Paul Ponders

February is steeped in presidential history, certainly because of George Washington's Birthday. There are others, too, like Abraham Lincoln on February 12 and Ronald Reagan on February 6.

All these birthdays provided a great backdrop to my recent trip to central Texas to visit the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum.

Part of my motivation to visit another of the presidential libraries/museum was that June 12, 2024, marked 100 years since his birth. Furthermore, January 6, 2025, marked 80 years since he and Barbara Pierce Bush married. And June 8, 2025, marks 100 years since Barbara Bush was born.

Right about 1 PM on February 6, 2025, I got in the car of Brian, a fellow parishioner, and headed to Chicago Union Station. Shortly after I arrived there, I heard the boarding call for train #21, the southbound Texas Eagle. (Please note that all times in this post are CST. And as is typical for my posts, all photos are mine unless otherwise noted.)

On this sign board for Amtrak departures, the Texas Eagle appears third from the top.

While my watch said 1:51, the train's conductor said the train indeed departed on time at 1:52 PM. There were great views of the Chicago skyline behind us as we headed southwesterly along the Canadian National tracks, also used by the Metra Heritage Corridor trains, and paralleling I-55, the Orange Line, and Archer Avenue for certain stretches. The views were great along the Canal/Des Plaines River corridor.

In the initial miles outside of Chicago Union Station, the Amtrak Texas Eagle train traveled on the Canadian National Railroad tracks right next to the CTA Orange Line tracks, with a train shown in the photo, and close to I-55, which is the elevated roadway in the building.

Toward the center of this photo appears the Sears Tower.

We picked up a slight delay on the Southwest Side of Chicago, but moved along smoothly through the length of Illinois. Just south of Joliet, I saw Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery. Between Bloomington-Normal and Lincoln, there was a great sunset--please see photo below.

Around 8 PM, we arrived at St. Louis, and I got off for fresh air and walked around the platform. After the train departed, I progressed toward bedtime.

I took advantage of fresh air stops at Little Rock and Texarkana. I basically considered myself up from my nighttime sleep at Texarkana since it was about 7 AM, and the train was right at the AR-TX border.

The view of the Welcome to Texarkana display on the platform when I stepped off the trian for fresh air.

It was cool and overcast that morning as we traveled toward Dallas.

The route from Dallas to Fort Worth was different from what I remembered on the ride back in 2013, following the route of the Trinity Railway Express. The train arrived in Fort Worth ahead of schedule around 12:40ish. By this point, the sky had cleared, and it was warm enough for me to ditch my jackets.

It wasn't scheduled to leave until about 2 PM. So I had plenty of time to wander around the station and beyond. I got a wrap for lunch at the Subway in the station. Then I walked west into downtown Fort Worth. I was blessed when I stumbled upon St. Patrick Cathedral, and I stepped inside for a couple of minutes to admire its beauty.

Above is the exterior of St. Patrick Cathedral on Throckmorton as viewed from 11th Street, and below is the interior.

Then I returned to the train station and ate my wrap on the platform. It was interesting that there was a marked difference in temperature between standing in the train's shadow on the platform and then stepping a couple of feet into the sunlight.

In this photo, looking south, the Texas Eagle train appears to the right. The Heartland Flyer train is to the left, which travels between Fort Worth and Oklahoma City.

The train departed right about on time at 2 PM headed south. After leaving the DFW Metro Area, we passed through wide open plains, like in the photo below. I also went to the lounge car and chatted with Joel, someone from the UK who was traveling throughout the USA on an Amtrak Rail Pass.

We arrived in Temple right about on time close to 4:30. I walked to the nearby 3rd Street Overpass bridge and got a great view of the train seconds before it departed.

Near the platform at the Temple Amtrak station

Here's the view from the 3rd Street overpass, which is probably one of my top favorite photos of this trip

From there, I walked to the Temple Public Library to check the Internet so I could get oriented for check-in at my AirBnb place.

The entrance of the Temple Public Library

View from my desk space looking in a southerly direction

On the second floor of the library

Then I walked to Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish for a short time of prayer.

When I finished, for the first time ever, I requested an Uber ride. I had a short ride across town to my AirBnb lodgings and I enjoyed the conversation with the woman who gave me a lift. It was a nice house in a residential neighborhood with a bedroom that was accessible right off a patio by the driveway.

Above and directly below are inside the room where I stayed.

The patio space right by the door into the room where I stayed.

Once I was settled, I walked a couple of blocks to a food truck to get dinner. I had a gordita, and I enjoyed eating al fresco in the wonderfully mild evening. (Please see the two photos below.)

Back at my lodings, I read a little, talked with Mom and Dad on the phone, and then watched the remainder of the Taize prayer gathering livestream from Ascension. I was in bed asleep shortly before 11 PM.

