Capitol Limited discussion

[Mystic River Dragon]

I just boarded the Capitol Limited in Chicago around 5:00pm when I was feeling peopled out at my conference I checked the app. The 5:50pm Wolverine was sold-out. The Capitol Limited had released some lower-level seats and I was able to book one, never been so happy to pay the high bucket $38 price+ the South Shore Line took nearly 3 hours yesterday with the buying

Anyone at the back of the consist this evening is American View and a transition Sleeper for it. There wasn't anyone or doors open to American View so I think it's deadheading Curious how late were going to leave the Southwest Chief just arrived directly across platfrom and they told people not to change seats because we're waiting for poeple from the Chief.

A quiet peaceful train seat is a nice place to be after a crowded conference, Hope it all went well!

 

[SubwayNut]

A quiet peaceful train seat is a nice place to be after a crowded conference, Hope it all went well!

Thanks it did! Well we lost 13 minutes departing Chicago. So not too bad. The lower level seats are empty and quiet with maybe 5 of us total (at least a couple others going to South Bend)

 

[SubwayNut]

Also the Capitol Limited has two coaches tonight. Found out when they announced that the restrooms in one of them are broken.

 

[UserNameRequired]

We are booked on the CL for this October. I have never been inside a CCC/diner-lounge. I normally use Craig Mashburn site for car floor plans, but I don’t see one for a CCC there. I did some other light searching and found some interior pictures but no floor plan. Does anyone have a link for a CCC floor plan?

 

[AmtrakBlue]

We are booked on the CL for this October. I have never been inside a CCC/diner-lounge. I normally use Craig Mashburn site for car floor plans, but I don’t see one for a CCC there. I did some other light searching and found some interior pictures but no floor plan. Does anyone have a link for a CCC floor plan?

Maybe this thread from 2009 can help
https://www.amtraktrains.com/threads/cross-country-cafe-vs-superliner-diner.27244/

 

[UserNameRequired]

Maybe this thread from 2009 can help
https://www.amtraktrains.com/threads/cross-country-cafe-vs-superliner-diner.27244/

Oh yes a good find, thank you. The text description and a few interior pics get me close, but if there is a floor plan around I am curious to see it…

 

[Brian Battuello]

I'm sure glad my one trip on the Capitol Limited was some years ago with a roomette and a standard full service diner. I happened to be in Washington and needed to be in Chicago. It was early January so not much scenery, just dinner and a decent sleep. Don't remember using the SSL much, nothing to see.

 

[dlagrua]

We were on the Capitol Ltd in mid May to start our trip to Winslow AZ and return. The train had two sleepers and three coaches but no SSL on either trip. Except for the unhealthy flex meals the trip went OK. We had a great room attendant named JD. The return trip was a whole different story. When we got to our bedroom the door was angled off the tracks and would not close. The room attendant was very nice and came back with a pry-bar and with him lifting and me pushing we were able to get the door back on the track to almost close all the way. That was an inconvenience. My online complaint to Amtrak about this was ignored and never answered. We provided the car number and I just hope they got the message to repair the door in that sleeper.
A positive thing that we noticed in WAS was the return of almost all of the food places on the main level. We had a nice lunch at Cava and it was very good. Starbucks Coffee is gone but Blue Bottle coffee is now there. The lounge was stocked with many good treats and the coffee machine made fresh coffee w the push of a button. Our trips continued in CHI on the SW Chief but that is a story for another dedicated thread topic.

 

[thully]

I was looking at booking the Capitol Limited for my trip to the Gathering (Wednesday, October 25th). I’ve been monitoring roomette prices for a while not and they haven’t budged from high bucket (I booked the return via the Lake Shore when I saw lower-bucket rooms a few weeks ago).Should I bite the bullet and book now or keep checking? Based on what can be booked, it seems there are 7 roomettes left. I don’t want to do the LSL eastbound because I’d be bussing to Toledo (backtracking to Chicago would mean an extra day off) and it boards at 3:20am there compared to the Cap around midnight…

 

[zephyr17]

Well, since the Capitol only runs one sleeper, that is a lot of roomettes in relation to capacity. If it doesn't have a transdorm, there would only be like 11 roomettes total for revenue sale. There is a case for hanging tough. It is a hard call, though.

