City of New Orleans

[shytown]

Anyone taken the City of New Orleans lately? My 18 y.o. son will be traveling between Chicago to NOLA over the next 4 years for college. He will also be traveling with his cello. There may be times he will get a roomette vs. coach.

Does the CONO have a dining car?

Is train travel fairly safe? As a mother, that's one of my main concerns. ;-)

 

[daveyb99]

Anyone taken the City of New Orleans lately? My 18 y.o. son will be traveling between Chicago to NOLA over the next 4 years for college. He will also be traveling with his cello. There may be times he will get a roomette vs. coach.
Does the CONO have a dining car?

Is train travel fairly safe? As a mother, that's one of my main concerns. ;-)

The CONO is a good train. Sleepers are usually fairly cheap on the CONO, and they include meals.

As for "safe", they seem to hit alot of locals in the outback of Mississippi if I recall. Other than that, are there gangs roaming the train like outlaws, no.

 

[RRrich]

If he is going to college with a 'cello, I assume he is a young strong guy - he can travel in coach but the 'cello will need its own ticket so you will need two coach seats. OR the two of them can get a roomette the price of which includes meals (for the 'cello also??) which is often a good deal.

As far as passenger safety, I have seen NO REPORTS of passengers having problems, Best of luck.

 

[lepearso]

I just got off the City of New Orleans one week ago today! You can read my report in the trip report section.

It doesn't have as dining car. Instead, it has a Cross Country Cafe which is a lounge on one side and a diner on the other side. It has a complete menu. The seating arrangement is odd, but the food is perfectly acceptable. I enjoyed my entree and the party I shared a table with enjoyed theirs.

As far as being "safe", I've ridden this train a dozen times and always found the passengers to be quite friendly even though people don't socialize as much as they do on other routes I've ridden.

Only twice did I have a disconcerting experience with individuals on board. I recall one passenger talking on his cellphone telling the person on the other end how he was going to kick his a-- when he got to Chicago. The conductor stopped by and gave him a stern warning, and we heard nothing else out of him the rest of the trip. On my last trip a couple got into an argument in one of the sleeper rooms. The conductor stopped by and told them to resolve their differences now or get off at the next stop. They too were quiet the rest of the trip. Again, of all my trips these were the only two "incidences" I experienced, and they were quickly resolved. Of course, things like that happen on all train routes.

I really like the City of New Orleans. I think you'll enjoy it too.

 

[MrFSS]

I, also, was on the CONO both ways in June and my trip reports are in that part of the forum, complete with pictures of the café car and some of the food selections.

 

[shytown]

Thanks to all so far.

Very good trip report lepearso.

As far as buying a 2nd ticket for the cello, I've read more often than not that is not necessary. It can be placed in the overhead compartment in coach. Or if it's not crowded, it can be placed in the seat next to you. But I will do some more investigating.

 

[GG-1]

As far as buying a 2nd ticket for the cello, I've read more often than not that is not necessary. It can be placed in the overhead compartment in coach. Or if it's not crowded, it can be placed in the seat next to you. But I will do some more investigating.

Aloha

Having worked for many orchestra over the years, I am familiar with their instuments. If the cello is full sized in a typical case, I think it would be very awkward, and hard to fit in the overhead rack, in most coaches, even with their bigger size. If it will be traveling with the cloth cary case it would fit OK, but then I dont think it would be safe from damage, and then I would want to buy the seat. Since a Cello can cost 10K I would be real concerned about transporting a good one. Almost all of the Pro's I have met by seat tickets for their instruments when they travel.

 

[Ispolkom]

Looking at a random date in September (9/8) I see a cost of $108 for coach, with an additional $92 for the roomette. I'd get the roomette for my son, and have him stash the cello in the upper bunk. Cheaper than getting 2 seats, plus meals are included. Of course when I was 18 I never sprang for a sleeper on the Empire Builder (I had better uses for the money), but I was a violin player.

 

[George Harris]

I would not want to even think about taking a cello on an airplane.

As to safe: Train travel is probably the safest way of travel there is, whether here or abroad.

 

[shytown]

I do believe the add'l $$$ is worth it for the cello.

The cello is in a hard carbon fiber case & extremely lightweight. But when he flies, the cello & case has to also go in his flight case (it is behemoth). We've never bought the cello a seat b/c it's relatively safe in the flight case plus it's insured.

HOWEVER, with the recent charges for checked &/or oversized baggage it has cost us more than if we'd purchased it a seat. It has cost $150 one way. That's a killer.

The fact that his cello cost more than a car (which he wisely chose over a car) is the reason for traveling on Amtrak vs. air!

 

[DET63]

I would not want to even think about taking a cello on an airplane.
As to safe: Train travel is probably the safest way of travel there is, whether here or abroad.

I believe the safest means of travel is intercity bus. Of course, there was that guy in Canada who got on a Greyhound, then got his head cut off by a fellow passenger . . .

 

[caravanman]

Hi,

Although I live in the UK, I have ridden the City of New Orleans many times. I have never had a moments concern about my safety while aboard any Amtrak train. and have been happy to let my young son, now 15, roam the train unsupervised. One day I will count up my Amtrak miles, but I am sure it's getting on for 40,000. There are always some hot meals available on long distance trains, together with a snack bar. The CONO tends to have roomettes available most times at around $90 on top of the coach fare, which seems good value. (book early for Mardigras and other holiday travel, if required, to get best prices.)

I am sure your son would be quite secure aboard the train.

Ed B)

 

[shytown]

Hi,
Although I live in the UK, I have ridden the City of New Orleans many times. I have never had a moments concern about my safety while aboard any Amtrak train. and have been happy to let my young son, now 15, roam the train unsupervised. One day I will count up my Amtrak miles, but I am sure it's getting on for 40,000. There are always some hot meals available on long distance trains, together with a snack bar. The CONO tends to have roomettes available most times at around $90 on top of the coach fare, which seems good value. (book early for Mardigras and other holiday travel, if required, to get best prices.)

I am sure your son would be quite secure aboard the train.

Ed B)

thank you Ed B