# Article on riding Amtrak's Cardinal (through West Virginia)



## Ollie12 (Sep 2, 2020)

If anyone is interested I wrote an article on my experience onboard the Cardinal from Chicago to NYC - I'd held off riding the Cardinal due to the dining car situation but was so glad I did in the end!

Trip Report - Amtrak's Cardinal from Chicago to New York


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## Dakota 400 (Sep 3, 2020)

I enjoyed "my trip" by reading your report. I have traveled on the Cardinal between Cincinnati and Chicago. Also, I rode on a C&O train between Cincinnati and Washington that followed basically the same route, I think. Your mention of rough tracks on that journey was what I experienced years ago and seems to still be an issue. Thanks for your post.


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## DCAKen (Sep 8, 2020)

I just did this trip over the labor Day weekend. It's disappointing to be stuck in the roomette for the entire trip, although Momma J made the trip much more pleasant with her tireless cheer. She's been with Amtrak for 37 years and was fully intending on retiring at 40. However, the ongoing degradation of the onboard experience for the passengers was too much for her and she's retiring in a few months. Her departure is Amtrak's loss.


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## Bob Dylan (Sep 8, 2020)

DCAKen said:


> I just did this trip over the labor Day weekend. It's disappointing to be stuck in the roomette for the entire trip, although Momma J made the trip much more pleasant with her tireless cheer. She's been with Amtrak for 37 years and was fully intending on retiring at 40. However, the ongoing degradation of the onboard experience for the passengers was too much for her and she's retiring in a few months. Her departure is Amtrak's loss.


Far too many of the " Good ones" pulling the pin, but it's understandable considering the current unhappy circumstances!


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## Ollie12 (Sep 10, 2020)

It's such a shame - so many of my Amtrak trips have been made by the amazing onboard crew - but when you get bad eggs... To the credit of Amtrak people I have a very high hit rate for getting really great onboard staff..


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## 20th Century Rider (Sep 11, 2020)

Ollie12 said:


> If anyone is interested I wrote an article on my experience onboard the Cardinal from Chicago to NYC - I'd held off riding the Cardinal due to the dining car situation but was so glad I did in the end!
> 
> Trip Report - Amtrak's Cardinal from Chicago to New York


two things noticed... leaves off the trees; the meals looked like pre flex... so was this trip report from last year?


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## Asher (Sep 14, 2020)

I rode the Cardinal from D.C. To Indy. It was a few year back when the dining car was operating and the service was good. The problem with our trip was the time of year, December. The leaves are off the trees so you can see further. But the days are so short and we missed a lot of the trip due to darkness. Thanks for posting.


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## MARC Rider (Sep 14, 2020)

20th Century Rider said:


> two things noticed... leaves off the trees; the meals looked like pre flex... so was this trip report from last year?


It's possible that they are flex meals, but the lounge attendant took the time to plate them. When I did this ride last fall, I was served the flex meal at the table. While the meal was flex, the service was pre-flex. Some commenters of my account said that the crew of the Cardinal likes to go the extra mile to upgrade the service, and if they were now starting to plate the flex dinners, it wouldn't surprise me. I notice in the review that he didn't describe the breakfast.


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