Crescent and CONO, March 2023

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vinceg723

Train Attendant
Joined
Jun 12, 2009
Messages
44
Greetings from Car 1910, Room 7 of Amtrak’s Train 19, the southbound Crescent. Eight years ago, as I boarded the Lake Shore Limited to Chicago for the first time, a not-so-mentally-stable woman across the aisle from me announced to the car “I’ll be working on my thesis on this trip," and then, after waiting for a reaction from people, she had to reiterate, "I really am.”

Fast forward today and I really am wrapping up my master’s capstone project on a long-distance ride — and the capstone itself is on long-distance rail travel in the United States. You can check out a working, not-so-finished draft at slowspeedrail.com.

While I love Amtrak’s western trains, I wanted to experience a region of the country that would be relatively new to me. So I am taking the Crescent this evening, and the northbound City of New Orleans Friday to Chicago, where I will visit family for a day before flying home.

I was especially excited to have a roomette for the entire length of the Crescent, thanks to a “bid up” offer from Amtrak. Just a few nights ago, an upgrade for just a portion the trip — from DC to Atlanta — was more than $400. But I responded to Amtrak’s email and bid $245, just a little above the opening bid of $215, and my bid won me a roomette, which will also include four meals and access to Amtrak’s Metropolitan Lounge at Penn Station. I don’t want to spend the entire trip secluded, as I’d like to chat with people along the way, and I hoped that the dining and cafe cars would offer that opportunity (though I later realized there was no dining car, just a cafe car).

I thoroughly enjoyed the Metropolitan Lounge at Moynihan station, though I wasn’t there long enough to fully take advantage. Still, I had some fruit, oatmeal and cold brew, possibly my last bit of healthy food for a few days.

I love my roomette, too. I was able to get some work done as we left NYC — until we came to a stop around 3 pm. There was a fire on the tracks at Edison, and service was stopped in both directions. I was sad to think this portion of my trip might be canceled. I figured at the very least, I could fly to New Orleans tomorrow to catch up with the rest of my trip.

At 5:45 pm, we were still stuck, but had backed up a ways to the Rahway train station, so that we can get off the train and walk the platform. Twitter told me that some NEC service had resumed, but Amtrak people told us there was no change.

With my work day finished, I broke open the first of my purchases from Threes Brewing at Moynihan Station — a Sidenote hard seltzer with lemon, hibiscus and pink peppercorn, 5 pct ABV, drinking it as I sat in my roomette.

I walked the platform several times, up and down, up and down. People didn't seem angry or annoyed, just puzzled.

As our delay went from two to three hours, I realized I might not get to New Orleans in time for a visit to the Sezerac bar at the Roosevelt in New Orleans. I tell people that when you travel by train, you cannot be focused on the destination. It’s all about the journey. It was time to take my own advice and let go of New Orleans.

By 6:45 pm, we still had no sense of when we might be leaving. Meals were served, brought to us in a box and bag to the roomette, with the option of bringing them to the cafe car to eat, which is what I did.

I sat across from a blind African American singer en route to Baltimore for a singing gig tomorrow. When we said we were in the sleeper cars, he said, “ah where all the millionaires are.” The people at the next table said “do we look like millionaires?“ and he responded, “are you asking a blind man how you look?”

I felt bad eating in front of him, maybe a little less bad when I learned he could not see me. He was eventually served his food, though other coach passengers were not allowed in the cafe car yet — which would have had me fuming mad if I were in coach.

By 7:50 pm, the train was finally moving again. We passed the site of the fire in Edison. I didn’t see any flames, but plenty of fire engines.

I chatted with a couple here from upstate New York, who were en route to DC to spent tomorrow visiting the capital and enjoying the cherry blossoms. The husband asked what I did for work. When I explained it to him, he said “you know, I meet the most interesting people on a train!”

I said, “funny you should say that, because I am finishing a master’s degree and doing my capstone on long-distance train travel, and I have a page dedicated to this topic, posing the question of whether more interesting people travel, by train, or whether everyone has an interesting story to tell, and a train fosters interactions where you can hear those stories." We had a great conversation.

The train moved fast down the northeast corridor, and the speed felt good, pushing 110 mph. It’s not Europe, but it’s a good clip.

