CON Chicago/Memphis/NO

First a thanks for all the info from this site as we planned the trip..

Just some pics and diary from the actual trip http://notesfromthebarn.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/chicago-memphis-new-orleans-anaheim-day.html

Great report and wonderful pictures. Thanks for posting. I also love the format you used. I lived in Memphis for a while and visit New Orleans as often as I can. Thanks, again.

Great report and photos. It looks like you had a really good time.

Fantastic trip and report, professional quality! ! Thanks for sharing!

Great report! I have had Ryan before as a sleeper attendant and he is among the best I have ever had.

JayPea said:

Great report! I have had Ryan before as a sleeper attendant and he is among the best I have ever had.

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Yes a great guy... He was announcing just after we set off from Chicago how in the morning and afternoon after he would be taking some time to point out areas of interest and nature. Sadly breaking the journey in Memphis meant we didnt get that.

why on earth do they put the sleeper carriages near to the engine!!!

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This is one of those "tastes great!" "less filling" type of issues. Some, like myself, love that horn, but only at a distance. Others think it is music to their ears and that the ride is rougher on the rear of the train.

My theory is that Amtrak prefers the sleepers next to the transition sleeper so that a Sleeping Car Attendant from one of the regular sleepers can attend passengers booked into the transition sleeper. The latter is always on the front because one end connects on the lower level to the single level baggage car while the other connects on the upper level to the rest of the bi-level superliner cars. It is where the on-board service personnel sleep; and if all the rooms in the regular sleepers are booked, a few passengers can be booked into the transition sleeper.

PS

I will be visiting the UK this Summer; and I wonder if there is a British Rail equivalent to Amtrak Unlimited?

Am I correct to say that the UK does not have what we call e-ticketing where you print out a piece of paper having a code which the conductor (is it train manager in Brit speak?) scans, or he scans a code on mobile phone or tablet. It seems you need to pick up a paper ticket at a ticket machine at the station.

Is there a central source for bicycle transport policy? I mean without wading through every train companies web site.

Do they still check tickets in the UK before allowing you on the platform or is that antiquated? There must be a fan site, but since taking the train is much more common in the UK I would imagine it's second nature, though it is the land (well, country of origin) of trainspotters...

Many stations have ticket barriers with automatic gates. Usually there is someone around to let those with travel instruments like Eurailpasses that cannot be read by the gates, through. Tickets are still checked on board the trains too.

Sorry for the late reply but been away and updating the blog... Cruise though not Train

re UK e tickets.. If you book through the operators site eg Virgin etc you can print at home your own e ticket

Some stations (mainline larger stations/hubs) require a tkt to get on the platform - smaller ones its not necessary and even some large terminals (Manchester Piccadilly) don't require it.

Not sure about bikes - sorry..

ps thanks for the explanation re sleeper cars at the front