# Cardinal Trip - NYP - IND



## MrFSS (Feb 27, 2005)

On 2/24 I caught a plane in Indianapolis using the last of my US Airways miles from pre-retirement working days. A 1½ flight put me in LaGuardia just at rush hour but I was able to get the Manhattan bus quickly and changed at GCT to a Penn Station shuttle. Always exciting to watch these guys drive in rush hour in mid-town.

I went to the Amtrak ticket counter to pick up my ticket for the next day’s Cardinal run back to Indy. The place was packed with commuters and Amtrak passengers alike.

Then a short walk across 7th to the Hotel Pennsylvania, which I understand was remodeled not too long ago. There must have been some groups staying as the lobby was packed and the wait to check in was almost 30 minutes. I put my backpack and camera in the room, went to Lindy’s, off the lobby, and had a nice dinner (I never had lunch). By this time it was snowing like crazy in the city. I had hoped to walk down to the Empire State Building for some pictures, but not in that weather!

I needed a good night’s sleep as I was still fighting a bad head cold (flying was fun) and wanted to get to NYP early to check out the Club Acela.

I had breakfast and joined the rush of workers on the streets for the short walk back to Penn Station about 8:00 AM on the 25th. (Alan – I wish I would have thought to say we could have met for breakfast – next time!!!!)

So – here starts my trip report.

First, let me mention a couple of things that struck me:

1.	The Cardinal isn’t the Empire Builder, the only other Amtrak train I've ridden recently.

2. The Club Acela, while nice, isn’t Chicago’s Metropolitan Lounge.

3. Viewliner equipment isn’t Superliner equipment.

With that said, I can say, though, that any Amtrak trip is better than doing most other things that involve travel. So, I want to say up front this trip was a blast and very enjoyable.

The Club is comfortable, but the food and drink selection was very poor compared to Chicago when we were there in September. No decaf coffee!!!

It wasn’t very full, either, maybe no more than 8-10 people at any given time. Mostly business people always on their cell phones.

I always enjoy hearing people talk. I heard Italian, Russian, Spanish, Brooklyn, and wondered what they were talking about.

The receptionist called the Cardinal, number 51, to track 5. She showed me where to go down and I was surprised I was the only passenger at the door and to go down the stairs to the track.

I got to the loading platform and no one else was there. No passengers, no train, nothing. Then an Amtrak Redcap showed up and asked if I was the Cardinal Passenger. I said I was and he said the train would be pulling in any moment. So, I stood there all by myself.

About 2 minutes later she pulled in and they directed me to the last of the four cars, two coaches, a dinette, and a crew/passenger sleeper. George, the car attendant opened the door and greeted me by name. Interesting at that time as I didn’t know how he would have known me. I then learned I was the only sleeping car passenger until Washington DC. So, I guess I was on his list and he assumed it was me.

Very nice fellow with an accent I later learned was Romanian. He showed me to my room, 3, brought me water and the NY Times, asked if I needed anything else, and I never saw him again until Philly.

The conductor came by and took my ticket and we left, 14 minutes late. I never did see anyone else get on and have no idea if any one or how many were in the coach cars.

The room was nice, clean, and everything worked. The windows, exterior, were filthy. It was going to be a bad day trying to take pictures. Since no one else was on, I could move from my room to the one across the hall and try to take pictures from both sides as needed.

As we exited the tunnel area and went into Jersey, the speed was enough that blowing snow was all down the sides of the train and reached it peak density at the last car near room 3. I could hardly see a thing and the snow melted on the windows making them even dirtier!

So, I sat back and enjoyed the ride as much as possible.

I was looking at the schedule and an interesting though hit me. This train travels through 9 states and the District of Columbia. Other than the trains to Florida and New Orleans, this has to be a train that gets to many more states than even some of the Western Trains. I haven’t looked at a map, but it would be interesting to figure out how many they all cross or touch.

Before we reached Philadelphia, the HEP in the dinette car went out. I was able to step off at the station and the repair guys were mumbling to each other that NYP repair people always let them get to Philly to be fixed. I assured them it was working when we left NYP. Turns out the snow freezing a circuit breaker, or something, was the problem. They had it going in minutes.

A few coach passengers got on in Newark, Philly, Wilmington, and Baltimore. But I’m still enjoying my “private” car. I decided since I had breakfast early I’d have lunch between Wilmington and Baltimore. I walked into the dinette and they were waiting for me. Had my own table and it was nice to sit there and relax. The snow blowing problem had eased some and I could watch the countryside go by.

The food was terrible. Very little selection and hot items are microwaved. Everything served on plastic plates. Again, not the Empire Builder where I thought I was in a 4-star restaurant. But the waitress was nice. We chatted and I learned she was on the Cardinal every Friday to Chicago, and then that same Friday, back from Chicago to NYP. That was her week. She had Mon – Thur off. She had been doing this for 15 years. She brought me a tasteless tuna sandwich and a bag of chips. I had to pay extra for a cookie for dessert!