We departed DC at 11:30 pm, FIVE hours late!
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We just finished reading the “working, not-so-finished draft” of the OP’s master’s capstone project on long-distance rail travel in the United States and found it most interesting. We particularly appreciated the embedded links to other books and articles which served to expand on and re-enforce the points that were being made (many of which coincide with our own “uses and gratifications” for choosing long distance train travel.) As seniors no longer able to drive long distances or handle the many stresses and indignities associated with air travel, long-distance Amtrak trains are our only option for traveling back to Ohio to visit family members. (It is difficult for them to travel to San Diego so we must go to them.) Having made this trip now numerous times, we know what to expect and can easily adapt when delays, caused by the weather and/or human or structural failure, occur. For us, a long-distance train trip is a special event to be savored and enjoyed, and we try to make the most out of every moment of it!

Eric & Pat
 
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We just finished reading the “working, not-so-finished draft” of the OP’s master’s capstone project on long-distance rail travel in the United States and found it most interesting. We particularly appreciated the embedded links to other books and articles which served to expand on and re-enforce the points that were being made (many of which coincide with our own “uses and gratifications” for choosing long distance train travel.) As seniors no longer able to drive long distances or handle the many stresses and indignities associated with air travel, long-distance Amtrak trains are our only option for traveling back to Ohio to visit family members. (It is difficult for them to travel to San Diego so we must go to them.) Having made this trip now numerous times, we know what to expect and can easily adapt when delays, caused by the weather and/or human or structural failure, occur. For us, a long-distance train trip is a special event to be savored and enjoyed, and we try to make the most out of every moment of it!

Eric & Pat
I am glad you enjoyed the website, and the links to other sources. There's a lot of good literature out there on train travel that I was previously unaware of.

And I totally agree that LD trains are to be savored and enjoyed -- though this trip aboard the Crescent is putting that to the test. I'll post the next installment shortly. :)

BTW, greetings from a former San Diegan. I grew up in Rancho Bernardo and San Marcos, and then lived in Del Mar for a couple years before moving to New York. Have some Rubio's for me!
 
Day two aboard the Crescent.

I slept so-so last night, as expected. The funny thing was, when I was consciously awake, I was not tossing and turning, nor was I frustrated to be awake — I was just enjoying the motion of the train, totally unaware of the time or the location of the train. When I finally looked at my watch, it was just after 6 am, and we were between Greensboro and Charlotte, still five hours beyond schedule. I was so grateful to have the roomette, and I looked forward to the day.

However, having traveled aboard almost all of Amtrak’s long-distance routes, the Crescent will be far down on the list.

To start, they did not pack enough meals for sleeper-car passengers, so dinner this evening was a slice of pizza. Worse yet, the cafe car is closed more often than it is open. Last night, it remained closed for hours after sleeper-car passengers received their dinner, with the explanation that they were still serving sleeper-car passengers, clearly not true.

Today, I sat in there for some time, and I watched elderly coach passengers wanting to purchase food turned away, while the attendant sat.

Every time I ride Amtrak, I am amazed at how kind, competent and accommodating the crew is — and I always let them know that. I tip them well, and I praise them on social media. This trip is much different, though my sleeping-car attendant is great.

Setting aside the poor cafe service and the five-hour delay (which I totally understand is outside of Amtrak’s control), I am grateful for the opportunity to get some reading and writing done. So many people say they enjoy reading on the train — whereas I am too busy chatting with fellow passengers and staring out the window to focus on anything else. This ride is not a social or scenic train, but it is, as Tony Hiss wrote in In Motion: The Experience of Travel, “a framed picture of what America looks like when no one is looking.” Lots of trees, backyards, small southern highways, churches, gas stations, some town centers — and I do appreciate experiencing another part of the country. I have said many times that I enjoy all train scenery, from the majesty to the mundane, and this is more the latter.

It is around 8:30 pm as I write this, and we still have at least four, maybe five hours left to New Orleans. There will be no Sezerac Bar visit for me this evening, but maybe I can squeeze in a day-drink before my departure tomorrow at 1:45 pm.

I am usually Amtrak’s biggest fan, and I am looking forward to the CONO tomorrow. I do wish that were a longer trip and/or a day train!

