Is it worth the money for a sleeper on 59 to new orleans? We would like to try it but if ride and service is poor would look at driving or flying but would prefer to try train. Thanks in advance John Slover
Where will you board?
I don't know just how it would bear on your decision, but my observation based on at least 30,000 Amtrak miles on various routes in the last five years and 3 one way trips on the City is that the CN route offers a consistently rougher ride than do the tracks of any of the other major railroads.
I have not ridden the City of New Orleans in four years, but the ride between Chicago and Memphis then was much better than the the ride between Washington and Charlottesville on the Crescent last year. I had never before known it to be so rough in a berth; I was much more comfortable the rest of the way down to Charlotte and back..
Johnny
I ride the City back in June 2015, I like the ride little rough track sometimes. Great Ride on City. Take the Train ride.
We rode #58 as part of a circle trip we took. We had the handicapped room (Room H) on the lower level next to the wheels. I was amazed at how smooth and quiet the Superliner cars ride. I have never travelled on Amtrak before, only VIA Rail. We thoroughly enjoyed it. Our porter told my wife, who had to stay in the room, that i was having too much fun in the take out lounge upstairs! The crew were fantastic and I highly recommend it.
williamsb We rode #58 as part of a circle trip we took. We had the handicapped room (Room H) on the lower level next to the wheels. I was amazed at how smooth and quiet the Superliner cars ride. I have never travelled on Amtrak before, only VIA Rail. We thoroughly enjoyed it. Our porter told my wife, who had to stay in the room, that i was having too much fun in the take out lounge upstairs! The crew were fantastic and I highly recommend it.
Yes we went all the way to Chicago on Tuesday June 13, 2017. The dining car and Sightseer Lounge were slightly nicer than the other trains. The diner was in one end of the car and a takeout lounge in the other end. The Sightseer Lounge seats swiveled and coffee holders were placed by the seats. Timekeeping was good. We went to sleep after Memphis and arose around Kankakee. I was lost though how we got to the station in Chicago. We stopped out in the middle of nowhere and backed in. I have never been in Chicago so I am not familiar with it.
Trains from the former Illinois Central head onto the St. Charles Air Line and use that route to a point slightly west of Halsted St. The trains then use the Burlington route to back into Chicago Union Station. This routing has been used ever since Central Station was closed in 1972 or 1973.
CSSHEGEWISCH Trains from the former Illinois Central head onto the St. Charles Air Line and use that route to a point slightly west of Halsted St. The trains then use the Burlington route to back into Chicago Union Station. This routing has been used ever since Central Station was closed in 1972 or 1973.
For the benefit of the record, am I correct in stating that you would have not even visited the USA if long-distance passenger service was not available?
Sorry, I see this was answered by the first posting where you say you would have flown or driven.
If your wife had to stay in the handicapped room, how would she fair on a long plane or car trip?
Hi Dave, I am not trying to take over from the original poster 106crewchief but I note he has not reponded to any of the comments, I am only trying to give our experience and I am the only one who said anything about the handicapped room. The reason my wife stayed there was because she cannot do stairs. Our whole trip was by train but she can ride in an airplane also. Our trip was Vancouver BC to Seattle; Seattle to LA; LA to New Orleans; New Orleans to Chicago; Chicago to Seattle and back to Vancouver. We even started and ended the trip on the West Coast Express commuter train. Our trip was a 2nd honeymoon for our 50th anniversary. Our original honeymoon was also on the train but on the CN in Canada; Saskatoon - Niagara Falls - Montreal (Expo 67) - Quebec City - Ottawa - Winnipeg! Thanks to CCSHEGEWISCH for telling about the route into Chicago.
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.