Taking a trip on the Crescent - Now, you tell me!

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barskin

Train Attendant
AU Supporting Member
Joined
Jul 15, 2021
Messages
31
Location
Boston
Previously on barskin on Amtrak: Well, I had planned a trip to see my brother and sister-in-law, traveling from Boston, MA to San Antonio, TX, and I couldn't have been more excited. Then, it all fell apart when my brother had surgery, leading to all sorts of complications. I had to cancel the trip (Lake Shore Limited to the Texas Eagle), and tried to come up with alternate plans.

Now that we are up to date, I decided on a trip to New Orleans, I have a reservation at a charming (i.e. old) guest house in the heart of the French Quarter which locals claim is the real-life House of the Rising Sun and haunted. I have my tickets on the Acela from Boston to New York and the Crescent in a bedroom to New Orleans. And tickets to return home, of course. Then, I come here and read that the Crescent is the poor relation of the Amtrak family, and there's no dining car, to boot. I am traveling alone, and I will miss the possibility of meeting and chatting with other soloists. Looks like dinner in my room for the 31 hours.

Still, I should be excited, shouldn't I? This is my first major train trip in over 50 years; at that time, I was in the British Isles, going everywhere by train, frequently in sleeper cars. It's my first Amtrak trip in about 40 years (business trips, Boston to NYC). This was a big deal to me. An adventure. I'm an old broad, who's willing to risk it.
 
I've never ridden the Crescent all the way down, so I'm not sure what a 30 hour (probably a few more due to consistently bad timekeeping thanks to Norfolk Southern and/or Amtrak's aging rickety long-distance locomotives) trip would be like, But they will have a cafe car, and on my trips on LD trains this past year, they've been OK with people eating their flex meals in the dining car and hanging out there between meals. It seems that the consist on the Crescent is now more or less like that on the Cardinal, and I was OK with a 26+ hour trip on the Cardinal between Chicago and Baltimore. I guess the chance for meeting and chatting with people is less, but not impossible. It usually doesn't bother me, as I can chill nicely by myself, if needed.
 
Thanks for your reply. A 31 hour trip doesn't bother me; I wanted a long trip. The lack of a dining car did throw me, but...oh well. I got really scared when I saw the Crescent's recent on time statistics that show that it is in fact never on time, and frequently extremely late. The small hotel I am staying in has a desk that closes at midnight. The Crescent is scheduled to arrive at 9:02 pm with 3 and 4 hour delays quite frequent. But, the hotel told that I can just call on that night, and they will leave keys in a lockbox if necessary, so ~ phew ~ it won't be a problem. Now, where are the YouTube videos? There are so few about the Crescent. Rob and Allie, I need you!
 
It's been a few years ago, but I took the Crescent from New York to New Orleans and enjoyed my trip. Were there delays? Yes, with the most frustrating about 90 minutes before or scheduled arrival in New Orleans. We sat and sat for some time due to a freight train that had broken down in front of us. We arrived sometime around 9:00 P. M. and, then, there were taxi availability problems. But, it simply turned out to be another "travel adventure". The different scenery along the route was very interesting, I thought. And, my SCA, who lived in New Orleans, was very communicative and I learned much about the city and where to go/not go from the gentleman. His service was among the best of the SCA's I have encountered.
 
Thanks for your reply. A 31 hour trip doesn't bother me; I wanted a long trip. The lack of a dining car did throw me, but...oh well. I got really scared when I saw the Crescent's recent on time statistics that show that it is in fact never on time, and frequently extremely late. The small hotel I am staying in has a desk that closes at midnight. The Crescent is scheduled to arrive at 9:02 pm with 3 and 4 hour delays quite frequent. But, the hotel told that I can just call on that night, and they will leave keys in a lockbox if necessary, so ~ phew ~ it won't be a problem. Now, where are the YouTube videos? There are so few about the Crescent. Rob and Allie, I need you!
Would you mind posting the name of the New Orleans hotel here? I am planning an April trip San Francisco-Chicago-Atlanta-New Orleans-Palm Springs-San Francisco and I want to spend two or three nights in New Orleans. My favorite hotel, le Richelieu, does not appear to be open then, and I would love to check out yours. Thanks. (Incidentally, my routing has me on the Crescent from Charlottesville on down.)
 
Would you mind posting the name of the New Orleans hotel here? I am planning an April trip San Francisco-Chicago-Atlanta-New Orleans-Palm Springs-San Francisco and I want to spend two or three nights in New Orleans. My favorite hotel, le Richelieu, does not appear to be open then, and I would love to check out yours. Thanks. (Incidentally, my routing has me on the Crescent from Charlottesville on down.)
Oh, sure. It's the Hotel Villa Convento.
 
