Passenger Trains > Longer Cardinal on New Years Day?

While out railfanning New Years Day, the Cardinal went by me with 2 extra sleepers.  Was this a positioning move, taking care of increased capicity move, or did the train grow for 2020?  I will probably see it again on Sunday as I plan on being in the Aberdeen, Md area again.

It's been running with a 4th coach and 2nd sleeper this holiday season. Should be back to normal soon. Might even revert to 2 coaches and a sleeper as January to Arpil are dead on this train nowadays.

Posted from Android

 i beleve the 2nd sleeper is permant and the bag dorm

cabsignaldrop Wrote:
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> It's been running with a 4th coach and 2nd sleeper
> this holiday season. Should be back to normal
> soon. Might even revert to 2 coaches and a sleeper
> as January to Arpil are dead on this train
> nowadays.
>
> Posted from Android

April usually pics up...especially during vacation week.

I am on the Cardinal as I type this, #50, stopped at Culpeper.  The trip over and back both had four coaches and three sleepers.  The third sleeper is one of the new baggage/dorm cars, so I guess not a sleeper, but a crew car.  It looks pretty nice in there.

The trip over was rough due to heavy rains, flash flooding, and wind.  We arrived in Cincinnati 2:45 down.  Today's trip has been pretty much on time, and we are down 20-25 minutes now due to a freight meet on the Buckingham Branch (empty grain cars).

Business class was full on my trip over, and it is empty on the way back,  The conductor is not sure why.  Perhaps a system glitch?  Sleepers have healthy loads, as do the coaches.  Not as full as the trip over, but good.  

In a week things will be real quiet.  Oh, we didnt't even stop at Hinton.  No one on or off.

 

Starting with tomorrow's 50 from Chicago, 50 is back to 1 sleeper. No dorm, 4th coach is listed as a deadhead to NYP.

Posted from Android

cabsignaldrop Wrote:
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> Starting with tomorrow's 50 from Chicago, 50 is
> back to 1 sleeper. No dorm, 4th coach is listed as
> a deadhead to NYP.
>
> Posted from Android


All indications are that the dorm remains

1976 Wrote:
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> cabsignaldrop Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Starting with tomorrow's 50 from Chicago, 50 is
> > back to 1 sleeper. No dorm, 4th coach is listed
> as
> > a deadhead to NYP.
> >
> > Posted from Android
>
>
> All indications are that the dorm remains

Why would they leave the Bagg-Dorm on this route? It will only free up TWO roomettes in the regular revenue Viewliner Sleeper. Only the two LSAs get rooms, so they will get a room each in teh Viewliner Bagg-Dorm. It was previously discussed that Amtrak can't sell roomettes in the Viewliner Bagg-Dorm because it doesn't have a handicap option. I think this is a little ridiculous because there is an Accessible Bedroom offered in the regular Viewliner Sleeper. 

The other major train serving Washington DC from the Midwest - the Capitol Limited is already operating with just a Tran Dorm Sleeper and ONE regular Superliner Sleeper. Many trips are SOLD OUT coming out of the holiday season!!! They've taken the 2901 and 3001 car off. Rooms 1 though 6 and 17 through 24 are for sale in the Trans Dorm Sleeper. Room 1 is currently being reserve for the attendant assigned to this car, and just rooms 7 and 8 are reserved for the LSAs (Sleeper Lounge LSA and Sightseer Lounge LSA). Amtrak's infinite wisdom at play! There's a cost ($$$) to furlough the workers during the time the second sleeper line comes off!!!

jp1822 Wrote:

> Why would they leave the Bagg-Dorm on this route?
> It will only free up TWO roomettes in the regular
> revenue Viewliner Sleeper. Only the two LSAs get
> rooms, so they will get a room each in teh
> Viewliner Bagg-Dorm.

That is misinformation. 4 crew rooms are used. Coach and sleeper attendants also have rooms.

1976 Wrote:
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> jp1822 Wrote:
>
> > Why would they leave the Bagg-Dorm on this
> route?
> > It will only free up TWO roomettes in the
> regular
> > revenue Viewliner Sleeper. Only the two LSAs
> get
> > rooms, so they will get a room each in teh
> > Viewliner Bagg-Dorm.
>
> That is misinformation. 4 crew rooms are used.
> Coach and sleeper attendants also have rooms.

Well, I thought so too, but this is NOT what I was told when I specifically asked my sleeper car attendant AND the coach attendant on the Capitol Limited - #30 - when I saw them in the Sleeper Lounge on travels just this past week. And I made a point to ask. They said they may use the facilities and the booths downstairs in the Trans Dorm Sleeper, but they don't get "a room" on the Capitol Limited in the Trans Dorm Sleeper - other than the Superliner Room 1 in respective sleeper. So not sure what is going on then. Is it different between Viewliners and Superliners? I didn't think so, but I can't reconcile this at present.