My wife and I just completed a caoch roundtrip from Shreveport to Chicago on Amtrak (Thruway to/from Shreveport connecting with the Texas Eagle at Longview, TX). The thruway operator said that his passenger loads were at or near full capacity recently compared to pre-high gas price times when few used the service.
Northbound (Amtrak east) the Eagle, No.22, was 4 hours late departing Longview and arrived in Chicago almost 4 hours to the minute late proving that the scheduled running time between the two points is doable. I had expected it would lose more time northbound from Longview and was surprised that the UP dispatchers apparently made a concerted effort to prevent that from happening. The delay was due to a freight derailment blocking the line in or around Austin so southbound No. 21 had been annulled south of Ft. Worth where its consist was turned around and ran north as No. 22 that day.
About 40 passengers boarded at Longview which included those of us from Shreveport and a number who came on the Thruway connection from Houston. The waiting room in the old T&P station in Longview has seats for only about 25 and needs to be enlarged to handle current passenger volumes. Since the weather was nice a number of us chose to sit at the several wrought iron patio tables located on the outside platform. Had it been cold or raining it would have been SRO inside and a miserable wait for the train. Because of the delay Amtrak had pizzas brought in for all the passengers which was an unexpected but nice touch.
The Superliner consist was transition sleeper, sleeper, two coaches, diner, sightseer lounge and two more coaches; eight cars in all. I understand the sleepers were completely full and would estimate coach occupancy at about 70% both ways.
All cars and restrooms were surprisingly clean, well stocked and comfortable. The ride was smooth and heading southbound two of our tablemates in the diner commented how much better the Eagle rode than did the train they had taken from