Any recent City of New Orleans experiences?

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George K

George K

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Sep 7, 2014
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We rode CONO last March and had a great time back in March.

Apparently, the meals have changed (I've seen the menu :unsure: ).

We're going again in 2 weeks for a 5 day stay in NOLA.

How's the service/food etc these days?
 
i would consider Pullman for this route, especially with the nasty processed microwave food now.
 
I was on the CONO last week.

I was talking to our sleeping car attendant, whose name I have unfortuantely forgotten. He was very helpful and informative and we chatted about lots of stuff and he told me about the places along the route and recommended stuff to visit. I asked him about the service changes and he says its just a test trial. When I asked him how people felt about the changes he was a bit evasive, but he said he thought more changes would be coming to Amtrak as a whole.

The diner no longer has table cloths (not even paper ones) and there are no longer flowers but I think they've chenged the table lighting so there is still some atmosphere. The food was still Ok in my view. They seem to have gone back to metal cutlery rather than the plastic, which is a plus. The diner is only on one half of the car and the other half is the cafe (is this waht you call a cross-country cafe). The old cafe on the lower level of the observation saloon was closed and cordoned off. There was only one person doing the diner but she was assisted much of the time by the cafe guy. The diner lady was a bit stressed. She seemed a bit coarse, wasn't as polite as she maybe could have been and she forgot the dessert of one of the people at our table and had to be reminded. The cafe guy was much calmer though and more professional and seemed more in control of the situation.
 
I was on it a couple of weeks ago.

As said, the food and meals are basic. There was only 1 person in the diner half, but he was assisted by my SCA in serving. There is still dinner departing CHI.

Oh, and on my train there was a (tour) group of 40. Of course their meals were included, but the server said that Amtrak didn't provide him any extra help in the CCC!
 
i would consider Pullman for this route, especially with the nasty processed microwave food now.
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That seems like a serious increase in price. Even at the highest bucket bedroom shown by amsnag for Feb 20-26 and no discount on the rail portion, two people on Amtrak would pay $634 compared to $825 for upper and lower berth on Pullman. I suspect many people could put up with substandard meals for a day to save almost $200 and likely more.

That does not even consider the restricted travel day: Pullman only runs one day per week in each direction.
 
I didn't realize that Pullman offered berths. They should be a lot lower than $825, don't you think. Or did you mean $825 for a double bedroom?
 
George K said:
We rode CONO last March and had a great time back in March.

Apparently, the meals have changed (I've seen the menu :unsure: ).

We're going again in 2 weeks for a 5 day stay in NOLA.

How's the service/food etc these days?
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ah yes, dining on "the silly of new orleans". did an rt a couple weeks ago. out of chi, the 8pm seating for dinner was told by the osa(only service attendant):" i am the only person here. i will take your order, cook your food, serve your food and bus your table. the food is microwave food so i will take orders one table at a time, cook and serve that table and move to the next table". was sitting with a retired couple from norway, their first amtrak experience". the gentleman and i both got the sirloin tips in red wine sauce. we got a little bit of meaty glop presented in an amtrak signature plastic glop bowl. the norwegian looked at it, thought about what he had ordered and said "stew". i felt bad that this was the best amtrak could do.

the second worst meal was the continental breakfast coming into chi. choice of raisin bran, special k or frosted flakes. not my favorites. with a warm glass of pre-poured milk(i assume to save time).

the jambalaya was ok as long as you didn't think about the meals on the cz(which i had taken to chi)or the meals on the eb(which i would take home).

the lsa on the return announced the meals as "our light summer menu" even though it was fall. he said that all amtrak had told him was to expect more changes.

it was pathetic.
 
Unless u can take Pullman, it sadly sounds like this route is to be avoided. How have the tracks been? Crazy rough still?
 
