The Amtrak Mardi Gras Service is a big winner.
The train route between New Orleans and Mobile, Alabama, is a winner for Amtrak, a winner for New Orleans, a winner for Mobile, a winner for the Mississippi Coast, a winner for riders and a winner for public safety.
For safety, it’s a winner to the extent that it reduces the number of drivers on Interstate 10, which has become a haven for rude and dangerous motorists. It’s an obvious winner for all the places along the route because it surely will increase the number of visitors to and from each place, thus driving economic development and a spirit of community.
Those points need no complicated explanations. Accepting them as a given, then, let this column describe why the new passenger-rail service is such a winner for riders. To get a feel for the whole experience, I rode on both the ceremonial inaugural ride from Mobile to New Orleans on Aug. 16 and the initial public ride from New Orleans to Mobile on the early morning of Aug. 18.
To begin with, consider the logistics. The whole process of taking the train is remarkably easy (although I hope Mobile provides more protection from inclement weather, which right now is impermanent at its end). There are no complicated security hassles. There is plenty of time to board, and parking availability seems nearly adequate. Lifts for handicapped riders are available, although passengers with mobility issues should call ahead (yes, a real phone call) for arrangements.
And the prices, starting as low as $15 on some weekdays, are terrific.
The only two small hiccups are a Wi-Fi system that is spotty between New Orleans and the Slidell area (but otherwise seems good), and the possibility that the freight lines, which by law should give “preference” to Amtrak, might ignore the law and block the tracks (temporarily) anyway. My advice: Allow an extra half-hour for your plans at your destination, just in case.
As expected for a brand-new service, the trains are bright, clean and comfortable. Even when sold out, they aren’t cramped. The ride is usually much smoother than it is jerky. The train employees all seem friendly, helpful and indeed happy to be there and to have the trains in operation.
Quin Hillyer
Best of all, though, was a feature that was somewhat of a surprise. Namely, the wonderful scenery. Trains in this nation’s Northeast have a reputation for unappetizing vistas: junkyards, abandoned industrial sites, urban blight. Well, except for one section just east of New Orleans, that’s not the case with the Mardi Gras line. Instead, the view out the windows usually ranges from interesting to pleasant to absolutely lovely.
The stretch between Pascagoula and Mobile, for example, is lush, green, wooded and interspersed with streams. Then, for those who long have frequented the Mississippi Coast, the change in viewpoints from the usual roadways is fascinating: Crossing both the Biloxi River and Bay St. Louis from a train’s-eye perspective, for example, seems new and pretty. And right near the depot in Bay St. Louis, a scenic pond and park is a delight.
The best part, though, is south of what we know as New Orleans East and then Slidell, in marshes stretching into Mississippi. The wetlands, spreading out for miles, are gorgeous. Waterfowl are plentiful, floating or skimming low across the waters and grasses. In places of open water, dolphins splashed. And at the Rigolets, even more dramatically than from the (closed) U.S. 90 bridge, the sudden opening to the Gulf on one side with fishing skiffs in the shallows on the other, is wonderful.
Photos: Amtrak Mardi Gras Service Line inaugural ride travels from New Orleans
Meanwhile, the journey isn’t the only worthwhile thing. Louisianans might wonder about the destination, too. The Mississippi parts are familiar: the white sand beaches, the bustling beach-town vibe of Bay St. Louis. But what about Mobile?
Well, the train lets out right at the riverfront there, with good sightlines to where Austal builds U.S. Navy and Coast Guard vessels. Within easy walking distance are four good museums: The National Maritime Museum of the Gulf, the History Museum of Mobile, the Mobile Exploreum (especially but not exclusively good for children), and (for preservationists) the Conde-Charlotte House.
All up and down walkable Dauphin Street (or nearby) are good lunch places and (for dinner) two restaurants that can compete with New Orleans' fine dining standards, The Royal Scam and Noja’s. And, for an inexpensive ride share, a jaunt to the USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park can easily provide two or three hours of inspirational exploration.
Much more could be said, but for now: Take the train. It’s not such a bad thing, as it turns out, to be run out of town on a rail.
