121-569: The Sunset Limited is a long-distance passenger train run by Amtrak , operating on a 1,995-mile (3,211 km) route between New Orleans and Los Angeles . Major stops include Houston , San Antonio and El Paso in Texas, as well as Tucson, Arizona . Opening in 1894 through the Southern Pacific Railroad , the Sunset Limited is the oldest continuously operating named train in
242-450: A Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday circuit. The times allow several 7- to 12-hour rides between major-city pairs; for example, overnight between Tucson or Maricopa (for Phoenix) and Los Angeles in both directions. While most Amtrak trains saw service reductions in 2020–2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic , the Sunset Limited and its existing sub-daily schedule were not affected. The Texas Eagle
363-453: A daily Sunset Limited , Amtrak would need to pay $ 750 million for infrastructure improvements. Passenger totals would double with daily service, according to the PRIIA study that looked at Texas Eagle / Sunset Limited service. It forecast an incremental improvement of more than 100,000 passengers from the daily service, which is already running in excess of 100,000 a year. In the meantime,
484-531: A dozen subfreezing nights each year, typically seeing snow, sleet, or freezing rain about once every two or three winters, but accumulation and snow itself are very rare. Winters may pass without any frozen precipitation at all, and up to a decade has passed between snowfalls. According to the National Weather Service , there have been 32 instances of snowfall (a trace or more) in the city in the past 122 years, about once every four years. Prior to 2021 snow
605-405: A federal grant to increase Sunset Limited service to operate daily. Since its Wellton Branch closure, officials have intermittently considered different options for how to reopen the line and restore Sunset Limited direct passenger service to Phoenix and potentially launching intercity service to LA. The most recent study was conducted by ADOT in an effort to understand the existing condition of
726-463: A fee. However, baggage and bikes cannot be checked at certain unstaffed stations. Small dogs and cats in carriers are allowed on trips shorter than seven hours for an additional fee. Service animals are exempt from pet restrictions. All long-distance routes have café car service offering takeaway meals, snacks, drinks, and alcohol. As of 2023 , sleeping car passengers also have access to one of two types of restaurant-style dining. Traditional Dining
847-752: A maximum of 52.28 inches (1,328 mm) and a minimum of 10.11 inches (256.8 mm) in one year. See or edit raw graph data . The U.S. Census Bureau 's 2020 census determined San Antonio had a population of 1,434,625 residents in 2020. In 2019, the American Community Survey estimated San Antonio had a racial makeup of 88.4% White, 6.6% Black and African American, 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.8% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander, 0.2% some other race and 1.7% two or more races. Ethnically, 64.5% were Hispanic or Latin American of any race. In 2020, its racial and ethnic makeup
968-604: A project to return Sunset Limited service to Phoenix, paired with increasing the route's frequency to once-daily service. In December 2023, as a part of the Corridor Identification and Development Program , the Federal Government awarded a $ 500,000 grant to the State of Arizona to study Phoenix–Tucson passenger rail . The new rail line plan would send trains from Tucson to the far East Valley, through downtown and on to
1089-554: A quality that only New Orleans could rival in what he described as "odd and antiquated foreignness." Following the Civil War, San Antonio prospered as a center of the cattle industry. During this period, it remained a frontier city, with a mixture of cultures that was different from other U.S. cities. German immigrants founded smaller surrounding towns such as New Braunfels , Castroville , Boerne , Comfort , Fredericksburg , and Bulverde , all towns far out from San Antonio. However,
1210-529: A request for service restoration along the Gulf. It said that it could not apply for the Federal Railroad Administration 's (FRA) fiscal-year 2017 Consolidated Rail Infrastructure Safety and Improvements (CRISI) funding because Alabama and Mississippi were unwilling to assist with funds. Alabama's share would have been $ 5.3 million. The Louisiana governor, on the other hand, was willing to provide
1331-551: A solution, Congress created Amtrak, a government-owned company, to operate intercity rail as a public service. Most railroads opted-in and transferred their passenger rail operations to Amtrak on May 1, 1971. After the Southern Railway opted-in to Amtrak in 1979, and the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad in 1983, Amtrak was left as the sole long-distance train operator in the US. In
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#17328369491461452-823: A terminus and an intermediate stop. In FY2023, Amtrak's long-distance trains carried 3,944,124 riders, around 14% of the company's total. However, the routes account for about 42% of passenger miles traveled. Amtrak operates two types of long-distance trains: single-level and bi-level. Due to height restrictions on the Northeast Corridor , all six routes that terminate at New York Penn Station operate as single-level trains with Amfleet coaches and Viewliner sleeping cars. The remaining nine long-distance routes operate as bi-level trains with Superliner coaches and sleeping cars. Both single-level and bi-level trains are equipped with Viewliner baggage cars . Amtrak plans to replace all of its long-distance rail cars by 2032, except for
1573-639: A total of 56 persons. They joined the military community established in 1718. The immigrants formed the nucleus of the villa of San Fernando de Béxar, the first regularly organized civil government in Texas. Several older families of San Antonio trace their descent from the Canary Island colonists. María Rosa Padrón was the first baby born of Canary Islander descent in San Antonio. During the Spanish–Mexican settlement of Southwestern lands, which took place over
1694-570: A transitional humid subtropical climate ( Köppen : Cfa ) that borders a hot semi-arid climate ( Köppen climate classification : BSh ) towards the west of the city featuring very hot, long, and humid summers and mild to cool winters. The area is subject to descending northern cold fronts in the winter with cool to cold nights, and is warm and rainy in the spring and fall. San Antonio falls in USDA hardiness zones 8b (15 °F to 20 °F) and 9a (20 °F to 25 °F). San Antonio receives about
