Cardinal schedule

[alanh]

Random question: why does the Cardinal leave NYP 10 minutes later on Sunday mornings (6:55am vs. 6:45am Wed/Fri)? Looks like it makes up the time by the time it gets to WAS, and after that the schedule is the same.

 

[AlanB]

I'm guessing that Amtrak wants the Cardinal out of the way for rush hour on the weekdays, but doesn't care so much on Sunday. Or perhaps it's also because of the tunnel closings that sometimes occur on the weekends. A 6:55 departure would be just about right to hit a 7:00 AM window for the one open tunnel to New Jersey.

Typically when they close one tunnel, the other runs 25 minutes inbound to NY, 5 minutes to reset, 25 minutes outbound, 5 to reset.

 

[Acela150]

Close the tunnels?

 

[AlanB]

Yes, Amtrak has been doing both safety work and general work in the various NYC tunnels, but East and North River tunnels. With the East River tunnels numbering 4, it doesn't matter much to operations when one is taken out of service on the weekend.

But the North River only has 2 tunnels, so when one is closed for work, the other must do double duty.

This is one reason why so many transit activists want the new tunnels to be connected to the current Penn Station, even if the bulk of the trains still go to the new station under 34th Street. I understand why it's not happening, but that still doesn't mean that it wouldn't be nice to figure out some way to do it.

 

[Long Train Runnin']

I wish it would leave even later on Sundays.. when I took at the start of my transcon trip my mom had to drive me and my dad all the way to Penn Station since no commuter trains get in early enough to connect safely with it. Being in NYC at 5 30 AM on a Sunday was pretty neat. Time Square was virtually empty. Penn station its self was dead as well, I was sad that the CA didn't open early enough to be used by the sleeping car paxs. All 5 of us getting on that early :lol:

Overall, its worth taking!

 

[MrFSS]

I wish it would leave even later on Sundays.. when I took at the start of my transcon trip my mom had to drive me and my dad all the way to Penn Station since no commuter trains get in early enough to connect safely with it. Being in NYC at 5 30 AM on a Sunday was pretty neat. Time Square was virtually empty. Penn station its self was dead as well, I was sad that the CA didn't open early enough to be used by the sleeping car paxs. All 5 of us getting on that early :lol:
Overall, its worth taking!

When I left NYP on The Cardinal about 4 years ago it left at 10:00 in the AM. They have really moved it back!