DryCreek
Lead Service Attendant
Howdy Folks,
I have a few questions for y'all. I have booked the wife and I for a little getaway vaction in late May. We board the SB TE in Cleburne, TX for through connections on the SL to Tuscon via San Antonio, & return. We have booked a roomette each way.
My questions are:
What consist should we expect for this trip? It looks like we should expect a CCC for dining service on the SB segment, but will be also have a Superliner Sightseer Lounge car too? While most people don't find that stretch of Texas very exciting, I do! It is pretty much the area my Grandpa and Uncle engineered/"conductored" on - except a little more eastern at times (think Teague, Mexia). I would hate not having the views offered in a SSL for that leg.
Where will our sleeper be in the consist? We are booked on car 2130/003 on the 421 and 2230/013 on the 422. Will we be the last car on both segments? I hope so, I have seen some very interesting videos posted on youtube that were shot from that back window.
Amenities - I have read that many of the on-board amenities have been reduced or eliminated in the name of fiscal restrain. What can we expect for dining service. Do they still have the tablecloths and fresh flowers? How about the silverware and real plates? Newspapers in the morning? Those little welcome gift bags in the room?
We hope that this turns out to be interesting and fun. We tried the cruise thing from Galveston, and the wife didn't have the great time she thought she would. She got bored easily seeing the same old ocean (Gulf, actually). I tried to tell her - after six years in the Navy, all cruises weren't very exciting. If this works out, we may try some other itineraries. I am just puzzled and flummoxed why there are no decent connections from the TE to NOL. That would be a great jumping-off point for the Crescent or the CONOL. I think that she really, really wants to do the Empire Builder. Now that my sister and her husband have committed to moving to Washington state, that may give us a reason to fly to CHI and take the EB westbound, with a return flight from SeaTac. Unless we can somehow finagle enough time to go north on the TE and then connect. It is hard to get good help watching the dogs and setting out hay for the cattle/watching the momma cows during calving season. Our son tries, but his schedule is just as unpredictable as he is.
When we were first married and living in Newport News VA, we used to take the train up to DC on weekends. I remember the AmFleet coaches being reasonably comfortable, and the Union Station being amazing then (1988 or 1989). After our son was born we started into the Disney routine. I still get permission for us to visit WDW or DL about every 5 years.
I have a few questions for y'all. I have booked the wife and I for a little getaway vaction in late May. We board the SB TE in Cleburne, TX for through connections on the SL to Tuscon via San Antonio, & return. We have booked a roomette each way.
My questions are:
What consist should we expect for this trip? It looks like we should expect a CCC for dining service on the SB segment, but will be also have a Superliner Sightseer Lounge car too? While most people don't find that stretch of Texas very exciting, I do! It is pretty much the area my Grandpa and Uncle engineered/"conductored" on - except a little more eastern at times (think Teague, Mexia). I would hate not having the views offered in a SSL for that leg.
Where will our sleeper be in the consist? We are booked on car 2130/003 on the 421 and 2230/013 on the 422. Will we be the last car on both segments? I hope so, I have seen some very interesting videos posted on youtube that were shot from that back window.
Amenities - I have read that many of the on-board amenities have been reduced or eliminated in the name of fiscal restrain. What can we expect for dining service. Do they still have the tablecloths and fresh flowers? How about the silverware and real plates? Newspapers in the morning? Those little welcome gift bags in the room?
We hope that this turns out to be interesting and fun. We tried the cruise thing from Galveston, and the wife didn't have the great time she thought she would. She got bored easily seeing the same old ocean (Gulf, actually). I tried to tell her - after six years in the Navy, all cruises weren't very exciting. If this works out, we may try some other itineraries. I am just puzzled and flummoxed why there are no decent connections from the TE to NOL. That would be a great jumping-off point for the Crescent or the CONOL. I think that she really, really wants to do the Empire Builder. Now that my sister and her husband have committed to moving to Washington state, that may give us a reason to fly to CHI and take the EB westbound, with a return flight from SeaTac. Unless we can somehow finagle enough time to go north on the TE and then connect. It is hard to get good help watching the dogs and setting out hay for the cattle/watching the momma cows during calving season. Our son tries, but his schedule is just as unpredictable as he is.
When we were first married and living in Newport News VA, we used to take the train up to DC on weekends. I remember the AmFleet coaches being reasonably comfortable, and the Union Station being amazing then (1988 or 1989). After our son was born we started into the Disney routine. I still get permission for us to visit WDW or DL about every 5 years.
