7/18/09
After 15 minutes of resting/refreshments in the Metro Lounge were lined up/tickets checked and led past
throngs of folks (its Sat. nite in CHI) for our train to NOL!The sleepers are @ the end,a long walk and
couldnt check luggage due to time(we were 2 1/2 hrs late from SEA),locate 5900/roomette #8/the SCA
Greg is very helpful/tells us dinner will start upon leaving @8PM/SLA will come by!I walk around to get
the consist, 2 engines/baggage/transition sleeper/our sleeper/CCC(my first)/3 coaches!No ssl! :angry:
Sound the horn toots, we high ball out into the yards and there is the SP Steamer from PDX parked in the
yards with large crowds taking pics/lineing the view points etc. No sight of the cars with it?(I saw the post later about
splitting the train before CHI!)A couple from CHI next to us in the diner told us it came through their area by
Naperville(?) and the crowds were huge!
We pull up/stop/backup a long way/pull into a wye and head out for the
Southland!My rfirst time in a CCC,cant say Im wild about the 3 place booths,but we are @ a table for 4!
Diner is great,the gumbo is tourist strength but the bourbon pecan pie is to die for!I am forced to have a
second piece,san ice cream :lol: ,Stacy has the same!Stop and go in Homewood(lots of Metra traffic still)/
and Kankakee(from the song!),roll out for Champaign were the train gets more full.We are watching from the
room since the CCC is fuull, no room @ the INN!The OBS and conductor tell us to let AMTRAK know
they want their ssl back, that the TE took it! :lol: Greg makes our beds/we go to sleep rolling down a somewhat rough track
and briefly stop in Carbondale where more get on,were on time!
Wake up in the middle of the night, take a shower,Greg is up, tells me that the train is full and will stay that
way to NOL!Other night owls waiting,up and about, good hot water, the car is refurbished and is in great
shape!We pass through Fulton ,KY(I count this as a state, Im there! :lol: ) and next thing I know were pulling
in to Memphis past the river and downtown and the pyramid!We detrain,visit the old station,only partially being used
but @ least its not an AMSHACK or torn down!After sitting for an hour, we pull out into the yards, we go have
a southern breakfast(grits yall!) and roll through farm land and small settlements and wonder how folks live here,
'doesnt seem to be much going on!The Mississippi towns come and go,pull into Jackson and something
interesting happens!Were sitting in the CCC,gonna have lunch when we roll out, and a couple of guys
come in, ask the conductor about buying a ticket, that they were told the train is full in the station!
How much for an upgrade?The coonductor looks @ a little book,does some figuring after calling on his cell
and tells them $55 to NOL!Too much, can they ride coach?He says there are no seats, one of the guys asks
what about riding in the CCC,the conductor figures(??????), tells him $16, he takes it and the ticket is
written and the guy pays his $$!He rides the rest of the way drinking beer,turns out he rides alot, he
is a tour guide in NOL, from Mississippi,gives a couple of good tips for our visit!
Soon we hit the swamps and start around the Lake by NOL,lots of traffic on the causeway,beautiful warm,
clear day, you can see downttown across the water which he says is unusual!We cruise into town , right on time,
pull in to the station/unload/there are no redcaps per say but an AMTRAK guy in uniform has a golf cart
and lots of us load up and ride to the station,its a fairly long walk and steamy hot! :lol: A pretty good trip,
the tracks a little rough in parts but interesting, we hop a cab after using the restroom(still not finished,
they are temporary outside)and cruise through the teeming streets on a fast trip to our hotel in the
French Quarter!(wed been told the standard fare was$10, he tried to charge $15/settled for $12!! )
My first time in NOL in 20= years, looking forward to the Big Easy,doesnt look any different downtown?
After 15 minutes of resting/refreshments in the Metro Lounge were lined up/tickets checked and led past
throngs of folks (its Sat. nite in CHI) for our train to NOL!The sleepers are @ the end,a long walk and
couldnt check luggage due to time(we were 2 1/2 hrs late from SEA),locate 5900/roomette #8/the SCA
Greg is very helpful/tells us dinner will start upon leaving @8PM/SLA will come by!I walk around to get
the consist, 2 engines/baggage/transition sleeper/our sleeper/CCC(my first)/3 coaches!No ssl! :angry:
Sound the horn toots, we high ball out into the yards and there is the SP Steamer from PDX parked in the
yards with large crowds taking pics/lineing the view points etc. No sight of the cars with it?(I saw the post later about
splitting the train before CHI!)A couple from CHI next to us in the diner told us it came through their area by
Naperville(?) and the crowds were huge!
We pull up/stop/backup a long way/pull into a wye and head out for theSouthland!My rfirst time in a CCC,cant say Im wild about the 3 place booths,but we are @ a table for 4!
Diner is great,the gumbo is tourist strength but the bourbon pecan pie is to die for!I am forced to have a
second piece,san ice cream :lol: ,Stacy has the same!Stop and go in Homewood(lots of Metra traffic still)/
and Kankakee(from the song!),roll out for Champaign were the train gets more full.We are watching from the
room since the CCC is fuull, no room @ the INN!The OBS and conductor tell us to let AMTRAK know
they want their ssl back, that the TE took it! :lol: Greg makes our beds/we go to sleep rolling down a somewhat rough track
and briefly stop in Carbondale where more get on,were on time!
Wake up in the middle of the night, take a shower,Greg is up, tells me that the train is full and will stay that
way to NOL!Other night owls waiting,up and about, good hot water, the car is refurbished and is in great
shape!We pass through Fulton ,KY(I count this as a state, Im there! :lol: ) and next thing I know were pulling
in to Memphis past the river and downtown and the pyramid!We detrain,visit the old station,only partially being used
but @ least its not an AMSHACK or torn down!After sitting for an hour, we pull out into the yards, we go have
a southern breakfast(grits yall!) and roll through farm land and small settlements and wonder how folks live here,
'doesnt seem to be much going on!The Mississippi towns come and go,pull into Jackson and something
interesting happens!Were sitting in the CCC,gonna have lunch when we roll out, and a couple of guys
come in, ask the conductor about buying a ticket, that they were told the train is full in the station!
How much for an upgrade?The coonductor looks @ a little book,does some figuring after calling on his cell
and tells them $55 to NOL!Too much, can they ride coach?He says there are no seats, one of the guys asks
what about riding in the CCC,the conductor figures(??????), tells him $16, he takes it and the ticket is
written and the guy pays his $$!He rides the rest of the way drinking beer,turns out he rides alot, he
is a tour guide in NOL, from Mississippi,gives a couple of good tips for our visit!
Soon we hit the swamps and start around the Lake by NOL,lots of traffic on the causeway,beautiful warm,
clear day, you can see downttown across the water which he says is unusual!We cruise into town , right on time,
pull in to the station/unload/there are no redcaps per say but an AMTRAK guy in uniform has a golf cart
and lots of us load up and ride to the station,its a fairly long walk and steamy hot! :lol: A pretty good trip,
the tracks a little rough in parts but interesting, we hop a cab after using the restroom(still not finished,
they are temporary outside)and cruise through the teeming streets on a fast trip to our hotel in the
French Quarter!(wed been told the standard fare was$10, he tried to charge $15/settled for $12!!
)My first time in NOL in 20= years, looking forward to the Big Easy,doesnt look any different downtown?
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