NOL Trains Update

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Hooray! :D

I wouldn't expect too much ridership right now, but we'll see what happens, especially as time goes on. Does this include restoration of the diner? Is NOL now just a station (did they remove the jail)?
 
Viewliner said:
Hooray! :D
I wouldn't expect too much ridership right now, but we'll see what happens, especially as time goes on. Does this include restoration of the diner? Is NOL now just a station (did they remove the jail)?
As far as the diner have not heard anymore on it the Jail is gone as far as i know have not heard anything on the Sunset LTD being extended to NOL yet.I will keep you all updated when i get the correct information i do not want to say anything false or start rumors.
 
Looking ahead to my Amtrak trip in Jan 2006, I note that the Amtrak on line booking service will not accept NOL bookings for Jan 2006, so how sure is it that these services mentioned (City, Crescent) will be running by then?

Ed B)
 
It's possible since the announcement was made either late Friday or over the weekend the folks that program ARROW haven't updated the system yet.
 
caravanman said:
Looking ahead to my Amtrak trip in Jan 2006, I note that the Amtrak on line booking service will not accept NOL bookings for Jan 2006, so how sure is it that these services mentioned (City, Crescent) will be running by then?Ed B)
The trains will go into NOL on Oct 7th 2005 jobs have been reasinged to employees they might have deiced to not run passengers in or out yet that was still in the air but they want to get the trains into NOL so they can be serviced better.
 
It is now possible to book a trip into/out of New Orleans on 19/20 or 58/59. I just tried using arbitrary dates in November, and it works fine.

I tried doing it with 1/2, but if you try to book a trip between Los Angeles and New Orleans, it sends you via Chicago on #4 and #59, and conversely on #58 and #3 to go west.
 
Glad to know things are looking up for New Orleans again. The scenes of desolation seen on the television left a bleak feeling. Does anyone know which areas were left "dry"?, or which hotels (near Amtrak station) might be in operation?

Ed. B)
 
There is not much in the way of hotels or restaurants in the vicinity of the station that are in operation. There are no taxis or other public transportation so passengers are really on their own. There also is an 8 pm curfew in the city, which will make it interesting when the Cresent arrives slightly late.

I had heard that Amtrak would be housing and feeding the crews in sleepers and dining cars positioned in the station yard.

I also think the jail is still there and has not been moved. That will be free attraction for the early tourists.
 
News Release

National Railroad Passenger Corporation

60 Massachusetts Avenue NE

Washington, DC 20002

www.amtrak.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Marc Magliari (312) 880-5390

ATK-05-083

October 10, 2005

Amtrak Trains to Roll Out of New Orleans on October 9

City of New Orleans to Memphis and Chicago and Crescent to Atlanta and New York resume service

WASHINGTON - The first passenger rail service from New Orleans since Hurricane Katrina suspended all operations will begin Sunday, Oct. 9, with the departures of the City of New Orleans to Memphis and Chicago and the Crescent to Atlanta and New York, Amtrak announced today.

Passengers may make reservations now at Amtrak.com, by calling 800-USA-RAIL or starting Saturday at the New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal at 1001 Loyola Ave.

The New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal, Amtrak facilities and the rail lines owned by the CN Railroad and Norfolk Southern Railway leading into the city sustained extensive damage as a result of Hurricane Katrina.

“We are proud to restore our operations to and from New Orleans to both serve passengers and to help New Orleans rebuild,” said William L. Crosbie, Amtrak Senior Vice President for Operations. “We are looking forward to a steady growth in passengers to and from New Orleans as the city and the surrounding parishes make repairs and more businesses join us in reopening.”

The first train to depart New Orleans on Oct. 9 will be the Crescent at 7:20 a.m., en route to Meridian, Miss., Birmingham, Ala., Atlanta, Charlotte, N.C., Washington, New York City and other destinations. At 1:45 p.m., the City of New Orleans will depart en route to Jackson, Miss., Memphis, Tenn., Carbondale, Ill., Chicago and other destinations.

The southbound City of New Orleans and Crescent will arrive from Chicago and New York later that afternoon and evening.

In FY 2004 (Oct. 2003-Sept. 2004), 161,449 passengers were ticketed to or from New Orleans, one of only two locations in the central U.S. where Amtrak trains connect between the east and west. Since Hurricane Katrina made landfall on Aug. 28, all of the eastern and western train connections have been made in Chicago while service along the gulf coast was disrupted.

At this time, taxis and other public transportation are not yet available within New Orleans and many other services are very limited.

Service that had been provided to New Orleans on a three-days-weekly schedule by the Sunset Limited (trains 1 & 2) to Orlando and Los Angeles is not yet restored. Plans for service to the west, via Beaumont and Houston, will be announced at a later date. Service to the east, via Biloxi and Mobile, will not be possible until 2006 at the earliest because of the extreme nature of the damage done to tracks, bridges and other infrastructure owned by CSX Transportation.

About Amtrak

Amtrak provides intercity passenger rail services to more than 500 destinations in 46 states on a 22,000-mile route system. For schedules, fares and information, passengers may call 800-USA-RAIL or visit Amtrak.com.
 
O.K, I will just have to keep an eye on developments, I am looking at NOL to add to my itinery for a planned quick Amtrak tour (max milage) in Jan 2006. It sounds as if the NOL to LAX conection might just be in place by then, anyway. I regret not visiting NOL before Katrina did, but I guess most people feel that now.

Ed. B)
 
The first #19 to go all the way to NOL since before Katrina made it in just over 3 1/2 hours late tonight. Presumable quite a few slow orders down there. This train will turn to become the first #20 out tomorrow.
 
Associated Press October 9, 2005

NEW ORLEANS -- The City of New Orleans train has returned to the

town that bears its name.

It arrived from Chicago Saturday with 29 passengers aboard and was

greeted by a handful of well-wishers.
 
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