They were on the westbound Cardinal in this video posted yesterday. The poster didn't say what date it was filmed.
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There they go again!
Normally, lunch will not be served on 30 unless it is very late (and has not been for years). Years ago, they would serve an abbreviated early lunch, but stopped doing that even before they switched from traditional dining. On one of my last trips on 30, it was running very late and they served lunch to the sleeper passengers (whatever they had, which was not much).
If I recall correctly the domes had floodlights that lit up the countryside, but switched off as the train passed through towns.
Looks like it hasn't been updated for several years. Scratch the delicious meals and sightseer car. Imagine how dissapointed passengers are when they book this train based on this ad.
Sidney: I suspect I would also be one of those passengers disappointed. Haven't been on the Cap Limited since COVID. My favorite recollections are from the early 1990's; departing Washington DC on a cold winter day, snow gently falling, from the diner, or Heritage sleeper, or the dome lounge as part of the consist in the 1990's. I have become a little cynical of Amtrak's inconsistent service these days--and nostalgia makes it worse.
The withdrawals of Sightseers on both the Capitol and the Eagle took place before the Builder and SW Chief wrecks. The return of the Sightseers on those trains may depend on wreck repairs, but the withdrawal of them certainly was not.
The Capitol has 3 consists, the Eagle has 4 consists, so 7 would be required.
God, current management has to go
Well that doesn’t necessarily mean it will never happen. I certainly have some concerns about Amtrak’s performance in several areas but they are at least willing to undo some Anderson decisions such as reinstating traditional dining on the Meteor and Star. They’ve also loosened up a bit on private cars. The F&B working group continues to meet so I personally am waiting to see what actions that results in.God, current management has to go
If they have to make priorities on which of the mothballed/wrecked cars they need to restore, I would certainly go with favoring sleeper cars at this time, then perhaps diners, and finally the Sightseer lounges. I rode the Capitol last year with the shortened consist, and while I missed the Sightseer Lounge, they were letting us hang out between meals in the CCC (diner-lounge), and it wasn't that bad a substitute. Some years ago (before Covid and Flex meals), they were doing traditional dining and cafe service in the CCC car, with the Sightseer lounge unstaffed downstairs. That seemed to have worked OK.
I remember riding the Amtrak Capitol with a dome car so it did happen at one point.
Well, words to that effect are in their contract of carriage. They do not guarantee mode, let alone amenities.
