Central Texas by Train! Fort Worth to Austin on Amtrak

[@himbourbanist]

I really love Fort Wort Central Station, it's cute, detailed, and a great asset for the city

[@LonestarTrips]

I couldn't agree more. Fort Worth Central is a fantastic intermodal hub. It always feels much more alive than its Dallas counterpart.

[@metroidnerd9001]

Planning on taking this train from Dallas to Austin for Spring Break. It may be nothing compared to Europe’s trains, but in my mind, I’m comparing it to driving or flying. At a mere $14, the price is a pittance compared to flying, and the amenities are much more comfortable with how much room you get. Compared to driving, I can actually do stuff during the trip and not have to worry about the stress of navigating I-35 traffic during Rush Hour. It may be slower, but with the type of trip I’m planning, the low stress is well worth the extra few hours.

[@StevesWanderlust]

I rode 22 DAL to CHI this past February in a roomette. I found it to be appropriately priced lower than most east and west coast overnight trains given the flex menu and lack of the sightseer lounge. Despite that and the bumpy track from winter rains I really appreciated the service. I would be glad to have such a service on a lot of distant midwest city pair trips, even with the meager offerings onboard. Trains are just greatly peaceful ways to travel if you let in the novelty of how nineteenth century travel innovation persists.

[@lackeymal]

thanks for this great video ! i’m from fort worth and will be heading to UT in the fall for college, now i know what a great transportation option this is for me

[@SirKenchalot]

So glad you're back bro. Great video and nice to hear from you again.

[@LonestarTrips]

Thanks man. Always glad to see you in the comments.

[@SirKenchalot]

@@LonestarTrips I was starting to get worried about you.

[@LonestarTrips]

@@SirKenchalot Haha much love homie. Had to take a few weeks off for a collegiate competition, but I'm back for the summer.

[@SirKenchalot]

@@LonestarTrips Well that's reassuring; I was about to send out a search party thinking you got into a first-class lounge somewhere are refused to move out; we've all been there; the cookies, the coffee, the nice chairs, the strange assortment of nuts that 'May Contain Nuts' that you never see anywhere else, the pastries that may be leftovers from yesterday but dang it they're free, the printer that you just have to use though you can't remember how to print from your laptop it's been so long, the window that' there just to view the poor people below in the cattle-shed that is the waiting area (might just be me on that one), the feeling that you've made it in life and Amtrak/LNER/Delta agrees that you deserve a special bathroom as a result.. and so forth, I forget where I was going with this.

[@NateDunningFilms]

Next Thursday, I'll be on the Texas Eagle in a bedroom from Chicago to Fort Worth and a family bedroom returning back. I can't wait to try out the family bedroom.

[@elijahweber8786]

I was just on this train last week, went from Ft Worth to San Antonio and then back. Somehow I got lucky and did not have any delays, we even arrived 10 min early into San Antonio. I really missed the sightseeing car though.

[@LonestarTrips]

Lucky you had no delays! I think the only time I've had no delays on the Texas Eagle was when I rode down from Chicago. Of course, that was when I was in a roomette, so a few extra hours on the train could've been nice.

[@johnsons74thsquadron74]

Good trip report. I’ll be on the Texas Eagle in a roomette from Dallas to Joliet and back in a bedroom in August.

[@LonestarTrips]

Sounds like a good time. I just booked tickets for a ride on the Coast Starlight for next month, with many more adventures coming in July.

[@johnsons74thsquadron74]

@@LonestarTrips The Coast Starlight is definitely on my bucket list. Those views of the Pacific Coast are coveting. I think my highest priorities right now in the future would be either the California Zephyr or the Southwest Chief.

[@johnsons74thsquadron74]

3:26. Yep Compared to just two coaches, one diner lite, and one sleeping car, The Texas Eagle in it’s proud days consisted of two sleeping cars, one dining car, a sightseer lounge car, three coaches, a baggage car and a transition car half for crew dorm and the other half with roomettes sold to paying passengers. Endless revenue increasing opportunities exist right now for the Eagle.

