The Cardinal 10-15-08

[spot1181]

My neice just arrived home after a long trip on The Cardinal, seven hours 44 minutes late into WAS. She said, after all the cars were added in Chicago, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, they totaled 33 cars plus three engines. The conductor announced that the cars were added for leafpeeper tours and the colors were spectacular. She said they died somewhere in Virginia and were given snack packs and cups of beefstew. It became a real party train, everybody was having a good time. The conductor announced "quiet time" which nobody did. "What are they going to do, take away our stew?". Sound like a good time. Spot

 

[sky12065]

"What are they going to do, take away our stew?".

NO! Put you in the stew! Mu-ha-ha! :lol:

 

[spacecadet]

33 cars?!

I don't think I've seen a consist like that in 20 years, maybe ever! Would love to see a picture of that.

 

[Joel N. Weber II]

Were there revenue passengers in all 33 cars, or were some of the cars being deadheaded?

 

[Crescent Mark]

Wow! I hope someone got a picture!

 

[Rafi]

Here's what the consist was:

DC A 50 14OCT08

R1 AE AEM-7 WAS-NYP

P1 R2 BD P42-8 CHI-HUN/201 50 14OCT08 ICC BD P42-8

P2 R3 BD P42-8 CHI-HUN/135 50 14OCT08 ICC BD P42-8

P3 R4 BD P42-8 CHI-HUN/57 50 14OCT08 ICC BD P42-8

UNITS FOR NEW RIVER EXCURSION

P4 R5 BD P42-8 CHI-WAS/150 50 14OCT08 ICC BD P42-8

P5 R6 5032 AI 59 CHI-NYP/25026 50 14OCT08 ICC AI 59

COACH

P6 R7 5031 AI 59 CHI-NYP/25044 50 14OCT08 ICC AI 59

COACH

P7 R8 5030 AI 59 CHI-NYP/25106 50 14OCT08 ICC AI 59

COACH

P8 R9 AH 32-17 CHI-NYP/28001 50 14OCT08 ICC AH 32-17

DINER/LOUNGE

P9 R10 5000 VS 34 CHI-NYP/62014 50 14OCT08 ICC VS 34

SLEEPER

P10 R11 HC 68 CHI-HUN/82510 50 14OCT08 ICC AS 70

LIVE CAR CHI-LAF ONLY

P11 R12 HC 68 CHI-HUN/82560 50 14OCT08 ICC AS 72

LVE CAR CHI-LAF ONLY

P12 R13 DH 00 CHI-HUN/82580 50 14OCT08 ICD AS 72

DHD FOR NEW RIVER SPECIAL

P13 R14 DH 00 CHI-HUN/82530 50 14OCT08 ICD AS 70

DHD FOR NEW RIVER SPECIAL

P14 R15 DH 00 CHI-HUN/82620 50 14OCT08 ICD AS 72

DHD FOR NEW RIVER SPECIAL

P15 R16 DH 00 CHI-HUN/82630 50 14OCT08 ICD AS 72

DHD FOR NEW RIVER SPECIAL

P16 R17 DH 00 CHI-HUN/58107 50 14OCT08 ICD HB 14

DHD FOR NEW RIVER SPECIAL

P17 R18 DH 00 CHI-HUN/82500 50 14OCT08 ICD AS 70

DHD FOR NEW RIVER SPECIAL

P18 R19 DH 00 CHI-HUN/82570 50 14OCT08 ICD AS 72

DHD FOR NEW RIVER SPECIAL

P19 R20 DH 00 CHI-HUN/28363 50 14OCT08 ICD MF 00

DHD FOR NEW RIVER SPECIAL

P20 R21 DH 00 CHI-HUN/82540 50 14OCT08 ICD AS 70

DHD FOR NEW RIVER SPECIAL

P21 R22 PV 00 CHI-HUN/800798 50 14OCT08 ICD PV

PVT CAR "ST PAUL PASS" FOR SPECIAL

P22 R23 PV 00 CHI-HUN/800799 50 14OCT08 ICD PV

PVT CAR "LAKE PEPIN" FOR SPECIAL

P23 R24 PV 00 CHI-HUN/800861 50 14OCT08 ICD PV

PVT CAR "ARIZONA" FOR SPECIAL

P24 R25 PV 00 CHI-HUN/800261 50 14OCT08 ICD PV

PVT CAR "WENOHA" FOR SPECIAL

P25 R26 PV 00 CHI-HUN/800787 50 14OCT08 ICD PV

PVT CAR "WISCONSIN VALLEY" FOR SPECIAL

P26 R27 PV 00 CHI-HUN/800862 50 14OCT08 ICD PV

PVT CAR "MILWAUKEE" FOR SPECIAL

P27 R28 PV 00 CHI-HUN/800800 50 14OCT08 ICD PV

PVT CAR "SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY" TO SPCL

P28 R29 PV 00 CIN-HUN/800290 50 14OCT08 ICD PV

PVT CAR "VISTA DOME" FOR SPECIAL

P29 R30 PV 00 CIN-HUN/800043 50 14OCT08 ICD PV

PVT CAR "CHAPEL HILL" FOR SPECIAL

P30 R31 PV 00 CIN-HUN/800403 50 14OCT08 ICD PV

PVT CAR "POWHATTEN ARROW" FOR SPECIAL

 

[lrdc9_metroplitan_sub]

Holy . . .

That would be a sight to see after having 5 cars on my train!

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

Imagine if you had the chance to wander through all those cars while the train was enroute!

 

[amtrak51]

That would be amazing to see when the Cardinal gets up to 79 mph outside of Charleston WV.

 

[Crescent Mark]

No pics or video....anything?

Bueller? heh....

 

[access bob]

My neice just arrived home after a long trip on The Cardinal, seven hours 44 minutes late into WAS. She said, after all the cars were added in Chicago, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, they totaled 33 cars plus three engines. The conductor announced that the cars were added for leafpeeper tours and the colors were spectacular. She said they died somewhere in Virginia and were given snack packs and cups of beefstew. It became a real party train, everybody was having a good time. The conductor announced "quiet time" which nobody did. "What are they going to do, take away our stew?". Sound like a good time. Spot

wow sure beats the train on the 17th-18th 13 hours late into WAS. and no beef stew and the snack pacs ran out. she at least got thru we got bussed out of the teaming metropolis of Prince WV (pop 12??)

Since CSX dumped a coal train all over the tracks near Clifton Forge I wonder if the leaf peeper even got to run.

still sounds like an impressive train, especially with just a single engine. How far did the cars go, all the way to NYC or were they dropped somewhere enroute??? Most of the cars are PV wonder who was running the tour?

Bob

 

[Rafi]

still sounds like an impressive train, especially with just a single engine.

Bob, if you take a look at the consist I posted, you'll notice they ran three P42s to Huntington, WV in addition to the fourth P42 that ran to DC. So 4 engines total. Train must have been quite a sight. Now of course everyone needs to weigh in on whether or not they ran them elephant style or back to back, and what the pros and cons are for each configuration, or God forbid, that they ran them back-back-elephant!

Rafi