Welcome aboard the
Texas Eagle, Amtrak's 1,308-mile Superliner journey between Chicago
and San Antonio. As we leave the bustle of Chicago behind us,
The Texas Eagle will pass through the fertile farmlands of Abe
Lincoln's Illinois. Then we'll cross the mighty Mississippi at
St. Louis and continue south through the Missouri Ozarks to Arkansas
and Texas. At Marshall, Texas, we swing due west across pine-frosted,
lake-dotted east Texas. At Fort Worth, our journey turns south
again, through the Texas Hill Country to San Antonio. Another
section continues from Dallas to Houston.
This guide was designed to point out many of the scenic features
you will encounter along the way, and to give you glimpse of the
history behind what you will see.
The guide is written from north to south, noting how many minutes
past the previous Amtrak station you can expect to see a particular
sight, and whether you should look to your right or left. If you're
traveling northward, just begin at San Antonio, or your point
of origin, and read the entries in reverse order. The first time
reference tells you how far that point is from the next Amtrak
station to the north, and the second time is how far it is from
the next Amtrak stop to the south. However, when you're traveling
north, remember to look left when we've indicated to look right,
and right when we've indicated to look left.
Note that all AMTRAK STATIONS are in capital letters to set
them apart from towns and regions through which The Texas Eagle
travels but makes no stop. Use this guide along with an Amtrak
timetable to determine station times. All times in this guide
are approximate.
Whichever direction you're traveling,we hope this guide will
enrich your enjoyment of the trip-with bits of history and lore
to make the varied scenes you'll pass even more memorable souvenirs
of your journey.
CHICAGO "Here is a tall bold slugger set vivid
against the soft little cities," Carl Sandburg wrote of Chicago.
And to this day, Chicago stands tall among American cities, especially
in the importance of its modern architecture. Rebuilding from
the devastating Great Chicago Fire of 1871, Chicago was the birthplace
of the steel-frame skyscraper, and now claims the world's tallest-the
110-story, 1,454 ft. Sears Tower-just two blocks from Union Station.
We'll travel between Chicago and St. Louis via tracks of the
Southern Pacific Lines. As we leave the station and cross the
Chicago River, look back for views of Chicagos skyline. The Chicago
River was largely responsible for Chicago's early settlement,
following the discovery by French explorers Louis Jolliet and
Pere Jacques Marquette in 1673 that the river's arms reached nearly
to the drainage basin of the Mississippi River System, forming
a natural route for early trappers and traders.
BRIDGEPORT (15 MIN./25 MIN.) This heavily industrialized
section of Chicago was settled by Irish immigrants who built the
Illinois and Michigan (I&M) Canal between 1836 and 1848. Bridgeport
was the long life home of the Chicago's late major, Richard J.
Daley.
We briefly parallel the Stevenson Expressway on your right.
WILLOW SPRINGS
(31 MIN./17 MIN.)
In abrupt contrast to the city, numerous deer can often be spotted
in the heavily-wooded forest preserve to our left.
LAMBERT (33 MIN./15 MIN.) We cross the Calumet Sag
Channel, which connects Lake Michigan with the Chicago Sanitary
and Ship Canal. This engineering marvel links the Great Lakes
with the Mississippi, and reverse the direction of the Chicago
river making it flow out of, rather than into, Lake Michigan.
Our route from here to Joliet is through the Illinois and Michigan
Canal National Corridor-a 120-mile long urban cultural park.
LOCKPORT (40 MIN./15 MIN.) Note the restored buildings
on our right as we parallel the old towpath-lined I&M Canal.
JOLIET CORRECTIONAL
CENTER (42 MIN./4 MIN.) On our right.
JOLIET Named for French explorer Louis Jolliet. The
large castle-like native stone building to the left of the station
is a high school. South of Joliet, the Des Plaines River is to
our right, paralleled by the I&M Canal.
We pass between the Des Plaines Conservation Area on our right
and a large U.S. Army arsenal on our left.
PONTIAC This town was named for the
Indian chief who was once very powerful region in this region.
NORMAL (25 MIN./5 MIN.) Named for the teacher's college,
Illinois Normal School, which has become Illinois State University.
The 20,000-student campus is on our right.
FUNKS GROVE
(10 MIN./26 MIN.)
Illinois only stand of virgin timber was donated to the state
by the Eugene Funk (Funk Seeds) family. In late winter, the maple
are studded with sap collecting buckets.
KICKAPOO CREEK
(30 MIN./ 6 MIN.)
We cross north of Lincoln.
LINCOLN The only city named for Lincoln
before his election as President. A statue of a watermelon slice
to the train's left at the south end of the Lincoln depot, commemorates
Abraham Lincoln's christening of the town at this spot, using
the juice of watermelon taken from a nearby cart. As a youth,
Lincoln lived 30 miles west of here at New Salem. It was there
that he unsuccessfully courted Ann Rutledge. The Amtrak train
of that stops here daily.