1815-595: Is a dialect of German that evolved when the German language was separated from Germany. Texas German is best described as an anglicized-German dialect with a Texas twang. Many older generations in New Braunfels and Fredericksburg still speak Texas German to this day. In 1877, following the Reconstruction Era , developers constructed the first railroad to San Antonio, connecting it to major markets and port cities. Texas
1936-472: Is also located in Northwest Side. Companies with headquarters in the area include Valero and NuStar Energy . The South Side area of San Antonio is characterized by its predominantly Latino and Hispanic neighborhoods, an average above 81 percent. Large growth came to South Side when Toyota constructed a manufacturing plant . Palo Alto College and Texas A&M University–San Antonio are located in
2057-667: Is also the location of upper-middle-class neighborhoods (Deerfield, Churchill Estates, Hunter's Creek, Oak Meadow, and Summerfield). Northwest Side is the location of the main campus of the University of Texas at San Antonio , the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio , and the Northwest Campus of the University of the Incarnate Word , which includes the Rosenberg School of Optometry. The Medical Center District
2178-464: Is at the westernmost limit for both Cabbage palmetto ( Sabal palmetto ) and Spanish moss . The native Eastern Subterranean Termite ( Reticulitermes flavipes ) is a common structural pest here. The Formosan Termite ( Coptotermes formosanus ) is an invasive pest originally from the Far East . Researchers at Texas A&M University consider it to be economically devastating. San Antonio has
2299-519: Is available on eight routes and consists of full table service in a dining car . Six routes instead feature Flexible Dining, where passengers may order hot meals to be delivered to their room or lounge. Passengers may also bring their own food and drink. Amtrak provides free basic Wi-Fi on seven of its long-distance routes: the Auto Train , Cardinal , Crescent , Lake Shore Limited , Palmetto , Silver Meteor , and Floridian . The service
2420-673: Is distinct from its Northeast Corridor and state-supported services. All trains except the Palmetto involve at least one night of travel, and so are outfitted with sleeping and dining cars . Routes depart once daily in each direction, at most, so some stops are served only at night. Delays are commonplace on long-distance trains, as the tracks are generally controlled by freight railroad companies. While anchored by major cities, long-distance trains also serve many rural communities en route (unlike commercial flights). A minority of passengers ride an entire route at once, with most traveling between
2541-615: Is generally understood to cover the northern half of the "Downtown Loop"—the area bordered by Cesar Chavez to the south. Due to the size of the city and its horizontal development, downtown accounts for less than one half of one percent of San Antonio's geographic area. The Strip (north of Downtown) houses a concentration of clubs and bars catering to the LGBT community. North Central is home to several enclaves and upscale neighborhoods including Castle Hills , Shavano Park, Hollywood Park , Elm Creek, Inwood , Stone Oak , and Rogers Ranch. The area
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#17328369491462662-579: Is intended to support low-bandwidth uses only. Onboard internet is dependent on cell towers along the route of the train, so speed and availability correspond to regional cell coverage. Amtrak's long-distance network is a legacy of the railroad age , when trains operated by private railroad companies were the fastest and sometimes only mode of intercity transportation. The mid-20th century saw steep disinvestment in passenger rail relative to air and highway travel. Passenger trains became financial burdens for railroad companies, who sought to discontinue them. As
2783-460: Is land and 4.5 square miles (11.7 km ) of it is water. The city's gently rolling terrain is dotted with oak trees, forested land, mesquite, and cacti. The Texas Hill Country reaches into the far northern portions of the city. San Antonio sits on the Balcones Escarpment . Its altitude is approximately 662 feet (202 m) above sea level . The city's primary source of drinking water
2904-696: Is now present-day Texas. The area was then part of the Spanish Empire . From 1821 to 1836, it was part of the Mexican Republic . It is the oldest municipality in Texas, having celebrated its 300th anniversary on May 1, 2018. Straddling the regional divide between South and Central Texas , San Antonio anchors the southwestern corner of an urban megaregion colloquially known as the Texas Triangle . Downtown Austin and Downtown San Antonio are approximately 80 miles (129 km) apart, and both fall along
3025-590: Is the Edwards Aquifer . Impounded in 1962 and 1969, respectively, Victor Braunig Lake and Calaveras Lake were among the first reservoirs in the United States built to use recycled treated wastewater for power plant cooling, reducing the amount of groundwater needed for electrical generation. Downtown San Antonio, the city and metro area's urban core, encompasses many of the city's famous structures, attractions, and businesses. The central business district
3146-678: Is the southernmost of the three gateways to the West Coast envisioned through the Pacific Railroad Acts . The other two embarked from Chicago and St. Louis . However, the Sunset Route had two major advantages over the other two routes. It was an all-weather, year-round route that did not face the crippling snows of the Wasatch or Sierra mountain ranges to reach the Pacific Coast. Additionally,
3267-793: The City of San Francisco was renamed the San Francisco Zephyr and the Lake Shore was discontinued. The Inter-American entered service in 1973 as short-distance train between Laredo and Fort Worth . It was extended north to St. Louis in 1974 and further to Chicago in 1976. In 1974 Amtrak renamed the Super Chief to the Southwest Limited and the Texas Chief to the Lone Star following
3388-597: The Empire Builder became the first route to receive the new locomotives. In FY2022, Amtrak's long-distance trains averaged 48 mph (77 km/h) between stations. Dwell time at stations averaged four minutes each, while dwell time at stations with crew changes or enroute servicing averaged 20 minutes each. Trains operating on the Northeast Corridor reach top speeds of 125 mph (201 km/h) in some stretches. The top speed for long-distance trains outside
3509-511: The Empire Builder divides at Spokane , with sections to Seattle and Portland . Eastbound from Chicago the Lake Shore Limited divides at Albany–Rensselaer , with sections to New York and Boston . The Texas Eagle and Sunset Limited are combined between Los Angeles and San Antonio , where the Texas Eagle continues to Chicago and the Sunset Limited to New Orleans . On
