Cardinal WAS Stop

Comair19 · Mar 12, 2013

Hey guys, I have a question for anybody that has ridden the Cardinal through WAS.

I noticed on the timetable that it's scheduled to arrive/depart WAS at 11:05am. I know WAS is where the power switch is made, so I'm sure it'll be in WAS for at least 20 minutes, if not an hour or more.

Will the crew allow you to get off for the duration of the stop? Any potential problems reboarding? I'll have my eticket on my phone, but it will show my origin of NYP vs WAS.

Thx

rtabern · Mar 13, 2013

Yes, I've done the Cardinal several times from CHI-NYP and NYP-CHI.

You are allowed to get off the train when they switch the engines out and walk around on the platform. I'd recommend against going into the station though since it doesn't usually sit it there for a real long, long time.

No problems re-boarding, but again, I wouldn't go up into the station.

the_traveler · Mar 13, 2013

The reason you only see one time is that it's a "departure only" stop meaning that since it does not have any boarding passengers, once the electric motor is on they can go!

Amtrak George · Mar 13, 2013

You should be okay if you stay near the train and are ready to board quickly. However, watch out if you are traveling the other direction on the Card or any train that shows a "D" by the time. This means to discharge passengers only and they can leave before the time on the schedule! :help:

(an exception to the old rule that a train can never leave a station before its scheduled departure time)

Bronzeman · Mar 13, 2013

My son and I came through westbound in a roomette last year. As the sleeper is immediately behind the engine the crew allowed us to detrain so that he could watch the power change up close. It was done very expeditiously; probably to more than ten minutes. I'd agree with rtabern that it would probably be unwise to leave the platform and go up into the station. As the southbound Cardinal will depart the station through the First Street tunnel on one of the through tracks you would have to go up stairs or an escalator to reach the concourse/head house level. By contrast, NEC trains originating or terminating at WAS use the stub tracks on the upper level.