September 4, 2019:

 

            I got up and got dressed. I went to the lobby for breakfast. After breakfast I walked a few blocks and bought a Sun Metro day pass from the BRIO station. I caught a BRIO bus to the terminal next to the car barn. At the terminal I photographed a light engine movement down the street.

 

 

 

            I photographed PCC #1504 as it went into service.

 

 

            The day before, I overheard someone with the ERA group ask which bus went by the Wal-Mart where a mass shooting happened and was told route #59. I decided to go by there. I photographed the bus on route #59 before I got on.

 

 

            The route #59 is an express bus that travels part way on the highway. There is a bus terminal near the Wal-Mart where the shooting occurred. There was a memorial nearby where people left flowers.

 

            After a few minutes, I boarded a bus on Sun Metro route #50 to head back downtown. The route #50 is a more local route that goes past El Paso’s airport.

 

            After awhile, I saw a mall. I got off the bus and walked over. This mall has a Dave and Buster’s. I went in there.

 

            Even though my Dave and Buster’s card from my local restaurant didn’t work in Albany on my 2018 Adirondack trip, I got it replaced the next time I went to my local Dave and Buster’s. I wondered if my new card would work however it didn’t.

 

            I bought lunch at the mall and looked around before I walked back to the bus stop and caught a route #50 bus back downtown.

 

            Once downtown, I photographed some PCCs.

 

 

 

            I then walked to the BNSF yard and photographed some locomotives.

 

 

 

            I then walked back to the streetcar stop and photographed PCC #1504 when it arrived.

 

 

            I rode #1504 for a distance before I got off and filmed the car. I then went back to my hotel for a couple hours and worked on this report some more.

 

            I went out a couple hours later. I was wondering if there was an additional BRIO route so I went to investigate. Despite the stops, no BRIO bus came. I did see one of the buses done to look like a streetcar in service. I photographed it.

 

 

 

            I then photographed an electrical box with a cartoon of PCC #1506 painted on it.

 

 

            I then made my way back to the terminal next to the car barn. I photographed PCC #1504 and C35LF #0414 before I got on the latter.

 

 

 

            I rode to a street above the El Paso Amtrak station and got off. I attempted to photograph #0414 as it pulled away.

 

 

 

            I then walked by the Amtrak station. There is a stadium nearby and there was a baseball game happening. Some people from the ERA were attending. I was not. I walked past a closed museum that had a steam locomotive on display. I attempted to photograph.

 

            I slowly made my way to my hotel and stopped for dinner. At one point, I photographed a Union Pacific freight in the yard.

 

 

            I eventually made my way back to my hotel and called it a night.

 

September 5, 2019:

 

            I got up and got dressed. I went downstairs for breakfast. After breakfast I went up to my room and finished packing. I went online and saw Amtrak’s eastbound Sunset Limited was running 2+ hours late; great…

 

            I then checked out of my hotel and walked to the BRIO stop. I bought a day pass and caught a BRIO bus to the terminal next to the car barn. I photographed a Sun Metro NABI bus in the older livery and PCC #1504 as the car went into service.

 

 

 

            I saw Russ who would be sharing a room with me on the Sunset Limited/Texas Eagle to Fort Worth. Russ told me something I wasn’t aware of: Another El Paso PCC was in a lot nearby and gave me a nearby intersection. I decided to investigate.

 

            I walked a few blocks. It took some time to find the intersection but I eventually found what I was looking for. I photographed El Paso PCC #1510 in front of a business.

 

 

 

 

 

            The business that #1510 is in front of appeared to be for sale. However, I don’t think #1510 is long for this world. Of the 20 cars that ran in El Paso, at least 11 still exist including #1510. The other 10 are the six cars in service right now, the three additional cars that are in storage awaiting rebuilding, and one car at the Baltimore Streetcar Museum that is painted as a Baltimore PCC.

 

            I then made my way back to the terminal. I photographed PCCs 1515 and 1511.

 

 

 

            After awhile, I rode PCC #1511 up to the Glory Road Transit Center. I got off and photographed the car.