By the way, I casually asked as many Amtrak staff folks as I could what they thought about the budget cut business. None of them thought it would ever happen. Maybe they are trying to be optimistic!

When we arrived in DC, now running about 20 minutes late, I got off to watch them change the engines out. Took about 10 minutes for that to be done and two fellows got on the sleeper. So, now there are three of us. We introduced ourselves and it was the first time they had been on a train in almost 50 years.

I was very proud of how I could answer their questions about train travel, Amtrak, etc. I give credit for most of that to this forum as a place to learn as I’m certainly not an experienced Amtrak traveler. I remember the first time I started reading the forum before our EB trip and how much I was able to learn and how helpful many people were.

A lady got on in Alexandria, so now we are four. We all seemed to hit it off and enjoyed talking with each other so we went to the dinette car and sat till almost diner time sharing stories and our lives with each other. Quite a pleasant experience. No other sleeping car passengers were on until Charlottesville. Our group of four had diner together. Again, not really good compared to my one past Amtrak trip meal experience. Very limited choice (2 items) and microwaved to heat it up. We did get dessert which wasn’t bad, though, a strawberry tort.

It was now getting dark and we all retired to our rooms. I enjoyed sitting in the dark watching the evening go by. The sky cleared and a full moon came out. In the hills of southern Virginia and West Virginia, the train was winding around quite a bit and the moon seemed to move across the sky. Sometimes in front, sometimes behind us. It was very relaxing. I gave up trying to get any pictures as the windows were so dirty.

Through the night we continued to run about 10-20 minutes late until about Ashland, KY. From there on we were on time and would actually arrive in Indy several minutes early.

I had George make my bed about 9:00 and I noticed the now 6-7 people in the car had also turned in for the night. I had to call my wife to tell her where to meet me the next morning, but couldn’t get a cell phone signal until we reached Charleston, WV. I called her, we talked about the next morning, and then I went to sleep almost immediately. I was able to sleep for several hours and awoke a couple of times, usually when we stopped. I guess I would get use to the train movement and stopping woke me up. Does that make me a seasoned rail traveler?

Before I retired, I traveled, by car and plane, all over West Virginia, Kentucky, Ohio, and Indiana for 40 years. It was so neat to see some of these places, even in the dark, from a whole new vantage point. The highlight was at 3:00 in the morning, I awoke as we were coming into Cincinnati from Kentucky across the Ohio River. The last time I did that by train was in 1957. I had been across 1000’s of times by car and plane, but that long since crossing on a train. What memories were brought back. After leaving Cincinnati I slept until near Indianapolis. George woke me at 6:00 for our scheduled 6:40 arrival. Went down and had a cup of instant decaf coffee (no perked decaf!!!) and watched as we pulled into Indianapolis Union Station. The last time I came into this station on a train was in 1966.

George helped the three of us off, I gave him a nice tip, and I walked around front to the Holiday Inn Entrance where my wife met me so we could drive back to Kentucky.

I’m ready to go again! I have one more set of frequent flyer miles that could take me to the west coast for a trip to Chicago, I’m thinking the CZ at this point. Hope you have enjoyed this report. Sorry it is so long.

If you’d like to see all the pictures from the trip go here:

Cardinal Trip Report Photos

To see all my train pictures, past and present, go here:

All My Rail Pictures Past & Present

Questions – comments – let me know.

Tom


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## AlanB (Feb 27, 2005)

Tom,

Thanks for the report. Glad you had a good time. 

One minor correction, I think you meant 2/24, not 8/24. Cause I don't recall it snowing here in NYC in August. :lol:


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## MrFSS (Feb 27, 2005)

Thanks - see what old-age does to you!!! B)


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## bmlock (Mar 7, 2005)

Your meals may not have been great, but at leat it wasn't honey roasted Southwest peanuts.


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## MrFSS (Apr 11, 2005)

I received a survey from Amtrak for this trip, today. I completed it and have mailed it back. I gave them a very good rating as this was a great, on-time trip.


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## Bill Haithcoat (Apr 11, 2005)

You and I have the Hotel Pennsylania in common. I have stayed at it twice and it was packed both times, so I am not sure at all that was a special group checking in when you did--I suspect it was just their usual flow of business.

I, too, recognized Lindy's as a voice from the past and ate there at least twice.

I stayed at a hotel in Times Square all through the years but just recently hooked onto the Hotel Penn. Can't beat it for convenience. .


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## MrFSS (Apr 11, 2005)

I thought the place, for the price, was very good. I just wish the weather had been better for the short time I was there. Glad my wife wasn't with me as Macy's was right next door!!!


