Tucson, AZ – Sabino Canyon Recreation Area

While in Tucson, Arizona, we took a hike in the Sabino Canyon Recreation Area.

Lots of saguaro cacti.

Tucson, AZ – Tucson Amtrak Station

Our final stop on the Texas Eagle was Tucson, Arizona.

Low light night photo of the train.

Amtrak 1 Sunset Limited & 421 Texas Eagle – Mexico

From the train we had some nice views of Mexico and the US / Mexico border wall.

We got to see some gorgeous mountains to our south.

El Paso, TX – Union Depot

At El Paso, Texas we had around a 30 minute stop to stretch our legs. There was also a woman selling burritos who is well known to the train crew and regulars.

At this point our train had two engines, a baggage car, two sleeper cars in the front, a dining car, a cafe / lounge car, three or four coaches, and then our sleeping car in the rear.

Amtrak 1 Sunset Limited & 421 Texas Eagle – Superliner Sleeper Car

After San Antonio the Sunset Limited and the Texas Eagle had joined together I took some images during the afternoon. I decided to take some photos out of the back of the train of the tracks as we were traveling.

Lots of open sky and single track.

San Antonio, TX – The HemisFair District

On our walk back to the San Antonio Station we walked back through The HemisFair District.

San Antonio has a tower that was rather pretty at night, the Tower of the Americas.

San Antonio, TX – The Alamo

While we were in San Antonio we payed a brief visit to The Alamo.

Unfortunately we only got to see The Alamo in the dark.

San Antonio, TX – River Walk

San Antonio, Texas, has a very nicely developed River Walk with shops and restaurants.

Lots of low light photography and lots of bridges.

San Antonio, TX – Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center

In San Antonio, Texas the Texas Eagle meets the Sunset Limited on its way from New Orleans, LA to Los Angeles, CA. The Sunset Limited is not a daily train. Our sleeper car and one of the coaches got disconnected from the train for through service to Los Angeles and put on a siding and coupled to power while the rest of our original train prepares to turn around and return to Chicago.

San Antonio is a long stop. It is an over four hour stop for the train.

Temple, TX – Temple Station

We had a brief smoking break and stretch your leg break in Temple, Texas. There was also a miniature railway museum with some also engines and rail stock. Since this was another short stop I did not get to walk very far in terms of exploration.

Primarily old Santa Fe railroad stock that looks like it could use a new coat of paint.

Dallas, TX – EBJ Union Station

Our first stop, while we were awake, during which we could get off the train, was Dallas Texas at the EBJ Union Station. We really enjoyed being able to stretch out legs. The station was a meeting place of the DART Light Rail, Trinity Railway Express, and Amtrak.

Not quite the most urban central train station I have been to.

Amtrak 21-421 Texas Eagle – Superliner Sleeper Car Bedroom C

In Chicago we boarded the Texas Eagle. While we were in Chicago we checked our largest bag through to our final destination in Tucson, AZ. This train was our home for the majority of our 80 hour journey by train.

The Texas Eagle using Superliner cars has less vertical and window space than the Viewliner car.

Chicago, IL – Jackson Blvd

We primarily walked along Jackson Blvd in Chicago for our errands.

I got a nice photo down the Chicago River.

Chicago, IL – Union Station

The second major stop, and our first layover between trains, was at Chicago's Union Station. We walked around and took some pictures of Union Station. We then ran some errands and grabbed a bite to eat.

I have always loved the Great Hall.

Rensselaer, NY – Rensselaer Rail Station

The first stop where we got to get off the train and take a walk around was at Rensselaer, NY. We walked around the Rensselaer Rail Station for 40 or so minutes while waiting to meet the half of the Lake Shore Limited coming from the New York, NY.

We walked around and took pictures of the platform, station, and some of the area around the station.

Amtrak 49-449 Lake Shore Limited – Viewliner Sleeper Car Bedroom B

For Thanksgiving this year we spent it in Tucson, AZ with my wife's family. Rather than flying out we took Amtrak trains in sleeper cars. From Boston, MA to Chicago, IL we took the Lake Shore Limited.

When you get the Bedroom from Amtrak you have a stow-able chair across from the larger bench.