 

 

 

            I then caught a bus and rode to the Wendy’s I ate at a couple days earlier. After lunch, I caught a BRIO bus back to the Glory Road Transit Center.

 

            Once I got back to the Glory Road Transit Center, I waited for the next streetcar to arrive. PCC #1504 came. I photographed it before I got on.

 

 

            I boarded #1504 and the car departed. I rode to the stop close to my second hotel. I got off and photographed the car.

 

 

            I filmed the car pulling away and walked over to a bridge overlooking the Union Pacific main line. I got a call on my cell phone from Amtrak telling me that as a result of the Sunset Limited running late; I would be bussed from El Paso to Fort Worth. Ugh, this is a repeat of my 2006 Arizona Trip!

 

            I photographed a Union Pacific freight train with six locomotives.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

            I then phoned home and let my mom know what was happening. I walked back to the streetcar stop.

 

            PCC #1506 passed, but the car was out of service and still damaged from its collision with a vehicle. I filmed the car passing. This would be the only time I saw either #1506 or #1512 on the line.

 

            PCC #1514 came. I rode the car to the terminal downtown and photographed the car once I got off.

 

 

            I filmed #1514 pulling away. I then photographed some BNSF locomotives.

 

 

            I photographed PCC #1511 as it left the car barn.

 

 

            I then walked a block to the streetcar stop close to the U.S-Mexico border and photographed PCC #1515 when it came.

 

 

            I ended up riding one stop before I saw some people from the ERA group and got off. I photographed #1515.

 

 

            I had heard that Russ was upset to learn that we would be on a bus instead of the train tonight. I ended up going by the Doubletree the ERA was staying at. I saw a chartered highway coach arrive with a sports team getting off. I photographed the bus.

 

 

            I went into a nearby library and used the Wi-Fi. After I left, I made my way to the Amtrak station and talked with the station agent. He confirmed that I would be on a bus leaving at 10:00 pm. I begrudgingly accepted the fact. I photographed a mural in the station

 

 

            I went outside and photographed some freight trains.

 

 

 

 

            I thought I had a lot of time. I decided to head out to an Arby’s near the mall I had lunch at the day before. I made my way to the terminal and caught a route #59 bus to the terminal near where mass shooting happened. On the way we passed by the Union Pacific rail yard. I photographed what I believe is a yard slug.

 

 

            Shortly after I arrived at the terminal, I got a call on my cell phone. It was from Amtrak telling me a change of plans. The new plan was that I would ride the train to San Antonio and take a bus up to Dallas. This was much better because Russ and I were sharing a bedroom to Fort Worth which would be better than a seat on a bus.

 

            I phoned my mom to let her know of the change in plans. I also realized I had to get back to the Amtrak station sooner than later. I caught the next route #59 bus back downtown.

 

            I wasn’t sure if Russ got the message about the change of plans. I saw him on PCC #1514 and waved at him trying to get him to get off. However, he was still on the car. I photographed #1514.

 

 

            I caught the next streetcar back to the first hotel we stayed at looking for Russ. I went to the hotel I spent my first night in El Paso looking for him. I also tried phoning him without success. I then made my way to the Amtrak station because I didn’t want to risk missing the train.

 

            Once at the station I confirmed what was happening with the station attendant. He said I would be on the train to San Antonio. Russ wasn’t at the station but other people from the ERA were there.

 

            I went outside and photographed a Union Pacific freight train with Herzog hopper cars.

 

 

 

 

 

 

            At one point, Russ arrived so he wasn’t going to miss the train. However by now the train was running over four hours late.

 

            Several calls to Julie later, the train’s arrival was pushed back. A local vendor selling burritos came by but I didn’t buy. I decided to try to get something on the train.

 

            Amtrak train #2 finally arrived five hours late. I filmed the train pulling in and photographed it.

 

 

 

 

            People couldn’t board right away as to let people getting off in El Paso disembark as well as to get their luggage for those who checked bags to El Paso. We were eventually allowed to board.