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I am loving your trip report. The pictures are awesome. I used to love travel on the Crescent as it was the only way I got to travel and see my daughter in NJ- I don’t travel by plane. I would go from NO to Newark. I was very disappointed the last time I was on the Crescent in a sleeper as the food and service and my SCA was awful. Looking forward to the rest of your trip report
 
The Crescent ended up pulling into New Orleans around 2:45 am. I spent much of the end of the trip in my roomette.

At Meridian, we had to stop for about 30 minutes for an inspection of the train, because it would have been in service longer than usual, they said. It was the first time on this trip that I ventured away from the platform, and I am glad I did. I went into the station for a bag of chips from the vending machine, to supplement whatever snack I might get from the cafe car — only to find out that the cafe was, once again, closed. I have never seen a cafe car closed more often than it is open.

After Meridian, I folded my roomette chairs into a bed and did my best to sleep. I am usually not a good sleeper in any unfamiliar place, but I was grateful to have slept for about a half hour. I woke up beyond Hattiesburg, a little disoriented, but happy.

I had been looking forward to the stretch across Lake Pontchartrain — but there was nothing to see out my window at that hour, even with all my lights off. It was actually a creepy feeling — dark, foggy, in a mostly empty car, crossing a massive body of water. All I could think of was, what if something went wrong here. I was grateful when we reached the other side, only to sit there for a bit waiting for a freight train.

I took a Lyft to my hotel, arriving around 3 am. I had breakfast with a friend, walked around the French Quarter, had a Sezerac at the Sezerac Bar, stopped at a grocery store for some healthy provisions for the CONO (Rouse’s is a great spot not far from the station — I stocked up there two years ago before boarding the Sunset Limited).

The CONO boarded on time, and I could tell immediately this was going to be a kind crew. Clear and friendly announcements. When I told them I would be moving to a roomette at Greenwood, they said they would see if they could move me up sooner.

As soon as the sightseer lounge opened, I moved in. The ride along Lake Pontchartrain was beautiful. It was a gray day, but I loved all the greenery around the lake — wetlands, marshes, bayous, whatever you call it, I loved seeing it.

And, wow, is Lake Pontchartrain huge — 40 miles by 24 miles.

There is something abut the double-decker Superliner that is so far and above the east coast trains. Part of it may be psychological, because I associate the Superliner with happy memories of long-distance trips out west in my youth, but really there’s no place like the sightseer lounge on a Superliner.

A good 40 minutes before our arrival in Greenwood, the crew let me move back to my roomette. I had my dinner in somewhat-lonely dining car. I so miss the days of making a reservation, sitting with other people and ordering food served on real plates, on a tablecloth.

After my dinner of Thai noodles and plant-based meatballs, I stepped off at Greenwood for a few minutes, in the rain. Afterward, I headed back to try favorite place, the sightseer lounge. I chatted with a Slidell-based rail photographer who was carrying a radio — you can check him out on YouTube at Astra Rail Photography.

We couldn’t see much outside, except when flashes of lightning briefly lit up the landscape. I didn’t realize until I woke up this morning that we were not far from tornadoes that killed nearly two dozen people.

I stayed up until Memphis, to say that I set foot in Tennessee. After we left Memphis, I went right to sleep, waking up here and there around 4 and 5 and finally 6 am. I showered — such a luxury on a train — and had my omelet in the dining car.

I love looking at the landscape here in Illinois, even though it is a bit boring. Miles and miles of farmland, much of it appears to be waterlogged. I love it.

More than 100 people boarded at Champaign. I stepped off there, too, and the cold was quite a jolt — 37 degrees, feels like 28. The rail photographer I had been chatting with had told me that one of our engines was bashed up pretty bad, so I took a walk down to check it out. Our attendant told me it had hit a truck and was being taken to Chicago for repair — I’ll include a photo below.

I like to say that time does not matter when you’re on a train, but when I was on the Crescent, I was conscious of the time and eager to get to New Orleans. Here, on the CONO, I am totally fine with the delay — really, I wish I could sit in the SSL all day listening to Arlo Guthrie’s City of New Orleans:

Good morning America how are you?
So Don't you know me I'm your native son
I'm the train they call The City of New Orleans
I'll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done


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Great trip report! I was at trackside in Easley SC, just west of Greenville, as you went by five hours late, cuz of the fire. But right there, it was also cuz NS was doing major track and tie replacement mow and I was watching that too. I waved at you but you pbly didn’t see me.
 
The Crescent ended up pulling into New Orleans around 2:45 am. I spent much of the end of the trip in my roomette.

