Passenger Trains > Another Superliner wreck repair

Amtrak Superliner sleeping car 32071, damaged in the March 14, 2016 wreck of the
Southwest Chief at Cimarron, KS, has been repaired at Beech Grove shops. It
deadheaded on the Cardinal, Train 41(26), Indianapolis-Chicago to re-enter service.

This is the second Superliner sleeper released from repair of Cimarron-related
damage in two weeks.

Great - it can enter the "surplus" pool in Chicago and await assignment for when one of Western long hauls come in with a busted up Superliner Sleeper that has to go to Beech Grove for repair.

Returning these two sleepers, Amtrak dare not add a sleeper to the Capitol Limited when it may be needed when demand exceeds supply, or look further outside the box for a way on how the Cardinal could be converted into a Superliner train once again (freeing up the Viewliners for restoration of overnight service on the Northeast Corridor once again).

To complete the Cardinal Superliner train sets (only two sets needed) Amtrak would just need two more Sightseer Lounges (why Amtrak has ANY on theAuto Train is just baffling), two more Diner Lite cars (Amtrak has plenty of those around), and four Superliner Coaches (the California Corridor must have four Superliners roaming the system, especially after they got some "comet cars" for the San Joaquin corridor!) . The demand on the Cardinal - even as a triweekly - train is very high. Course this means a termination/origination of the Cardinal once again at Washington DC - then a cross platform transfer to a train heading to/from NYC.     

Gene
​You mean 51.

​Separately Cardinal most likely will never go back to Superliner, as mentioned in post above, mainly because of clearance issues N of Alexandria, but also it could be upgraded to new sleepers and diner if and when they ever show up.  Summer months could stand to see additional frequency.

What clearance issues north of Alexandria? Superliners clear just fine all the way into Washington Union Station.

VRE trains are all bilevel cars and they go from Alexandria into Washington Union Station via a long tunnel every weekday.

rombout137 Wrote:
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> What clearance issues north of Alexandria?  Superliners clear just fine all the way into Washington Union Station.

I suspect since the Cardinal presently runs through to New York Penn Station, that clearance issues north of Washington DC was his real meaning.

The Superliner low level platform boarding requirement also becomes an issue north of Washington DC.

Brian  



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/28/16 07:00 by choodude.

Baltimore Tunnels have clearance issues.

We  (NARP)  working  for  a  daily CARDINAL.  Passengers  like the  train running  thru to  NEC.  That's  where  the  market it. SUPERLINERS  don't  fit!!
    Touring  Beech Grove in 10  days. Will find out  what is  in the pipeline.

That's nice, but we are talking about 60 passengers, quite a waste of car and train miles with electric loco expenses, and we have numbers in that ballpark transferring at Pittsburgh late night and early morning every day between the 2 trains. There's a very cheap PIP to correct that ($700K), while the Cardinal daily PIP would cost $10 M, but all we hear from NARP on the former Bway Ltd and Three Rivers market are crickets. This is why NARP is losing credibility and relevancy, especially in the northeast - no grasp of customer service, passenger markets, nor money.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/28/16 07:49 by joemvcnj.

CUT CUT CUT! We already did the Cardinal going to NYP vs Superliner Cardinal thread a couple days ago! Damit! 

I would guess there are plenty of Superliners that simply need to go through Beechgrove just to go through Beechgrove. Dad and I rode on one that I believe still had the original shower and sink configuration. All non LED lighting so I know it's been out for a while. Historic and nostalgic but how long can it stay out before rebuild.

Edit Added: Hey Joe, I do agree on the NARP. I dropped membership as instead of just making Amtrak better on existing service or trying to return services recently lost they are now always plugging some pie in the sky ideas. (In Homer Simpson voice, Mmmm, pie in the sky...)

Jim



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/28/16 08:08 by tq-07fan.

tq-07fan Wrote:
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> ,,,I do agree on the NARP....they are now always plugging some pie in the sky ideas. (In Homer
> Simpson voice, Mmmm, pie in the sky...)

At least they aren't plugging "MONORAIL, MONORAIL!" 
...yet...

 

---

Would it be worth dedicating two NEC coaches as connections for the 60 transferring passengers?  They get bolted onto whatever regional train is next out.

They can park a closely timed NEC Regional train at WUS and have a cross platform transfer..
Daily Cardinal won't work running to NY. Turning around in SSY #50 between 10pm and 6am for #51 can only work on paper, not reality.

I would take the inconvenience of the transfer at WAS to a Superliner train vs. the Amtube ride NYP-CHI anyday!  Enough said!!!

The 2 SL sleepers Beech Grove just put out could take over the Cardinal, and free up 2 Viewliners to run NYP-PGH-CHI on the rear of the Cap. 6 coaches freed can mean the 2 needed (and 4 left over)  to extend the Pennsylvanian coaches to Chi. Then add a coach to each Lake Shore Ltd set. Still have 2 baggage, 2 Biz-dinette, 1 coach, and 2 Am-2 dinettes left over.

Strategic thinking in the right places is sorely missing.

Forget Wick Morman..... There are several people here on Trainorders that seem to ALWAYS have all the answers for Amtrak's problems. Everyone is a Cardinal expert now... Until the topic shifts to another train, then they'll know everything about THAT one! I for one don't love the Superliners... I think they're ok, not great. The Viewliner has better luggage storage and a window for the upper bunk, which is lacking in a Superliner. I rode in one on the Capitol Limited, had the upper bed, and was miserable the entire night. The Cardinal should be a daily train, should have a full diner, and should continue running to NYP. 

There is a "should" for every train in the system. But some of us can think holisitally for the overall system, rather than dwell on "their" train to make it perfect, ignoring the rest of the system, and deal with the reality of limited financial and equipment resources.

Posted from Android



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/29/16 04:33 by joemvcnj.

chess Wrote:
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> Forget Wick Morman..... There are several people
> here on Trainorders that seem to ALWAYS have all
> the answers for Amtrak's problems. Everyone is a
> Cardinal expert now... Until the topic shifts to
> another train, then they'll know everything about
> THAT one! I for one don't love the Superliners...
> I think they're ok, not great. The Viewliner has
> better luggage storage and a window for the upper
> bunk, which is lacking in a Superliner. I rode in
> one on the Capitol Limited, had the upper bed, and
> was miserable the entire night. The Cardinal
> should be a daily train, should have a full diner,
> and should continue running to NYP. 

Where is Amtrak going to get 3 single level diners?

Posted from iPhone

There are (in theory) getting 25 VL diners. That should be more than enough to cover the 2 Cardinal sets.

Yes I like This!