3630-626: The Empire Builder was rerouted to St. Cloud . Meanwhile, the Southern Railway transferred its last remaining passenger route, the Southern Crescent , to Amtrak, who renamed it the Crescent . The Desert Wind also entered service in 1979. In 1981 the Capitol Limited began service, while the Inter-American was truncated to San Antonio, stripped of its Houston section, and renamed
3751-615: The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway revoking permission to use the "Chief" names. The Mountaineer and Lake Shore Limited began service in 1975, and the Palmetto in 1976. The Mountaineer lasted only until 1977, at which point it was replaced by the Hilltopper . The Pioneer also entered service in 1977, and the James Whitcomb Riley was renamed the Cardinal . 1979
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3872-589: The Big Bayou Canot rail accident , the incident is Amtrak's worst train wreck and resulted in 47 deaths. On October 9, 1995, in an event known as the Palo Verde derailment , saboteurs derailed the Sunset Limited near Harqua, Arizona , by removing 29 spikes from a section of track, and short-circuited the signal system to conceal the sabotage. The attack killed one person and injured dozens of others. The crime still remains unsolved. On June 2, 1996,
3993-691: The Capitol Limited , creating a single Chicago–Washington–Miami route: the Floridian . This was the first direct train service between the Midwest and Florida since the 1979 discontinuance of the original Floridian , albeit following a longer route. St. Petersburg, FL Miami, FL Miami, FL In 2017, North Carolina and Connecticut were in talks to extend the Carolinian from New York to New Haven . The resultant 779-mile (1,254 km) route would cross
4114-718: The D&;RGW's Rio Grande Zephyr between Denver and Salt Lake City , renaming the train the California Zephyr . Amtrak also began operating the Auto Train in 1983. In 1984 Amtrak renamed the Southwest Limited to the Southwest Chief alongside the deployment of Superliner equipment, and also initiated the River Cities as a section of the City of New Orleans . In 1988
4235-812: The Eagle was renamed the Texas Eagle , and in 1989 Amtrak began the Gulf Breeze as a section of the Crescent . In 1990 the Capitol Limited and Broadway Limited were rerouted between Pittsburgh and Chicago, bypassing Fort Wayne . The Capitol Limited was moved to serve Cleveland and South Bend , the Broadway Limited to Youngstown and Akron . Amtrak extended the Sunset Limited east to Florida in 1993, creating its only coast-to-coast route. The River Cities
4356-468: The Eagle . The Empire Builder was rerouted to Wenatchee , bypassing the Yakima Valley , while a Portland section was added. The Panama Limited was renamed back to the City of New Orleans in hopes of capitalizing on the song of the same name . The Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad opted-in to Amtrak in 1983. As a result, Amtrak rerouted its San Francisco Zephyr over the former route of
4477-599: The I-35 corridor. This combined metropolitan region of San Antonio–Austin has approximately 5 million people. San Antonio was named by a 1691 Spanish expedition for the Portuguese priest Saint Anthony of Padua , whose feast day is June 13. The city contains five 18th-century Spanish frontier missions, including The Alamo and San Antonio Missions National Historical Park . Together these were designated as UNESCO World Heritage sites in 2015. Other notable attractions include
4598-555: The Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008 (PRIIA), Congress divided Amtrak's routes into three strictly-defined service lines: Northeast Corridor routes, short distance corridors (less than 750 mi (1,210 km)), and long-distance routes of more than 750 mi (1,210 km). Unlike short distance "state-supported" corridors, long-distance routes could continue to receive full federal funding. In Amtrak's first year, 1971, it significantly overhauled
4719-495: The Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008 , signed into law by President George W. Bush on October 16, 2008, gave Amtrak nine months to provide Congress with a plan for restoring service that "shall include a projected timeline for restoring such service, the costs associated with restoring such service, and any proposals for legislation necessary to support such restoration of service." In January 2016, Amtrak and
4840-705: The River Walk , the Tower of the Americas , SeaWorld San Antonio , the Alamo Bowl , and Marriage Island . Commercial entertainment includes Six Flags Fiesta Texas and Morgan's Wonderland amusement parks. According to the San Antonio Convention and Visitors Bureau, the city is visited by about 32 million tourists a year. It is home to the five-time National Basketball Association (NBA) champion San Antonio Spurs . It hosts
4961-464: The San Pedro Springs area. They called the vicinity Yanaguana , meaning "refreshing waters". In 1691, a group of Spanish explorers and missionaries came upon the river and Payaya settlement on June 13, the feast day of St. Anthony of Padua . They named the place and river "San Antonio" in his honor. It was years before any Spanish settlement took place. Father Antonio de Olivares visited
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5082-579: The Sunset Limited and Cardinal . The bill passed the Senate Commerce Committee with bipartisan support, and was later rolled into President Biden's Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), which Congress passed on November 5, 2021. The report is known as the Amtrak Daily Long-Distance Service Study and must be delivered to Congress within two years. In June 2023, Amtrak submitted an application for
5203-575: The Sunset Limited and initially left its route unchanged. On October 2, 1981, Amtrak began operating the Chicago-bound Eagle (known as the Texas Eagle since 1988) in conjunction with the Sunset Limited . The routes operate as one train between Los Angeles and San Antonio , Texas . The Louisville and Nashville Railroad had operated the Gulf Wind between New Orleans and Jacksonville, Florida , from 1949 to 1971, when Amtrak dropped
5324-405: The Sunset Limited carried the third-fewest passengers of any Amtrak train in fiscal year 2019, 92,827, a 4.4% decrease over FY2018. It had a total revenue of $ 10,769,179 in 2016, marking a 7.5% decrease over FY2015. Amtrak Long Distance [REDACTED] The Long Distance Service Line is the division of Amtrak responsible for operating all intercity passenger train services in