The next morning, I was up around 7 AM. I had my prayer time, reading time, and breakfast. It was cloudy with comfortable temperatures outside. Around 9:15, I got into another Uber ride for a short trip to the Enterprise Rental Car Agency to pick up my rental vehicle.

Before leaving and driving to College Station for the primary location of my day outing, I stopped in downtown Temple to visit the Railroad Museum. It's housed in the train station on the second level. The Amtrak station occupies a smaller space downstairs, and the large waiting room is the first space visitors enter before going to the museum. The museum had great exhibits telling about the railroads, their technical operations, and even amenities like onboard dining.

View looking outside toward the west

There was also a model train display--please see these two photos below.

Outside, there were vintage railroad cars on display.

BNSF engine

Here's a caboose on display, with the depot building behind it.

Train engine

Inside the cab of the train engine

By the stairs leading to the engine cab

Pullman passenger car

I particularly enjoyed it as a railroad enthusiast, and just because it's a well-done museum. I came to learn that Temple had a significant role in the storied Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad.

By 11:30, I was on my way east toward College Station. I mostly drove through wide open fields, punctuated occasionally by smaller towns. At some points, the speed limit went as high as 75 mph. At one point, I picked up an EWTN radio station.

At about 1 PM, I arrived at the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library/Museum in College Station, and on the sprawling campus of Texas A&M University. I went to the Marine One/4141 Pavilion to get lunch at Daisy's Table. I ordered Mrs. Bush's enchiladas. While waiting for my lunch, I looked at the Marine helicopter on display that was used when President Bush was in office and the 4141 locomotive that Union Pacific manufactured to honor President Bush.

Engine appears to the left in the foreground and the helicopter appears to the right toward the background.

I greatly enjoyed eating al fresco in the summerlike weather.

The restaurant staff who brought me my meal kindly photographed me in the summerlike day.

By 2 PM, I was inside the museum. First, I watched the screening of the short biographical film on George Bush. From there, I went to visit the main exhibit. Near the entrance was "the Beast", the Presidential vehicle in use when President Bush was in office--please see the photo below.

The first part of the exhibit told about President and Mrs. Bush's ancestors and their early lives.

Next was a section about his service as a US Navy pilot during World War II.

Then was a section about his wedding and his family's move to Texas, including a model of the red Studebaker he drove from New England to Texas which was a graduation gift from his parents.

Display of the wedding of George and Barbara Bush

Model of the Studebaker George Bush got as a gift

Further along was a section about how he got started in politics, and then proceeded to showcase his various political offices up until the presidency.

His time in Congress

A display for when he served as US Ambassador to the United Nations

Display for when he served as special envoy to China

From the 1988 Presidential Campaign

The section on his presidency included an Oval Office model, displays of state gifts, a model of the presidential office at Camp David, a section of the Berlin Wall, a model of the Situation Room, and a large exhibit about the Persian Gulf War of 1991.

A number of visitors lined up and then a museum employee or volunteer who took photos of visitors posing at the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office model.

State dinner display

Here I pose by a photo of President and Mrs. Bush in the inaugural parade. This photo was taken by a fellow visitor.

Display of state gifts

Model of Camp David office

Segment of the Berlin Wall

Military equipment in the section about the Persian Gulf War of 1991

Here I am posing in the Situation Room replica, photographed by a fellow visitor.

In the post-presidency section was a display of his boat, various awards he received, and a tribute to Sully, the dog who accompanied him in the final months of his life.

Display of honors President Bush received

Display about his philanthropic efforts, including Point of Lights

Sully the Dog

A special exhibit focused on the relationship of the museum with Texas A&M University, in the two photos directly below.

In a hallway leading to the entrance rotunda is this portrait of father and son George and George W. Bush.

I finished my time at the museum close to closing time at 5 PM. I walked to the back side of the museum, around a large pond, and through a wooded path to the gravesite of President and Mrs. Bush and their daughter Robin.

Here is the pond on the other side of the building's entrance.

The gravesite

The path leading to the gravesite

A fellow visitor photographed me as I pose in front of the museum.

By 5:30, I was on my way back to Temple. I drove about 10-15 minutes to nearby Bryan to visit the headquarters of 40 Days for Life. To the side of a building was a memorial to aborted unborn children, with a mind to all the children who perished at the site when it was an abortion clinic.

40 Days for Life headquarters

Memorial at the building

Within the hour, I was back driving through the wide open fields with the setting sun in full view. Upon reaching the outer edge of Temple, I drove the HK Dodgen Loop to visit Buc-ee's, arriving around 7:30. There's something fun about Buc-ee's, especially with the chipper beaver.

