# Cardinal train ALL SOLD OUT?



## Kirk Baldwin (Sep 30, 2019)

Been trying to reserve a seat on the Cardinal and now all dates from today up to 10 months in the future are saying it’s sold out. What has happened to this train? Software reservation glitch or train no longer running?


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## Kirk Baldwin (Sep 30, 2019)

Just looked and it’s back up. Software glitch. People on Amtrak phones told me they had to “replace cars” on the train and that it was not working because of that. Well, seems to be running fine now.


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## me_little_me (Sep 30, 2019)

Seems to work for me. If it doesn't work online, remember, Amtrak doesn't charge extra for phone agent.


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## zephyr17 (Sep 30, 2019)

Just did a test booking and it is fine. Cardinal only runs 3 days a week, are you sure you used a days it operates?


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## Kirk Baldwin (Sep 30, 2019)

No, something is still wrong. I went on yesterday morning to reserve a view liner roomette on Train 51 Cardinal for Feb. 5th 2020. Roomettes were listed for $459. Now, train only runs in that direction on Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays. So I looked carefully on every available date from Jan. 5th through March 1st just to see if pricing would be different. No changes, price held at $459 and roomettes were available on EACH day train ran Jan. through Feb.Then went back last night to book and web said ENTIRE train was sold out from Jan-July 2020! I called agent who had no idea what was going on. Now, as of this morning, coach seats and the bedrooms are available again, but NO roomettes except for Feb. 9th and now priced at $788. Now, in less than 24 hours all Sun, Wed and Fri train’s roomettes went to being totally open from yesterday morning to now being totally booked for Jan and Feb?!? Not that many people signed up for all those rooms in just four hours. Called agent, three times, no ideas on what is going on. I know there is the Capital, but really wanted Cardinal as have not rode that route. Something has happened. Are they repairing or updating the roomettes at that time? Bedrooms still available. Just want to know what’s going on.


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## zephyr17 (Sep 30, 2019)

Speculation alert. This is purely speculation.

Blocking roomette inventory would be consistent with introducing Viewliner IIs on the route, since there is one less roomette on the IIs. Blocking the inventory would be consistent until they decide on the specific dates and get the V II inventory loaded. Since the bedroom and handicapped rooms are the same in both car types they could leave those open.

I have no insider knowledge, just that introducing V IIs would be consistent with blocking roomettes and roomettes only.


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## zephyr17 (Sep 30, 2019)

Well, that theory is out. I ran Amsnag for February CHI-WAS and it does show roomette availability on 2/11 and 2/22 for $642, other dates sold out. WAS-CHI has roomettes available 2/9, 2/14, 2/21 and 2/23, also for $642, other dates sold out.

That is not a pattern that supports my theory.

It looks like they genuinely just sold the roomettes out. Remember there are only 12 on the whole train.

PS, agents are generally kind of clueless. They only know what Arrow tells them, generally.


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## bratkinson (Sep 30, 2019)

zephyr17 said:


> It looks like they genuinely just sold the roomettes out. Remember there are only 12 on the whole train.



12 rooms, minus one each for the FC Diner/Lounge attendant and one for the cafe car attendant. Based on what I've seen on a variety of Viewliner equipped trains, whether their doors are taped closed or a coat hanger used to keep them closed, they are typically in roomettes #10 and #12.


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