 

[ja5151]

Debating whether to take the Capitol or LSL for an upcoming trip from Chicago to NYC. Is there currently no SSL on the Capitol? I've found conflicting info online.

 

[PaTrainFan]

Debating whether to take the Capitol or LSL for an upcoming trip from Chicago to NYC. Is there currently no SSL on the Capitol? I've found conflicting info online.

Sadly, there hasn't been for sometime unless there is some late breaking development.

 

[Cal]

Debating whether to take the Capitol or LSL for an upcoming trip from Chicago to NYC. Is there currently no SSL on the Capitol? I've found conflicting info online.

No SSL on the Capitol. Amtrak's website can be very misleading, if that's where you were checking. One benefit of the LSL is that it does have the new Viewliner II sleepers and a nice VII dining car.

 

[Railroad Bill]

We just booked LSL from CLE to CHI for a day trip in August to see exhibition at art museum. CL is priced out of whack with sleepers at higher buckets when they are even available. . LSL was reasonable for late August for a round trip. LSL is very convenient for us to use in Cleveland and points helped reduce the burden of roomettes. We used to ride coach back and forth but have decided those days are over.

 

[ja5151]

No SSL on the Capitol. Amtrak's website can be very misleading, if that's where you were checking. One benefit of the LSL is that it does have the new Viewliner II sleepers and a nice VII dining car.

Nice. I don't think I've seen any of the Viewliner II equipment, but I imagine it's an upgrade.

Are sleeper passengers usually allowed to hang out in the dining car between meal times? And for coach passengers, is there a cafe or any other kind of area with tables?

 

[zephyr17]

Nice. I don't think I've seen any of the Viewliner II equipment, but I imagine it's an upgrade.

Are sleeper passengers usually allowed to hang out in the dining car between meal times? And for coach passengers, is there a cafe or any other kind of area with tables?

Yes, as long as it is on Flex, the LSL's Viewliner diner is considered a "Sleeper Lounge" and you can hang out in there, and you also can buy drinks. It makes a pretty decent lounge car and I've used it as such on my last couple LSL trips. If and when the LSL goes back to traditional dining, I don't think it will be available as a sleeper lounge any longer.

Otherwise, the LSL only has the Amcafe from the Boston section, with typical Amcafe ambience (none) and crew homesteading the tables.

For the time being, I am sticking to the LSL for East Coast-Chicago travel. I used to prefer the Cap as the prices were usually lower (at least two sleepers), the Sightseer and somewhat more scenic route. Without the Sightseer, most of its attraction is gone for me, especially with higher prices due to low capacity of just one sleeper.

 

[Skyline]

Most days, the 29/30 consist is spartan. One coach, one sleeper, one diner, and a baggage car. No wonder it is often "sold out."

Every so often an extra coach or sleeper may be visible, but these could be deadheading. Anyone know for sure?

 

[BlackDiamond]

Seems the Capitol is a roundabout way to get to NYC as you have to get a regional from WAS to NYC. But if you are a train enthusiast then that may be a feature not a bug

 

[chadamfleetrailfan]

Most days, the 29/30 consist is spartan. One coach, one sleeper, one diner, and a baggage car. No wonder it is often "sold out."

Every so often an extra coach or sleeper may be visible, but these could be deadheading. Anyone know for sure?

Yes. Usually, the extra sleeper/coach is a deadhead, but sometimes you get lucky and they actually use it as a revenue car.

It's hard to say when these cars are actually on the CL too.

