# Cardinal / Hoosier State Review



## IndyLions (Nov 21, 2016)

This past weekend, our family decided to use Amtrak for a weekend getaway to Chicago. Since it has been a number of years since we have taken the train, I thought it would be a good opportunity to review the experience circa 2016 vs. our previous experiences 7-10 years ago. In those days when our children were small, we took a number of long distance trains to Disney, DC, upstate New York and even out West.

Early Saturday morning we headed to the station in Crawfordsville Indiana to catch the Cardinal. That's the first stop north of Indy, and for us west siders, it is a much more convenient boarding location than Indianapolis Union Station. There are about 15 or 20 parking spaces available, parking is free, and it is directly across the street from the police station. Definitely gives you a secure feeling knowing the cop shop is so close by!

We had been notified by text that the train was about 90 minutes late. This notification was very convenient, as it allowed us to comfortably have our breakfast at the local Cracker Barrel – instead of sitting at the station tapping our foot impatiently.

My wife and two daughters boarded the train about 9 AM, joining another daughter who caught the Cardinal the day before in Charlottesville Virginia on her way home from college.

We boarded the Business Class car, which was very nice. Half of the car was arranged with 2 + 1 seating, and the other half in a dedicated business class lounge. Complimentary, "help yourself" beverages were available – coffee and water along with a selection of juices. The seats were comfortable – and we spent quite a bit of time seated together in the lounge area - with the girls playing games and generally enjoying getting caught up with one another after a semester apart.

Despite a slow schedule of almost 5 hours from Indianapolis to Chicago – the trip went quite quickly. The weather was not good for driving, so I really enjoyed the stress free ride.

After arriving in Union Station, I remembered how nice it was to arrive downtown in the heart of the city. We quickly caught a cab and arrived at our hotel in about 10 minutes. Before you know it we were all checked in and getting a jump on our weekend.

Twenty-eight hours later - a little worn out after tagging along with four females on a serious shopping bender - we were back at Union Station checking in at the new Amtrak Metropolitan Lounge.

It was my first experience with the new lounge, and I was quite impressed. I would describe it as spacious, clean, comfortable and convenient. There were a lot of folks in the lounge, but I never felt crowded. I am pretty picky when it comes to cleanliness, and I didn't see one thing that met my disapproval.

There were plenty of snacks, a combination of fresh fruit and four different types of munchies. From a drink standpoint there were soft drinks, water, and a coffee/cappuccino machine.

We stored our luggage in a luggage room near the front of the lounge, which was monitored by a couple of Amtrak desk employees. I thought the arrangement was convenient and safe enough for my comfort level.

30 minutes prior to the planned departure, we were called to the front of the lounge for boarding. They sent us down a side hallway out into the concourse. My only nitpick here is that they could've been a little more specific in their instructions (i.e. head out the door, down the ramp, and straight to the rope barrier until you are met by an employee and directed to Track 28 for boarding).

After a couple minutes of apprehension, we made it where we were supposed to go and were directed to the Hoosier State Dome. They fully boarded business class before they called the coach passengers. That made for an orderly boarding process, and we had no trouble leaving on time.

Immediately upon boarding, the onboard service attendant, who is an employee of Iowa Pacific Railroad – took care of our luggage and directed us to the upstairs of the Dome car. What a beautiful car! There were a series of booths, some laid out for three people in a "C" shape, and others in the more traditional four person arrangement. A number of the booths in the center of the car were set up for dining with white tablecloths and flowers. The (leather?) upholstery was plush, and the seats were very comfortable. It was obvious that this car had been recently renovated and was in excellent shape.

Another nitpick is that it was not that clear where we were supposed to sit when we arrived in the car. Eventually, we figured out that we were supposed to pick one of the non-dining booths as our home for the duration of the trip, and then move to one of the dining booths when we were ready to eat.

My wife and I settled in a traditional four person booth, with our three daughters across the aisle in one of the C shaped booths. They quickly got out the playing cards and started a spirited game of Uno.

Our (Attendant?), Jack – was very professional and did a tremendous job. He really was more of a bartender/waiter than a traditional attendant. Immediately after we were seated, he took our drink order and brought soft drinks in heavy, full-sized glassware. For the entire trip he took very good care of all of the passengers, really optimizing the experience.

The group behind us included two couples enjoying adult beverages and having a somewhat rowdy time alcohol can sometimes encourage. For us and our older children, this was not a problem. If we had a younger family we would have found a spot further away from the merriment.

An hour into the trip, we decided it was time for dinner. Because there were five of us – it was going to be tricky to be seated in the same area in the dining section. Jack was kind enough to serve us at our booths – which turned out to be really convenient.

