After a week in New York with evenings spent at the Lincoln Centre, a couple of Broadway matinees and doing our best to extract as much value as possible from our MetroCards we prepared to start heading west and home.
As the Cardinal leaves at such an early hour we checked into the Hotel Pennsylvania for a couple of nights to save us having to rush downtown at around 05:30. Booked a Penn 5000 room as it included breakfast and computer access in the tarif. Hotel was OK but certainly not worth what we paid (but what New York hotel is?). But it does have location, location, location.
8 April
We made our way through an almost deserted station to the Club Acela and requested a redcap to get us to the train, not because we couldn't handle our luggage, but because I don't think I'll ever master the intricacies of Penn Station. As the train was already in position we, and another passenger, were soon being led across the concourse by Maurice to an elevator only about 20 metres from the entrance to the lounge. Straight down to the platform and we were there, right beside the train. A totally different experience to the dash we had to the Acela a couple of years ago (running foul of security on the way - hey, it's a station, people run!).
Maurice placed our stuff in our bedroom and I proceeded to stow our clutter. I was concerned when booking that I might have trouble storing our six items in the bedroom but I had forgotten the the Viewliners have storage space above the bathrooms (a feature I'm familiar with on Australian trains) as well as above the corridor so everything was neatly packed away with a bit of heavy lifting. Having tidied the room I took time to look around the room and was rather shocked at the poor condition it seemed to be in. It seems that every time an item has been repaired or replaced a new set of holes had been drilled and to old holes left unplugged. Honestly, the bedroom had more holes than a Swiss cheese! And I'd never noticed that the Viewliners didn't have a folding seat. Not an issue on this trip as our room faced forward, but it might have been a problem if we'd decided to take our meals in our room.
As we were still in the station I took the opportunity to check the platform and the exterior. Stepping off I saw the coach passengers being herded down the platform, held back until just prior to departure in typical Amtrak fashion. Another reason to get a redcap at NYP.
We left on time and breakfast was called not long after Newark, no reservation and no congestion. We were taking the Cardinal because we like its quirky route and its almost homely atmosphere. Also, I find killing time in a city after I've checked out of my hotel not much fun as I keep checking my watch and calculating time back to the station so a dawn departure makes sense to me.
I'm afraid the dining car was in no better condition than the Viewliner with the odd inspection panel hanging off the wall and two tables taken up with stock or staff equipment. I assume that the diner had been converted from a coach at some stage as that could be the only explanation for tables without corresponding windows - possibly the location of the toilets in a previous incarnation. But the menu gives a pleasant variation from the Superliner meals as long as one doesn't think too much about the preparation process.
The Cardinal ran way ahead of schedule down the NEC, resulting in very long stops at the intermediate stations, and we arrived into WAS just after 10:30 - under three hours over the NEC with long stops - the Cardinal had outpaced the Acela! It'd be a cheap alternaative to the Acela if you could book it to WAS.
While we waited almost an hour in WUS for our departure I watched the engine changeover and the placing of what's left of dining car 8400 on the rear of the train - killing the railfan window but giving a rare opportunity to see this almost mythical carriage. I've posted the pictures elsewhere on this site but here's the link again http://picasaweb.google.com.au/Ozmike52/US...524010286092578
Out of Washington on time we were shortly called for lunch, again without resevations and no delays. My partner selected the pizza and when it was delivered the attendant offered to give an alternate selection if it wasn't to taste as 'the pizza can be a bit hit and miss'. The pizza passed muster so the offer wasn't taken up but the staff went up in our estimation for making the offer.
We proceeded on schedule as far as Charlottesville and from there we might as well have torn up the timetable. Trackwork, mile after mile of trackwork. The strangely named Buckingham Branch Railroad had decided to re-sleeper the entire route to Clifton Forge reducing the train to walking pace. Haven't they grasped the concept of repairing a section of track at a time to minimize interruptions?
Anyway, the schedule had the two hour wait in Indianapolis so arrival in Chicago should still be on time but the delay was seriously cutting into our viewing time along the New River. We had been hoping to be in daylight almost as far as Charleston but, as it turned out, we were in bed before Charleston.
