Thanks to whoever posted the link to the Johnny Cash video - I enjoyed that. The airline style seats in the video looked like the Amtrak version of the City of New Orleans. The Illinois Central version had wooden benches that you could flip over to face forward or backwards.

If you got on in Memphis the trick was to get a seat in the club car before the train left. As long as the train was in Tennessee they wouldn't let underage servicemen in the club car, due to liquor laws I suppose. As soon as the train entered Mississippi where, at that time, all liquor was illegal they let everyone into the club car and sold them drinks. If you're breaking the law anyway... Anyway, all the servicemen crowded in and you were glad you had already secured a nice padded seat for the night.