 

            Russ and I had room #13 in Superliner 1 sleeping car #32042. This was ironically the same room I had when I rode east on the 12 hour late Sunset back in 2006. I also noticed that every Superliner from the Transition sleeper to the Sightseer Lounge was a Superliner 2 car and everything behind the lounge was a Superliner 1 coach.

 

            The train departed El Paso at 9:01 pm; 5.5 hours late. Russ and I went to the dining car which was still serving for dinner. We were also joined by someone else from the ERA. It was at this point I learned why the train was so late.

 

            Shortly after the train left Los Angeles the day before, a freight train in front of it struck a car resulting in a fatality. The Amtrak could not get around it and was forced to wait.

 

            Over the next hour or so I went between the room and the sightseer lounge. After awhile, Russ and I decided to call it a night. I ended up taking the top bunk. There wasn’t a lot of room up there and I couldn’t sit up straight. I managed to somehow make it work. I set an alarm for 6:00 am and called it a night.

 

September 6, 2019:

 

            Russ and I got up at 6:00 am and got dressed. We went to the dining car for breakfast. While we were having breakfast, the train stopped at Del Rio, Texas; the final stop before San Antonio.

 

            After breakfast, I went back to my room to pack before we got to San Antonio. I went to the sightseer lounge. At one point I was speaking with Russ about Amtrak and the fatal 2017 derailment of Amtrak Cascades train #501 in Dupont, Washington came up.

 

            Train #501 derailed on what was supposed to be the maiden run on the new Point Defiance Bypass which was intended to save 10 minutes on Amtrak’s Cascade service and the Coast Starlight replacing the route taken along the Puget Sound that I rode back in 2016. The train took a curve with a speed of 30 MPH at a speed of 80 MPH and derailed. Three people were killed. As it was Russ happened to know two of them.

 

            As we came in towards San Antonio, we passed the airport. I saw the tail fins of several grounded 737 Max jets parked there. One of the planes belonged to Air Canada. Another was from an airline in China. I attempted to take some photos.

 

 

 

            The 737 Max jets have been grounded since spring following two fatal crashes which killed a total of 346 people. The reason for the crashes was malfunctioning software which was supposed to keep the planes from stalling pushed the planes into dives that couldn’t be recovered from. However, Delta Airlines doesn’t have any 737 Max jets in their fleet so my trip was unaffected.

 

            We were soon approaching San Antonio. I got my stuff ready to get off. I got off and photographed the train as Russ and I walked to meet the bus.

 

 

 

 

 

 

            I then attempted to photograph former Southern Pacific steam locomotive #794 which is on display at the station.

 

 

            This was pretty much deja-vu from my Arizona Trip as I was bussed to Dallas back then to meet the Texas Eagle. However as I would learn on this trip we would be making all stops the Texas Eagle would make instead of going straight to Dallas. People connecting to the Texas Eagle would be bussed directly to Longview to meet the train there. Longview is the stop after Dallas.

 

            When the bus arrived, I photographed it.

 

 

            The bus was full and I found it pretty cramped. The bus soon departed. I attempted to use the Wi-Fi on the bus which didn’t work at first. However, it eventually did.

 

            The bus stopped at St. Marcos and Austin. At Austin, we were allowed to go into the station building to use the washroom and the vending machines. I took advantage. We soon got back on the highway and I saw a rail line in the median of the highway. I had heard Austin had some sort of rail transportation that uses Diesel multiple unit cars like what OC Transpo does on the original O-train. However I didn’t see anything as we left Austin.

 

            The bus stopped at Taylor.

 

            Later, we pulled off the highway for lunch. We were at a place called “Buc-Ee’s”. This was a large retailer with a large gas station which had 120 pumps! (Yes, one hundred twenty pumps!) I took some photos.

 

 

 

With 120 gas pumps, this is the largest gas station I’ve seen!

 

 

            I bought a grilled cheese sandwich and fries from a restaurant in the store. I also bought some candy. I have to say, I was impressed; even though I would never have come by there normally.

 

            We got back on the bus and we departed. The bus made stops at Temple, McGregor, and Cleburne. Russ and his friend were going to Fort Worth to connect to Amtrak’s Heartland Flyer train to Oklahoma City. Russ was worried that they would miss it. The Amtrak crew said they wouldn’t.