SANGAMON RIVER
(21 MIN./9 MIN.)
We cross as we approach Springfield.
* SPRINGFIELD *
SPRINGFIELD Near
the geographical center of Illinois, Springfield became that state
capital in 1837 as the result of a campaign led by Abraham Lincoln,
who had recently became a resident. "To this place, and the
kindness of these people, I owe everything," he remarked
as he left for Washington for the last time. Springfield's reminders
of Lincoln are everywhere: the only house he ever owned; the parlor
where he was married; the office where he practiced law; and the
tomb on the northern edge of town where he/ his wife and three
of there children are buried. Just south of Amtrak station is
an excellent view of the State Capitol, to the right,
MACOUPIN CREEK
(7 MIN./25 MIN.)
We cross at Beaver Dam State Park.
ALTON Once a thriving river port,
Alton was the scene of the seventh and last of the Lincoln-Douglas
debates in 1858. Twenty years earlier antislavery, news paper
editor Elijah Lovejoy was lynched here by a proslavery mob.
WOOD RIVER
(1 MIN./38 MIN.)
The Lewis & Clark Expedition camped nearby for a year before
beginning their expedition west. To the distant right (but not
visible) is Lewis & Clark State Park, marking the point where
the Missouri River joins the Mississippi.
MERCHANTS RAILROAD
BRIDGE (20 MIN./17
MIN.) Crossing Mississippi River, we have an excellent view of
the St. Louis skyline on our left, and of the barge traffic on
the river as we leave Illinois and enter Missouri.
EADS BRIDGE
(29 MIN./8 MIN.)
We pass under the bridge, oldest in St. Louis (completed in 1874).
The bridge was designed by James B. Eads, a self-taught engineer.
Eads have never designed a bridge before, but he refused to accept
the belief that the Mississippi was too wide and swift to be bridged
at St. Louis. The bridge's steel spans were the longest that had
ever been built at that time.
BUSCH MEMORIAL
STADIUM (40 MIN./2
MIN.) On our left is the home of the St. Louis Cardinals baseball
and football teams.
* ST.LOUIS *
ST.LOUIS Founded
in 1764 on a site chosen for a fur trading post by Pierre Laclede
Liguest, St. Louis was name for the canonized crusader Louis IX.
Transfer of the Louisiana Territory to the U.S. was made here
in 1804, the same year Lewis & Clark launched their famous
trek westward. By 1817, the first steam boat arrived, and with
it a nearly endless steam of pioneers heading for the Santa Fe,
California and Oregon Trails. St. Louis Forest Park was the site
of the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition, which introduced the
world to ice cream cones and hot dogs. Across from the Amtrak
station, an old warehouse on the right has been transformed into
a whimsical Beaux Arts facade through the technique of trompe
l'oeil (fool the eye) painting - evidence of the civic spirit
that is revitalizing downtown St. Louis. As we leave the station,
the old Union Station is on our right. The station has been gloriously
restored as an elegant hotel and urban shopping mall. From here
to Fort Worth, we travel over the former Missouri Pacific portion
of the Union Pacific Railroad.
MISSISSIPPI
RIVER (33 MIN./200
MIN.) The shipyard of St. Louis ship is on our left. Barges and
towboats are built here for use on the Mississippi, which will
be visible on the left for most of the next twenty miles.
PEVELY (60 MIN./150 MIN.) We leave
the Mississippi. Plentiful driftwood among the trees to our left
remains from numerous floods.
ARKANSAS RIVER
(80 MIN./1 MIN.)
As we cross the river, the State Capitol dome and Little Rock
skyline are visible on our left. The bluffs along the river signal
our entry into hillier, pine-forested terrain.
* LITTLE ROCK *
LITTLE ROCK Called
"La Petite Roche" by early French Explorers, Little
Rock became the territorial capital in 1821. Sometimes called
the "City of Roses," Little Rock has survived the notoriety
it achieved in the early days of school desegregation to become
known as a city of warm hospitality. Just west of the station,
the State Capitol building is again seen on the left.
ARKADELPHIA , once an important steamboat landing, is
the home of Ouachita Baptist College. Four miles west of here
are the archaeologically significant Caddo Indian mounds.
PRESCOTT (30 MIN./50 MIN.) Eight to
ten miles west is the Indian Trail of Tears, followed by Indians
of the East and South when forced to relocate to Oklahoma reservations.
HOMAN (65 MIN./13 MIN.) We begin
to see pecan groves, evidence we are now definitely in the south.
Just east of Texarkana, the razorback hog on the city water tower
honors the high school football team. From here south, virtually
every town's water tower gives testimony to its team loyalty.
