Kentucky Cardinal

[AMTRAK-P42]

Well now that Amtrak's Kentucky Cardinal has been offically canceled, I thought it might be a nice "farewell" to the train to share some stories from people who have rode on it.

I personally never rode

 

[Amfleet]

Though I never rode it, I do think it was a smart idea to drop the train. It was running up Amtrak's costs for nothing, and the 30mph run was not helping revenue flow in. Until tracks are upgraded, new equipment is ordered, and the train can be extended to Nashville, or even Florida, it had nothing going for it.

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

Amfleet, I agree with you. I hate to see any train go, and it would have been neat to ride it once, just for the heck of it. But it was a total drain....the tracks through there need serious, serious help. They had as much to do with the demise of the former Floridian, much less the Kentucky Cardinal, as anything.

 

[AMTRAK-P42]

I agree with both you guys. Although, I would have liked to have gotten a ride in though.

 

[Amfleet]

I also think this makes Amtrak look better, in that this was one of the five routes congress listed as "money losing". The other route was the Pennsylvanian and that was dropped too. Now only 3 of the 5 trains are left on that list.

 

[AMTRAK-P42]

I was looking at a couple of photographs of the final run of the Kentucky Cardinal online at RailPictures.net and I found the consist quite amusing. I mean I knew if frequently only ran with one coach, but the two engine-one coach made me chuckle. :lol:

You can see the pictures of the final KC here

 

[Viewliner]

I think that the train had to be cut for now, it should be revived once the speeds on this route can be raised. Once it can be revived, it (Floridian) should run CHI-INDY-LVL-Nashville-Chatanooga-ATL(-Savannah)-JAX-ORL(/TPA)-MIA.

The two engines were because Louisville had no turning facilities.

 

[AMTRAK-P42]

The two engines were because Louisville had no turning facilities.

Figured, Thanks

 

[battalion51]

I want to know what the number was on that trailing unit. The Phase IV's are a rare breed now, low numbered engines are starting to get the new scheme. I can confirm that Engines 5, 7, 9, 10, 15, and 18 are all now wearing Phase Vb. <_<

 

[Amfleet]

It was #24 trailing (Phase IV), #164 (Phase Va) brought up the head-end.

 

[AMTRAK-P42]

I want to know what the number was on that trailing unit. The Phase IV's are a rare breed now, low numbered engines are starting to get the new scheme. I can confirm that Engines 5, 7, 9, 10, 15, and 18 are all now wearing Phase Vb. <_<

As well as #20.