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## AlanB (Apr 11, 2005)

Gimbles, when it was still in business was even closer. Like right behind the hotel. Macys is a two block walk.


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## MrFSS (Apr 11, 2005)

Alan - this was the view from my hotel window. Is it just a sign for Macy's or on the Macy's building, do you think? It looks like Macy's underneath the red sign, too????


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## AlanB (Apr 11, 2005)

Sorry, a one block walk. Macy's is on 34th street, your hotel is between 32nd and 33rd, and you obviously had a window overlooking 33rd stret. That building in the foreground is located between 33rd and 34th streets.

Gimbals on the other hand was directly behind your hotel and in fact there is a mall that has replaced the old Gimbals building. I think that there may have even been a direct connection from the hotel, back when it was Gimbals.


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## NEC_Conductor_WASNYP (May 16, 2005)

Looking at your photos, I need to correct a minor point.

That was not a dining car, as you have experienced in the past. Sadly, many of the dining experiences that made rail travel exciting have gone to the wayside, replaced with the Amcafe, Acelacafe, or something like it. Fortunately, the trains to Florida (East coast) still have diners, as do many of the long-distance routes from Chicago to the West.

The cafe' is nice for commuters, but dining should be available on longer hauls.


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## MrFSS (May 16, 2005)

> The cafe' is nice for commuters, but dining should be available on longer hauls.
> 
> 
> > I agree - I didn't realize what it would be until I boarded the train. It was interesting that they "tried" to make it like a dining car on the sleeper side at dinner time. Table cloth, etc, but still had plastic plates and silverwear.
> ...


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## AmtrakFan (Jun 4, 2005)

Tom,

What were the food selections aborad the train?


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## MrFSS (Jun 4, 2005)

> What were the food selections aborad the train?


I had, for lunch, a very non-tasty tuna sandwich and chips. Had to buy a cookie as there was no dessert with the meal.

For supper I had a ravioli type dish that was on plastic and microwaved to heat it up. The dessert was OK. I forget exactly what it was, but remember it was the best part of the meal.

I got off in the AM before they were open for breakfast but did get a cup of instant decaf coffee.

No comparison to the EB trip we took last Sept.

Guess that's why the sleeper ticket was so inexpensive!!


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## Midland Valley (Jun 11, 2005)

The food service is why I won't ride the Cardinal anymore unless I am just going to Maysville KY or South Portsmouth. There is no way I will pay those extremely high prices for a sleeping car and not have the benifit of a diner. I'm going to Phil. in early 06 and have booked the Capitol Lmt and a regional instead of the Cardinal, just for that reason. The Card's scenery is fantastic but untill they make it a daily with a diner, I'm not going.


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## caravanman (Jun 11, 2005)

I too enjoyed your trip report, and the usual excellent photos.

We made a point of staying at the Pennsylvania hotel recently also. I thought it was rather cool to arrive by train, and then stay in the former railway hotel opposite. I gather it is about the largest nyc hotel, with hundreds of rooms. Incidentaly, the song "Pensylvannia 68500", or whatever the number was, refered to the original Pensylvannia hotel phone number.

Hows that for free advertising? I was sorry to hear that the food was not so good, would you say the views were worth taking this route?

Ed B)


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## Midland Valley (Jun 11, 2005)

Where are my manners? I must apologize for being too consumed with food issues. A great train ride is always worth it! It sounds like you had a great one, and your report was well written. Brought back a lot of good experiences on the CArdinal. Thank you.


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## MrFSS (Jun 11, 2005)

> I was sorry to hear that the food was not so good, would you say the views were worth taking this route?


I had only ridden one other Amtrak on a long ditance haul, the Empire Builder in the fall of 2004. So, hard for me to compare, except to that trip, which was great. My trip report for that trip is back in the forum someplace.

On the Cardinal trip, the most senic part was at night. Also, a lot of snow blowing and dirty windows kept me from seeing and photoing a lot.

I had to take this train as I was going to Indianapolis. If I were going to Chicago I would have taken the LSL.

If I get to go from NYC back west again I will try for the LSL or the one from Washington DC, the Capitol Limited. Then, I could maybe ride the Acela from NYP to WAS and then the Capitol to Chicago.

If you aren't interested in the food quality and quantity, then the Cardinal is a neat way to go.

Tom


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## Midland Valley (Jun 11, 2005)

There are some (or used to be) grand old railroad structures along the line but you need to be on the east bound for daylight.


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## Guest_Gingee (Aug 21, 2005)

This is a little late reading this but I am glad to hear that the Empire food is better than the Cardinal. We took the Cardinal this year and yuck, the food was awful. We are booked on the Empire for next year.


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