Phila to AZ by train

What to do in New Orleans during an overnight layover?  Joe; surely you jest!  😉

Curt

Just fly Joe, it is easier and a heck of a lot faster. 

Dave

david1 posted:

Just fly Joe, it is easier and a heck of a lot faster. 

Dave

Not to mention all the negative reports of meals and accommodation issues on long distance Amtrak trains.

Mrs RJR & I went DC to LA 2 years ago, on Capitoll Limited & SW Chief, and thought food was excellent & the bedrooms also.  Unfortunately, CapLtd no longer has a diner.  We were ytreate duch better than any airline has ever treated us.

Hot Water posted:

david1 posted:

Just fly Joe, it is easier and a heck of a lot faster. 

Dave

Not to mention all the negative reports of meals and accommodation issues on long distance Amtrak trains.

As I said, we took the Silver Meteor from Phila to Ft. Lauderdale. The red caps, sleeping car porter, and waiters in the dining car, could not have been nicer. Food was good, as well. The train was only 45 minutes late, which can be expected due to freight train priorities. 

juniata guy posted:

What to do in New Orleans during an overnight layover?  Joe; surely you jest!  😉

Curt

Since I usually go to bed around 10 (and up at 6), and the fact that I gave up drinking 17 years ago, I don't think spending the entire night in a bar would be an ideal solution. I was hoping that someone familiar with the New Orleans train station could give some advice.

I was there some years ago and unless things have changed, believe me, the Union Passenger Terminal is no place to be in the middle of the night...unless you like sitting in round-bottom hard plastic chairs for 10 1/2 hours, that is. Not to mention the need to keep your eyes on your luggage every second.  Heed the advise in post #3.

Joe, Mrs RJR & I also are too creaky to climb into an upper berth.  I suggest that instead of 2 roomettes, you look into a bedroom (Not the family bedroom on lower deck).  Mrs. RJR & I are quite comfortable sharing the lower bed in the double-decker upstairs bedrooms.  You also get a private restroom with shower.  On the double deckers, Bedroom A is the least desirable, as it has a slightly different and more cumbersome layout.

An alternative route for you, especially if you like scenery, would be the Cardinal to Chicago and the SW Chief from there.  The Chicago layover is during the day.  A downside would be that the Cardinal historically runs late.

ANother alterntive would be to take the NE Corridor (schlepping your own baggage, to NYC or DC, and then take the Lake Shore or the Caoitol Limited to Chicago.

Note both the Cardinal and the Crescent are single deckers.  I personally did not like the Viewliner roomettes, with the toilet under the seat.

david1 posted:

Just fly Joe, it is easier and a heck of a lot faster. 

Dave

Unfortunately, for us train lovers, Dave is right.  Many times I have tried to find a reasonable fare using Amtrak.  In each case, flying or driving if close enough, was far less expensive.  

In 2011 we went to Europe.  We took an overnight train from Paris to Padova, Italy.  It was more expensive than flying, but I was determined and SWMBO gave in.  Long story short, the train was somewhat disappointing.  

Hey Joe sounds like a good trip. Sine you really don't have much time there, and the neighborhood sounds less than ideal, I would just find a hotel that would pick you up and then take you back in the morning. I've done that b4 worked out great.

Dan Padova posted:

david1 posted:

Just fly Joe, it is easier and a heck of a lot faster. 

Dave

In 2011 we went to Europe.  We took an overnight train from Paris to Padova, Italy.

Why did you go to Padova?

Oh wait...

I have had better luck with trains in Europe than that...getting from Bergen across Norway and Denmark down to Frankfurt, as well as using them in GB, Sweden and around Switzerland.  Only ridden steam tourist trains here, though. (If AMTRAK offers steam runs, lemme know)

Joe Hohmann posted:

juniata guy posted:

What to do in New Orleans during an overnight layover?  Joe; surely you jest!  😉

Curt

Since I usually go to bed around 10 (and up at 6), and the fact that I gave up drinking 17 years ago, I don't think spending the entire night in a bar would be an ideal solution. I was hoping that someone familiar with the New Orleans train station could give some advice.

Joe:

I’m up at 4AM on weekdays so I can be at work by 6AM.  You’re preaching to the choir about being early to bed.  

Neither am I much of a drinker anymore myself but; you can still visit a jazz club or two and drink soft drinks.  There are countless good restaurants in New Orleans and you should also take advantage of that as well.

And I will second the suggestion to get a hotel room.  As mentioned above; the New Orleans station is not a place one spends a night unless they are homeless.

Curt

You have to love going long distance by rail or you will hate it. I have taken my daughter around the country 5 times in the past 3 years all 1st class long distance trains. She didn't like it at first, but now she loves it. Now she can't wait to get on the Meteor to Florida in February.

clem k posted:

Hey Joe sounds like a good trip. Sine you really don't have much time there, and the neighborhood sounds less than ideal, I would just find a hotel that would pick you up and then take you back in the morning. I've done that b4 worked out great.

Thanks to all of you that gave me some useful information. I think we will book the night in a nearby hotel, even if we use it for only a few hours. Heck, the trip is costing almost $2,500. What's another $150.? 

There are lots of great things to do in New Orleans.  Unless you enjoy a good party or unless you like good food and the train is on time you probably won't be able to do them on your timetable.  Plus making your morning train will likely mean staying in an expensive hotel.   I agree with others who suggested you explore alternate train routes.

Antoines for dinner, and Pralines. That's all you need to do in New Orleans.

beachhead2 posted:

Dan Padova posted:

david1 posted:

Just fly Joe, it is easier and a heck of a lot faster. 

Dave

In 2011 we went to Europe.  We took an overnight train from Paris to Padova, Italy.

Why did you go to Padova?

Oh wait...

  It took me until I was in my sixties to get there.  It is a nice city.  Not too big.  There's a memorial to 911 there.  My daughter's friend, who is from Padova, pointed it out to us.  It came as a nice surprise.  I really don't want to hijack this thread.  But since you asked.....  

Joe Hohmann posted:

Thanks to all of you that gave me some useful information. I think we will book the night in a nearby hotel, even if we use it for only a few hours. Heck, the trip is costing almost $2,500. What's another $150.? 

Don't know the train schedules,  but why not stay a day or two in N'awlins and enjoy what the Crescent City has to offer?

Mitch