Julia Street: Trains, Travel and Teams

Hi Julia,
What do you think about the new New Orleans to Mobile Amtrak service. Part of the route will go through eastern New Orleans and usually any big idea that involves that area (i.e. Jazzland, Six Flags) doesn’t last. What is the distance between the two destinations as the crow flies?
Jim Paperkwski, Bay St. Louis

Jim, first, Poydras does not like any references that tend to glorify crows as though they are so smart they always fly between distances in a straight line, supposedly because they can detect food sources. Poydras says that is all crow propaganda. He argues that if crows are so smart why can’t they talk like some parrots do? Being able to ask for a cracker is more enriching conversation than just screeching, “Caw, caw.” I have argued that if crows are such effective propagandists than they mut be at least a little smart. Poydras won’t reply.

Anyway, to answer your question, the distance between New Orleans and Mobile is 143.9 miles using 1-10 as a measurement. According to our sister publication, Biz New Orleans that’s about equal to the distance between Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia. (To show how smart a parrot can be, Poydras says tickets for that East Coast route range, depending on seating, between $11 and $68).

There have been trains along that route including the glorious Southern Crescent which once connected New Orleans with Washington D.C., through Philadelphia and then linking to New York (Dear readers: Someone, ask me about the Crescent and what it was especially famous for.)

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There was Gulf Coast service between New Orleans and Mobile, but it never returned after Katrina. To railroad people this revival is a big moment.

As for the economic potential, don’t think of the Gulf Coast as just condos and beaches, both of which can now be reached by train, but the aerospace industry. Eastern New Orleans has NASA’s Michoud facility which, despite recently receiving a negative audit, could still have a future in space travel. Also, the Mobile area has won an important assembly facility for European-based Airbus which has become a major player in the passenger flight industry. That could mean lots of job and construction.

So, there is a future along that route. (Poydras just whispered to me to also mention the casino business potential.)

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Dr. Steve Nelson

Dr. Steve Nelson, Chancellor of LSU Health New Orleans, has been a cornerstone of medical leadership in Louisiana since 1984 when he joined the...

Additional stops between the terminals in New Orleans and Mobile will be in Bay St. Louis, Gulfport, Biloxi and Pascagoula.

Truth is, if a crow takes the train rather than flying, he will arrive more relaxed. That would be a smart move.

Hey Julia,
Whatever happened to the New Orleans Zephyrs baseball team?
Ramon Hunt, Luling

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New Orleans in the summer is too hot for watching baseball, especially in an outdoor stadium. Also, when the city got an NBA franchise, much of the sports interest shifted. The city just wasn’t a minor league town anymore. And then the franchise was taken over by a new group and, in one of the biggest blunders in sports history, the team’s name was changed to the Baby Cakes. (That’s what happens when out of town marketing people think they understand Mardi Gras.)

Locals hated the name—really hated it. Because of that, and overall declining interest, the franchise, was sold to a group from Wichita Kansas which promised to build a new stadium.

As bad as the name Baby Cakes was, the team in Wichita got a new name which was almost as bad, the Wind Surge. Fans hated that just as the folks in Metairie hated Baby Cakes.

In 2020 the Surge was supposed to make its debut, but the year was a disaster. That summer baseball was cancelled because of COVID. Also, the civic leader who championed getting the franchise for Wichita died. And then professional baseball realigned its minor leagues. The Wind Surge went from being Triple-A to Double A.

Nevertheless, the franchise still exists, playing in the Texas league. Among the teams in the league is a franchise with a name that is almost as bad as Baby Cakes. Using a local nickname for prairie dogs, which are plentiful there, the Amarillo team is called the Sod Poodles.


Send us your questions! Poydras is looking for something to do. Send your questions to julia@myneworleans.com and be sure to include your name. For the subject line use: Julia and Poydras Question.

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