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Last week my wife and I returned from New Orleans to Atlanta on the Crescent. In spite of my grumblings about Amtrak service, Graham Claytor would have been pleased with Amtrak's performance. The equipment was in good shape, the train was on time, and the on board staff ranged from ok (our SCA) to very good (the dining car crew). The food was good to very good and thanks to an intermittent misty/foggy morning and a late winter sunrise, the scenery across Lake Pontchartrain and the Louisiana bayous was spectacular.
We lost a few minutes on a couple occasions as we briefly stopped or slowed waiting for a freight train. In all cases we stayed on the main while the freight cleared into the siding. All stations appeared in good condition and the one in Meridian, MS. was impressive. It appeared it was ready for that stillborn train that was to split from the Crescent a few years ago and head though Jackson and Shreveport to Dallas. I believe the mayor of the city at one point had been on the Amtrak board, which might have been a factor in getting that very nice station.
We sipped a pre dinner glass of wine in our room as we rolled through the interesting hills east of Birmingham and thoroughly enjoyed this relaxing journey. As I mentioned the food was good but the highlight for me was the well seasoned and perfectly prepared catfish dinner. And, it was a real pleasure to be dining again in a classic Budd built heritage diner - and one that had not had one of those unfortunate remodels with lots of plastic. But even the best overhauls can't hide its age and it is time for the new Viewliner diners.
If I had to find a negative, I guess it would be the sparse ridership on the train, just a handful in our sleeper and we were able to actually sit across from each other in the diner after we picked our table. A nice treat. But this obviously doesn't bode well for the long term survival of the sleepers or the train south of Atlanta. But then we chose the narrow window of calm in New Orleans - between the Sugar Bowl and NFL Playoffs/BCS Bowl. In fact at Tuscaloosa over 100 passengers (according to an Amtrak detective who was riding in our car and returning the next day) in their crimson clothes were waiting to 'Roll Tide' into NOLA on our southbound counterpart.
With our on time arrival into Atlanta, the train virtually emptied out. But in what can only be described as a mob scene, a throng of passengers were waiting to board for points north. A new station in Atlanta can't come soon enough.
The Crescent south of Atlanta makes for a great day trip. Too bad about that 7am departure, but our SCA, after some prodding, got our coffee going about the time we got to Slidell. At that point all was right with the world.
notelvis Member # 3071
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Thanks for the trip report...... it is always good to see those..... particularly during slower travel periods.
Historically ridership on the Crescent has been much stronger north of Atlanta.
If Amtrak ever gets back in the business of adding or deleting cars enroute again, it might make economic sense to turn a couple of coaches, one of the food service cars, and even one of the sleepers at Birmingham rather than carry them all the way to New Orleans. Doing this would allow the train to have five coaches between New York and Birmingham. That's one more than is currently the norm but I believe that the ridership north of Atlanta would support that.
I suggest Birmingham because that station still has an extra track where these cars turning back could wait out of the way of freight traffic for two or three hours until the northbound train picks them up.
palmland Member # 4344
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Absolutely, David, it would make sense to make a set out/pick up of cars. This would be an easy way to improve equipment utilization and reduce labor costs. Of course the downside is that there most be suitable tracks and standby facilities for this to happen. Birmingham would be a good choice except that I'm not sure the 3 hours between trains would be enough given the sometimes erratic timekeeping.
Other locations where this might work? Perhaps with CONO at Memphis. I believe the only place Amtrak does this now are the seasonal cars on the CZ at Denver and EB at Minneapolis.
Gilbert B Norman Member # 1541
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Mr. Palmland, I think we both know that 60 Mass is aware The Crescent essentially deadheads half its consist ATL-NOL. It is great for excursionists like you and Miss Mary to be able to occupy a Bedroom for likely the same cost as 400 miles of Coach travel North of Atlanta, but so far as economic and efficient operation of the train......well.
The key for better consist management of The Crescent is simply, as you noted, a new station facility at Atlanta. The determinant is nothing other than whether the economies of consist management would outweigh the capital costs, which could potentially mean that Amtrak will pay in full the cost of building the facility.
From a passenger's perspective, the existing Peachtree Street facility is also a nightmare. I know first hand from meeting Mr. Haithcoat there last year (he was returning from Train Day in Wash). Parking, even just long enough to pick up a party, is a "touch and go' - and to add insult to injury, Lady Lex, or otherwise my auto's Sat Nav, saw fit to guide me on to an expressway around the intersection to get to the station (those who know the location know of the road about which I speak) which only exacerbated the delay.
But alas, Mr. Haithcoat is a very patient fellow.
palmland Member # 4344
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GBN, if Amtrak gets a new station it will be because Atlanta gets its act together and makes it part of some sort of intermodal station, as this article suggests. But don't hold your breath.
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