5445-578: The Sunset Limited route was owned by the Southern Pacific Railroad . The name Sunset Limited traces its origins to the Galveston, Harrisburg and San Antonio Railway , a Southern Pacific subsidiary which was known as the Sunset Route as early as 1874. Most of the current route from New Orleans westward is now owned by the Union Pacific Railroad , which acquired Southern Pacific in 1996. However,
5566-451: The Sunset Limited was rerouted to a more southerly route between Tucson , and Yuma, Arizona , bypassing Phoenix . Union Pacific , which had acquired Southern Pacific earlier in the year, wanted to abandon a decaying portion of its Phoenix–Yuma "West Line" , particularly the Roll Industrial Lead, that had previously been used to serve Phoenix. UP demanded that Amtrak pay for the maintenance, which they would not do. This made Phoenix one of
5687-476: The Texas Revolution . In a series of battles, the Texian Army succeeded in forcing Mexican soldiers out of the settlement areas east of San Antonio, which were dominated by Americans. Under the leadership of Ben Milam , in the Battle of Bexar , December 1835, Texian forces captured San Antonio from forces commanded by General Martin Perfecto de Cos , Santa Anna's brother-in-law. In the spring of 1836, Santa Anna marched on San Antonio. A volunteer force under
5808-414: The Viewliner II fleet. Long-distance trains are typically hauled by GE Genesis diesel locomotives. Trains which traverse the Northeast Corridor use Siemens ACS-64 electric locomotives for that segment of their routes, switching engines at Washington Union Station . Amtrak is in the process of replacing all of its long-distance locomotives with diesel-electric Siemens Charger units by 2032. In 2022
5929-433: The 2010 U.S. census, San Antonio's median income for a household was $ 36,214, and the median income for a family was $ 53,100. Males have a median income of $ 30,061 versus $ 24,444 for females. The per capita income for the city is $ 17,487. About 17.3% of the population and 14.0% of families are below the poverty line . Of the total population, 24.3% of those under the age of 18 and 13.5% of those 65 and older were living below
6050-475: The 2019 American Community Survey, there were 512,273 households and 319,673 families. The average household size was 2.98 and the average family size was 3.83. Of the local population, 201,960 were married-couple households and 172,741 were female households with no spouse or partner present. An estimated 85,462 households were single-person. Roughly 218,249 residents in San Antonio were foreign-born residents. For every 100 females, San Antonio had 97.1 males. At
6171-489: The 750-mile (1,210 km) threshold required to categorize the Carolinian as a long-distance train, thus freeing North Carolina of its funding obligations. In November 2021, Congress passed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act . Section 22214 of the law orders the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to study the restoration of all long-distance Amtrak routes that had been discontinued, daily service on non-daily trains (the Cardinal and Sunset Limited ), and
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#17328369491466292-429: The Canaries to Texas by way of Havana and Veracruz . By June 1730, 25 families had reached Cuba , and 10 families had been sent to Veracruz before orders from Spain came to stop the re-settlement. Under the leadership of Juan Leal Goraz , the group marched overland from Veracruz to the Presidio San Antonio de Béxar, where they arrived on March 9, 1731. Due to marriages along the way, the party now included 15 families,
6413-423: The FRA indicated that it was studying a re-route of the Sunset Limited from Maricopa back to Phoenix as part of the Amtrak Daily Long-Distance Service Study ordered by the IIJA. The move would revert a 1996 route change that cut direct service to Arizona's most populous metropolitan area, with stops at Phoenix , Tempe , and Coolidge . In June 2023, Amtrak submitted an application to the FRA seeking funding for
6534-424: The FRA released its preferred draft network of fifteen new long-distance routes. The plan would increase the coverage of the long-distance Amtrak network by 23,200 route miles, reaching an additional 45 million population, 61 metropolitan statistical areas, 24 congressional districts, twelve National Park Service sites , and two states ( Wyoming and South Dakota ). Another round of public input will take place before
6655-407: The Florida Panhandle] with the state’s financial support." The mayors and city councils of Pensacola , Tallahassee , and Lake City have shown much interest in resuming the service. The corridor would eventually need to be upgraded for speeds greater than 45 miles per hour (72 km/h), and some of the stations require refurbishment or replacement. As of 2022, Amtrak's schedules and maps describe
6776-434: The Germans were then drawn to San Antonio for work, and many buildings and streets still bear German names such as Wurzbach, Huebner, and Jones Maltsberger, and Wiederstein. The German impact on San Antonio was great, in the early 1900s it is estimated that at least 1/3 of San Antonio was ethnically German. Many descendants of German immigrants in San Antonio spoke Texas German up to the fifth or sixth generations. Texas German
6897-440: The Gulf Coast area caused by Hurricane Katrina . In late October 2005, service was restored between San Antonio and New Orleans , as the line through Louisiana had been repaired. Service east of New Orleans was suspended permanently despite CSX Transportation completing repair of the track in January 2006. The Sunset Limited received a modified schedule on May 7, 2012, moving its westbound movements from New Orleans to
7018-465: The San Antonio area, resulting in widespread flooding and 12 fatalities. Tornadoes within the city limits have been reported as recently as February 2017, although they seldom occur. An F2 tornado lands within 50 mi (80 km) of the city on average once every five years. San Antonio has experienced two F4 tornadoes, one in 1953 and another in 1973. The 1953 tornado resulted in two deaths and 15 injuries. In San Antonio, July and August tie for
7139-412: The Southern Rail Commission announced jointly that a Gulf Coast passenger rail inspection trip was to be made from New Orleans to Jacksonville , with elected officials among those on board during the February 18–19 excursion. Stops were planned for all of the stations formerly part of the Sunset Limited's route between those two cities. In June 2018, the commission missed the deadline for submitting
