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My apartment is next to the former SP line in west Houston. This is a section of double track on what is primarily a single track line. The "Sunset Limited" trains 1 and 2 are triweekly because of lack of political interest on the part most of the Congressional delegations from the Sunbelt states. The westbound train is due in at 903pm and is supposed to leave at 918pm. I usually see #1 sometime betwwen 1030pm and a little past midnight. The eastbound train is due in at 1045am and out by 1055am. Most of the time I see #2 in the late morning or early afternoon. The actual time varies from almost on time to around sundown. Today, Friday 2-6-04 I heard a passenger train coming and saw the EASTBOUND at around 11pm! That takes the cake: over half a day late! Then the westbound came through about 1130 or 1145pm as usual. When UP bought out the SP/D&RGW, I thought that the UP would show'em how grownup railroads are run. When I rode the "San Francisco Zephyr" across UP's Wyoming racetrack in the '70's and "The Pioneer" in Idaho and Oregon in the "80's I was favorably impressed. Nowadays, the old SP line across Texas is all welded rail maintained to high standards, and most of it has CTC. The freight cars and diesels that I see look to be in fairly good shape, far better than the SP of the '70's that drove Amtrak nuts. There is far more through freight traffic than ever before, but there is alot less local freight. Most of the lumber yards, warehouses, feed mills, rice dryers, sand/gravel/concrete plants have closed or are no longer rail-served. All this points to a faster tempo of operations which should keep passenger trains on time. It does not seem to be the case. Rarely does weather play a major factor around here.
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