Service" will run twice daily with stops in Pascagoula, Biloxi, Gulfport and Bay St. Louis, though exact schedules and fares are still pending.

Some routes, of course, are superior to others, serving up memorable views from the observation car—or a private roomette.

I traveled from Denver to Salt Lake City in a roomette on an Amtrak Superliner, a double-decker overnight train. I was ...