7260-433: The Union Pacific has double-tracked much of the route with its own money. However, Amtrak still lacks the equipment and funds needed to move to daily service. In June 2021, Senator Jon Tester of Montana added an amendment to the Surface Transportation Investment Act of 2021 which would require the Department of Transportation (not Amtrak itself) to evaluate daily service on all less frequent long-distance trains, meaning
7381-475: The United States . San Antonio is approximately 75 miles (121 km) to the southwest of its neighboring city, Austin , the state capital , about 150 miles (240 km) from the Mexico-United States border , about 190 miles (310 km) west of Houston , and about 250 miles (400 km) south of the Dallas–Fort Worth area. The city has a total area of 465.4 square miles (1,205.4 km ); 460.93 square miles (1,193.8 km ) of San Antonio's total area
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#17328369491467502-443: The United States at 2.6 million people in the 2020 US census . It is the most populous city in and the county seat of Bexar County . The city is the seventh-most populous in the United States, the second-largest in the Southern United States , and the second-most populous in Texas after Houston . Founded as a Spanish mission and colonial outpost in 1718, the city in 1731 became the first chartered civil settlement in what
7623-407: The United States into the territory; they mostly occupied land in the eastern part. In 1835, when Antonio López de Santa Anna unilaterally abolished the Mexican Constitution of 1824 , violence ensued in many states of Mexico . which led to many short-lived independent republics. This, in addition to Mexico's abolition of slavery, and cultural differences between the Texians and the Mexicans, led to
7744-538: The United States longer than 750 miles (1,210 km). There are fourteen such routes as of 2024 , serving over 300 stations in 39 states. Amtrak's long-distance routes form the backbone of the US national rail network, providing an alternative to intercity drives or flights. They are also noted for their scenery, and are popular as vacations and experiential travel. A few routes provide direct service to National Parks , with Amtrak Thruway buses reaching many more. The rider experience of Amtrak's long-distance trains
7865-585: The United States. With three round-trip journeys per week, the Sunset Limited is tied with the Cardinal for the lowest frequency of any regularly-scheduled Amtrak route. Each end-to-end journey takes about two days. West of San Antonio, the train runs combined with the Texas Eagle . From 1993-2005, the Sunset Limited operated an extended service to Miami , Florida , becoming Amtrak's longest and only coast-to-coast train route . Major stops between New Orleans and Miami included Mobile ( Alabama ), Jacksonville , Orlando , and Hialeah (Florida). However,
7986-443: The Wellton Branch and to develop improvement scenarios and capital cost estimates for freight and passenger rail service between Arlington and Wellton, a distance of 90.8 miles. In that study, it was determined that freight demand along the Wellton Branch line/Phoenix Subdivision does not warrant re-opening the Wellton Branch and that re-opening this corridor solely for passenger service is not cost effective. However, in February 2023,
8107-415: The West Coast in a few days, not weeks. The Sunset Limited was Southern Pacific's premier train. Initially, the Sunset Limited was an all- Pullman train, with sleeping cars and no coaches, running from New Orleans to San Francisco via Los Angeles. From its beginning in 1894, until streamlining in 1950, all the train's cars had 6-wheel trucks and dark olive green paint, with black roofs and trucks. In
8228-449: The West Valley, before reconnecting to UP's mainline in Wellton , near Yuma. Part of this route would include trackage needed for the Sunset Limited's return to Phoenix service. As of 2024, a typical Sunset Limited train has one or two GE P42DC locomotives, a Viewliner II baggage car, a Superliner sleeper, a Superliner diner, a Superliner Sightseer Lounge, a Superliner coach, and a Superliner coach/baggage car. West of San Antonio,
8349-406: The annual San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo , one of the largest such events in the U.S. The U.S. Armed Forces have numerous facilities in and around San Antonio; Fort Sam Houston , which has Brooke Army Medical Center within it, is the only one within the city limits. Lackland Air Force Base , Randolph Air Force Base , Kelly Air Force Base , Camp Bullis , and Camp Stanley are outside
8470-501: The area. The East Side of San Antonio is home to the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo , the Frost Bank Center , and the Freeman Coliseum . This area has the largest concentration of Black and African American residents. The West Side is predominantly Hispanic/Latin American and working class, with pockets of wealth in the northwest and far west. African Americans are also located in parts of San Antonio's West Side. The West Side has undergone gentrification as of 2019. It includes
8591-459: The average warmest months, with an average high of 95 °F (35 °C). The highest temperature ever recorded was 111 °F (44 °C) on September 5, 2000. The average coolest month is January. The lowest recorded temperature ever was 0 °F (−18 °C) on January 31, 1949. May, June, and October have quite a bit of precipitation. Since recordkeeping began in 1871, the average annual precipitation has been 29.03 inches (737 mm), with
8712-690: The cause of Texas freedom and "Remember the Alamo" became a rallying cry in the Texian Army's eventual success at defeating Santa Anna's army. Juan Seguín , who organized the company of Tejano patriots, who fought for Texas independence, fought at the Battle of Concepción , the Siege of Bexar , and the Battle of San Jacinto , and served as mayor of San Antonio. He was forced out of office due to threats on his life by sectarian newcomers and political opponents in 1842, becoming
8833-652: The city limits. San Antonio is home to four Fortune 500 companies and the South Texas Medical Center , the only medical research and care provider in the South Texas region. San Antonio is also one of the largest majority-Hispanic cities in the United States, with 64% of its population being Hispanic . At the time of European encounter, the Payaya people lived near the San Antonio River Valley in
8954-567: The city until the 18th. The February 15–20, 2021, North American winter storm dropped another 1–2 inches (2.5–5 cm) on the city on the 16th. San Antonio and New Braunfels , 40 miles (64 km) to the northeast, are some of the most flood-prone regions in North America. The October 1998 Central Texas floods were among the costliest floods in United States history, resulting in $ 750 million in damage and 32 deaths. In 2002, from June 30 to July 7, 35 in (890 mm) of rain fell in