[@LonestarTrips]

Hopefully they'll come around on the Eagle soon. I would love to take another ride up to St. Louis or Chicago, but it's not worth it with it's current coach set.

[@johnsons74thsquadron74]

@@LonestarTrips There are good signs that the rumor about the Eagle’s sightseer lounge returning next month will actually happen: The information about I have came from a customer rep at Dallas Union Station, one who has asked management a number of times to implement measures to increase revenue, not from one of Amtrak’s customer reps at DC; Amtrak has filled a Cafe Lounge attendant position for the Eagle based in Fort Worth; and finally it appears that Amtrak is no longer using sightseer lounges to run as empty axle fulfilling cars on the Chicago to Carbondale routes.

[@markdavid7013]

I saw the City of New Orleans running along I-10 yesterday...It appeared to have a lounge/observation car and new Charger ALC 42 in the lead.

[@LonestarTrips]

Interesting... Maybe the Texas Eagle will finally get the love it deserves?

[@chrisdobrowolski2783]

No because the sunset limited connects to the Texas eagle in San Antonio and continues as 1 train to LA. Sunset limited has an observation car and a full dinning car. This is why 1 part of Texas Eagle will not have an observation car since 2 observation cars will be too much for that route.

[@johnalder6028]

Nicely done. Amtrak should strive to be more like the golden age of the streamliners which would certainly boost ridership.

[@LonestarTrips]

I wish they would, too.

[@daniellewis1789]

​@@LonestarTripsHopefully instead of "one giant order" we'll see a steady stream of new long distance equipment to suit growing capacity and a gradual phase out of older cars.

[@weinito]

I have an explantation on why the Texas eagle still doesn't have traditional dining. I rode the sunset limited and Texas eagle from Los Angeles to Austin for springs break. A staff told me that traditional dining is usually only on routes that take 32 hours or more and route that are less than 32 hours serve the flexible dining.

[@joseellsworth5637]

Nice trains🇨🇷🇺🇸

[@nyrmetros]

Hello and welcome!

[@LonestarTrips]

😄

[@ba92thomas]

I'm riding from austin to Fort Worth in about a month, I'm kinda excited lol

[@LonestarTrips]

Awesome! Enjoy the ride, and safe travels. 🚂

[@theyamg8121]

You should ride the Utahs FrontRunner. They also have a free buss called the UVX. The FrontRunner is the best.

[@johnburke1317]

Nice video 😊

[@LonestarTrips]

Thanks!

[@FromtheWindowSeat]

Good video. 👌 Looks like a really enjoyable and pleasant trip.

[@hoozthair6076]

Stats are fascinating

[@LonestarTrips]

Agreed. Unfortunately, they just didn't fit with this video. They'll be back next week though!

[@johnkeenan5404]

I am taking the Eagle tomorrow fro Austin to LA in a Roomette. I thought in San Antonio an observation and dining car were added and traditional dining from that point to LA. Any comments. Also. I read the Austin station is austere. Comments?

[@LonestarTrips]

Safe travels! As for the cars added in San Antonio, the Texas Eagle meets with the Sunset Limited there, and the two trains are coupled together to form one long consist. It's unfortunate, but austere is a rather apt description of the Austin station. It's in a weird place, surrounded by the remains of the warehouse district, which hasn't helped its appearance. It's not bad, but it's definitely not great either.

[@johnkeenan5404]

@@LonestarTrips We took the Eagle to LA from Austin. Every Amtrak staffer we met was great from the clerk in Austin to the attendant in the Metropolitan Lounge. The food once they added the dining car was excellent. The only quibble is a roomette is to small for two Thanks for posting such informative videos.

[@ConeRodrigoSwag]

Heh, look at number on the locomotive. Nice.

[@dfwrider3830]

uh oh, youre missing your tailhose. Ive been in that engine, guy I was working with always chuckled when we had to call it out on the radio.

[@gb9727]

Amtrak should replace these with siemens trains when these trains get old

[@chrisdobrowolski2783]

What was your favorite food item on this train? Did you sleep at all on this train?

