Louisiana Eagle

The Louisiana Eagle was a long distance night train operated by the Texas and Pacific Railway that ran from New Orleans to Fort Worth, Texas. The route was distinct in contrast to other routes running west from New Orleans to major Texas cities. It ran northwest-ward from New Orleans to northwest Louisiana and to the major North Texas cities of Dallas and Fort Worth with continuing service to El Paso on the Missouri Pacific's Texas Eagle, whereas other east-west trains from New Orleans into Texas went to the south, to Houston and San Antonio.^[1][2]

Louisiana Eagle

Overview
Service type	Inter-city rail
Status	Discontinued
Locale	Southwestern United States
First service	1949
Last service	1963
Former operator(s)	Texas and Pacific Railway
Route
Termini	New Orleans, Louisiana Fort Worth, Texas
Distance travelled	547.4 miles (881.0 km)
Average journey time	Westbound: 13 hrs 20 min; Eastbound: 13 hrs 50 min
Service frequency	Daily
Train number(s)	Westbound: 21, Eastbound: 22
On-board services
Seating arrangements	Reclining Seat Coaches
Sleeping arrangements	Open sections, roomettes and double bedrooms
Catering facilities	Dining lounge car
Technical
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)
Route map v t e Legend New Orleans UPT New Orleans until 1954 Carrollton Ave. Avondale Donaldsonville White Castle Plaquemine Addis Melville Bunkie Alexandria Nachtitroches Shreveport Louisiana Texas Marshall Longview Gladewater Mineola Dallas Fort Worth Millsap Cisco Abilene Sweetwater Colorado City Big Spring Midland Odessa Monahans Pecos Toyah Kent El Paso

The train was #21 westbound, #22 eastbound. It had a daytime counterpart in the Louisiana Daylight (#27, westbound, 28, eastbound).^[2] The Missouri Pacific ran successor night and day trains to the Louisiana Eagle and the Louisiana Daylight as late as 1968.^[3] By 1969, all that was left was the successor night train, which was shortened to a Marshall, Texas to New Orleans route.^[4][5] By 1970, passenger service was completely discontinued.^[6]

Major stops served

• New Orleans, LA (Union Passenger Terminal)
• Addis (for Baton Rouge)
• Alexandria
• Shreveport (T&P station)
• Marshall, TX
• Longview (T&P station)
• Dallas (Union Station)
• Fort Worth (T&P Station)
• via the MP's Texas Eagle:
• Abilene
• Midland
• Odessa
• El Paso (Union Depot)

Notes

1. Streamliner Schedules, Louisiana Eagle, 1952 http://www.streamlinerschedules.com/concourse/track9/louisianaeagle195208.html
2. Texas & Pacific September 1960 timetable http://streamlinermemories.info/South/T&P60TT.pdf
3. "Missouri Pacific Lines, Table 2". Official Guide of the Railways. 101 (1). National Railway Publication Company. June 1968.
4. "Missouri Pacific Lines, Table 2". Official Guide of the Railways. 102 (3). National Railway Publication Company. August 1969.
5. "Missouri Pacific Lines, Table 2". Official Guide of the Railways. 102 (5). National Railway Publication Company. October 1969.
6. "Missouri Pacific Lines". Official Guide of the Railways. 102 (12). National Railway Publication Company. May 1970.