The real nightmare ride was across Bay St Louis in the 1960s. The train crept and swayed and you felt like at any moment the track and bridge would give way and you would end up in a watery grave. That bridge has now been replaced. I think it was wiped out by Camille. I rode across it each way in February, 1967, which was after Betsy.
the bridge that is over top of water at 0:13 doesn't look safe at all! i dont think i would ever ever have the guts to travel across that bridge. i would rather swim the length of the water
@wusgooood That bridge was very solid when I saw it some years ago. Not sure how it made out with the big hurricane or if it has deteriorated with age. I'm sure that Amtrak wouldn't be using the thing if it was not in top notch condition.
At first I didn't understand all the comments about going across the water on Amtrak. I've done that route a couple times before and wasn't bothered in the least.
But then I thought of my irrational fear of flying, so I kind of understand. I felt perfectly fine and safe on the train. Maybe part of me figured if we derailed I could simply swim it off? All those windows can be punched out in an emergency.
But flying? Man, if you have trouble in the sky, there ain't no pullin' over. Scary!
I do it when I have to, but I don't like flying either. The way to handle such phobias, whn they are really phobias, is to just let the fear rise up as high as it will go. It will only go up so far because a person only has so much adrenalin for the moment. Then you calm down.
If it just a real assessment of the situation and a natural fear of that all you can do is tell yourself that airplane accidents are extremely rare relative to how many planes there are and how many trips are made.
I hate it when a plane that one is on just seems to be hanging there in the air and not moving. It goes thru ones head the question of how in the heck is this big old plane staying up here.
That's the worst of it. Actually, it's not that bad when you are actually there. It is a good sturdy causway, or whatever. The train isn't going to fall off. I'm somewhat phobic myself about driving over big bridges, but the thing over Lake Ponchatrain didn't bother me at all riding on a train. If it bothers you just close your eyes, or don't look out the window. All will be well.
I am leaving next week to take this train route. Is this the worst of it from New Orleans to NC? Also, one poster said it takes about 12 minutes to cross. On the video it seems like that would be a long 12 minutes!
So it ain't the famous 24 mile high causeway (which is a;ready all over the related videos sidebar.).(I've rode in November 1995 over that verry, very, long, long highway bridge
I too have crossed that bridge several times on Amtrack, it was a bit nerve racking the first time as y'all can see from the video if you look out the side window you don't see *any* bridge, you feel like your just floating along the water!
I took that same train. When the conductor told me to get my camera ready because we were about to go over the lake I though he meant over a high bridge - When I saw we were practically right on the water I freaked - It was like being on a boat. Funny part was it was windy and there were white caps on the lake - takes about 12 minutes for the train to cross.
i just wanted to let people know that this is the longest lake in the world i think its either 22 miles or 24 miles long and the water doesnt look blue its brown
A good bit of the track was washed off into the lake but NS just used a crane to put it back on the bridge. It reopened less than 3 days after katrina.
Yikes. That looks super scary.
Snoopylovergirl1 5 months ago
The real nightmare ride was across Bay St Louis in the 1960s. The train crept and swayed and you felt like at any moment the track and bridge would give way and you would end up in a watery grave. That bridge has now been replaced. I think it was wiped out by Camille. I rode across it each way in February, 1967, which was after Betsy.
GLICKMIRE 1 year ago
the bridge that is over top of water at 0:13 doesn't look safe at all! i dont think i would ever ever have the guts to travel across that bridge. i would rather swim the length of the water
wusgooood 1 year ago
@wusgooood That bridge was very solid when I saw it some years ago. Not sure how it made out with the big hurricane or if it has deteriorated with age. I'm sure that Amtrak wouldn't be using the thing if it was not in top notch condition.
PKingman 1 year ago
Wow..... That's more like an ocean!!!
metroliner89 2 years ago
dis christmas look for a guy called harold dean butler he is my teacher his mom live in north carolina dean butlervusally live in california
jakey200000 2 years ago
At first I didn't understand all the comments about going across the water on Amtrak. I've done that route a couple times before and wasn't bothered in the least.