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tommylicious said:
Unless u can take Pullman, it sadly sounds like this route is to be avoided. How have the tracks been? Crazy rough still?
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yeah, track still crazy rough. i kind of enjoy it but some might not. the crew, both ways, were great but they don't have much to work with. also, heading to nol we didn't have a baggage car and, i believe though am not positive, that the sleeper was the first car behind the engine. anyway, the horn was incredibly loud(and there are an incredible number of grade crossings). again, i kind of like it but others may not. it is sure not a route i would recommend. but, how else to get to nol to ride the streetcars?
 
Hytec said:
The CONO is still daily round trip in both directions
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Yes, of course. However, the Pullman is (I believe) weekly in each direction. Southbound it's on Thursdays.

Pullman has gotten very costly
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Looking at the next available date (Nov 12), the trip for two, in a bedroom, is $2009. That's more than 3 times the price of an Amtrak bedroom the same day.

Considering that you leave CHI at 8PM, have dinner and go to bed, you don't really enjoy the nice accommodations until the next day, and then, only until 3 PM when you arrive in NOL.

Screen Shot 2015-10-21 at 5.47.45 PM.png
 
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Booking on Pullman for a 12/17 departure is $860 for one person in a bedroom. Unlike Amtrak where you get your microwaved food your meals on Pullman are prepared from scratch. Additionally you get three meals CHI>NOL for example is dinner, breakfast, and lunch. From the time you board until arrival everything included. The 2 Joes enjoyed great conversation with other passengers and "adult beverages" until about midnight each trip. We turned in earlier than others, but the lounge car is staffed 24 hours and will serve food and drink upon request.

The return to CHI is the same, while Amtrak passengers miss lunch Pullman starts serving lunch as you go by Lake Ponchatrain.
 
No question that the food is (probably) better. No question that the accommodations are better as well.

If you've got the extra $1700 for a couple to go to NOL, and another $1700 for a ride back to Chicago (as opposed to the $1200 that Amtrak charges), go for it.

It's a question of values, of course, but at $150 per waking hour, for me, at least, it's probably not worth it. Not even for the two extra meals, and I bring my own (expensive) Scotch when I travel by train.

That's even more money than *I* make (Looking at you Bob Dylan!).
 
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I agree it is a bit of a splurge, but the price for 2 in a bedroom CHI>NOL and back on those dates is $1,720 - $860 per leg. If Amtrak charges $1,200 the upcharge is $520. The only point I'm making is for a once in a lifetime trip the expense isn't all that bad, especially if the differential is only ~$500 for two round trip.
 
hessjm said:
I agree it is a bit of a splurge, but the price for 2 in a bedroom CHI>NOL and back on those dates is $1,720 - $860 per leg. If Amtrak charges $1,200 the upcharge is $520. The only point I'm making is for a once in a lifetime trip the expense isn't all that bad, especially if the differential is only ~$500 for two round trip.
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Amtrak charges that for a round trip. For a $500 differential, it might be worth it.

Your Pullman price of $860 is per person. See the pic I posted.

Yes, it's a splurge to be sure, and we all have to, individually, decide if it's worth it. I made a good living when I worked, and now that I'm semi-retired, I'm doing OK as well. When Mrs. George asked about the Pullmans (she's a sucker for all that "pretty" stuff), I told her about the difference in price, and she said, "No, thanks."

De gustibus non est disputandum.
 
Two in bedroom for that price, please excuse the formatting!

ABOUT USCONTACT USLOGINMEDIAReservations: 888-978-5563

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Final Payment Date 21 Oct 2015 Deposit Date 21 Oct 2015 Deposit Amount 1,720.00

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Thu, 17 Dec 2015 Chicago to New Orleans - Bedroom for two guests- Round Trip

1 Bedroom for two guests 2 Days 860.00 860.00

Sun, 20 Dec 2015 New Orleans to Chicago - Bedroom for two guests- Round Trip

1 Bedroom for two guest 2 Days 860.00 860.00

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I know that the Pullman expierence is first rate but I'd rather spend my money on a Winter trip on the Canadian, especially now that the Loonie is so weak against the US Dollar and Canada, in her infinite wisdom, elected a Majority Liberal Government.
 
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