not close tightly.
Please post a report of your trip.
If I were taking the trip again, I would definitely pack a supply of snacks such as granola bars and a couple good books. Also don't forget a sleep mask as the roomette curtains often do not close tightly.
Please post a report of your trip.
On every sleeper I have been on the SCA made coffee around 6 AM or so using the pot in the sleeper.
joelkfla
Engineer
Are you talking pre-pandemic? During my 4 segments on the Star & Meteor over the past year, only one car had the coffee urn active. On 1 trip I noticed there was coffee in an adjacent sleeper, but my SCA was not so conscientious.
Well, thank you to everyone for the feedback. This trip has been on my bucket list for awhile. I am in the hospitality business and usually fly and stay in hotels. I love my Amtrak trip from NY to Pittsburg. I do that trip (the 46) 12-15 times a year. I see it will be an adventure on the Texas Eagle. I think everything in travel has changed post covid. I leave on the 18th out of CHI and plan to document the trip. I bought a portable wifi device so I hope that will help me stay connected. I wil download some movies to help pass the dead zones.
This was a year ago so post pandemic. Lake Shore Limited, southwest Chief, and California Zephyr. I don't recall ever not being able to get coffee in the morning. Of course this is Amtrak so YMMV.
Not on the Sunset on the morning of arrival into LA before 6. Even though we were two hours late no coffee was available anywhere on the train.
(Shrug) well this is Amtrak, where nothing is ever constant between trains or even trips on the same train
