The city of New Orleans Willy Nelson

[Anonymous]

Can any one tell me which Railroad the City of New Orleans ran? Assuming that it was a factual train that is! Ther song itself is played quite frequently by UK Radio Stations Especialy BBC Radio 2 ( A National Station) Steve

[Anonymous]

No. 1, the song is by Arlo Guthrie and not Willie Nelson, the City of New Orleans ran on the Illinois Central Railroad between Chicago, IL and New Orleans, LA.

Rick

[CNJ831]

As I recall, in the great days of passenger railroading The City of New Orleans was a famous name-train on the Illinois Central (IC), operating from Chicago to New Orleans. By the time the song about it was written in the early 1970's it existed as a run under Amtrak, with far less fame and importance.

Judging by the lyrics of the song, one probably has to assume it is this latter period that is being spoken of as the words indicate that all the train's grandeur and fame is in the past, its ridership is all but gone, and it exist more in the memory of a few than in reality.

CNJ831

[CNJ831]

QUOTE: Originally posted by jesionowski

No. 1, the song is by Arlo Guthrie and not Willie Nelson, the City of New Orleans ran on the Illinois Central Railroad between Chicago, IL and New Orleans, LA.

Rick

While many do associate this song with Guthrie, it was Willie Nelson who took it to No. 1 on the Country/Western charts and who is today far more linked to the tune in popular culture than Arlo. Likewise, John Denver also made a well known recording of it.

CNJ831

[Anonymous]

I have never herd this song done by anyone but Arlo, but I don't do C/W, but folk/rock which is where I here Arlo.

Rick

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the info.... here in the UK it is The Willy NELSON that gets most airtime Steve

[Anonymous]

Wow, I'm listening to National Public Radio and they're singing that song, and doing an interview with Arlo and his daughter right now! I once got to met his father Woody years ago.

[rrinker]

Actually, the song was WRITTEN and originally recorded by Steve Goodman. Arlo did a version, Willy did a version, I have another by John Prine, etc.

The railroad is indeed the Illinois Central - actually it says so in the song: "Riding on the City of New Orleans...Illinois Central, Monday morning rails". The time depicted is right before Amtrak when passenger rail travel and freight railroading in general were pretty much in the dumper.

--Randy

[Anonymous]

I have a CD by Johnny Cash and the song is on it too.

Bob Boudreau

[siberianmo]

Riding on the City of New Orleans ....... Oh yeah! I like the version by Willie and in fact play it frequently while operating my HO Can-Am railroad - focusing mainly on passenger trains.

The information provided in response to the questions says it all. A great song about a real train with many, many vivid lyrics that only train riders can appreciate!

[Anonymous]

Rode the City of New Orleans during the Christmas '96 rush. Boarded in Champaign, IL. GE Genesis power and all high level equipment. After a 31 year span of not being on a passenger train, it was a very pleasant surprise.

Everything about the accommodations and service was very efficient. Cars were clean, well managed by on-board attendants, and the diner had good food. Ride was smooth.

Course a winter storm knocked out power to the signals in TN so we arrived 4 hours late in NOLA. But the return trip was on time all the way back to Champaign.

A great contrast to the last ride I had made in high school on the C&O George Washington to Cincinnati in '65. i didn't think it was that bad then. But what did I know? Born in a railroad hospital, grew up in a railroad family in a railroad town.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for all your replies & Info great to get one from someone who actually rode the train! If any one in the US wants any info re UK Railways please post and I'll try to help regards Steve

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by CNJ831


While many do associate this song with Guthrie, it was Willie Nelson who took it to No. 1 on the Country/Western charts and who is today far more linked to the tune in popular culture than Arlo. Likewise, John Denver also made a well known recording of it.

I guess that must be true for country music fans. I wasn't even aware Willy Nelson recorded the Steve Goodman tune.

Wayne

[Anonymous]

I am sure Amtrak's train from Chicago to New Orleans is still called "The City of New Orleans". As far as Goodman's having written the song, I can believe that. The song got lots of air time in the mid 70s done by Arlo. It may be his only hit that actually got air time! I've always liked every rendition I've heard, good song!

[Big_Boy_4005]

QUOTE: Originally posted by rrinker

Actually, the song was WRITTEN and originally recorded by Steve Goodman. Arlo did a version, Willy did a version, I have another by John Prine, etc.

The railroad is indeed the Illinois Central - actually it says so in the song: "Riding on the City of New Orleans...Illinois Central, Monday morning rails". The time depicted is right before Amtrak when passenger rail travel and freight railroading in general were pretty much in the dumper.

--Randy

Full marks!!!

I'm most partial to Arlo's version.

"This train's got the dissappearin' railroad blues".

[bcammack]

Nice to see Steve Goodman get a nod here. Arlo's rendition was better, IMO. Willie's is a little soporific. Interesting that the road name was in question. The very first line of the song is "Riding on the City of New Orleans. Illinois Central, Monday morning rail." [:)]

[conford]

The song seems to describe a train of the late 1960's. The lyrics are copyright 1970, just before Amtrak. What's interesting to me is that the City of New Orleans (train) was the IC's hot _daylight_ train to the south. The night train was the (formerly all Pullman) Panama Limited. When Amtrak took over, the train name "City" got assigned to the overnight schedule. Of course the Amtrak train runs nowhere near as fast as the old IC train, which hit 100 in some parts of Illinois (fast track indeed). So the prominince of the song seems to have resulted in the City of New Orleans being the surviving train name, despite the fact that it ran on a different schedule.

Regards
Peter
who used to live in Carbondale, and traveled on the Panama Limited as a child

[egmurphy]

QUOTE: The song got lots of air time in the mid 70s done by Arlo. It may be his only hit that actually got air time!

Mark, how could you forget "Alice's Restaurant"???? For those too young to remember, here's a good link:

http://www.fortunecity.com/tinpan/parton/2/alice.html

I saw him do this live in a small coffee shop in Saratoga, New York, back in late 1967 or early 1968. The song was still relatively new then, and he was still relatively unknown.


Regards

Ed

[Anonymous]

Steve Goodman was a terrific songwriter that died way too young. He said his "City of New Orleans" was nothing more than his observations and account of a trip on the Illinois Central.

He was a big Cubs fan and wrote a few songs about his hapless heros, including "Go Cubs Go" which I think became kind of a theme song for the team. In "The Dying Cubs Fan's Last Request" he wrote:

"You know the law of averages says:
Anything will happen that can.
That's what it says.
But the year the Cubs last won a National League pennant
Was the year we dropped the bomb on Japan"

Sadly, or ironically, or just perhaps in his honor, a few days after Steve died, the Cubs won the National League pennant.

Wayne

[wd45]

I have to admit a little partiality to Willie's version, as it was popular when I was in high school (1984), plus as a DJ, I've played it many times over the past 18 years or so.
I looked up Arlo's version, and as a single, it charted on the pop charts in the fall of 1972, and peaked at #18.
Should be noted, too, that Steve Goodman also wrote David Allan Coe's classic "You Never Even Call Me By My Name"

Mike

[pbjwilson]

Williams makes a Madison style version of The City of New Orleans in 3 rail O gauge. I've got a set. Nice brown , orange and yellow Illinois Central colors. Always think of that song when I run it.