"Cloud Gate" sculpture by Anish Kapoor, in Millennium Park, Chicago
It's been a while since I've written up any long-distance rail journeys for this website (the last were my 2009 European trips), so here's an account of my travels in the USA in September and October 2017. This journey was built around the International Convention of the Institution of Railway Signal Engineers which I was attending over four days in Grapevine, close to Dallas and Fort Worth in Texas. My plan was to begin and end in Chicago, travelling in a clockwise circuit taking in Dallas, Los Angeles and San Francisco. My flight out was from Manchester to Chicago with American Airlines, and I stayed for one night in the Club Quarters Hotel in the Downtown area.
"Cloud Gate" sculpture by Anish Kapoor, in Millennium
Park, Chicago
It was a warm, sunny morning and I had some time free to wander around the parks and lakeside area before making my way to Union Station, where I checked in my main bag, bought a sandwich and coffee for lunch and ate it in the food court. I then waited in the Metropolitan Lounge (reserved for sleeping car passengers), where I found I could have had a salad buffet lunch for free.
The Texas Eagle runs daily south from Chicago to San Antonio, Texas, and on three days a week continues to the west coast at Los Angeles, a total distance of 2,728 miles. My first journey was to Dallas, which would take around 22 hours.
Passengers were called to board the train about 20 minutes before its departure at 1:45 p.m. (they rarely use the 24-hour clock in the States). My sleeping car attendant showed me to my compartment, a "roomette" on the lower level of a double-deck Superliner coach. It was comfortable, and had a power socket but no wi-fi. After settling in, I spent much of the afternoon in the observation lounge, where a commentary was being given by National Parks rangers. Reservations were taken for dinner - I booked mine for 6:30.
In the dining car, I was allocated a seat with a couple travelling to McGregor and a woman going to San Antonio. I chose the seared shrimps with rice for my main course, with a bottle of Sierra Nevada beer, and followed by cheesecake. Meals (but not alcoholic drinks) are included in the fare for sleeping car passengers. Stations stops were made about once an hour on average, but most are quite short. Every so often a longer stop is made, where you can get out and stretch your legs on the platform, and I took the opportunity to do this at St Louis, Missouri, where we had a 20-minute pause in the evening.
The attendant converted my roomette to the sleeping configuration, and I read for a while before settling down for the night. I didn't sleep very well, especially after 3 a.m., which was probably attributable to jet lag. During the night the train crossed Arkansas and entered Texas at Texarkana.
I rose and went to the dining car for breakfast at 7:30, and had the "French" bread with egg and maple sauce. The train made a long stop at Marshall, which provided a platform photo opportunity.
We arrives at Dallas Union station at 11:04 a.m., 26 minutes early. I had a quick look around downtown Dallas before collecting my checked luggage and taking the DART (Dallas Area Rapid Transit) to DFW Airport, from where I could get a shuttle bus to my hotel in Grapevine for the convention.
Roomette in Superliner sleeping car, in daytime
configuration
The "Texas Eagle" calls at Longview, Texas, the
morning after its departure from Chicago
Dallas Area Rapid Transit train in Pacific Avenue, Dallas
I'm not describing this in full, but this included visits to the GE Transportation locomotive works at Fort Worth, the Denton County Transportation Authority ('A' Train) depot at Lewisville, and various signalling installations. We also had a ride on the Grapevine Vintage Railroad to Fort Worth Stockyards.
A BNSF freight train at Justin, Texas, with four locomotives
and double-stacked containers
Grapevine Vintage Railroad train at Grapevine, Texas
Trinity Railway Express loco 121 arriving at Richland Hills
with a Dallas to Fort Worth train
I took a rather complex route in the morning to get from my hotel in Grapevine to Dallas: hotel shuttle bus to DFW airport, internal airport bus from Terminal A to Remote South Parking, TRE shuttle bus to CentrePort station, and finally the Trinity Railway Express (TRE) train to Dallas Union station.
