A bit nervous

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William W. said:
A consistently on-time Cardinal (50)? Alert the media.
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"consistently on-time" is far too strong a description. #50 is still usually late into WAS, it appears to less late on average than it used to be from what I can tell. The Cardinal is having a better summer staying closer to its schedule than the CL or the LSL, which is a reversal of fortune so to speak. LSL #49 (8/14) arrived at CHI 6 hours and 15 minutes late today, so its NS and CSX woes continue.
 
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Add my name to the Janice fan club! She told me there's no need to use the call button-just stick your head out the door and she'll be right there walking the hallway. She said to listen for the jingle of her keys. I've usually had good room attendants but she is extraordinary.
 
Had an awesome time on the train, and met so many interesting people. Also the scenery was really epic on the 50 & 51 :) I had Tyree (call me T) as my sca on the way down and walter on the back up (I did meet the much lauded Janice on the 51, you all are right she is really awesome as well). Anyway I'm really glad I went and sorry that tomorrow involves work and no trains.
 
T is pretty good too. The OBS on the Cardinal tends to be excellent, especially when compared with the CL. It definitely makes up for the current state of the train.
 
JayMadison said:
I'm taking the CL in like 3 weeks, any tips Will?
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Make sure you're in the lounge car before you reach Harpers Ferry, WV. You will not regret it. You're going to want pictures from both sides of the train.
 
The CL uses Superliners as opposed to Amfleets and Viewliners. The CL does have a bit of a reputation for bad OBS, especially in the dining car. My SCA was so bad that I didn't tip him, a rarity whenever I take LD trips.

It's not a bad train. In terms of equipment vs. the Cardinal, it's night and day. It isn't as scenic, but I did like waking up to farm country when I was going CHI-WAS.

I don't mean to trash the CL, haha. It's a train, and you should enjoy the trip.
 
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JayMadison said:
SarahZ said:
JayMadison said:
I'm taking the CL in like 3 weeks, any tips Will?
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Make sure you're in the lounge car before you reach Harpers Ferry, WV. You will not regret it. You're going to want pictures from both sides of the train.
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Any idea what time that happens? I assume in the am :)
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If you're going EB, yes. 11:25 AM, provided you're running on time.

Coming WB, it will be 5:16 PM. Unfortunately, my train was late leaving WAS, so I wasn't sure what time we'd get there. I timed dinner poorly and ended up shoveling my cheesecake into my mouth before throwing a tip on the table and bolting for the lounge car. I made it just in time. The view was incredible. You come out of this mountain and boom - there's this huge river with the hills and houses up on the cliffs and omg it's so pretty.
 
Thanks :) I was really impressed with T, he seemed to know when to do stuff w/o asking and basically materialize when needed. I tipped him $20 bucks, hopefully that was enough to indicate I thought he did a good job.
 
I'm sure the $20 was very much appreciated, so don't sweat it.

As for the Capitol Limited, I've always considered the entire morning to be scenically outstanding on the eastbound run. You should be in the middle of the Alleghenies when you wake up. If on time, the train should be around the headwaters of the Casselman River. Then through Sand Patch tunnel just east of Meyersdale PA and into the Potomac River watershed. You'll follow Wills Creek down to Cumberland at a slow speed because it's a very steep downgrade & the engineer has to take it slow to keep the train under control. At Paw Paw, east of Cumberland, you'll enter the Magnolia Cutoff, which was designed about a Century ago to improve traffic flow by providing a (comparatively) straighter line than the old mainline for several miles. The old mainline can be seen at a lower level, nearer to the Potomac River. A ways east of Hancock, the train cuts away from the river for several miles to serve Martinsburg, WV, then rejoins the Potomac at Harpers Ferry.

From Harpers Ferry to point of Rocks is also beautiful, but I never like to miss the territory farther west.

Tom
 
Just relax and enjoy the trip. Don't let the sky-is-falling tone that can be prevalent around here diminish it.
 
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