Oh, sure...but were they haunted?
Exactly! :) Seriously I was asking about your hotel/guest house because I am, not interested in chain-type ones. Had enough of those when I had to travel for work. I don't need on-site service; rather. ambience and peace. I'll spend almost all my time outdoors, walking, eating, listening to jazz, and riding the Charles streetcar to Audubon Park. The Villa Convento websiter indicates it is just around the corner and maybe one block down from le Richelieu. I'm sure you'll love the neighborhood. If you walk along Chartres Street away from the busy quarter, you'll be in a nice quiet neighborhood.
 
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Exactly! :) Seriously I was asking about your hotel/guest house because I am, not interested in chain-type ones. Had enough of those when I had to travel for work. I don't need on-site service; rather. ambience and peace. I'll spend almost all my time outdoors, walking, eating, listening to jazz, and riding the Charles streetcar to Audubon Park.
Well, this is an old French Quarter townhouse, a block and a half from Bourbon Street. I reserved a room with a balcony. I think it's loaded with charm.
 
Exactly! :) Seriously I was asking about your hotel/guest house because I am, not interested in chain-type ones. Had enough of those when I had to travel for work. I don't need on-site service; rather. ambience and peace. I'll spend almost all my time outdoors, walking, eating, listening to jazz, and riding the Charles streetcar to Audubon Park. The Villa Convento websiter indicates it is just around the corner and maybe one block down from le Richelieu. I'm sure you'll love the neighborhood. If you walk along Chartres Street away from the busy quarter, you'll be in a nice quiet neighborhood.
Peace, you say? Perhaps a haunted hotel is not the best place to seek to rest in peace.
 
Yeah! They could be nice, friendly, easy-going ghosts! Since this address is supposed to be the real "House of the Rising Sun," they may be nice ladies of the evening (although, they were the ruin of many a poor boy).
Well, I'll tell you what: Being the refined 81-year-old gentleman(?) that I am, I'll be in the perfect position to evaluate the quality of those ladies' hauntings. If I'm lucky enough to get a room there, that is. They look pretty booked up in April already, and I won't finalize my travel dates for a couple of days yet.

Please let us know your opinion of the hotel after your stay. And Bon Voyage!
 
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We've given up on the Crethent (Sorry, that was from the Ithaca forum) Crescent because of the horrible hours and the continued delays. Until Amtrak executives visit Oz to get a brain, we'll stick to Greensboro to go north towards DC and NYC and beyond and little Hinton, WV to head to Chicago and the real LD trains.
 
What month of the year will you be travelling? Will you have longer daylight hours? Yes, your hotel is a short walk from Bourbon Street, and the good news is, it's the quiet end of Bourbon Street.(Or at least it was the last time I was there 15 years ago.)
 
What month of the year will you be travelling? Will you have longer daylight hours? Yes, your hotel is a short walk from Bourbon Street, and the good news is, it's the quiet end of Bourbon Street.(Or at least it was the last time I was there 15 years ago.)
February. I didn't realize it was that close to Mardi Gras when I booked, but, I will be checking out 4 days before it begins. Just in time!
 
If you don't sight a ghost do you get a discount? I would be bummed if I went to a haunted house/hotel and the ghost didn't bother to perform.
;-)
On the hotel subject, I stayed at the Lafayette on St. Charles, just a 12 minute walk from the Amtrak station. Nice, slightly seedy but trying hotel with a reasonable price. The rooms on the front face the trolley which is a bit noisy but I liked it a lot. Just 2 blocks to Poydras Street, 6 to Canal and 8 to Felix's Oyster Bar for the Crawfish Etouffe. The Acme is close to Felix's so it is a double whammy.

Oh, sure...but were they haunted?
 
If you don't sight a ghost do you get a discount? I would be bummed if I went to a haunted house/hotel and the ghost didn't bother to perform.
;-).)
On the hotel subject, I stayed at the Lafayette on St. Charles, just a 12 minute walk from the Amtrak station. Nice, slightly seedy but trying hotel with a reasonable price. The rooms on the front face the trolley which is a bit noisy but I liked it a lot. Just 2 blocks to Poydras Street, 6 to Canal and 8 to Felix's Oyster Bar for the Crawfish Etouffe. The Acme is close to Felix's so it is a double whammy.
Ah, you know where everything is, and where it is in regard to where everything else is. I know nothing! Wish me luck.

(Nah, I don't think the rooms come with a guaranteed ghost siting, though that's an idea. It would be like those boats that assure you that you will see whales)
 
Felix's Oyster Bar for the Crawfish Etouffé. The Acme is close to Felix's so it is a double whammy.
I definitely second both these places. And I recommend a dinner at one of the two oldest New Orleans restaurants - Galatoire's or Antoine"s. (That is, if you have the dineros!) They are quite the experience. And breakfast at Brennan's, of course, for their Bananas Foster.

All these places are within easy walking distance of each other and your hotel. Get yourself a paper map of the French Quarter to carry along. I recommend it over your phone maps because of the larger size and the complete Quarter in one view.
 
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