The Texas Eagle arrived early, and I was able to check in my large bag, get settled into my roomette and take some photos before departure at 11:50. The distance to Los Angeles is 1737 miles, and was scheduled to take about 44 hours, so I would be on this train for two nights. I had the company of a colleague, Keith, as far as San Antonio, as he was also making a circular journey from and to Chicago, but going anti-clockwise via New Orleans. The dining car menu had changed since my arrival in Texas, and I chose a Mexican dish for lunch (I forgot to note its name), followed by pecan pie.
We spent most of the afternoon in the Sightseer Lounge, following our progress through Texas. We had dinner at 5:30, for which I chose the grilled salmon, followed by cheesecake. While we were eating the train called at the state capital, Austin.
Despite being over 30 minutes late at San Marcos, the train was a few minutes early arriving at San Antonio, at about 9:50 p.m. Keith left the train here, for an overnight stay before continuing to New Orleans in the morning.
At San Antonio, the Texas Eagle combines with the westbound Sunset Limited from New Orleans. I saw this train arrive, about an hour ahead of schedule, before going to bed.
In the early hours there was some shunting to combine the two trains, and the combined train departed at 2:45 a.m. At eight o'clock I had breakfast of omelette and sausage. We were travelling through sparsely populated country near the Mexican border. There was time to leave the train for a few minutes at the Alpine station stop, and I saw that there was a privately owned vintage railcar attached to the back of the train. Railcars like these provide the ultimate in luxury train travel for wealthy railway enthusiasts, who can pay for them to be attached to regular service trains. Later in the morning I put my watch back one hour to Mountain Time.
Lunch was cheeseburger, then there was a photo opportunity at the El Paso station stop, where it was hot and sunny. Just after the station, the railway runs adjacent to the border with Mexico, a wall topped with high-security fencing and police patrol cars parked at intervals. We also crossed the Rio Grande, finally leaving Texas and entering New Mexico. Travelling by train makes you appreciate just how big Texas is - the train takes 33 hours to traverse the state from northeast to southwest.
On a stretch of single-track railway, we had to stop several times to let eastbound freight trains pass, and by late afternoon we were over 1½ hours late. On entering Arizona, watches were put back another hour, to Mountain Standard Time, as Arizona does not observe Daylight Saving Time in the summer.
We lost more time shunting to drop off the private car from the back of the train before Tucson, and we were nearly 2 hours late departing from there. I went to bed shortly after 9 (although that was after 11 Central Time).
The "Sunset Limited" (including through cars off the
"Texas Eagle") at El Paso, TX
I had a reasonable night's sleep, but woke early and it was still dark when we called at Ontario and Pomona. I got up and had a coffee before the train arrived at Los Angeles at 6:23, now only 48 minutes late. I eventually found the Metropolitan Lounge on the station (it's upstairs, and not well signed) where I was able to get some croissants and orange juice for breakfast.
Before leaving home, I had consulted an old copy (1994) of the Rough Guide to the USA, and it described LA as a huge sprawling city which was difficult to get around without a car, so I didn't have high expectations of what I might do during my day here. However, browsing the internet over breakfast, I found that there was now a metro line to the coast at Santa Monica, so that was where I headed.
A short trip on the Red line (underground) got me to 7th Street/MetroCentre, where I changed to the Expo line (mostly above ground) for Santa Monica. On arrival I found it to be a modern, clean and pleasant resort. I walked to the seafront and onto the pier, then along the beach to Venice, with a brief paddle in the Pacific on the way. After a coffee, I walked back to Santa Monica along Main Street, then sat in a park for a while, having a snack lunch and trying to do the Guardian cryptic crossword, which was harder than usual for a Monday.
I took the metro back to Union station, collected my luggage and walked the short distance to the Metro Plaza Hotel. After showering I had a stroll around the Downtown area, which is quite walkable. My route took in the Angel's Flight funicular, the Jewelry District and Grand Central Market before heading to Little Tokyo for an evening meal.
Santa Monica pier and beach
Angel's Flight funicular, Los Angeles
The hotel did a fairly basic "free" continental breakfast of cereal, bread and muffins and I had plenty of time so filled myself up. I checked out and walked across to Union station in the morning sunshine.
