Onboard AMTRAK’s train number 2, the Sunset Limited this morning just out of El Paso, Texas.
I boarded in Tucson, Arizona early this morning.
The train finally arrived in Tucson around 2:15 a.m. MST. The beautifully restored Spanish style station is a nice backdrop to the modern trainset.
The train was refueled and we left Tucson about 2:45 a.m., nearly one and one half hours late.
Woke up this morning to a loud roaring sound under the sleeping car I was in. Compartment 12 on car 230 was filled with noise, made even worse since that bedroom is on the lower level of the bi-level car. It was apparently loose ballast that had been recently installed on the tracks.
It was around 6:30, and we were east of Lordsburg, New Mexico, racing toward Deming. Here was a beautiful scene at speed from my compartment with the moon in the west as the sun rose.
I shaved and brushed my teeth and headed for the dining car. The attendant sits you with other people, which is one of my favorite parts of the trip.
I was paired with Nancy and Gar, from southern California. She works for American Airlines. He is a truck driver for various bands that tour. He is currently with Coldplay. We had a great breakfast, chatting about their trip to New Orleans and Hurricane Katrina. I had a delicious omelette with grits and biscuits. Our server was very amiable and attentive.
By the time we finished, we were sliding through Las Cruces, New Mexico, just minutes from the station stop at El Paso, Texas. The train was there about 15 minutes, giving us time to tour the beautiful station, which was designed by Daniel Burnham, the same man who designed Washington’s Union Station, the most spectacular terminal in the U.S.
Here is the interior of the station:
Here are my new friends Nancy and Gar outside the train at El Paso…
This is the sleeping car attendant, Julie, who is in charge of my car.
Here are some photos of the train consist…
