Texas Eagle

Infobox Amtrak
name = Texas Eagle

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image_caption = Amtrak's westbound "Texas Eagle" at the restored Texas and Pacific station in Marshall, Texas, in October 2005.
map_filename =
map_size =
numbers = 21/22;
421/422 when combined with the "Sunset Limited"
route = Chicago (Union Station) – San Antonio – Los Angeles
distance = mi to km|2728|abbr=yes
start = 1974
end = present
owners = Union Pacific
The "Texas Eagle" is a 1306-mile (2102 km) passenger train route operated by Amtrak in the central and western United States. Trains run daily between Chicago, Illinois, and San Antonio, Texas, and continue to Los Angeles, California, 2728 miles (4390 km) total, three days a week (incorporated as part of the "Sunset Limited").

History

Amtrak's "Texas Eagle" is the direct successor of the Missouri Pacific Railroad and Texas and Pacific Railway train of the same name, which was inaugurated August 15, 1948. For thirteen years, the "Texas Eagle" operated as two separate sections, leaving St. Louis in the late afternoon, one following behind the other at an approximately 10 minute interval. At Longview, the routes diverged. The west Texas section continued to Dallas and El Paso, while the south Texas section operated to Austin and San Antonio, where a connection was made to the "Aztec Eagle" for Laredo, Texas and Mexico City. In 1952, dome cars were added to the train. After 1961, the "Texas Eagle" was consolidated as a single, very long train, between St. Louis and Longview, Texas, where the train was split into several sections, each serving different Texas cities. The west Texas section of the Texas Eagle continued from Longview to Dallas, Fort Worth, and El Paso; the south Texas section served Palestine, Austin, San Antonio, and Laredo, with a through Pullman continuing to Mexico City. A third section of the "Texas Eagle" split from the main train at Palestine, providing service to Houston.

A 1952 consist of the train:fact|date=July 2008|source of consist?
* A-A Set of EMD E8 diesel units
# Railway Post Office-baggage #100 (the only car in the consist with 6-wheel trucks)
# Baggage-dormitory #300
# Divided deluxe coach #400
# Deluxe coach #450
# Divided grill coach #480
# Grill coach #481
# Buffet-lounge #525
# Diner #500
# ‘Planetarium’ Dome #200
# 14-roomette, 4-double bedroom sleeper "Eagle Rest"
# 14-roomette, 2-double bedroom, 1-drawing room sleeper "Eagle Flight"
# 14-roomette, 4-double bedroom sleeper "Eagle Country"
# 10-roomette, 6-double bedroom sleeper "Eagle Eye"
# Parlor-observation #740

The route of Amtrak's "Texas Eagle" is longer (Chicago to San Antonio versus St. Louis to San Antonio), but much of today's route is historically a part of the original "Texas Eagle" route. St. Louis to Texarkana and Taylor, Texas to San Antonio is over former Missouri Pacific Railroad trackage, while the Texarkana to Fort Worth segment traverses the former Texas and Pacific Railway.

Consist

The normally assigned consist on the "Texas Eagle" includes:
* 1 P42,
* 1 dorm-sleeper,
* 1 sleeper,
* 1 Cross Country Cafe (limited dining service),
* 1 Sightseer Lounge,
* 1 coach-baggage, and
* 2 coaches.On a tri-weekly basis, a coach and sleeping car operate from Chicago through San Antonio to Los Angeles, in conjunction with the Sunset Limited.Amtrak National Consist Book, May 1, 2008]

References

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External links

* [http://www.texaseagle.com/home.htm "Texas Eagle"]
* [http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=Amtrak/am2Route/Horizontal_Route_Page&c=am2Route&cid=1081442673815&ssid=132 Amtrak - "Texas Eagle"]