First Trip of Amtrak #1 Under New Schedule
It’s official! Amtrak train #1, the westbound Sunset Limited, is a daytime train now.
Today was its first day to operate under its revised schedule. Its new departure time from Houston is 6:55 PM, much more photo-friendly that its previous 9:50 PM departure.
Here’s what it looked like earlier this evening when it passed by the old Imperial Sugar Mill in Sugar Land at 7:29 PM.
Today being such a momentous day in Amtrak history, I felt obligated to capture this event on video as well. </ Hyperbole >
The eastbound Sunset is a daylight train through the Houston area, beginning tomorrow morning. Its new arrival into Houston is 11:10 AM, a welcome change after 3-4 years of a 4:40 AM Houston arrival.
I plan on catching it tomorrow if work and weather cooperate…
Southwest Rails 
Now, if we could only get the Sunset Limited running its entire route again, all the way to Florida. But Amtrak just does not want to restore the service we once had, and is still using the stale old excuse of Hurricane Katrina for keeping the route “suspended.”
Wake up, Amtrak. The tracks are fixed. They have been, for years and their owner, CSX, has welcomed the return of the train.
I guess when your headquarters are back East, inside the Beltway, train service across the Southern tier of states just isn’t very important.
Amtrack would very likely pick up more revenue on the Eastern leg of the #1 than they had before Katrina. Pascagoula no longer has transportation out of town. Since the bus station closed, we now have to go slam to Gulfport or Mobile to catch any ground traffic.
Biloxi does have the airport, but getting to it is another problem.
I arrived San Antonio on 21 and 1 was there with 2 arriving immediately behind us.
It was pandemonium in San Antonio in the wee hours!
In Houston as of this writing (0700)!
Charles
I think a lot more people would catch the train in the Houston area since it arrives during the daylight hours now. Myself included !!!
As always great photography, thanks!!🚂