At Meridian, we had to stop for about 30 minutes for an inspection of the train, because it would have been in service longer than usual, they said. It was the first time on this trip that I ventured away from the platform, and I am glad I did. I went into the station for a bag of chips from the vending machine, to supplement whatever snack I might get from the cafe car — only to find out that the cafe was, once again, closed. I have never seen a cafe car closed more often than it is open.

After Meridian, I folded my roomette chairs into a bed and did my best to sleep. I am usually not a good sleeper in any unfamiliar place, but I was grateful to have slept for about a half hour. I woke up beyond Hattiesburg, a little disoriented, but happy.

I had been looking forward to the stretch across Lake Pontchartrain — but there was nothing to see out my window at that hour, even with all my lights off. It was actually a creepy feeling — dark, foggy, in a mostly empty car, crossing a massive body of water. All I could think of was, what if something went wrong here. I was grateful when we reached the other side, only to sit there for a bit waiting for a freight train.

I took a Lyft to my hotel, arriving around 3 am. I had breakfast with a friend, walked around the French Quarter, had a Sezerac at the Sezerac Bar, stopped at a grocery store for some healthy provisions for the CONO (Rouse’s is a great spot not far from the station — I stocked up there two years ago before boarding the Sunset Limited).

The CONO boarded on time, and I could tell immediately this was going to be a kind crew. Clear and friendly announcements. When I told them I would be moving to a roomette at Greenwood, they said they would see if they could move me up sooner.

As soon as the sightseer lounge opened, I moved in. The ride along Lake Pontchartrain was beautiful. It was a gray day, but I loved all the greenery around the lake — wetlands, marshes, bayous, whatever you call it, I loved seeing it.

And, wow, is Lake Pontchartrain huge — 40 miles by 24 miles.

There is something abut the double-decker Superliner that is so far and above the east coast trains. Part of it may be psychological, because I associate the Superliner with happy memories of long-distance trips out west in my youth, but really there’s no place like the sightseer lounge on a Superliner.

A good 40 minutes before our arrival in Greenwood, the crew let me move back to my roomette. I had my dinner in somewhat-lonely dining car. I so miss the days of making a reservation, sitting with other people and ordering food served on real plates, on a tablecloth.

After my dinner of Thai noodles and plant-based meatballs, I stepped off at Greenwood for a few minutes, in the rain. Afterward, I headed back to try favorite place, the sightseer lounge. I chatted with a Slidell-based rail photographer who was carrying a radio — you can check him out on YouTube at Astra Rail Photography.

We couldn’t see much outside, except when flashes of lightning briefly lit up the landscape. I didn’t realize until I woke up this morning that we were not far from tornadoes that killed nearly two dozen people.

I stayed up until Memphis, to say that I set foot in Tennessee. After we left Memphis, I went right to sleep, waking up here and there around 4 and 5 and finally 6 am. I showered — such a luxury on a train — and had my omelet in the dining car.

I love looking at the landscape here in Illinois, even though it is a bit boring. Miles and miles of farmland, much of it appears to be waterlogged. I love it.

More than 100 people boarded at Champaign. I stepped off there, too, and the cold was quite a jolt — 37 degrees, feels like 28. The rail photographer I had been chatting with had told me that one of our engines was bashed up pretty bad, so I took a walk down to check it out. Our attendant told me it had hit a truck and was being taken to Chicago for repair — I’ll include a photo below.

I like to say that time does not matter when you’re on a train, but when I was on the Crescent, I was conscious of the time and eager to get to New Orleans. Here, on the CONO, I am totally fine with the delay — really, I wish I could sit in the SSL all day listening to Arlo Guthrie’s City of New Orleans:

Good morning America how are you?
So Don't you know me I'm your native son
I'm the train they call The City of New Orleans
I'll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done


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Enjoyed your report, however it did nothing to allay my lack of enthusiasm for the Crescent. Since we live in the Greenville SC area it is our only Amtrak service and our experiences have been uniformly bad however we have never been more than 4 hours late (and never less than 2 hours late”. In June we are going to Tucson but have scheduled a “lay over day” in New Orleans, both to recover from the expected late arrival and to give us some time to enjoy New Orleans. We like the WWII Museum and, of course, the food!
 