9075-406: The city's population was distributed as 28.5% under the age of 18, 10.8% from 18 to 24, 30.8% from 25 to 44, 19.4% from 45 to 64, and 10.4% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. In San Antonio, 48% of the population were males, and 52% of the population were females. For every 100 females, there were 93.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.7 males. At
9196-418: The city's population was of Hispanic or Latino origin, of any race. According to the 2000 U.S. census , the city proper had a population of 1,144,646, ranking it the ninth-most populated city in the country. San Antonio has a relatively lower cost of living compared to most Texas and U.S. major cities and a strong job market. However, due to San Antonio's low density and relatively small suburban population,
9317-489: The city). In 1990, the United States Census Bureau reported San Antonio's population as 55.6% Hispanic or Latino, 7.0% Black or African American, and 36.2% non-Hispanic white. The San Antonio Missions National Historical Park and The Alamo became UNESCO World Heritage sites in 2015 and the city was designated a UNESCO "City of Creativity for Gastronomy" in 2017, one of only 26 gastronomy creative cities in
9438-422: The command of James C. Neill occupied and fortified the deserted Alamo mission. Upon his departure, the joint command of William Barrett Travis and James Bowie were left in charge of defending the old mission. The Battle of the Alamo took place from February 23 to March 6, 1836. The outnumbered Texian force was ultimately defeated, with all of the Alamo defenders killed. These men were seen as "martyrs" for
9559-529: The current boundaries of Mexico; they fell into internal conflict and turmoil with neighboring entities. San Antonio grew to become the largest Spanish settlement in Texas; it was designated as the capital of the Spanish, later Mexican, province of Tejas . From San Antonio, the Camino Real (today Nacogdoches Road), was built to the small frontier town of Nacogdoches . Mexico allowed European American settlers from
9680-534: The diverse neighborhoods of Avenida Guadalupe, Collins Garden, Las Palmas, Prospect Hill, Rainbow Hills (Marbach), San Juan Gardens, Loma Park, Loma Vista, Memorial Heights, and Westwood. It is also home to the historic Our Lady of the Lake University and St. Mary's University . Natural vegetation in the San Antonio area (where undisturbed by development) includes oak-cedar woodland, oak grassland savanna, chaparral brush, and riparian (stream) woodland. San Antonio
9801-499: The final set of routes are recommended to Congress in spring 2024. San Antonio San Antonio ( / ˌ s æ n æ n ˈ t oʊ n i oʊ / SAN an- TOH -nee-oh ; Spanish for " Saint Anthony "), officially the City of San Antonio , is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in Greater San Antonio , the third-largest metropolitan area in Texas and the 24th-largest metropolitan area in
9922-473: The first quarter of 2024. In late August the working name of the train was reported to be Mardi Gras Service . As of August 2024, Amtrak is planning to have service operational by early 2025, possibly in time for Super Bowl LIX . In terms of the rest of the route for the restoration of Florida Panhandle service, Amtrak stated that their "focus has been on restoring service from New Orleans to Mobile, Alabama," and they would be "willing to explore such service [on
10043-529: The following century, Juan Leal Goraz Jr. was a prominent figure. He claimed nearly 100,000 sq miles (153,766 acres) as Spanish territory and held some control for nearly three decades; this area stretched across six present-day states. San Antonio was designated as Leal Goraz's capital. It represented Mexican expansion into the area. With his robust military forces, he led exploration and establishing Spanish colonial bases as far as San Francisco, California . Widespread bankruptcy forced Leal Goraz Jr.'s army back into
10164-400: The funds. The three states' cooperation was needed to secure the $ 35.5 million in federal CRISI funds. On February 23, 2021, following the conclusion of one year of negotiations with CSX and Norfolk Southern , Amtrak officials announced that a new Gulf Coast corridor service between New Orleans and Mobile would start as early as January 2022. Amtrak plans to pay for repairs along
10285-514: The last Tejano mayor for nearly 150 years. In 1845, the United States finally decided to annex Texas and include it as a state in the Union. This led to the Mexican–American War . Though the U.S. ultimately won, the war was devastating to San Antonio. By its end, the population of the city had been reduced by almost two-thirds, to 800 inhabitants. Bolstered by migrants and immigrants, by 1860 at
10406-695: The long-distance rail network in the United States. In addition to selecting which existing routes to retain, Amtrak created several new routes: the Coast Starlight , North Coast Hiawatha , and Lake Shore . It also renamed several routes: the Spirit of St. Louis became the National Limited , the City of New Orleans the Panama Limited , and the South Wind the Floridian . The following year, 1972,
10527-399: The metropolitan area ranked just 30th in the United States, with a population of 1,592,383 in 2000. San Antonio has a large Hispanic population with a significant African American population. The 2011 U.S. census estimate for the eight-county San Antonio–New Braunfels metropolitan area placed its population at 2,194,927. The 2017 estimate for Greater San Antonio was 2,473,974, making it
10648-631: The mission complex. Differences between Alarcón and Olivares resulted in delays, and construction did not start until 1718. Olivares built, with the help of the Payaya and the Pastia people , the Misión de San Antonio de Valero (The Alamo) , the Presidio San Antonio de Bexar , the bridge that connected both, and the Acequia Madre de Valero . The families who clustered around the presidio and mission were
10769-667: The mission. On February 14, 1719, the Marquis of San Miguel de Aguayo proposed to the king of Spain that 400 families be transported from the Canary Islands , Galicia , or Havana to populate the province of Texas. His plan was approved, and notice was given the Canary Islanders ( isleños ) to furnish 200 families; the Council of the Indies suggested that 400 families should be sent from
10890-466: The nation's largest cities without direct passenger service; although the designated Phoenix-area stop is in Maricopa , a suburban community about 40 miles (64 km) south of downtown Phoenix. Amtrak Thruway service, run by Stagecoach Express, connects the two cities. On August 29, 2005, the Sunset Limited route was truncated east of San Antonio , Texas , as a result of damage to trackage in
