My Weekend Trip to Fort Worth, Texas
Written: Sep 18 '06
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I was invited to Fort Worth, Texas by my granddaughter as she was giving a Welcome Home party for her Marine husband back from Iraq. Now this trip to Fort Worth is a two and half hour drive up Interstate #35 that is heavy with traffic especially on a Friday the day I wanted to leave. I had recently read an article in the Temple, Texas newspaper that Amtrak stops in Temple at the Santa Fe Depot and a cost to Fort Worth would only be $20.00 one way. That intrigued me as for $40.00 it would amount to a tank of gas and would eliminate that drive in traffic.
I checked on the Internet at www.amtrak.com and found a very easy to use web site as all I had to do is put in where I was leaving from and my destination. In checking out the cost I found out they had a senior citizen fare so I discovered my round trip ticket would only cost $27.20. This was a great deal so quickly made my reservation on line. In checking further on their web site I found they had a dinning car and a bar car. I wondered just what they would be serving or would it be vending machines. Anyway as the trip was suppose to cover two and half hours of travel time I would not be using those facilities anyway.
One day as I had business in Temple I decided to check out just where the Santa Fe Depot was located and the web site helped me out again. The map section gave me directions and drove up to this quaint red brick depot with an older Amtrak train sitting on the side tracks. I checked in with the teller and explained that I had ordered my ticket on line but just was checking out direction to the depot. He then checked his computer and found my reservation and proceeded to print me out my tickets. I found they also had a museum in this depot that was very interesting as Temple was an old Santa Fe Railroad town.
The day arrived for my trip as my departure was to be at 12:25 p.m. I was 45 minutes early and found two other passengers were already waiting. This waiting room was rather small but I did not know just how many other people would be riding the train. I settled with my book and soon many more people arrived including a full high school football team including coaches and assistants. I found out they were from Cameron, Texas some 50 miles from Temple for a game in Dallas. This proved interesting as many of them were climbing all over the Amtrak train on the side lines. They were curious and just being teenagers. I began to wonder is this Amtrak would hold us all.
After being a half hour late, the train finally arrived and was I surprised, this was a streamlined train with many cars. It included some double Decker cars plus dinning car plainly printed on the side of that car. I was beginning to regret that I had already had lunch. After lining up behind the football team we started to check in with the porter and as I showed him my ticket he pointed to a car back behind where the football team was headed. I entered this plush car, cool air conditioned with soft upholstered seats. I took the front seat and had open space for my luggage. There was a storage area up above the seating area. Only one other person was on this car and she had boarded in San Antonio and was also going to Fort Worth.
We glided out of the station and I began to read my book again, preparing for a leisurely ride to Fort Worth. The conductor stopped by to check my ticket as the country side glided by. The scenery is not that spectacular as all you see are ranch lands, weeds and trees along the railroad tracks. We made two stops at two small towns of McGregor and Cleburne with only one or two passengers.
The only other passenger in our car asked the conductor about the dining car and he said he would show her the way. When she returned she said she had a delicious hamburger so then I knew I should have waited with my lunch, just to experience the dining car. I knew this experience would have to wait for another trip as the day before I was to leave I had a call from Amtrak to let me know that on my return trip on Sunday they would be working on the tracks and I would have to return to Temple by bus. They said I could wait until Monday and take the train but I knew I needed to get back so agreed to the bus.
As we were approaching Fort Worth I made a cell phone call to my son who was meeting me that we were getting close. He was already at the Fort Worth depot as he said he needed to check it out and how to get there. We were suppose to arrive at 3:30 p.m. but got in at 4:00 to a busy railroad yard with lots of activity and my son waiting. It was a pleasant experience that I will try again.
The weekend was great, greeting my granddaughter Katie and her husband JT plus preparing for the party which was to be Saturday evening. The event was at my son and daughter-in-laws home since the young couple will be purchasing a new home. The party went off well with almost 40 people in attendance. JT loves Mexican food and missed this so much while in Iraq, so fajita fixings were catered along with a Margareta machine. I decided to be the photographer and snapped pictures all evening.
Katie had a special table set up with pictures of their wedding, photographs of the Hawaii stay and military events. JT had his laptop set up on this table with a loop of pictures showing Iraq and the area where he was working with Iraqi soldiers north of Bagdad. These pictures were fascinating as I watched many of his pictures and some of the destruction. He also has many pictures of the Iraqi children and citizen plus the soldiers he was working with. It sure brings this war up close and personal. We are so thankful he is home and safe.
My trip back to Temple on Sunday afternoon was an experience and was so glad I did not have to drive. It started to rain early that morning and rained the whole day. We got to the depot at about 3:15 p.m. as the bus was supposed to leave at 4:00. As we drove up to the depot we saw two buses lined up and figured that was my ride. Finding Amtrak personnel in the lobby she took me out to the bus that would be stopping at Temple. The first bus was for those going to San Antonio while our bus would be stopping at the same stops we had on the way to Fort Worth. My seat was up front and comfortable. Since there would be no food, we were given bottles of water, crackers and pretzels. This was all furnished by Amtrak and we had a conductor riding along to help the driver to find all the stops we had to make.
I was so glad I was not driving my car as we hit heavy rain storms and the traffic was wall to wall cars and trucks on the times we were on Interstate #35. Our driver was great and we arrived in Temple at 6:45 p.m. My car was close by and I piled in my luggage and took off for Salado as the rain had eased off I arrived home safe and sound at 7:00 p.m. I will take this Amtrak train again when I am going to Fort Worth and this time will use the dining car. NEVER BE AFRAID TO TRY SOMETHING NEW IT MAY TURN OUT TO BE A BLESSING!!
Recommended:
Yes
What product did you purchase or try to purchase? Ticket for Weekend trip to Fort Worth
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About the Author
Member: Letta Meinen
Location: Central Texas
Reviews written: 469
Trusted by: 276 members
About Me: Your journey towards a goal starts with that first step.
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