I like saxman's idea of adding a dome car at WAS to the Viewliner. They have to change engines there in both directions anyway, so they could add/remove a dome car at the same time.
norfolkwesternhenry--
I understand your idea of taking the NER to WAS and then getting a Superliner, but to begin and end a trip on one of the Regionals would be a real letdown. I can avoid them going south, but have to take them going north (I'm in NJ). They are crowded, plus you're going through some of the most depressing-looking views you could imagine between New York and Philly, and (except for a few rivers), it doesn't get much better til past Washington. Much nicer to go through all that in a comfortable roomette and eating a meal (even on the Cardinal, in whatever they consider a diner and whatever they consider a meal) than sitting for several hours in what is basically glorified commuter rail.