NEW ORLEANS — Amtrak is adding a coach to one of the two Mardi Gras Service trainsets beginning today (Friday, Jan. 9) to accommodate anticipated additional demand sparked by the Carnival season along the Gulf Coast. Three coaches are being assigned to morning train No. 23 out of Mobile, Ala., and evening No. 26 from New Orleans every day through Feb. 23. The other round trip will continue to carry only two Amfleet coaches.
Both New Orleans and Mobile, Ala., are known for dozens of day and evening parades plus seasonal ball celebrations in the run-up to Fat Tuesday on Feb. 17. Mississippi communities along the Gulf Coast between the two cities also participate. Biloxi, Miss., for instance, has hundreds of rooms to offer in its multiple casino hotels.
Single-level coaches have been stretched thin ever since Amtrak sidelined Horizon equipment last March after extensive corrosion was discovered during overhauls. An extra coach added during New Orleans Saints home game weekends helped boost patronage.
The decision grew out of a request made by the Southern Rail Commission at its December board meeting, David Clark, CEO of tourism group Visit Mobile, said on the group’s website.
“In seeing the absolute success of the Mardi Gras Service and considering Amtrak’s decision to add a car during the New Orleans Saints home games, it simply made sense for the commissioners to send this request on behalf of all Mardi Gras revelers,” Clark said. “This route is currently earning the highest ratings in customer satisfaction of any of Amtrak’s lines in the entire United States, and we are thrilled to share the Mardi Gras spirit with even more people.”
What to charge?
Without historical booking data to use as a guide, other than ticket purchases since the train’s August launch, Amtrak’s pricing strategy going into Mardi Gras season has been based on two-coach consists.
Without the added capacity, New Orleans-Mobile adult coach fares for all trains start at $24 Monday-Thursday and $30 Friday through Sunday; prices rise as seats are sold. Weekend costs have been jumping to the $46-$57-$71 range, depending upon demand, with occasional sellouts more than a week in advance.
However, beginning Feb. 12 and continuing through Feb. 23, Amtrak has set coach prices for all trains in the highest “bucket,” $71. It isn’t clear whether this will be revisited now that an additional coach has been added to one of the daily round trips, or if another car might augment the other trainset if demand warrants.
Southern Rail Commission Chairman Knox Ross tells Trains, “If you can make service more affordable by adding additional capacity, that increases the economic impact because more people are likely to ride.”
The commission, with members from Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, worked with political leaders and civic organizations to support local financial matches that helped launch the Mardi Gras Service. It is advised on operating and marketing strategy, but does not make those decisions.
Mardi Gras Service merchandise
Meanwhile, the SRC announced Thursday that Amtrak is selling Mardi Gras-branded caps, t-shirts, and accessories on a pre-order basis through Fat Tuesday, Feb. 17. Ross says the group’s Baton Rouge, La., publicity firm, Emergent Method, worked with Amtrak promotion specialist Matt Donnelly to decide designs and what merchandise to offer.
The merchandise, available here, will only be sold through Feb. 17, when production will begin. Customers can expect delivery two to three weeks after that date and shipping is included in the price. “These are more than just Mardi Gras keepsakes, they’re a cool, wearable nod to a train that keeps the party rolling year-round,” says the sales pitch.
— To report news or errors, contact trainsnewswire@firecrown.com.
Extra cars should be no problem for Mo – TH days as the Crescent’s cancellations those days will have a Cresent train set laying over due to 19 & 20 cancelled NOL ATL those days. Somebody needs to alert SRC commission of these day’s spares.