Buc-ee's in Temple

Next, I drove a short distance along the I-35 corridor to order take-out dinner at Texas Roadhouse. While waiting for the order to be prepared, I drove to a nearby HEB, which, to me, is exquisite since it's only in Texas.

Texas Roadhouse

HEB Grocery store

I was back at Texas Roadhouse with the order ready around 8:40. Then I drove back to my lodgings to have my dinner, along with a key lime pudding dessert from Buc-ee's while I talked with Mom.

The next morning, I was up a few minutes before 7 AM. I drove about 5 minutes east to attend 7:30 Mass at St. Mary's Church. The first reading had two details that stood out to me, that Isaiah was in the Temple, just like the city where I was, and he saw the train of God's robe filling the Temple--seeing as how Temple has a significant railroad history.

I was glad to experience a sense of the church's community after Mass. As I reached the back of the sanctuary, the priest immediately said he thought he recognized me, and we had a nice brief chat. The deacon also greeted me. At their hospitality time of food and drink at the nearby hall, it was nice to see the Knights serving a light breakfast.

Inside the sanctuary of St. Mary's

Outside view of St. Mary's

Then I drove back to my lodgings to gather everything together. From there, I drove south to reconnect with a good memory from my first trip to Texas and I stopped at Whataburger for breakfast, because they have good offerings there. I ordered pancakes, bacon, and a biscuit with gravy, a very large helping of gravy. I also ordered a lunch to have with me for later. Also, I stopped at a nearby HEB to get one more item.

Whataburger breakfast

Whataburger restaurant

By 10:30, I was at the Enterprise office to return the car. Once I was done, I requested an Uber ride, which picked me up a few minutes later, and it was just a short drive to the Amtrak station. I arrived there about 11 AM. The Amtrak employee at the station said the train had a delayed arrival estimated for 2 PM. So I relaxed in and around the station. I had my lunch, a chicken sandwich from Whataburger with apple slices, and watched Bishop Barron's homily as I reflected on the day's Mass Scriptures.

(photos to add: preparing to board, inside the train station waiting area, Dallas skyline, Arkansas sunrise, view along the MS River near St. Louis, St. Louis skyline, maybe Springfield, arrival at Chicago Union Station)

Around noon, I went to the Temple Library to fill up my water bottle with one of those special filtered water dispensers for bottles. Next, I went across the street to Jack in the Box to get my dinner for later, a teriyaki chicken bowl. And then I stopped at a Dairy Queen for a strawberry banana shake.

I was back at the station shortly after 1:30, and the train's delay got later. So I passed the time walking around the grounds of the station, chatting with fellow passengers and others there waiting to pick up passengers, and surfed the Internet.

Inside the Temple Amtrak waiting room

Shortly before 4 PM, the train arrived. Soon after departing Temple, I had my dinner. My friend Matthew called and we talked for a while. The train stopped in a rather remote area around sunset because the crew had reached their maximum number of allowed hours. After nearly an hour, an engineer came who was able to get us to Cleburne and then to Fort Worth, where a full crew was ready. We arrived there around 8:45 and had a few minutes to get fresh air on the platform and admire the Fort Worth skyline at night. As the train journeyed east, there were plenty more lit scenes of the DFW area.

Around 10 PM, we arrived in Dallas. While new passengers boarded, I got fresh air and chatted with fellow passengers on the platform while admiring the Dallas skyline at night.

Lookking toward Dallas Union Station

The Reunion tower is lit up at night, with the train appearing nearing the bottom of the photo.

Once we departed, I got myself on toward bed for the night. During the middle of the night, I stepped off for fresh air in Little Rock, with a particularly great view of the Arkansas State Capitol from my vantage point on the platform.

A little while later, the train was still in Arkansas when I got great views of the sunrise as we approached Walnut Ridge, as is shown in this photo below.

Later, shortly after entering Missouri, we had a brief fresh air stop at Poplar Bluff--in the photo below--which I remember visiting briefly many years ago on a storm chasing field study trip in college.

On the way to St. Louis, the tracks traveled near the Mississippi River and I could see across into Illinois, as is shown in the photo below.

By 1 PM, the train reached St. Louis. I had one more opportunity to get off for fresh air. In the daylight of early afternoon, the views of the St. Louis Skyline looked great as the train crossed the Mississippi River into Illinois.

During the extended stop at the St. Louis Amtrak Station.

Heading toward the Mississippi River, here was the view of the St. Louis skyline.

The view as the train began its Mississippi River crossing.

Here's the view of the St. Louis skyline from the Illinois side, with the railroad bridge appearing toward the left.

The view of the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield also looked splendid from the tracks as the train approached the Springfield Amtrak station--please see photo below.