City of New Orleans - Route Details

Route Details

Upon Amtrak's creation in 1971, the City of New Orleans was one of four trains that called at Chicago's Central Station, which was originally Illinois Central's terminal in Chicago. All Amtrak trains were consolidated to Union Station by March 1972.

The tracks used were once part of the Illinois Central Railroad system, and are now owned by the CN. The following lines are used:

  • St. Charles Air Line Railroad (IC), Chicago Union Station to the shore of Lake Michigan, now CN
  • Illinois Central Railroad Chicago Branch and main line, Chicago to Cairo, Illinois, now CN
  • Chicago, St. Louis and New Orleans Railroad (IC), Cairo to Fulton, Kentucky, now CN
  • Chesapeake, Ohio and Southwestern Railroad (IC), Fulton to Memphis, Tennessee, now CN
  • Yazoo and Mississippi Valley Railroad (IC), Memphis to Lake Cormorant, Mississippi, now CN
  • Yazoo and Mississippi Valley Railroad (IC) branch, Lake Cormorant to Lambert, Mississippi, now CN
  • Yazoo and Mississippi Valley Railroad (IC) branch, Lambert to Swan Lake, Mississippi, now CN
  • Yazoo and Mississippi Valley Railroad (IC) branch, Swan Lake to Black Bayou, Mississippi, now CN
  • Yazoo and Mississippi Valley Railroad (IC) branch, Black Bayou to Greenwood, Mississippi, now CN
  • Yazoo and Mississippi Valley Railroad (IC) Yazoo branch, Greenwood to Jackson, Mississippi, now CN
  • Chicago, St. Louis and New Orleans Railroad (IC), Jackson to New Orleans, Louisiana, now CN

In fiscal year 2004, the City of New Orleans achieved an on-time performance rating of 67.6%. The train's average on-time performance rating for fiscal year 2006 was 86.8%, reaching as high as 93.5% for the month of May 2006.

While suggestions have been made to extend the City of New Orleans service east from New Orleans to Orlando, Florida, Amtrak has not yet made any formal proposals to do so.

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