 

            Had the Sunset Limited been close to on time, our sleeper and a coach would have been coupled up to the Texas Eagle. Russ and I were ticketed to Fort Worth so he could connect to the Heartland Flyer. I had bought a coach seat from Fort Worth to Dallas.

 

            The bus was soon approaching Fort Worth. We arrived at the station. The Heartland Flyer was in the station. Russ and his friend were going to make it. I said goodbye to Russ and he left. I was now on my own for the rest of the trip.

 

            The bus departed Fort Worth and got on the Highway. We passed Six Flags over Texas. It looked fun, but I would not go to the park during this trip.

 

            The bus arrived at Dallas Union Station around 6:00 pm. I got off and photographed the bus.

 

 

            I then went to the DART station. When I came to Dallas in 2009, I had bought a week long pass. I checked the fare machine. There was a day pass, but no weekly pass. I decided to buy a day pass and went to the DART office two stops away. I photographed the next DART train.

 

 

            I rode two stops to the DART office but found it closing for the weekend. I resolved to simply buy a day pass every day. I then went back to the station to go to my hotel.

 

            Since I was in Dallas in 2009, two additional light rail lines had opened up: The Green line and the Orange line. The Green line was well under construction when I visited in 2009. Both Green and Orange lines were taking me to where I was going. A Green Line train arrived first. I photographed it before I got on.

 

 

            The Orange line and the Western part of the Green line run past the American Airlines Center past a station which in 2009 was used only on special events.

 

            The lines run past Love field which is Dallas’ national airport like Reagan Airport in Washington DC that I’ve flown into and out of on previous trips.

 

            I got off the train at Burbank station and caught a bus on route #525 to my hotel. I was staying at a Ramada Inn which was a couple blocks from the hotel I stayed at in 2009. Back then it was an Econo Lodge. It is now a Motel 6.

 

            I checked into my hotel and went to my room. I phoned home and let my mom know I was finally in Dallas. I then phoned John Landrum at the McKinney Avenue Transit Authority.

 

            Like McKinney Avenue Transit Authority’s other active cars, PCC #4614 has been given a name. #4614 has been named Margaret. I was told that the car was undergoing mechanical work.

 

            A little while later, I decided to head out. I made my way to the Burbank DART station and caught a train to St. Paul station. In the 10 years since I was at Dallas, McKinney’s line has been extended. It used to end at a stub end. The line now has a loop at the far end that serves the St. Paul DART station. As a result, single ended cars like #4614 can run.

 

            At St. Paul, I walked to where the McKinney line stops and waited. The sun had gone down. Car #186 came. Car #186 is an original Dallas car and is named the Green Dragon. It was the car I had ridden on the most last time I was in Dallas. I photographed #186 before I got on.

 

 

            I rode #186 to McKinney’s car barn. I got off and walked to the barn. The doors were closed but I looked through the windows. I could see car #369; Matilda, and #189; Rosie undergoing work. Neither car looked like it would go out in the near future. I also caught a glimpse of PCC #4614.

 

            I then walked back to the stop and waited for the next car. The next car to come was #636; Petunia. I had seen #636 on the line on my last trip to Dallas, but didn’t ride the car.

 

            I rode Petunia to Cityplace. At the Cityplace station, McKinney installed a turntable. It is mainly for single ended cars, but the double ended cars also use it. I took some pictures and videos of #636 being spun on the turntable.

 

 

 

 

 

            I then filmed #636 departing and went into the station. I saw the incline elevator which I had only ever seen at Cityplace station was out of service for maintenance. I got on a DART train and rode a few stops. I got off and ate dinner at a McDonald’s near the station.

 

            I then got on a light rail train and rode to Burbank station. I boarded a bus on route #29 but found it didn’t go anywhere near my hotel. I backtracked and made my way back to my hotel. I eventually set an alarm for 8:30 am and called it a night.

 

Click for my first two full days in Dallas:    Dallas weekend