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Enjoyed the trip report.

Additional padding to limit delays.

IMHO, the issue is that the bones of Amtrak's technology infrastructure are more obsolete than what airlines use. One example is that the system needs to be reprogrammed city pair by city pair for each potential system-wide city pair when a change is made to the schedules, such as with the...

A change such as making Alexandria a stop where people can board for Chicago must be changed in the computer in a separate step. If I understand correctly, each possible city pair on a route and possible city pair involving connections must be separately programmed into Amtrak's computer...

Salinas to Sacramento makes sense as a one-seat ride. I don't think there is much freight service on the line south of San Jose. Ideally, they could start the higher frequency service in Paso Robles. IMHO, it would not be cost-prohibitive to improve these tracks for at least 79 mph. 90 or...

I received the voucher today. It was for 350. That is more than half of the 660 I paid for the trip on the Cardinal.

It depends on the time of year, in my opinion. The summer eastbound on the Cardinal and then South on the Crescent will work because daylight lasts longer. The Crescent crosses a long bridge over Lake Pontchartrain before arriving in New Orleans. I prefer taking the Crescent northbound...

Currently on time as we approach Chicago. This is an excellent crew. Enjoyable trip. Last night I received an email from Amtrak stating I would get an evoucher to compensate for delay on the Cardinal.

Dover harbor was parked on the same track as 29. It was not attached.

Onboard 29. We departed on time. I’m in a refurbished sleeper. AC is working well. It’s hot out.

Some more.

I wasn’t surprised. The crew that was already onboard were a bit misleading in there announcements. After we stopped they stated the crew would be there shortly. Thus I assumed the crew was coming from Charlottesville. They had to have known the crew was coming from Huntington. I saw in asm...

The train got to Alexandria about 3:20 am. I took an uber to the hotel and got there about 4. Got up at 9 to eat breakfast. Resting until 1 and then will go eat lunch.

The quick trip is no longer a quick trip. We encountered 80 miles of 20 mph running between Charleston and Prince. That made us 3 hours late. While I was eating lunch I could here the crew calling the dispatchers trying to arrange a recrew. I thought this would be accomplished in Clifton...

The Cardinal crew is based out of new York. The sca set up the sleeper in 51 then had to set up a whole new car on my train. This was all done during a 3 hour 30 minute time period. Great job.

Junius Livonius, I see your point. Controlling who gets the information is problematic.

The SCA remembered me from previous trips. They have a new flex menu, or at least one I have not seen. It’s not good. I told the sca I would like a cheeseburger. He told me I would have to pay for it. Not a problem. No tip for a stingy lsa. It was 7.25 for cheeseburger. I handed the sca...

A shout out to the much maligned Chicago yard. They put together a replacement train and had it ready to go for an on-time departure. The sleeper is at the head end. The redcap was new, but very helpful. We got down to the south concourse and there was some confusion because the equipment...

I'm in the lounge. I picked up a Stromboli from sbarros. It was good. Drank a free ginger ale in the lounge. No scolding for eating outside food in the lounge. The person checking me in was professional and courteous. He said there were no updates "yet". He has the same suspicion I do and...

51 limped into chicago at 2:25 p.m. I don't think Amtrak can get it serviced and turned in 3 and a half hours. A late departure will not be a problem for me. It is more a matter of how much of a delay I will experience leaving Chicago.