Our trip on AMTRAK, from LA to Houston...
May 16, 2023 12:57:34 #
We leave tomorrow evening from Union Station in Los Angeles to Houston for our granddaughter #4's high school graduation, which is next Monday. We leave Wednesday evening and will get to Houston Friday morning. We have booked a bedroom which provides us with our own private bathroom and shower, as well as complimentary meals in the dining car and lounge car privileges. We arrive back in LA on Memorial Day. Originally, we were going to drive up to LA and leave our car at our son's house, who only lives about 15 minutes from Union Station, but then I checked and it only costs $5 per person (senior rate) to take Metrolink from near where we live in Orange County, to Union Station. So for $20 total (two tickets for coming and going) we don't have to drive across LA nor have our son running us to and picking us up at the station.
Anyway, the plan is to take lots of pictures, which I'll be posting as we go along (the train has WiFi). Below is the first one, showing our travel documents from AAA:
Anyway, the plan is to take lots of pictures, which I'll be posting as we go along (the train has WiFi). Below is the first one, showing our travel documents from AAA:
The travel packet from AAA - May 2023 - Sony a6500, 18-135mm
May 16, 2023 13:02:39 #
May 16, 2023 13:10:32 #
May 17, 2023 06:09:57 #
May 17, 2023 13:19:19 #
May 17, 2023 15:02:49 #
OldCADuser wrote:
The Sunset Limited is a great trip. We have done it 3 different times now all the way to New Orleans. We leave tomorrow evening from Union Station in Lo... (show quote)
The dining car has a Flat Iron Steak that is famous. Enjoy the ride.
May 17, 2023 15:35:05 #
Thank you for all the comments. We leave for the Metrolink station in about three hours. And it seems that the name, Sunset Limited, is going to be very appropriate as we depart Union Station at 7:30pm and according to the Weather app, the sun sets in LA today at 7:49pm. And it's clear and sunny skies so it should be a good sight (I'll try and get pictures).
And tomorrow morning, as we're leaving Tucson, AZ, at 5:13am, the sun comes up in that part of the country around 5:24am.
And our second sunset will be just after leaving Sanderson, TX when the sun goes down a bit after 8:30pm. And the next morning, as we're leaving San Antonio, the sun will be coming-up at around 6:40am.
All in all, we should have some good views and hopefully, some good photos.
And tomorrow morning, as we're leaving Tucson, AZ, at 5:13am, the sun comes up in that part of the country around 5:24am.
And our second sunset will be just after leaving Sanderson, TX when the sun goes down a bit after 8:30pm. And the next morning, as we're leaving San Antonio, the sun will be coming-up at around 6:40am.
All in all, we should have some good views and hopefully, some good photos.
May 17, 2023 17:09:33 #
Unless there has been a change to the schedule, the Sunset departs Union Station(LAX) at 10:00pm on Monday, Wednesday & Friday.
May 17, 2023 17:40:07 #
BBurns wrote:
Unless there has been a change to the schedule, the Sunset departs Union Station(LAX) at 10:00pm on Monday, Wednesday & Friday.
Originally, that was the scheduled departure, and in fact, out first set of tickets reflected that. But then last week, AAA called and said that a new set of tickets were being sent (emailed) to us as the departure had been pushed up to 7:30pm. Note that this did not change our arrival time in Houston. From looking at the old versus new scheduled stops, it appears that we'll be getting into San Antonio 2 1/2 hours earlier. Our stop there is now over four hours long, where it was only 90 minutes before. I suspect that this might have something to with the fact that San Antonio is an AMTRAK hub and perhaps they needed to get there early in order to connect with a train going to Chicago, for example.
May 17, 2023 21:00:33 #
OldCADuser wrote:
We leave tomorrow evening from Union Station in Lo... (show quote)
Several years ago the Stoned Ranger and his faithless Indian companion Toronto were traveling by train across the country on official business. After a few hours the Ranger was thirsty and asked his companion to see if he could get some water. Toronto left for 15 minutes when he returned and offered the Ranger a large tin cup of water. Ranger drank the water, remarked on its flavor and coolness and took a rest. He then again asked Toronto for water, and off the man went. This continues for hours before Toronto returns with no cup. When asked why no water Toronto replied "White man sit on well."
Have a smile and a great trip.
May 18, 2023 14:29:31 #
A couple of shots from this morning:
Some senery near Tucson - May 2023 - Apple iPhone 9 Pro
A shot from inside the lounge/observation car - May 2023 - Sony a6500, 10-18mm
May 18, 2023 14:34:24 #
OldCADuser wrote:
Great. A couple of shots from this morning:
Is the WiFi still sporadic or have they improved it?
May 18, 2023 17:33:38 #
BBurns wrote:
Great.
Is the WiFi still sporadic or have they improved it?
Is the WiFi still sporadic or have they improved it?
No WiFi at all. We had some while we were still in Union Station, but as soon as we left, it did too. I've been using my iPhone as a hot spot.
May 20, 2023 13:48:37 #
We made it to Houston, only a couple of hours late, yesterday afternoon. We left San Antonio late due to a mechanical problem that needed to be fixed, and then about halfway to Houston, they thought that they hit a goat or something and so they had to stop and inspect the front of the first engine (they had two on this train). And then just as we were entering the Houston area, because we were late, they had to contend with some freight traffic which we would have missed if we had been on time. And since freight has the right-of-way, after all, they own and/or control the tracks, we had to wait about a half-hour for a couple of freight trains to clear the tracks before we could finally get to the Houston station.
But we're here now and everything is on track for the graduation on Monday. We went out for dinner with most of the family last night and am about to go shopping as the Airbnb is empty, not even any coffee for my wife and just some water that we got from our son last night.
Here a couple of more pictures:
But we're here now and everything is on track for the graduation on Monday. We went out for dinner with most of the family last night and am about to go shopping as the Airbnb is empty, not even any coffee for my wife and just some water that we got from our son last night.
Here a couple of more pictures:
We had about a 45 minute stop in El Paso and so we got out and walked around. That building is the old El Paso train station - May 2023 - Sony a6500, 10-18mm
My wife during our walk-around in El Paso - May 2023 - Sony a6500, 10-18mm
You can pretty much see the entire train - May 2023 - Sony a6500, 10-18mm
This was my dinner Thursday night, AMTRAK's famous 'Flat Iron Steak', which was very good, and you got an appetizer (Coconut Shrimp) and dessert (Chocolate Mousse Cake) and one adult beverage (a Stella) - May 2023 - Apple iPhone 11 Pro
My wife had the Salmon with tossed salad and dessert and a glass of wine - May 2023 - Apple iPhone 11 Pro
May 20, 2023 15:38:49 #
OldCADuser wrote:
We made it to Houston, only a couple of hours late... (show quote)
I always liked the "Flat Iron". I prefer it medium rare.
If you are up & awake, the stop in "Alpine" is nice.
One year, They had snow on the ground.
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