Modern Vespa

Train station by 0600 and on the train at 0700, headed to St. Louis!

San Antonio's Freeman Colesium with the AT&T Center in the background. Home of the Spurs!

To the dining car for breakfast.

Austin stop.

Fun with the iPhone.

I love the perspective on the urban landscape that trains give.

Hope it's a great trip. 8)

Live giraffes in Texas? Look close.

Tarzan can't be far away.... 8)

He's behind the camera.

I read an article on African lions not long ago. There are more in the USA than Africa, probably quite a few of them in Texas too. People have them as pets then come to find out they are real lions and grow up to be big, expensive to feed and might eat the owner? They grow them to shoot them aside from the zoo thing.
Another article on giraffes said they had survived indecent numbers in Africa due fact they don't eat them but that's changing as the Asians now seek them for some medical deal.
I had this notion to take our sons on a train back in the 1980's. When I checked they wanted us to park in a rail yard not designed for tourists, wait alongside the tracks in the wee hours of the morning-like 2-3 a.m.. I grew up in a train town, Topeka KS where they ran all directions in many brands and everybody you knew had a pass. Last one I rode here in USA (meaning non-historical) was in 1960's I rode to St Louis from Topeka, except for the LI train into NYC. Talk about urban views that's a nasty area of ghetto spray painted everything and industrial backyards-not exactly a nice view. Cured me from flying into MacArthur AP for certain. Things I remember: The STL train had fingerbowls in the dining car, food was so-so. train sat a long time in Moberly, MO so the freight could go by-over & over... Car I bought & picked up blew an engine on I-70 mid ways across MO. Towed it to KS.
European trains are the real deal, USA less so.
The Tarzan I read every book about is a long, long ways from there?

Train boss.

Temple, Texas.

Thank you Jet Peddler.

You're bringing back some great memories from last years marathon.

The Amtrak staff are pretty damn amazing aren't they.

Ride safe.

Bill x

Jet you pretty much matched up with what I pictured you as. You and your lady make a nice pair.

That breakfast spread kicked ass.

Actually I haven't made it into a photo yet, and I'm as single as fart in church. Where'd you come up with that?

The breakfast however did indeed kick ass.

Jet Peddler on the left, John on the right. Don't worry, John's cool, he owns a late model ET4.

In reverse.

Well, I had you married to the good looking lady with the blue scarf in your picture above and there were two plates at the breakfast table so a natural conclusion. I guess she's taken... but, oh well, you cannot lose what you never had.

BTW, have you seen the Mayberry episode where Andy sends the couple to marriage counseling-which ends up as not working too well? Yer post script reminded me.

One serious fault I have with trains for vacations is that trains often don't stop when I might want to see whats out the window if it's a night train. I've scheduled Euro trains to always travel in daytime and with adequate run around time at stopovers.
They are a relaxing, lazy way to travel but also don't place you within a community as does road travel done off interstates. They typically skirt neighborhoods and tend to go not so much where people live, but they can also go where the boonies are and see wildlife. My wife saw a mountain lion along the NM/CO border last fall on the scenic train there.

So Jet-just curious-is that one of those train trips that allows you to get on and off when and where you want? Just bought a Chrysler 300 with plans to drive the entire Route 66 highway and stop when it's cool for the wife and I, but I am also thinking that Amtrak might have an alternative way from East to West that we can jump on and off when we want. Is there a sleeping car? Is it very big? I'm 6'8" and prefer being comfortable when I sleep. Sorry for all the questions, but I am intrigued with doing a roundtrip around the U.S. by train. Maybe two Summers away?

We've done a lot of Europe by train and also by rented car. Just back from Italy. Love the trains in Europe and have heard some nightmare stories about Amtrak, but gotta admit, Jet, your photos of the train are really nice and it has me thinking that might be an alternative!

But Route 66 calls next...

P.S. Love San Antonio except for the heat. Great smoked meat in Lulling and Lockhart and now, I understand in Austin. And man Gruene Hall is just magical! have fun!

Yes there is a sleeper car but I doubt you'd be too comfortable in all but the large bedroom. My friend John who I'm traveling with on this trip laid down in a roomette bunk and barely fit. He's 6-4. You'd make it knees bent but not stretched out.

I am traveling on a direct ticket, San Antonio to St. Louis and return. They do have multi-trip passes where you buy a set number of segments hat are good for a limited amount of time. Unfortunately, no all-you-can-ride passes like Eurail offers - at least that I know of.

This is what foliage looks like at close range when you're passing it at 82 mph.

This train is hauling butt. (And before you tell me how fast Japanese and bullet trains go, remember we are traveling on freight track, so it's immaterial).

Were up to 87 mph earlier but could only manage a screen shot of 86. That's damned fast for freight rail travel!

One thing to remember is that passenger trains are very light compared to loaded freight trains.

True but the quality of the tracks prevent going much faster.

Dinner.

The "Land & Sea" with baked potato and raspberry chocolate tart for dessert were pretty damned good.

Coffee in the Lounge Car afterward.

You are making me hanker after another Amtrak trip. I've got tickets to go from Portland to Spokane next week. Up the Columbia Gorge in the evening. Should be fun.

2045 and getting ready to stop in Texarkana. Train life is peaceful and quite relaxing. Very attentive, friendly, and down-to-earth staff.

2105 and stopped in Texarkana. The front of the train is now in Arkansas (first photo) and the back of the train in Texas (second photo). Situated 50 feet in front of the train is a penitentiary with guard towers and barbed wire visible.

Welcome to Arkansas!

Miscellaneous.

I'm actually really jealous.

You meet the nicest people during meal time don't you ?

The only unsociable couple I met were English.

Bill x

I've only been on two trains in the US, both of the tourist variety. The cog rail up Mt Washington in NH, and the Durango to Silverton steamer in CO. A few miles out of Durango our train ran out of water. WTF? After an hour of so a firetruck came out and pumped water from the ditch conveniently placed next to the train. Took the bus back.

I have (bucket list) plans to do something like the California Zephyr or Coast Starlight, thanks for sharing your travelog 8)

It only cost me about £300 to cross the US Coast to Coast so what are you waiting for ?

Bill x

The TGV train we rode to Paris from the Alps does have it's own track as grades and curves matter at 300kph plus. That track cuts through what are even very small hills thus line of vision is often blocked or blurred. In the USA are there any dedicated passenger rail tracks? None I've heard of as we don't have so called "bullet", ultra fast trains. The last POTUS had one in mind but haven't heard anything since.
What TSA style security did you notice with Amtrack? On the TGV and any other Euro train I've ridden (which is a bunch of trains) you just make sure it's your train and get on, then later the conductor comes around l, often long after boarding. Just a bit different than the xrayed bodies and shoe,belt,laptop, etc., dances we do in AP's these days. Seems weird to me as we all know the boggerman knows people ride trains-like the sad deal in Spain a few years ago. I guess that's why I'm not a security expert...

Oddly enough there is zero TSA security with the exception of having to show a state issued ID and video announcements in stations reminding you to report anything suspicious.

About an hour out of St. Louis now. Slept surprisingly well and bathrooms and showers are quite nice.

Thanxs for sharing your train experience.
I have always wanted to do a train "trip."
it has got my mind going.

In 1969 my wife had to ride a bus out into the sticks, in order to take a train from San Antonio to Topeka KS.
Couldn't believe an old cowboy town had no friggin trains!
The bus ride was part of the train ticket
O.S.

And it still works that way.