[@jonathankleinow2073]

I'm sure I'm not about to say anything that hasn't already been said a million times, but Amtrak really needs to work on the little things. Get a cleaning crew onboard during the longer stops to take out the trash and wipe down the tray tables, for example. The trash bag in the bathroom makes me think there's some aspect of taking the trash out from the container by the wall that's a pain in the butt, so the employees just tie up the bag instead to make it easier. So if they're going to keep these Superliners in service, then they should figure out what minor refurbishments they can do to freshen them up. Or maybe that's already in the works, I don't know.

[@LonestarTrips]

I know that there's some work being done with the interior refurbs that are currently ongoing. I'm not sure that the bathrooms are included in that, but at least the interiors will be a bit nicer. Really, it's a consolation prize to hold us over until the new rolling stock comes in a few years.

[@marko_ys]

@@LonestarTripsThe one thing that worries me about the rolling stock is that the seats may get narrower, just like what is happening with the Venture vs. Amfleet coaches. I don’t think that it’s a given since it’s the long-distance product, but there is still a good chance that it may happen.

[@scar2001]

Are pets allowed i have a german shepherd (2years)and two cats

[@LonestarTrips]

I’m not sure. I don’t think so, but you’d have to check with Amtrak.

[@willgibson9718]

Today is not Saturday mtba has new station in ri Pawtucket

[@LonestarTrips]

Indeed it is not, but a combination of technical and timing issues meant I had to push back to today.

[@gregorygehin3547]

Placing the sleeper car next to the locomotive is not good for trying to sleep. The noise from the horn and the diesel engine are annoying. Back in the day there were baggage cars and express freight cars between the engine and the occupied coaches. They could make more money by hauling express freight on Amtrak, but the freight railroads oppose that even though they don't offer that type of sevice.

[@RobertKrebill]

When I rode the City of New Orleans, the consist was laid out with sleepers positioned in the rear. Amtrak has been getting similar noise complaints from sleeping car passengers about the horn and engine sound, especially at nighttime.

[@ventilate4267]

I made the mistake of not bringing ear plugs. I basically didn't sleep at all the first night. I slept well after being put on the back end of the SSL though. (Probably because I didn't sleep the night before).

[@johnsons74thsquadron74]

Update: as of now since September of last year, the Texas Eagle’s sleeping car now operates at the back of the train, the cafe car is all the way at the front.

[@Trains_And_Planes]

@@johnsons74thsquadron74today they have both sleepers front and back, so those who have bought the sleepers have good luck or bad luck who knows!

[@kimberlyknox4426]

Haha 69 he said ot

[@kimi_travels]

Great video as usual! I recently did a video on the California Zephyr, so please check that out as well.

[@LonestarTrips]

The Zephyr is certainly on my to-do list. I'm not sure when I'll ride on it, as it doesn't quite blend together with any other routes I'm interested in, but I'll do my best to add it to my next round of travel.

[@samtrak1204]

Thank you for another excellent video, but the "Texas Eagle" seems like a slow crow after watching dynamic youtube train videos from Europe and beyond. It's obvious Amtrak doesn't give a damn about the "Eagle" so I'm extra glad I got a chance to ride it in 2003 when the dining car and Sightseer lounge were still in tact. The train and scenery is boring and the downgraded service is irritating. Ouch!!!

[@chrisdobrowolski2783]

Texas eagle still has an observation car from San Antonio to LA, and same with the dinning car.

[@angelestrada6038]

Lonestar Please comment on Jeb, send him and his wife to the 3rd world! They are more interested in FaceTime, screw them

[@savaranola611]

Looks old, dirty, and outdated.

[@Grahamrobinsonvt802]

Have you ever been on an Amtrak

[@andrewstevens2364]

Thanks for skipping the stats for nerds.

[@misterhat5823]

Farts smell.

[@LonestarTrips]

You're welcome? I know they're not for everyone, but plenty of people have said they enjoy them. Granted, they didn't really fit for this journey in particular as we've already covered it in the past, and the information would've been quite repetitive.

[@kl6361]

😡😡😡😡😡😡

[@samtrak1204]

Carpet looks worn and filthy.