On the menu were about five or six regular dinner selections, and one special. Tonight's special was curry seasoned chicken or salmon, rice pilaf and creamed spinach. One of my daughters had the chicken and said it was quite good. She ate everything but about half of her spinach. The rest of us went for the Bacon Cheeseburger. Other options included a club sandwich wrap, a grilled cheese sandwich, and a Caesar salad. Our cheeseburgers were really good – with easily a third pound of ground beef prepared medium/medium rare, cheddar or Swiss cheese, and a good four slices of crisp bacon on a fresh bun. I ordered mine with pasta salad, and the others got the ruffled potato chips. For dessert, we were offered pumpkin pie or cheesecake. Both were obviously not homemade, but were very tasty. All but adult beverages were complimentary.

Before we knew it, we were back in Crawfordsville and it was time to get off the train.

All in all – the entire weekend was a terrific experience. Business Class was absolutely worth it both ways – especially on the Hoosier State train.

I highly encourage anyone in the Midwest area to take the Hoosier State at least once over the next year. Who knows how long this terrific train will be allowed to continue. I love the fact that a private venture is working together with the state and with Amtrak to continue service – while increasing the service-level to heights I never thought I would see on a regional Amtrak route.

I am also really looking forward to my next train trip elsewhere in the system. For me personally, I'm going to try to find routes that still have the diner. It makes such a difference to have freshly prepared meals versus the airline style food that I understand is currently present on the Cardinal, Lake Shore Limited, and a few other long-distance routes.


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## IndyLions (Nov 21, 2016)




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## Railroad Bill (Nov 22, 2016)

Great trip report on your Cardinal-Hoosier State ride. Looking forward to riding this train next year.


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## Seaboard92 (Nov 22, 2016)

Sounds like you had a nice ride. I would recommend riding it as often as you can right now.


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## Everydaymatters (Nov 22, 2016)

Thanks for the trip report. It sounds like it was a great experience.


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## MrEd (Nov 22, 2016)

thanks for the trip report


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## MARC Rider (Nov 22, 2016)

IndyLions said:


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This is the same kind of "mafia booth" that people complain about when describing the "cross country cafe!" 

Is all the Business class seating on the Hoosier State in booths in the upper level of the dome car? Does that mean that if you want a reclining seat to catch some zzzz's you need to travel coach?


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## ruck (Nov 22, 2016)

MARC Rider said:


> IndyLions said:
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Correct. It's my only issue with the service. It would be nice if in the future there would be a business class coach with high back seats as after a couple hours the low back dome seats can get quite uncomfortable although maybe they'll speed up the trip and solve the problem another way. That said if business class isn't full you can move around a bit more. When we rode it the dome was full so the four of us were stuck to the booth. Still a great time and by all accounts it seems to be a win win for all involved.

Also a point of clarification the first four alcoholic drinks are included.


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## Manny T (Nov 22, 2016)

MARC Rider said:


> IndyLions said:
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My experience on the HS last spring was different. Going north from IND to CHI the departure is 6 AM. I wasn't ready for breakfast, and I was ready to get some zzzzz's. And so instead of heading for the dome diner, I sat in the last row of what appears to be a business class section in front of the dome. Leather seats and so forth. I was the only person there. Other BC passengers were in the dome, and when some Coach folks came in to sit down, a conductor shooed them out. When I was ready, I went up to have breakfast in the dome. And when I was done, I went down to my seat in "BC." So it seems to me there is some unofficial BC seating, although most BC pax don't avail themselves of it.


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## Dakota 400 (Nov 22, 2016)

Thank you for a very interesting review of your trip. I have traveled 2x on the Cardinal in the past on the Cincinnati/Chicago segment in a Roomette. Both were good rail journeys. But, the train's arrival/departure times in Cincinnati are an issue for me.

Like you, I found the Chicago Union Station's Metropolitan Lounge to be as you described. Luggage storage was secure, ample food and drink, comfortable seating and not crowded, clean restrooms, and Attendants who were quite competent. Slightly different from your experience, a Red Cap (maybe you did not use the service) arrived at the Lounge when my time arrived to board the train. Taking my luggage and me, we took the short cut to the platform to board the train.

More memorable travel experiences for me!


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## Asher (Nov 24, 2016)

I'm sold! Going to fit the Hoosier State into my next trip to Indy.


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## OlympianHiawatha (Nov 24, 2016)

MARC Rider said:


> IndyLions said:
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Those booths are identical to what was originally installed when the Great Domes were first built. While they are not an ideal layout for dining, they are nice for lounging.


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## bobnjulie (Dec 1, 2016)

Thanks for the report!! I've heard about the Indy train but being stuck in CA, we don't get to experience a lot of the midwest trains. Gonna to have to put some thought in to a Chicago run with some side tours!


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