I had a coffee and pastry in the Metropolitan Lounge then boarded the Coast Starlight, train number 14, which departed at 10:10. I was travelling to Oakland, from where there's a coach connection across the bay to San Francisco, but the train would continue overnight up the west coast to Portland and Seattle. As I would be on the train for over 11 hours I had opted to travel in Business Class for more space and comfort.
The route taken by the train is very scenic, running right along the shore in places, through the resorts of Ventura and Santa Barbara. After San Luis Obispo the train climbed away from the coast towards the mountains, before descending again towards Salinas.
I had brought some fruit and snacks onto the train for lunch, but went to the dining car in the evening, where I had the chicken breast with a glass of white wine, followed by cheesecake.
We arrived in Oakland about 15 minutes late. Passengers with bus connections were directed along the platform where some buses were parked, but with no indication as to which, if any, was for San Francisco. After about 15 minutes a driver arrived and we were able to board. We crossed the Bay Bridge into San Francisco, and most passengers got off at Transbay Terminal. The remaining two passengers and myself got off at the Hyatt Regency (Financial District). I walked to Embarcadero metro station, bought a ticket ($2.75) and caught a train to Van Ness. From there it was a 5 minute walk to the Travelodge hotel. The hotel was motel-style with external walkways to the rooms. A number of people were hanging around, smoking. It felt threatening, definitely a "budget" hotel, despite costing over $300 per night (most downtown hotels were charging over $500). The room was OK, but the walls were thin and I could hear my neighbour on the phone to his boss, complaining loudly about the hotel he'd been booked in.
The northbound "Coast Starlight" at San Luis Obispo,
California
The northbound "Coast Starlight" climbing into the
hills above San Luis Obispo
My plan was to hire a bike for the day, which would allow me to reach the Golden Gate Bridge in addition to exploring the downtown area. From near the hotel I caught an 'F' tram to Fisherman's Wharf then walked to the Blazing Saddles bike shop on Powell St.
There is a good and extremely popular cycle route out to the bridge, and it was a beautiful sunny morning. It took me less than an hour to reach the bridge, and before crossing it I had a coffee break in the "Warming Hut" café. There is a segregated lane over the bridge for pedestrians and cyclists, so I was safe from all the traffic, but the lane was busy with other cyclists, walkers and joggers.
I paused for a snack in Sausalito on the north side of the bay. I could have taken a ferry back to SF from here, but I decided to press on to Tiburon, where another ferry departs from. I had to step up the pace for the last couple of miles in order to make the 2:25 ferry, but I caught it with just two minutes to spare. A layer of mist was now covering the bay.
Back in the city, I cycled to California Street to get some photos of the famous cable cars on the steep hill. Cycling up the street required bottom gear, and took me to Powell Street where another cable car route intersects. Following this route downhill brought me back to the bike shop to return my bike.
A short walk away was the Hyde Street cable car terminus, where I queued for an hour to travel on a cable car, all the way to the end of the line at Market Street.
I went to the ThirstyBear brewery and restaurant in the evening for a meal and a couple of beers (a German-style altbier and an English-style cask-conditioned stout).
The Golden Gate Bridge near San Francisco, from the Tiburon
ferry
Cable car on California Street
The California Zephyr runs daily, and is perhaps the best-known long-distance rail route in the USA. It takes around 53 hours to cover the 2,438 miles of its normal route. I had been advised by email some weeks before departure that my train would be taking an alternative route between Salt Lake City and Denver, travelling through Wyoming instead of following the Colorado River further to the south. There is not much difference in mileage between the two routes.
I was up early to catch the 7:15 Thruway Coach from San Francisco (Fisherman's Wharf), to take me across the bay to Emeryville. There was enough time here to get a coffee and something to eat, and to see the southbound "Coast Starlight" depart on its way from Seattle to Los Angeles.
On the California Zephyr I was in the front sleeping car, half of which was reserved for crew. It departed on time at 9:10. Much of the route for the first two hours as far as Sacramento was along the shore. We were allowed off the train at Sacramento. I went for lunch at 12:30, and sat with an Englishman who now lived in San Francisco, and liked rail travel (he'd been on the Indian Pacific). I chose the cheeseburger with bacon and salad.
