River Cities (train)

The River Cities was a passenger train operated by Amtrak from 1984 to 1993 between Kansas City, Missouri, and New Orleans, Louisiana, via St. Louis, Missouri. It operated as a section of the City of New Orleans and the Mules.

River Cities
The River Cities at Centralia in May 1984
Overview
Service typeInter-city rail
StatusDiscontinued
LocaleMidwestern United States
First serviceApril 29, 1984
Last serviceNovember 4, 1993
Former operator(s)Amtrak
Route
StartKansas City, Missouri
Stops25
EndNew Orleans, Louisiana
Distance travelled1,014 miles (1,632 km)
Average journey time22 hours
Service frequencyDaily
Train number(s)358, 359
On-board services
Class(es)Reserved coach
Catering facilities
  • On-board cafe (Kansas CitySt. Louis)
  • Diner-lounge (CarbondaleNew Orleans)
Observation facilitiesDome lounge (CarbondaleNew Orleans)
Technical
Track gauge4 ft 8 12 in (1,435 mm)

The two trains split in Carbondale, Illinois, with the River Cities continuing 117 miles (188 km) to St. Louis, where it joined with a Kansas City Mule. For southbound trains the procedure was reversed; the River Cities would split from a St. Louis Mule and proceed to Carbondale, where it joined with the City of New Orleans for the journey to New Orleans. Before the Amtrak era, the City of New Orleans and its nighttime companion, the Panama Limited, had operated St. Louis sections that split in Carbondale.

Amtrak ended the service on November 4, 1993, as part of national cost-cutting measures, and instituted Thruway Motorcoach service between St. Louis and Centralia, Illinois. The only city to permanently lose service was Belleville, Illinois.[1][2]

References

Media related to River Cities (train) at Wikimedia Commons

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