Blues, jazz, rock, soul, BB King, Elvis Presley ... So many words that resonate in the mind of someone who holds in his hands a ticket for the “City of New Orleans” Amtrak Superliner. The train is named after Steve Goodman’s famous song – and appropriately so, since it travels through most of the mythical places within the United States musical history. From Chicago to New Orleans, Amtrak proposes a physical journey through the legendary wide open spaces, doubled by a musical one, since the traveling experience takes place with a selection of the greatest hits of American blues, jazz and soul in the background.
"The clouds look the same everywhere when you look out the window of a plane, here or elsewhere. But when you go by train, you really see what America looks like," said Marc Magliari, my friendly dining room attendant. Indeed, whether from the peace and quiet of a private cabin or from the Sightseer Lounge Car, the passengers on the City of New Orleans enjoy an exceptional view over the Midwest and the southern territories of the United States, from the bayou wetlands to the powerful currents of the Mississippi. This line is one of the most popular in Amtrak’s network, not only because of the landscapes it crisscrosses, but also because of the diverse and exciting cities it travels through.
The trip begins in Chicago Union Station, a station that needs little introduction, as it served as the backdrop for a plethora of movies. The central stairs to the platforms will remind moviegoers of the famous baby carriage scene in Brian de Palma's “The Untouchables”. Not really too surprising as Chicago was the scene for many famous gangsters during the Prohibition era, and Al Capone's shadow still looms large.
Between Chicago and Memphis, I spoke to an Australian couple in the dining car, who were very excited to finally be able to visit the places where the King had spent his final days. Elvis Presley was born in Memphis and this city is also where he chose to build his famous home, Graceland. Memphis feels much smaller than its metropolitan population of 1.6 million would make you believe, but this slice of the “real” America still deserves a stop. Just go on Beale Street to understand that you find yourself in a place that nourished the greatest folk musicians in all of the United States. A few steps away, it’s impossible to resist the temptation of entering the Rock 'n' Soul Museum or the museum of Stax Records, a mythical place which has propelled stars like Otis Redding. Another essential visit would be the one to Sun Records: it was in this recording studio that a then unknown Elvis recorded in 1954 the song that launched his career, “That's All Right Mama”.
After several hours in the bayous, a gasp of general astonishment can be heard through the train, at the sight of Lake Pontchartrain. Its sheer size and the powerful currents of the Mississippi river give the traveler the sensation of being little more than a few feet away from a sea of devastating waters. The train moves at low speed on a wooden bridge whose resistance to thousands of cubic feet of water is a miracle. When the arrival in New Orleans becomes imminent, the atmosphere in the Sightseer Lounge Car becomes electrified: joyful cheers erupt when the driver announces the final station, a good omen for the mood of this festive city.
"This city is one of the few in the United States that was arguably built on a human scale," said one jazz enthusiast I encountered in a club on Bourbon Street. I have to say though that this remark applies only to the historic heart of the city, the French Quarter, which can be visited on foot, by letting oneself be carried by the music of the street artists present throughout the older areas. New Orleans is discovered with the ears first but the stomach comes in a close second: major attractions of Cajun cuisine include the Creole gumbo, the jambalaya and various alligator dishes, which must arrive at least once on your plate during your visit. Before leaving, be sure to get some of the donuts at the Café du Monde. Some locals will tell you that these are donuts made “in the French way”, although I cannot think of anything more American than these pillow-sized desserts sprinkled with an excessive amount of anything that struck their makers as palatable.
The practical side
Amtrak trains are very comfortable - especially when compared to Greyhound buses or the modern-day nightmare that is air travel. There is plenty of room to spread your legs, and trains are the only means of transport in which you can actually sleep. There are always attendants available to help with any questions or issues (such as pillows or newspapers) and in my experience these attendants are very friendly, often engaging with the passengers. The train is safe and the atmosphere inside is generally very relaxed because a lot of the voyagers are taking the train for vacation purposes. The train is therefore and integral part of a holiday package, in addition to the landscapes crossed. All trains are completely non-smoking, but smokers can take comfort in the fact that quite a few breaks are long enough (15 to 20 minutes) for them to leave the train and indulge their habit. Distances are obviously very long and “The City of New Orleans” takes at least 19 hours to go from Chicago to New Orleans.
The regular cars are equipped with reclining seats with folding trays and a reading lamp. Carry-on luggage is stored in racks above the seating. Electrical outlets are provided for notebook computers, and there is plenty of space between the seats in order for the passengers to comfortably extend their legs. There are also “Viewliner” cabins for two, with huge windows seats that turn into beds at night. Prices start at $115 for a regular coach seat, but can go as high as $500 for a luxurious Superliner Bedroom, in which you can enjoy a private bathroom and personal service.
It’s easy to understand why there are mostly holidaymakers on these Amtrak Superliners: the conditions are great, but there are also considerable delays on the lines. The problem is that Amtrak does not own the railroad tracks it is using, and these are consequently very poorly maintained. A train attendant told me that this is the case everywhere within the United States, but especially in Texas and the Southwest. Another problem is that freight transport takes priority over passenger traffic and on my trip we waited for one hour at a stop to clear the way for the passage of a freight train. Most of the times there is only one railway line and as the trains cannot pass each other, they have to synchronize, and thus any delay reverberates throughout the network. In the South, the tracks can also be subjected to hurricane damage.
In short, if you decide to take this train, do not hurry and do not give Amtrak employees a hard time over the delays because there is nothing they can do about it (the poor state of US railways is the consequence of many decades of purposeful governmental negligence). Strangely, most passengers remain cheerful and do not really complain. Apart from the probable delays, Amtrak provides a great experience and the views are magnificent: but you must take your time.
References
Amtrak. Timetables. Electronic resource at tickets.amtrak.com.
Amtrak. City of New Orleans. 7 Nov 2011. Web.
