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‘Cardinal’ runs with Superliner equipment following boulder strike
I would love to see the Cardinal become a Superliner all of the time! Unfortunately, I never got around to riding it when it was. Of course, a single level train with a dome would be even better. The dome could be left at Washington so the train could continue to New York. It is too bad the new Viewliner order doesn’t include domes, or at least lounges with wrap glass like on the Superliners.
If the damage was to the engine, why did they need to substitute the cars?
Where are they switching to Viewliners to get into NYC?
Make it a Superliner all the time!
I was going to ask (and someone else may have the same thought) why they didn’t take the passengers along on the way to Indiana and then bus them from there, instead of from so far east. Then I realized that the CSX rescue locos wouldn’t have had head-end electrical capability to provide utility power to the passenger coaches, thus the necessity for deadheading. Of course, within the 10-hour interval, I assume they could’ve sent an Amtrak loco from Washington DC, and continued with the passengers still aboard, being thus less inconvenienced. Riding a bus from Virginia to Chicago isn’t much fun. Can’t take a walk to the snack bar when you want to.
There is nothing Amtrak could do to prevent this since it was a natural disaster.
However, the replacement consist of Superliners is certainly welcome. The scenery on this route was made for them. Unfortunately, Amtrak’s chronic equipment shortage prevents the daily operation of this train and/or placing Superliners into service on this route.