On October 12, 2006, I took a trip on Amtrak's Texas Eagle No. 21 from Little Rock, Arkansas to Temple, Texas, returning Temple to Little Rock on Monday, October 16 on Amtrak No. 22. Here are a few photos from that trip, including a spectacular sunrise from the train while between Prescott, Arkansas and Texarkana, Arkansas/Texas on October 12. I also got a great shot of the Dallas skyline relfected from the glass of the Reunion Tower Hilton from my coach seat on October 16. Also a shot of LLPX No. 2272 at Texarkana on October 12 - a blue and white locomotive looking a lot like the old Rock Island paint scheme.
   The train left Little Rock about an hour late at 5:20 a.m. October 12. There was a lady traveling the country on Amtrak from Great Britain who boarded at Little Rock. On the return trip, a man from Australia got off in Little Rock who was also traveling the country via Amtrak. He was eventually headed to Canada.
   Also on the return trip, a grandmother got on in Temple on her first train trip in years, going to Malvern, Arkansas to visit grandkids. She was calling her children from a cell phone from the coach seat and was saying that she was loving the trip and they all talked about taking the grandkids on an Amtrak trip in the next few months to visit her in Temple. Her family here in Arkansas was supposed to meet her at the Malvern station and she kept calling them and they said they'd be there. However, as I looked out the train window when the train finally arrived at Malvern at 1 a.m. October 17, I couldn't see anyone there to meet her, although I assume they were out of view. The Malvern station isn't that easy to find for first time visitors. I was worried about her being there alone that time of night - Malvern is an unmanned station with waiting provided in an area on the west side of the depot. I hope she made it ok.
   All these photos by Ken Ziegenbein.



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LEFT-Pre-dawn sunrise from a coach window of Amtrak's Texas Eagle heading to Texas, somewhere between Prescott and Texarkana, Arkansas on October 12, 2006. RIGHT-We were going at track speed of 79 mph near Hope, Arkansas October 12 when the sun was about it make its debut. Superliners sway quite a bit when traveling this fast, as least in southwest Arkansas and east Texas.




From the window at Texarkana about 8:04 a.m. Oct 12.


LEFT- I saw this locomotive almost looking like an old Rock Island unit. It's LLPX (Locomotive Leasing Partners) No. 2272. Anyone know it's origin? RIGHT-Arrived at Marshall, Texas at 10:36 a.m.


LEFT-Getting ready to back into the Fort Worth, Texas station at 2:33 p.m., actually early. This is near the famous Tower 55 crossing.  RIGHT-The Heardland Flyer arrives from Oklahoma City in Fort Worth at 2:46 p.m.

CLICK ON ANY PHOTO TO ENLARGE. Or to veiw the entire site with larger photos, click on:
http://www.trainweather.com/txeagleoct2006-broadband.html


LEFT-This interurban car that was restored, and is now on display at the Fort Worth Intermodal Station, is a Northern Texas Traction Crimson Limited Interurban Car. (Not Texas Electric as I had originally said). Thanks to Andy Nold, RPLS, for the correction on August 13, 2009.  RIGHT-Trinity Railway Express arriving in Fort Worth.

We had to wait in Fort Worth until 4 p.m. to leave due to the schedule. However, we were still late into Temple because someone let a BNSF coal train leave Fort Worth just ahead of us at 4 p.m. The conductor announced that BNSF had said there was too much freight traffic that day and we would be delayed. We went slowly along, stopping every once in a while due to the coal train ahead of us. Finally, just before we got to McGregor, the coal train took a siding and we passed it, going at track speed then to Temple. I can't understand why we had to follow that coal train since it had to take the siding later on anyway, so it didn't arrive at its destination any sooner had it followd us.


Jumping ahead to Monday, October 16, 2006 in the Amtrak ticket room on the north end of the Temple station, now a great museum. (here are my photos of that museum):
http://www.trainweather.com/templemuseum.html


LEFT-It was pouring rain. I'm looking at part of the museum's display. The Amtrak Sleeper is part of the displays.  RIGHT-The train left Temple about 45 mintes late at 1:15 p.m. We arrived in Fort Worth at 4:20 p.m. Congressmen and Senators need to visit Chicago or Fort Worth/Dallas at train time to verify that the trains are NOT empty.


LEFT-Our lead locomotive was No. 138. The Heartland Flyer is to the left.  RIGHT-One of our dining car crew members.


LEFT-From my Superliner coach window in Dallas at 5:39 p.m. October 16, showing the Dallas skyline reflection from the Reunion Tower hotel complex. RIGHT-Zipping along in East Texas on my way home. UP basically gave us the railroad on this day as we didn't have any freight delays all the way to Little Rock.