So, this year's SuperBowl is in Indianapolis. I wonder if there is an increased number of people heading there using Amtrak. Without speculating too much, I have to wonder if Amtrak is adding capacity to the Hoosier State and the Cardinal for the larger demand?
SuperBowl by Train
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haolerider
Conductor
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I doubt if the Corporate-types who normally attend the Super Bowl will be taking the train. Having said that, the fans who go to the host city, but don't have tickets may use the train; however I doubt Amtrak is adding extra equipment. You can always check if there is space on those two trains and if it is sold out, there may be movement to add more equipment, but I doubt it again. Amtrak is always somewhat reluctant to add one more car, because they don't know if 1 person or 50 people will fill that car.
Ocala Mike
Lead Service Attendant
The less attention paid to Amtrak's service to Indianapolis, the better. The HOOSIER STATE and the CARDINAL are not exactly showcase trains, to say the least. If important relatives are coming, and you've got a horror-show pet you don't want them to see, you lock him out of doors or something. This is what Amtrak should do with these trains for the Super Bowl.
I remember about 5 years ago when the Saints went to Chicago to play the Bears for the NFC Championship. NBC Nightly News' last story the night before the game was about that, and at the very end Brian Williams mentioned that Amtrak was adding extra cars to the CONO to accommodate all the people going to the game, and they had a shot of the train rolling out of NOUPT. So I bet you'll see an extra car or two.
Boy that was a long ride home for those Saints fans . . .
Wonder if the Ravens took Acela back from new England. That was a long one too.
Wonder if the Ravens took Acela back from new England. That was a long one too.
Devil's Advocate
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Yeah, seems rather doubtful. Chartered buses and commercial jets seem a lot more likely than the train for situations such as this. None of my coworkers have ever taken Amtrak. Not even those that have kids who are crazy about trains. Most of them don't even know passenger trains are still in operation unless it just happens to come up at some point. Meanwhile many folks seem to think Mexico does still have passenger trains. Not sure how that got all mixed up from reality.
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It's not as outlandish a concept as some of you (cough) make it out to be. 
A little googling uncovers that there's ample private railcar traffic to the Kentucky Derby. Amtrak "Hoosier State" pulling PVs and with extra Amtrak coaches for the 2011 Derby. There are also various references on the Web to private rail cars at at the Superbowl.
The people traveling that way won't be in the Amcoaches with the hoi polloi, but they're still using (and paying) Amtrak unless they can get enough PV together for a special private train.
A little googling uncovers that there's ample private railcar traffic to the Kentucky Derby. Amtrak "Hoosier State" pulling PVs and with extra Amtrak coaches for the 2011 Derby. There are also various references on the Web to private rail cars at at the Superbowl.The people traveling that way won't be in the Amcoaches with the hoi polloi, but they're still using (and paying) Amtrak unless they can get enough PV together for a special private train.
But, both of these teams are on the NEC where folks are very much aware of AMTRAK and many ride it. So, I think it is possible that some fans may take AMTRAK. Not most, but some.
It's not as outlandish a concept as some of you (cough) make it out to be.
I can't get the first link in your message to work. Can you check it again.
I'd like to see that as Amtrak doesn't go to Louisville where the Derby is.
See this AU thread about this subject.
stntylr
OBS Chief
Last year I saw 6 private cars of Green Bay Packers added on the Texas Eagle in Fort Worth the day after the super bowl.
Ocala Mike
Lead Service Attendant
Try this link for the Amtrak 2011 Kentucky Derby train:
Ocala Mike
Ocala Mike
Amtrak can and does run "Special" trains (lines 96 and 99 on the MPRs for those who want to check them). Those can presumably run anywhere Amtrak can "do a deal" with the freights on a one-off arrangement (be it one train each way or service for a weekend). Likewise, I believe that Amtrak will occasionally rent an engine out for off-network service when someone wants to run a private charter somewhere.
For what it's worth, here's the consist of that train:
3 Engines
Buffer Car
Horizon (something)
Horizon BC
Amfleet Cafe
Horizon Coach
Horizon Coach
Horizon (something)
PV Vista-Dome Warren R Henry
PV Evelyn Henry
PV Patron Tequila Express
PV Georgia 300
PV Northern Dreams
PV Puget Sound
So in addition to running six PV cars, Amtrak threw five extra Horizons into the mix plus an Amcafe (which surprises me because at least on the MORR, the BC car has a cafe in it, and the BC car had the windowless middle that such cars tend to have). What makes me even more curious is the setup for that special train...I doubt it was listed on Amtrak.com, so I'm wondering how the seats in the Horizons were sold (given that I rather doubt that the PV owners were behind that).
For what it's worth, here's the consist of that train:
3 Engines
Buffer Car
Horizon (something)
Horizon BC
Amfleet Cafe
Horizon Coach
Horizon Coach
Horizon (something)
PV Vista-Dome Warren R Henry
PV Evelyn Henry
PV Patron Tequila Express
PV Georgia 300
PV Northern Dreams
PV Puget Sound
So in addition to running six PV cars, Amtrak threw five extra Horizons into the mix plus an Amcafe (which surprises me because at least on the MORR, the BC car has a cafe in it, and the BC car had the windowless middle that such cars tend to have). What makes me even more curious is the setup for that special train...I doubt it was listed on Amtrak.com, so I'm wondering how the seats in the Horizons were sold (given that I rather doubt that the PV owners were behind that).
Thanks - interesting video.
But it was the Hoosier State which doesn't go to Louisville. I still don't think it was a true Derby Train as it probably only went to IND. Maybe they bused them from IND to LOU.
Ocala Mike
Lead Service Attendant
Here's an excerpt from a printed schedule that I found on line, which kind of explains it:
"Wednesday May 4th
Arrive Indianapolis 11:05 pm The train splits up and the private cars continue
on to Louisville with their own locomotive.
Thursday May 5th
Arrive Louisville 8:10 am
Breakfast on the cars Sightseeing on your own for the day. 6:00 pm-9:00 pm Open
house for guests to tour the other cars and enjoy cocktails and h'ors doeuvres."
That also explains the third locomotive behind the P42's. Not sure where the cars were "docked" in Louisville, but it certainly sounds from this that they made it across the river.
Ocala Mike
"Wednesday May 4th
Arrive Indianapolis 11:05 pm The train splits up and the private cars continue
on to Louisville with their own locomotive.
Thursday May 5th
Arrive Louisville 8:10 am
Breakfast on the cars Sightseeing on your own for the day. 6:00 pm-9:00 pm Open
house for guests to tour the other cars and enjoy cocktails and h'ors doeuvres."
That also explains the third locomotive behind the P42's. Not sure where the cars were "docked" in Louisville, but it certainly sounds from this that they made it across the river.
Ocala Mike
When Amtrak last ran a train to "Louisville" it never made it across the river but stopped in Jeffersonville/Clarksburg just across the river
.
The direct tracks from IND to the Louisville area very slow rated. The last Amtrak train use to take 6-7 hours, a trip which can be driven in 2.5 - 3 hours.That was one of several reasons Amtrak dropped the route.
It could very well have been moving cars to BG. See that a lot on the HS.
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Amtrak's Kentucky Cardinal originally ran only to Jeffersonville IN, but starting in December, 2001 the train was extended 5 miles to Louisville KY. It continued to serve Louisville until it was discontinued in 2003.
Kentucky Cardinal Timetable - 2003
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