The Crescent ended up pulling into New Orleans around 2:45 am. I spent much of the end of the trip in my roomette.

At Meridian, we had to stop for about 30 minutes for an inspection of the train, because it would have been in service longer than usual, they said. It was the first time on this trip that I ventured away from the platform, and I am glad I did. I went into the station for a bag of chips from the vending machine, to supplement whatever snack I might get from the cafe car — only to find out that the cafe was, once again, closed. I have never seen a cafe car closed more often than it is open.

After Meridian, I folded my roomette chairs into a bed and did my best to sleep. I am usually not a good sleeper in any unfamiliar place, but I was grateful to have slept for about a half hour. I woke up beyond Hattiesburg, a little disoriented, but happy.

I had been looking forward to the stretch across Lake Pontchartrain — but there was nothing to see out my window at that hour, even with all my lights off. It was actually a creepy feeling — dark, foggy, in a mostly empty car, crossing a massive body of water. All I could think of was, what if something went wrong here. I was grateful when we reached the other side, only to sit there for a bit waiting for a freight train.

I took a Lyft to my hotel, arriving around 3 am. I had breakfast with a friend, walked around the French Quarter, had a Sezerac at the Sezerac Bar, stopped at a grocery store for some healthy provisions for the CONO (Rouse’s is a great spot not far from the station — I stocked up there two years ago before boarding the Sunset Limited).

The CONO boarded on time, and I could tell immediately this was going to be a kind crew. Clear and friendly announcements. When I told them I would be moving to a roomette at Greenwood, they said they would see if they could move me up sooner.

As soon as the sightseer lounge opened, I moved in. The ride along Lake Pontchartrain was beautiful. It was a gray day, but I loved all the greenery around the lake — wetlands, marshes, bayous, whatever you call it, I loved seeing it.

And, wow, is Lake Pontchartrain huge — 40 miles by 24 miles.

There is something abut the double-decker Superliner that is so far and above the east coast trains. Part of it may be psychological, because I associate the Superliner with happy memories of long-distance trips out west in my youth, but really there’s no place like the sightseer lounge on a Superliner.

A good 40 minutes before our arrival in Greenwood, the crew let me move back to my roomette. I had my dinner in somewhat-lonely dining car. I so miss the days of making a reservation, sitting with other people and ordering food served on real plates, on a tablecloth.

After my dinner of Thai noodles and plant-based meatballs, I stepped off at Greenwood for a few minutes, in the rain. Afterward, I headed back to try favorite place, the sightseer lounge. I chatted with a Slidell-based rail photographer who was carrying a radio — you can check him out on YouTube at Astra Rail Photography.

We couldn’t see much outside, except when flashes of lightning briefly lit up the landscape. I didn’t realize until I woke up this morning that we were not far from tornadoes that killed nearly two dozen people.

I stayed up until Memphis, to say that I set foot in Tennessee. After we left Memphis, I went right to sleep, waking up here and there around 4 and 5 and finally 6 am. I showered — such a luxury on a train — and had my omelet in the dining car.

I love looking at the landscape here in Illinois, even though it is a bit boring. Miles and miles of farmland, much of it appears to be waterlogged. I love it.

More than 100 people boarded at Champaign. I stepped off there, too, and the cold was quite a jolt — 37 degrees, feels like 28. The rail photographer I had been chatting with had told me that one of our engines was bashed up pretty bad, so I took a walk down to check it out. Our attendant told me it had hit a truck and was being taken to Chicago for repair — I’ll include a photo below.

I like to say that time does not matter when you’re on a train, but when I was on the Crescent, I was conscious of the time and eager to get to New Orleans. Here, on the CONO, I am totally fine with the delay — really, I wish I could sit in the SSL all day listening to Arlo Guthrie’s City of New Orleans:

Good morning America how are you?
So Don't you know me I'm your native son
I'm the train they call The City of New Orleans
I'll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done


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Thank you for sharing your experience. We all know that each day holds a new adventure when traveling by Amtrak.
I’m still grateful for the opportunity to experience our amazing country.. That route is next on my bucket list.
 
Loved the continuation of your report, the pictures are awesome also-the food still looks ugly and unappetizing, but the cheese tray looks good. Guess it’s fried chicken, pound cake, chips, etc on my next trip. For breakfast I always stop at Starbucks and pick up my croissant sandwich before boarding.
 
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