By now the train was climbing steeply into the Sierra Nevada, which was very scenic but trees often prevented photography. There was a delay of over an hour at Truckee, blamed on a problem with equipment. Later in the afternoon we called at Reno, Nevada, where there was time for a photo stop. I sat in the lounge for a time, and had a bottle of Sierra Nevada beer before dinner.
At dinner (5:30 sitting) I sat next to a man originally from Slovenia, but now living in San Francisco. I had the Norwegian salmon with rice, and white wine.
After Winnemucca, time went forward by an hour to Mountain Time and the attendant made up my bed. I listened to some music then settled down soon after 9.
The observation lounge on the "California Zephyr"
We entered Utah during the night and called at Salt Lake City in the early hours.
I rose at about seven in the morning, just after the train had entered Wyoming and went for breakfast, where I chose the pancakes.
We were now off the regular route, and travelling through the sparsely populated prairie lands of southern Wyoming. The train was rarely far from the Interstate 80 road, and every so often the road and railway would pass through a small town, with a few shops and a hotel on the main street. We would not have any scheduled station stop until we were back on the normal route at Denver, in the evening, but a couple of stops were made for crew changes, and at one of these, Green River, I was able to briefly alight from the train.
For lunch I opted for the veggie burger.
The afternoon was much like the morning, with occasional sightings of bison or antelope. To the south were the snow-capped Rocky Mountains.
For my final Amtrak evening meal, I decided to go for what would have been the most expensive main course, had I been paying for it. This was the Field & Sea Combo (steak and shrimps), with a glass of red wine, and followed by pecan pie.
During the late afternoon and evening, progress was slow, with some long signal stops to allow freight trains to pass. We finally arrived in Denver some two hours late, after dark.
After leaving Denver, I advanced my watch to Central Time and retired to my roomette for the night.
Union Station, Denver, Colorado
I had a good night's sleep, and woke on the approach to Omaha, Nebraska. My choice for breakfast was bacon and omelette. There had been a big change in the weather overnight - it was now overcast, and it looked as though it had been raining heavily.
We made slow progress after Omaha, and at one place the driver had to stop to remove a tree branch which had fallen onto the track. At Plattsmouth the train crossed the Missouri to enter Iowa. Our first long station stop of the day was at Toowumba, by which time we were three hours late.
Choices for lunch were limited, and I had the cheeseburger once again.
During the afternoon, passengers with connections to make in Chicago were asked to contract the train staff for advice. We rolled in to Chicago Union station at 5:44 p.m., just under three hours late.
My hotel for the night was the Holiday Inn in Evanston, about 12 miles north of downtown Chicago on the shore of Lake Michigan. To reach it I took the Red line of the "L", changing to the Purple line at Howard. Once checked in, I looked up breweries and found there were no less than 3 in Evanston. I chose the nearest, Smylie Brothers, and had a pizza and a couple of beers there.
The Chicago Marathon was taking place the next morning, but I didn't feel like rushing off to see it. Instead I had a lie in, went for a walk to the lake shore and had a late breakfast at a bagel place. I returned to the hotel to pack and check out just before 12.
I walked to the Metra station at Main St and caught a train into Chicago. I bought a ticket on the train, which was a pre-printed paper ticket, punched by the conductor to show the date and fare paid. It seemed very old-fashioned. The double deck train was just as I remembered them from my 1994 visit, with single seats by the windows on the upper deck, and an open central area so that the conductor can sell tickets while remaining on the lower level. The train arrived into the Ogilvie Transportation Center, one block north of Union station.
Metra trains at the Ogilvie Transportation Center, Chicago
Chicago River
I still had a bit of time to kill so stopped for a coffee on the way to the "L" blue line, which I took from Monroe to O' Hare Airport. This was packed with people, including runners, who had been to the marathon.
I had a comfortable overnight flight back, in business class, to Manchester, from where I caught the train home to York.