 

[Trollopian]

Seems the Capitol is a roundabout way to get to NYC as you have to get a regional from WAS to NYC. But if you are a train enthusiast then that may be a feature not a bug

Or (assuming the Cap is on time into Pittsburgh at the butt-crack of dawn) a transfer to the Pennsylvanian there and a pretty ride across the state, including the famous Horseshoe Curve, to NYC via Harrisburg and Philly. As you say, for a trainfan, it's the journey, not (just) the destination!

This actually seems a pretty low-risk plan to me. If the Cap is running too late to make the connection in Pittsburgh, stay on it and revert to Plan A (i.e., continue to WAS and pick up a regional). Oh, yeah, call Amtrak customer service and make sure they're on board with the revised itinerary. Literally and figuratively.

 

[joelkfla]

Or (assuming the Cap is on time into Pittsburgh at the butt-crack of dawn) a transfer to the Pennsylvanian there and a pretty ride across the state, including the famous Horseshoe Curve, to NYC via Harrisburg and Philly. As you say, for a trainfan, it's the journey, not (just) the destination!

This actually seems a pretty low-risk plan to me. If the Cap is running too late to make the connection in Pittsburgh, stay on it and continue with Plan A (i.e., continue to WAS and pick up a regional). Oh, yeah, call Amtrak customer service and make sure they're on board with the revised itinerary. Literally and figuratively.

Take the Cardinal. Great scenery. No transfer required.

 

[ms garrison]

Or (assuming the Cap is on time into Pittsburgh at the butt-crack of dawn) a transfer to the Pennsylvanian there and a pretty ride across the state, including the famous Horseshoe Curve, to NYC via Harrisburg and Philly. As you say, for a trainfan, it's the journey, not (just) the destination!

This actually seems a pretty low-risk plan to me. If the Cap is running too late to make the connection in Pittsburgh, stay on it and continue with Plan A (i.e., continue to WAS and pick up a regional). Oh, yeah, call Amtrak customer service and make sure they're on board with the revised itinerary. Literally and figuratively.

They say the Horse Shoe Curve is really worth seeing. I wouldn't know - last time I was on that route ,a long freight train was parked along the tracks completely blocking the view

 

[thully]

Aah - so that’s why I’m seeing the Capitol Limited consistently higher than the Lake Shore Limited and seemingly not budging! Having only one sleeper definitely helps explain it - I’ve been monitoring CL roomette pricing for the trip to the Gathering, and it’s consistently remained $200 more than the LSL to/from TOL (with connecting bus for ARB and Regional for PHL). Though riding the LSL eastbound really isn’t a great option - 3:20am is just not a tolerable TOL departure (particularly when the bus connection arrives almost 5 hours earlier), and backtracking to CHI costs an extra day and same $ as Cap from TOL. May just bite the bullet and book it (or LSL backtracking) in the next couple weeks…

We just booked LSL from CLE to CHI for a day trip in August to see exhibition at art museum. CL is priced out of whack with sleepers at higher buckets when they are even available. . LSL was reasonable for late August for a round trip. LSL is very convenient for us to use in Cleveland and points helped reduce the burden of roomettes. We used to ride coach back and forth but have decided those days are over.

 

[user 14106]

Yes. Usually, the extra sleeper/coach is a deadhead, but sometimes you get lucky and they actually use it as a revenue car.

It's hard to say when these cars are actually on the CL too.

They have been occasionally adding cars on random days to help accommodate missed transfers from western trains. But the single sleeper/coach is the standard revenue consist at this time.

 

[BlackDiamond]

They say the Horse Shoe Curve is really worth seeing. I wouldn't know - last time I was on that route ,a long freight train was parked along the tracks completely blocking the view

Sounds like the time I rode a Turbo from Croton to NYP we were on track 2 and Metro North had a deadhead pacing us on track 4 totally obliterating the view of the Hudson

The Horseshoe Curve is definitely worth seeing though. I got to see it in 1985 when I rode the Broadway Limited through there.