RAILforum: New Orleans station

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Posted by Boyce (Member # 2719) on :

Do the gift-shops and the food places stay open 'round the clock? Just wondering.If the teain is VERY late, you will not have time to look around and see if things are closed.

[This message has been edited by Boyce (edited 03-05-2004).]

Posted by yummykaz (Member # 475) on :

The NOL station is vile. Even the "first class lounge" is vile.
The law enforcement people however are helpful.
The stuff in the French Quarter is open late. We went to Cafe Dumond around 12:30 AM.

Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :

I trust Ms. Kaz will be pleased to learn that the First Class Lounge, while once so, is no longer vile. Somehow, they found the money to give it a bit of a fix up.

New Orleans station personnel are "just great" - their courtesy is sincere. This even includes a uniformed Amtrak Police Officer!!!!

Otherwise, on my Feb 25 (Ash Wed) layover between #1 and #58, I had no reason or desire to leave the station.

[This message has been edited by Gilbert B Norman (edited 03-06-2004).]

Posted by CK (Member # 589) on :

Gilbert, nice to hear of a much needed improvement. We were there in April 03 and it was exactly as yummykaz described.

[This message has been edited by CK (edited 03-06-2004).]

Posted by Amtk507 (Member # 3083) on :

Was there just recently, Feb 22, and yes, it is much improved from the old days. The First Class lounge, the Magnolia Room, is still small but has been spruced up with some new furniture , artwork, and a new TV. Coffee and water are avialable.

However - I was attempting to spend my #2 to #20 layover in the lounge since hotel rooms on that night were either nonexistent or outrageous (Mardi Gras time). After arriving at 10:00 p.m. and settling into a nice chair, I and another rider were "kicked out" politely by Amtrak staff saying the lounge is closed between 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.! I had overnighted in the lounge before, so this was a surprise to me. I was told that these clsoing hours had always been there, but apparently this was the first time they were being enforced.

So I spent the night in the main waiting room in a hard plastic chair instead. Not the greatest, but the whole area seemed clean, well lit, and there was a roaming police patrol. The shops were all closed, so I'm sure they must close no later than 9:00 p.m. and they weren't open as of my 7:00 a.m. departure. Yes, you do see a real "mix" of people in there, but everyone was pretty well behaved. The restroom was clean, and other than the darn chairs, I never felt uncomfortable. The lounge did re-open at 6:00 a.m. and I was able to get some water.

If you luck out and the lounge is open, it is now a nice place to spend a few hours waiting. If the lounge isn't open, and a hotel room isn't an option, then you may want to consider a taxi ride to the Quarter! The station at night is booorrrrr-ing!

Posted by yummykaz (Member # 475) on :

glad to hear of the improvements. Just an fyi I have got hotel rooms in NOL for $30-60 for the Sheraton and Raddison in the French 1/4 on Priceline.