Ridin’ On The City of New Orleans …
With the major chunk of flying happily and safely behind me, I showed up yesterday noon at the New Orleans Amtrak Station waiting to board the City of New Orleans for the first segment of what will eventually be a seven-leg rail itinerary.
We got off to a less-than-promising start when, exactly at our scheduled 1:45 departure time, a conductor announced that one of the Superliner coaches had a mechanical problem. It would have to be left behind and a replacement car substituted … begging the question, how is it that the problem wasn’t discovered until right at departure time?? At any rate, there followed some 55 minutes of trundling off to the yard and a lot of backing and forthing while the swapping out took place.
Finally we were off, however … an hour late, but it’s hard not to begin an overnight train ride on a beautiful day after spending some time in the French Quarter of that extraordinary city.
After skirting Lake Ponchartrain, Amtrak’s train # 58 entered a long sweeping right turn and headed due north across Louisiana, Mississippi, through Memphis in the late evening, and on up into Illinois … about 98 percent of which is rural farming country with gravel or dirt roads crossing the tracks at intervals of two or three every mile.
The net result was the train whistle blowing almost constantly throughout most of the journey and damn near all night. Since my sleeping car was second in the consist, the whistle was not only constant, it was loud. Nevertheless, after several hours, although well after midnight, I did indeed drift off.
By the way, the City of New Orleans features the Cross Country Cafe car as a diner and once again I must note that this re-designed arrangement was not a good idea. It may be attractive in appearance, but the seating is not comfortable for passengers. There is really no possible way four people can sit and dine comfortably at the so-called “table for four” shown here at the left of the photo. There simply is not enough room and the Amtrak service crews don’t even bother seating four people in those booths unless they’re all from one family, preferably including smaller kids. 
“City Of New Orleans” reconfigured!
A most enjoyable ride to New Orleans from Fulton KY was followed by a terrible return ride yesterday, May 17, 2013. During the time we were away Amtrak made a planned reconfiguration of the cars placing our sleeper at the very end. The uneven tracks south of Memphis [hardly noticed going down with a car following for stability] resulted in violent thrashing back and forth for hours. My companion became physically ill from this and we finally had to sit in the observation car until north of Memphis. No sleep. I was informed the reconfiguration was planned and scheduled. We will not ride final car again.
I do envy you. I am so disappointed as I have just found out there are no roomettes available on the Lakeshore Ltd at the end of September. Looks like I will have to fly from Chicago to New York. Was surprised this far out. I have however booked for a night on the ‘Ocean’ from Halifax to Montreal and also plan some day trips from New York to Albany then Boston and Portland and later from Montreal to Quebec, Ottawa and Toronto.