How are the through cars transferred from the Texas Eagle to the Sunset Limited in San Antonio? Hopefully 4merroad4man can respond to this question. Since you are one of the Eagle engineers working the train between Austin and San Antonio, I presume you can describe the transfer process for us wannabe or would have been railroaders.
I have taken the Eagle through San Antonio to or from points west of there at least 15 times. But I have always been asleep when they transfer the cars. Well, sometimes the coupling was not super smooth and I woke for a minute, but it did not last. I sleep like a log.
At one time, if I remember correctly, Amtrak had a contract switcher in San Antonio that transferred the cars. Now, however, I am under the impression that they switch the cars using the power on the Eagle and Sunset. Is this correct?
At one time the Eagle through coach and sleeper were coupled to or uncoupled from the back of the Sunset? Is this still the case or is the through sleeper placed at the front of the train and the coach on the back of the train?
Samantha wrote: How are the through cars transferred from the Texas Eagle to the Sunset Limited in San Antonio? Hopefully 4merroad4man can respond to this question. Since you are one of the Eagle engineers working the train between Austin and San Antonio, I presume you can describe the transfer process for us wannabe or would have been railroaders. I have taken the Eagle through San Antonio to or from points west of there at least 15 times. But I have always been asleep when they transfer the cars. Well, sometimes the coupling was not super smooth and I woke for a minute, but it did not last. I sleep like a log. At one time, if I remember correctly, Amtrak had a contract switcher in San Antonio that transferred the cars. Now, however, I am under the impression that they switch the cars using the power on the Eagle and Sunset. Is this correct? At one time the Eagle through coach and sleeper were coupled to or uncoupled from the back of the Sunset? Is this still the case or is the through sleeper placed at the front of the train and the coach on the back of the train?
They done the same way. Put the cars of the Eagle on the back of Sunset train.
Cars are cut off No. 2 and left for No. 22 to take north. There is a yard crew that performs this function each night of that connection. No. 21 gives up two cars for No. 1 and again, the yard crew performs this function, except that No. 1 generally backs into the depot to pick them up.
Station power provides the necessary lighting and such during the layover.
There is no switch engine assigned to San Antonio; rather the road power off 21/22 is used most nights.
It is a tribute to the yard crews who work the train, that the general switching and couplings are, for the most part, feather smooth, especially given the fact that they are using locomotives that are not specifically designed for switching operations.
4merroad4man wrote: Cars are cut off No. 2 and left for No. 22 to take north. There is a yard crew that performs this function each night of that connection. No. 21 gives up two cars for No. 1 and again, the yard crew performs this function, except that No. 1 generally backs into the depot to pick them up.Station power provides the necessary lighting and such during the layover.There is no switch engine assigned to San Antonio; rather the road power off 21/22 is used most nights.It is a tribute to the yard crews who work the train, that the general switching and couplings are, for the most part, feather smooth, especially given the fact that they are using locomotives that are not specifically designed for switching operations.
Thanks for the information. It is helpful. I wonder if you could add a little more detail.
When Number 21 arrives in San Antonio, unless there has been a recent change in the train's car order, the transition sleeper and through sleeper are behind the engine in that order, followed by the dining car, lounge car, and two or three coaches, including the through coach.
How are the through sleeper and coach positioned so that Number 1 can pick them up? When Number 1 picks-up the through sleeper, does it put it behind the transition sleeper or the New Orleans sleeper, or does it put the through sleeper and coach on the back of the train, which is the way they used to do it?
I saw Number 1 just outside of Alpine last month, but I forgot to mentally record whether both sleepers were on the front of the train or the New Orleans sleeper was up front and the Eagle sleeper was on the back.
Your spot on about the feather smooth switching. I have slept through the process at least 10 times. I don't remember ever being jarred awake by the switching routine.
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