11011-452: The northeast is 100 mph (160 km/h), reached by the Texas Eagle between Chicago and St. Louis . In a practice not seen elsewhere in the Amtrak network, four long-distance trains divide partway along their routes. This allows trains to serve multiple endpoints without requiring passengers to transfer, and provides efficiency over the shared route segments. Westbound from Chicago
11132-497: The obstacles to restoration of the Sunset Limited's full route have been more managerial and political than physical. Advocates for the train's restoration have pointed to revenue figures for Amtrak's fiscal year 2004, the last full year of coast-to-coast Sunset Limited service. During that period, the Orlando –New Orleans segment accounted for 41% of the Sunset's revenue. Section 226 of
11253-410: The older historic buildings were demolished in the process of this modernization. Since the late twentieth century, San Antonio has had steady population growth . The city's population has nearly doubled in 35 years, from just over 650,000 in the 1970 census to an estimated 1.2 million in 2005, through both population growth and land annexation (the latter has considerably enlarged the physical area of
11374-628: The other two routes had to assault the front range of the Rockies. In addition, opened 20 years before the Panama Canal , the Sunset Route vastly shortened the time to reach the West Coast from the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, as New Orleans was already an established seaport for Atlantic shipping lines’ passengers, seeking to reach the US interior. The Sunset Limited allowed passengers to reach
11495-628: The possibility of new long-distance routes—particularly those that were discontinued upon the formation of Amtrak. Work on the Amtrak Daily Long-Distance Service Study began in September 2022. Materials published in February 2023 indicated that the FRA was studying 18 discontinued long-distance Amtrak routes, as well as four that were discontinued in 1971: the City of Miami , George Washington , Pan-American , and San Francisco Chief . In February 2024,
11616-413: The poverty line. In 2019, households had a median income of $ 53,571 and a mean income of $ 72,587. An estimated 16.8% of the population lived at or below the poverty line. The city of San Antonio and its metropolis was rated the poorest in 2019. A Gallup study in 2015 determined 4% of the city and Greater San Antonio identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender . In 2016, San Antonio scored
11737-532: The rail network. The Silver Palm was renamed to Palmetto in 2002, restoring the route's former name. In 2005 the Three Rivers was discontinued following the cancellation of a related Postal Service contract. That same year, the Sunset Limited was suspended east of New Orleans due to track damage from Hurricane Katrina . In November 2024 Amtrak truncated the Silver Star at Washington and merged it with
11858-402: The reverse trips the trains are coupled at these stations. All long-distance Amtrak trains have checked baggage service, save for the Auto Train , which instead allows passengers to transport items in their vehicles. On every other route, passengers are allowed two personal items, two carry-on bags, and two free checked bags. Two additional bags, oversized bags, and bicycles may be checked for
11979-444: The route between Mobile and Orlando as suspended. In 2009, Brian Rosenwald, a now-departed Amtrak executive, outlined ideas for a complete overhaul of the route, including daily service. It was to have the Texas Eagle operate over the Sunset Limited's route west of San Antonio , with a stub train connecting San Antonio (with a cross-platform transfer) and New Orleans . The plans were halted when Union Pacific stated that to get
12100-543: The route east of New Orleans was permanently halted in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina . Before the start of Amtrak on May 1, 1971, the Sunset Limited was operated by the Southern Pacific Railroad . The Sunset Limited is the oldest named train in the United States, operating since November 1894 along the Sunset Route (though originally named the Sunset Express ). The Sunset Route (originating in New Orleans)
12221-488: The route of Amtrak's Silver Meteor south of Jacksonville. It was serviced at Amtrak's Hialeah yards for the return trip. It was only the second direct rail link between Orlando and Miami, following local trains by the Atlantic Coast Line and Seaboard Coast Line in the mid-1960s. Schedule unreliability caused the Sunset Limited's eastern terminus to be truncated to Sanford on November 10, 1996. Service
12342-764: The route within Louisiana and some of Texas was partially sold to BNSF Railway in 1995 in return for BNSF not objecting to the UP-SP merger. On the portion of the route east of New Orleans, service was suspended after Hurricane Katrina . Those tracks, between New Orleans and Florida, include parts of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad , the Seaboard Air Line Railroad , and the Louisville and Nashville Railroad —all now merged into CSX Transportation . Currently,
12463-460: The route. In late 2022, with lengthy negotiations with Amtrak, Norfolk Southern, and CSX expected, the Gulf Coast service was projected to begin sometime in 2023. However, in early August 2023, it was reported that an agreement between Amtrak, CSX, and the city of Mobile on the design and construction of the station there had not yet been reached, and that the service was now not expected to start until
12584-584: The route. This corridor saw limited service over the next two decades: in 1984–1985 the Gulf Coast Limited ran between New Orleans and Mobile, Alabama , and from 1989 to 1995 the Gulf Breeze served the segment from Mobile to Atmore, Alabama . On April 4, 1993, Amtrak extended the Sunset Limited eastward to Miami. The train followed the former route of the Gulf Wind between New Orleans and Jacksonville, restoring service on that corridor, and used
12705-534: The segment of the former Atlantic Coast Line Railroad between DeLand and Orlando is owned by Orlando's commuter service SunRail , and the segment of track from Pensacola to Baldwin is now owned by the Florida Gulf & Atlantic Railroad . The train uses the following route segments, identified here by the names of their original owners: Along with the Cardinal , this train is one of Amtrak's two long-distance services which operate thrice weekly. Consequently,