Late in the afternoon a coach passenger wandered past our open door and enquired where the toilets were. I directed him back to coach and wandered down to stretch my legs and find out what had driven hime all the way back to our end of the train. Soon found out, only the toilets in the lead coach were functioning and the queue to use them would put to shame any line I've seen on a Qantas long-distance flight (good airline, needs more toilets). I have been kidded on this site the idea of renting out my shower to coach passengers - I never expected to get the opportunity to rent out my toilet!
A family of four (one baby and one toddler) moved into the adjoining bedroom at Hinton proving the you can get four into a bedroom on Amtrak. It was about here that we went to dinner and I found another thing I like about the Cardinal, appetizers (entrée to me) are included with sleeper meals, a privilege you pay for on other services. Again, dinner was on a first come, first served basis and there was no congestion. I really like that feeling of informality on the Cardinal.
Went to bed after dinner as it was well after nightfall. I had the upper for this leg which was no problem - at least I had a bed I could sit up and read in. I do have an issue with whoever made up the upper berth as the head was toward the corridor, which sort of defeats the whole purpose of a Viewliner. I could have turned the mattress but couldn't be bothered just for the odd chance I might want to look out the window - it was a full moon, after all.
Slept well until we got to Indianapolis, being someone who wakes up when the background noise stops, and watched from as the train drew forward to drop 8400. A few minutes wait and we reversed back into the station to collect the Hoosier State cars And KA-WHUMP the Viewliner bucked as we rammed the waiting carriages. For once I saw the logic of the upper berth safety net, an exclusively American feature. There were shrieks and exclamations from all over the sleeper but shortly afterwards we pulled out for Chicago. I now know why they don't slice and splice trains like they did in the heyday of Pullman, public liability.
Passengers from Indianapolis onwards were placed in the three coaches from New York so we were spared the traffic between the diner and the Hoosier State coaches which can be quite a feature when the train runs full.
An uneventful run to Chicago and an ontime arrival into CUS.
Overall, not a bad experience but there were so many faults visible in the equipment, coupled with the toilet situation in coach, that it all felt rather third rate. Quite frankly any operator with pride in the service provided would not have allowed that trainset to leave the maintenance yard. On the other hand, with no equipment in reserve, a cancelled service would have been the result. However, a lot of the observed equipment faults were not new - this train has been running with poor equipment for a long time.
And catching the SCA smoking in the Viewliner vestibule is just not on!!!
As the Cardinal leaves at such an early hour we checked into the Hotel Pennsylvania for a couple of nights to save us having to rush downtown at around 05:30. Booked a Penn 5000 room as it included breakfast and computer access in the tarif. Hotel was OK but certainly not worth what we paid (but what New York hotel is?). But it does have location, location, location.
8 April
We made our way through an almost deserted station to the Club Acela and requested a redcap to get us to the train, not because we couldn't handle our luggage, but because I don't think I'll ever master the intricacies of Penn Station. As the train was already in position we, and another passenger, were soon being led across the concourse by Maurice to an elevator only about 20 metres from the entrance to the lounge. Straight down to the platform and we were there, right beside the train. A totally different experience to the dash we had to the Acela a couple of years ago (running foul of security on the way - hey, it's a station, people run!).
Maurice placed our stuff in our bedroom and I proceeded to stow our clutter. I was concerned when booking that I might have trouble storing our six items in the bedroom but I had forgotten the the Viewliners have storage space above the bathrooms (a feature I'm familiar with on Australian trains) as well as above the corridor so everything was neatly packed away with a bit of heavy lifting. Having tidied the room I took time to look around the room and was rather shocked at the poor condition it seemed to be in. It seems that every time an item has been repaired or replaced a new set of holes had been drilled and to old holes left unplugged. Honestly, the bedroom had more holes than a Swiss cheese! And I'd never noticed that the Viewliners didn't have a folding seat. Not an issue on this trip as our room faced forward, but it might have been a problem if we'd decided to take our meals in our room.
As we were still in the station I took the opportunity to check the platform and the exterior. Stepping off I saw the coach passengers being herded down the platform, held back until just prior to departure in typical Amtrak fashion. Another reason to get a redcap at NYP.
We left on time and breakfast was called not long after Newark, no reservation and no congestion. We were taking the Cardinal because we like its quirky route and its almost homely atmosphere. Also, I find killing time in a city after I've checked out of my hotel not much fun as I keep checking my watch and calculating time back to the station so a dawn departure makes sense to me.