But then I thought of my irrational fear of flying, so I kind of understand. I felt perfectly fine and safe on the train. Maybe part of me figured if we derailed I could simply swim it off? All those windows can be punched out in an emergency.
But flying? Man, if you have trouble in the sky, there ain't no pullin' over. Scary!
itpduder 2 years ago 2
I do it when I have to, but I don't like flying either. The way to handle such phobias, whn they are really phobias, is to just let the fear rise up as high as it will go. It will only go up so far because a person only has so much adrenalin for the moment. Then you calm down.
PKingman 2 years ago
If it just a real assessment of the situation and a natural fear of that all you can do is tell yourself that airplane accidents are extremely rare relative to how many planes there are and how many trips are made.
PKingman 2 years ago
I hate it when a plane that one is on just seems to be hanging there in the air and not moving. It goes thru ones head the question of how in the heck is this big old plane staying up here.
PKingman 2 years ago
That's the worst of it. Actually, it's not that bad when you are actually there. It is a good sturdy causway, or whatever. The train isn't going to fall off. I'm somewhat phobic myself about driving over big bridges, but the thing over Lake Ponchatrain didn't bother me at all riding on a train. If it bothers you just close your eyes, or don't look out the window. All will be well.
PKingman 2 years ago
Thanks!
kpariseau 2 years ago
I am leaving next week to take this train route. Is this the worst of it from New Orleans to NC? Also, one poster said it takes about 12 minutes to cross. On the video it seems like that would be a long 12 minutes!
kpariseau 2 years ago
i recently drove across with my fiance n it was scary and exciting
misspeaches197819761 2 years ago
Rode this last year on Amtrak. Makes me shiver just watching it!
johnlaingballs 3 years ago
Thats a big ass body of water, it looks like an ocean.
muggylove 3 years ago
If you are sitting down and looking out the window it feels like you are on a noisy boat.
PKingman 3 years ago
hell no fuck that!
hemirango 3 years ago
So it ain't the famous 24 mile high causeway (which is a;ready all over the related videos sidebar.).(I've rode in November 1995 over that verry, very, long, long highway bridge
SteveCarras 3 years ago
I too have crossed that bridge several times on Amtrack, it was a bit nerve racking the first time as y'all can see from the video if you look out the side window you don't see *any* bridge, you feel like your just floating along the water!
3of11 3 years ago
I took that same train. When the conductor told me to get my camera ready because we were about to go over the lake I though he meant over a high bridge - When I saw we were practically right on the water I freaked - It was like being on a boat. Funny part was it was windy and there were white caps on the lake - takes about 12 minutes for the train to cross.
rkjeldgaard 4 years ago
where is lake poncha-train?
FooFooTheClown 4 years ago
Just north of New Orleans.
PKingman 4 years ago
Wow, it must take balls to take a train that only passes by every other day of the week...
FooFooTheClown 4 years ago
that really look kind of dangerous... a little bit..
JAWS8000 4 years ago
was that the amtrak
JAWS8000 4 years ago
Yes.
PKingman 4 years ago
Kinda nerve wracking...
behahve1 4 years ago
Wooah ! what's a strange place ! :)
dashloc 5 years ago
i just wanted to let people know that this is the longest lake in the world i think its either 22 miles or 24 miles long and the water doesnt look blue its brown
sonnyla19 5 years ago
Did Hurricane Katrina destroy this byway across Lake Ponchatrain????
BNSFBJ 5 years ago
I don't know. Never heard that it was destroyed. But it must have taken an awful beating.
PKingman 5 years ago
A good bit of the track was washed off into the lake but NS just used a crane to put it back on the bridge. It reopened less than 3 days after katrina.
75249 4 years ago
The lake is just north of New Orleans. It is a long way across.
PKingman 5 years ago
Where is that??That must be a weird feeling to ride across the lake on a train..Btw thats a hughe lake
arkadiusz56 5 years ago