May 16, 2017 - TRA Newswire -

It's been over half a century since a regularly scheduled passenger train passed through Tyler, Texas but that is about to change, at least for about a month.

Due to extensive track work on the Union Pacific main line between Longview and Dallas, the two daily Amtrak Texas Eagles will reroute over tracks that will give "rare mileage" fans a chance to cover some new territory in East and Central Texas. The reroute will start May 24th and last until June 21st.

To accommodate extensive Union Pacific track work west of Longview, the Texas Eagle will operate on this alternate route through Texas:
Southbound Texas Eagle train 21, beginning on May 24, will take this alternate route through parts of Texas. After Longview, at Big Sandy, train 21 will travel on the former Cotton Belt to Tyler, the former Southern Pacific to Corsicana, the former Texas &New Orleans to Hearne and the former Missouri Pacific to Taylor TX, to rejoin the usual route to Austin and San Antonio. During this time, the train will operate one hour later between Chicago and Taylor.
Northbound Texas Eagle train 22 will divert from the usual route at Taylor, operating on the former Missouri Pacific through Palestine direct to Longview. Train 22 will operate its regular times San Antonio to Taylor, but will operate one hour earlier from Longview to Chicago.
Passengers on train 21 for stations Mineola-Temple (including Dallas and Fort Worth) will detrain at Longview for Amtrak charter bus service to destination.
Passengers on train 22 for stations Temple-Mineola (including Fort Worth and Dallas) will detrain at Austin for Amtrak charter bus service to destination.
This detour will provide the opportunity for some unusual mileage for rare mileage fans.