I'm afraid the dining car was in no better condition than the Viewliner with the odd inspection panel hanging off the wall and two tables taken up with stock or staff equipment. I assume that the diner had been converted from a coach at some stage as that could be the only explanation for tables without corresponding windows - possibly the location of the toilets in a previous incarnation. But the menu gives a pleasant variation from the Superliner meals as long as one doesn't think too much about the preparation process.
The Cardinal ran way ahead of schedule down the NEC, resulting in very long stops at the intermediate stations, and we arrived into WAS just after 10:30 - under three hours over the NEC with long stops - the Cardinal had outpaced the Acela! It'd be a cheap alternaative to the Acela if you could book it to WAS.
While we waited almost an hour in WUS for our departure I watched the engine changeover and the placing of what's left of dining car 8400 on the rear of the train - killing the railfan window but giving a rare opportunity to see this almost mythical carriage. I've posted the pictures elsewhere on this site but here's the link again http://picasaweb.google.com.au/Ozmike52/US...524010286092578
Out of Washington on time we were shortly called for lunch, again without resevations and no delays. My partner selected the pizza and when it was delivered the attendant offered to give an alternate selection if it wasn't to taste as 'the pizza can be a bit hit and miss'. The pizza passed muster so the offer wasn't taken up but the staff went up in our estimation for making the offer.
We proceeded on schedule as far as Charlottesville and from there we might as well have torn up the timetable. Trackwork, mile after mile of trackwork. The strangely named Buckingham Branch Railroad had decided to re-sleeper the entire route to Clifton Forge reducing the train to walking pace. Haven't they grasped the concept of repairing a section of track at a time to minimize interruptions?
Anyway, the schedule had the two hour wait in Indianapolis so arrival in Chicago should still be on time but the delay was seriously cutting into our viewing time along the New River. We had been hoping to be in daylight almost as far as Charleston but, as it turned out, we were in bed before Charleston.
Late in the afternoon a coach passenger wandered past our open door and enquired where the toilets were. I directed him back to coach and wandered down to stretch my legs and find out what had driven hime all the way back to our end of the train. Soon found out, only the toilets in the lead coach were functioning and the queue to use them would put to shame any line I've seen on a Qantas long-distance flight (good airline, needs more toilets). I have been kidded on this site the idea of renting out my shower to coach passengers - I never expected to get the opportunity to rent out my toilet!
A family of four (one baby and one toddler) moved into the adjoining bedroom at Hinton proving the you can get four into a bedroom on Amtrak. It was about here that we went to dinner and I found another thing I like about the Cardinal, appetizers (entrée to me) are included with sleeper meals, a privilege you pay for on other services. Again, dinner was on a first come, first served basis and there was no congestion. I really like that feeling of informality on the Cardinal.
Went to bed after dinner as it was well after nightfall. I had the upper for this leg which was no problem - at least I had a bed I could sit up and read in. I do have an issue with whoever made up the upper berth as the head was toward the corridor, which sort of defeats the whole purpose of a Viewliner. I could have turned the mattress but couldn't be bothered just for the odd chance I might want to look out the window - it was a full moon, after all.
Slept well until we got to Indianapolis, being someone who wakes up when the background noise stops, and watched from as the train drew forward to drop 8400. A few minutes wait and we reversed back into the station to collect the Hoosier State cars And KA-WHUMP the Viewliner bucked as we rammed the waiting carriages. For once I saw the logic of the upper berth safety net, an exclusively American feature. There were shrieks and exclamations from all over the sleeper but shortly afterwards we pulled out for Chicago. I now know why they don't slice and splice trains like they did in the heyday of Pullman, public liability.
Passengers from Indianapolis onwards were placed in the three coaches from New York so we were spared the traffic between the diner and the Hoosier State coaches which can be quite a feature when the train runs full.
An uneventful run to Chicago and an ontime arrival into CUS.
Overall, not a bad experience but there were so many faults visible in the equipment, coupled with the toilet situation in coach, that it all felt rather third rate. Quite frankly any operator with pride in the service provided would not have allowed that trainset to leave the maintenance yard. On the other hand, with no equipment in reserve, a cancelled service would have been the result. However, a lot of the observed equipment faults were not new - this train has been running with poor equipment for a long time.
And catching the SCA smoking in the Viewliner vestibule is just not on!!!