12826-467: The site in 1709, and he was determined to found a mission and civilian settlement there. The viceroy gave formal approval for a combined mission and presidio in late 1716, as he wanted to forestall any French expansion into the area from their colony of La Louisiane to the east, as well as prevent illegal trading with the Payaya. He directed Martín de Alarcón , the governor of Coahuila y Tejas , to establish
12947-644: The start of Villa de Béjar, destined to become the most important town in Spanish Texas . On May 1, the governor transferred ownership of the Mission San Antonio de Valero (later famous as The Alamo) to Fray Antonio de Olivares. On May 5, 1718, he commissioned the Presidio San Antonio de Béxar ("Béjar" in modern Spanish orthography) on the west side of the San Antonio River, one-fourth league from
13068-605: The start of the American Civil War , San Antonio had grown to a city of 15,000 people. In the 1850s Frederick Law Olmsted , the landscape architect who designed Central Park in New York City, traveled throughout the Southern and Southwest U.S., and published accounts of his observations. In his 1859 book about Texas, Olmsted described San Antonio as having a "jumble of races, costumes, languages, and buildings", which gave it
13189-577: The summer of 1926, it was scheduled at 71 hr 40 min New Orleans to San Francisco; it then carried a coast-to-coast sleeper from Jacksonville to Los Angeles. The San Francisco–Los Angeles portion of the Sunset Limited was cut on January 5, 1942. The cut was intended to last only several months to allow for equipment overhaul, but became permanent. On June 2, 1949, the Southern Pacific introduced faster schedules on several named trains. The Sunset Limited
13310-494: The third-most populous metro area in Texas (after the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex and Greater Houston ) and the 24th-most populous metro area in the U.S. About 405,474 households, and 280,993 families resided in San Antonio. The population density as of 2010 was 2,808.5 people per square mile (1,084.4 people/km ). There were 433,122 housing units at an average density of 1,062.7 per square mile (410.3/km ). The age of
13431-507: The train has an additional sleeper and coach that operate as Los Angeles–Chicago through cars via the Texas Eagle . Amtrak plans to eventually re-add a Superliner transition sleeper to the train. As with other long-distance routes, Amtrak plans to replace the P42DCs with Siemens ALC-42 locomotives by 2027, and the Superliner cars with new long-distance cars by 2032. For most of its existence,
13552-589: The world. With the increase in professional jobs, San Antonio has become a destination for many college-educated persons, most recently including African Americans in a reverse Great Migration from northern and western areas. Over 31,000 migrants who requested asylum have been released by the Border Patrol into the city in 2019 during the National Emergency Concerning the Southern Border of
13673-603: Was 23.4% non-Hispanic white, 63.9% Hispanic or Latin American of any race, 6.5% Black and African American, 3.2% Asian, and 2.3% multiracial or some other race. According to the 2010 U.S. census , 1,327,407 people resided in San Antonio city proper, an increase of 16.0% since 2000. The racial composition of the city based on the 2010 U.S. census is as follows: 72.6% White ( non-Hispanic whites : 26.6%), 6.9% Black or African American , 0.9% Native American , 2.4% Asian , 0.1% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander , 3.4% two or more races , and 13.7% other races . In addition, 63.2% of
13794-569: Was a year of major restructuring. Six long-distance routes were discontinued by the Carter Administration for not meeting a minimum farebox recovery ratio: the Lone Star , Champion , North Coast Hiawatha , National Limited , Floridian , and Hilltopper . As limited compensation, a Houston section was added to the Inter-American , a St. Petersburg section to the Silver Meteor , and
13915-554: Was discontinued the same year. Amtrak discontinued the Tampa section of the Silver Meteor in 1994. In 1995 Amtrak discontinued the Gulf Breeze , Palmetto , and Broadway Limited , the latter being partially replaced with the short-distance Three Rivers . Meanwhile, the City of New Orleans was rerouted west to Greenwood between Memphis and Jackson . In 1996 the Three Rivers
14036-519: Was extended to Chicago and the Silver Palm was introduced, essentially restoring service on the routes of the Broadway Limited and Palmetto that had ended the prior year. The Sunset Limited was rerouted to bypass Phoenix at the request of Union Pacific . In 1997, funding issues forced Amtrak to discontinue the Desert Wind and Pioneer , severing Las Vegas , Wyoming , and Southern Idaho from
14157-457: Was most recently seen on December 7, 2017, when 1.9 inches (4.8 cm) of snow coated the city. On January 13, 1985, San Antonio received a record snowfall of 16 inches (41 cm). During the February 13–17, 2021, North American winter storm , San Antonio was blanketed with 4–6 inches (10–15 cm) of snow. The cold air which accompanied this storm caused massive rolling blackouts throughout
14278-413: Was re-extended to Orlando on October 26, 1997, and the train deadheaded (operated empty) between Orlando and Sanford for servicing. Sanford was, and still is, the servicing point for Amtrak's Auto Train . On September 22, 1993, the three locomotives and four of the eight cars of the eastbound Sunset Limited derailed and fell off a damaged bridge into water near Mobile, Alabama . Known as
14399-413: Was reduced to 49 + 3 ⁄ 4 hours eastbound and 48 hours westbound. In contrast to its earliest Amtrak years, the Sunset Limited , up to its later years, made stops not only at Phoenix, but also at Mesa and Chandler, Arizona . Amtrak assumed operation of most intercity passenger train routes in the United States on May 1, 1971, including those of the Southern Pacific. Amtrak retained
14520-543: Was reduced to tri-weekly from October 2020 and May 2021, temporarily matching the Sunset Limited . On July 11, 2023, the Surface Transportation Board announced that it was opening an investigation into the poor on-time performance of the Sunset Limited . As time has passed, particularly since the January 2006 completion of the rebuilding of damaged tracks east of New Orleans by their owner CSX Transportation ,
14641-491: Was the first state to have major cities develop by railroads rather than waterways. In Texas, the railroads supported a markedly different pattern of development of major interior cities, such as San Antonio, Dallas and Fort Worth , compared to the historical development of coastal port cities in the established eastern states. At the beginning of the 20th century, the streets of the city's downtown were widened to accommodate street cars and modern traffic. At that time, many of
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