The Sunset Limited is one of Amtrak’s western long distance train routes. It travels between Los Angeles and New Orleans. Back in the 1990s, the train traveled to Miami, Florida, but then was cut short after Hurricane Katrina. This is not one of Amtrak’s most profitable routes, but it’s definitely worth the journey.
As of COVID-19, the train now leaves 3 times a week from Los Angeles at 10:00 PM, and New Orleans at 9:00 AM. All of Amtrak’s routes have changed their dining menu temporarily due to the pandemic. On the first full day of this journey, the train will take it’s time through the vast southwestern deserts of Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. Many small stations will be in towns such as Benson, Lordsberg, and Deming. In El Paso, you will be able to see the Mexican border. For most of the first day, Interstate Highway 10 will be within sight from the train. The scenery will remain unchanged until just before Alpine, Texas, when glimpses of grass and mountain bushes appear as sunlight fades away.
The second day of the journey starts just before San Antonio, Texas, where large, ball-shaped trees emerge from the darkness. Southern houses, mobile homes, and farmland will pass by the train window. San Antonio, a smoke stop, is where the last two cars of the train uncouple from the Sunset Limited and join the Texas Eagle bound for Chicago. After San Antonio, the scenery will remain the same until Amtrak pulls into the small, humble little station of Houston. Houston Station features a very thin platform made of asphalt and an overhead cover. After passing through the suburbs of Houston, the train enters the bayou country.
The train will pass through beautiful bayou trees. Frightened frogs will jump in the water to hide from the train. As Amtrak rolls into Louisiana, more and more bayou will be seen. The train will pass through many freight train yards, and will have to wait for slow or fast moving freight trains to pass through.
The sun slowly starts to dip towards the horizon as the train nears New Orleans. More and more houses and freight yards are seen as the Sunset Limited pulls into the small ominous station of New Orleans.
New Orleans is a huge junction for freight trains. These trains include CSX, Norfolk Southern, Union Pacific, and a special one: New Orleans Public Belt, which all own railroad property around this area. Amtrak’s eastern style train cars and western superliner cars can all be seen at the New Orleans Train Station. For railfans, New Orleans would be one of the best places to visit.