Why is a conductor needed to open the door? Don't the coaches have attendants who can do that as well as help people with luggage if necessary like on other LD trains?
Odd consist for the Cardinal.
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neroden
Engineer
I'm frankly mystified because I can't see why this order would be used. Just throwing out guesses.
William W.
Lead Service Attendant
I wish I had gotten photos, but I was on that particular train.
Consist: P42, Heritage Baggage, Viewliner sleeper, Amfleet II, Diner-Lite, two Amfleet IIs, two Horizon coaches, and a Horizon cafe. The Horizon coaches and cafe were taken off at Indy. I also thought it interesting that the Horizon cafe was lit and manned. I did hear the LSA mention that there was an entire boy scout troop on board, so maybe the cafe was added for that reason? Or maybe it was justing making a run to Beech Grove, and they decided to have it be in service? I'm not really sure.
I was definitely surprised to see a consist like this when I got on in Chicago. When I went up to Chicago, the Viewliner was on the end, and they put the Hoosier's Horizons on behind the Sleeper (It was kind of annoying to have the coach passengers going back and forth, between the coaches and the cafe car).
Consist: P42, Heritage Baggage, Viewliner sleeper, Amfleet II, Diner-Lite, two Amfleet IIs, two Horizon coaches, and a Horizon cafe. The Horizon coaches and cafe were taken off at Indy. I also thought it interesting that the Horizon cafe was lit and manned. I did hear the LSA mention that there was an entire boy scout troop on board, so maybe the cafe was added for that reason? Or maybe it was justing making a run to Beech Grove, and they decided to have it be in service? I'm not really sure.
I was definitely surprised to see a consist like this when I got on in Chicago. When I went up to Chicago, the Viewliner was on the end, and they put the Hoosier's Horizons on behind the Sleeper (It was kind of annoying to have the coach passengers going back and forth, between the coaches and the cafe car).
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Apparently this is in response to a recent FRA ruling on ADA access to some of the cars. This ruling is also the reason for the other eastern long distance trains remaining in the "winter" consist. From what I hear, there must be ADA access to both ends of the "service" cars (IE - lounge). Also, with the sleeper where it is located, passenger boarding the Indy add on cars won't have to walk through it now. So, don't look for this to change anytime soon.
Bob
Bob
neroden
Engineer
Still doesn't make sense. The lounge car is supposed to be connected to the sleeping car at the H end so that the person in the H bedroom of the nearest sleeper can get into the lounge. Unless the aisle is wide enough to run a wheelchair down the length of the entire coach (which I think it isn't), this configuration makes that difficult.
I don't know the specifics but the FRA apparently put out some new "clarified" rules that give more details on accessibility. Also, they put out rulings on station platforms which dictate that new or rebuilt platforms must be 22ft! wide. Who knows why?! I have been looking for more details but so far this is all that I can find:
http://www.fra.dot.gov/Page/P0175
Bob
http://www.fra.dot.gov/Page/P0175
Bob
G
Guest
Guest
_Obviously_, because this is one third the length of a cricket pitch. What could be more natural????
Guest
ROTFLMAO!!!! Brilliant!
neroden
Engineer
I would guess (without seeing the rule) that that's island platforms only. The number is very familiar from certain studies related to providing adequate width for wheelchairs to pass along the platform between central staircases (which have a minimum ADA-required width) and the "yellow line" (which is a minimum distance from the platform edge).
22 feet is gross overkill for side platforms, but it's about right for center island platforms.
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Today's Cardinal #51 had the now customary consist mentioned, discussed and confirmed above, as well as A SECOND VIEWLINER. Nonetheless, Amtrak says there are 'only' 4 more roomettes available at the price of $450 from Staunton to Chicago.
What appeared to be passengers detrained from both sleepers so it didn't look like a deadhead. Passengers also got on and off the coaches at either end of the Cafe car. They also loaded 8 bags of ice onto the Cafe car which I have not noticed before. Party Train? :help:
What appeared to be passengers detrained from both sleepers so it didn't look like a deadhead. Passengers also got on and off the coaches at either end of the Cafe car. They also loaded 8 bags of ice onto the Cafe car which I have not noticed before. Party Train? :help:
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William W.
Lead Service Attendant
I live near Cincinnati, so I may just have to drive over and see this myself. I'll try to get some pics if I can.
William W.
Lead Service Attendant
It appears that, unless this is a booking system error, the Cardinal (50) is running with two Viewliner sleepers at least until Friday:
I can't upload the photo, but if you look up a trip for Friday, July 4th (I used CIN-ALX), it shows two Viewliner accessible bedrooms being available.
I can't upload the photo, but if you look up a trip for Friday, July 4th (I used CIN-ALX), it shows two Viewliner accessible bedrooms being available.
Ryan
Court Jester
How about that!
William W.
Lead Service Attendant
Well there we go haha. I looked at dates past Friday and they all seemed to have the normal number of available rooms (none). I wonder why they're running a second one just for this week.
PaulM
Engineer
Something seemed odd in your screenshot; and it wasn't just the two viewliners. I didn't know the website showed handicapped rooms. I thought you had to call. Just for fun, I checked CIN to WAS July 11; and only roomettes and bedrooms showed up.
William W.
Lead Service Attendant
If an accessible bedroom hasn't been sold by 15 days out from departure, the room opens up to be purchased by all passengers. It will only show up though if the regular bedrooms are sold out.Something seemed odd in your screenshot; and it wasn't just the two viewliners. I didn't know the website showed handicapped rooms. I thought you had to call. Just for fun, I checked CIN to WAS July 11; and only roomettes and bedrooms showed up.
Ryan
Court Jester
Correct. Here's one on the Crescent.
Only one Viewliner on 51 today.
There was a charter bus at the station to take folks waiting for 50 (currently running about 4 hrs late) on to Washington?! If they are going beyond they will transfer to a regional. There was no one else on the bus and maybe a dozen people waiting in the station. Of course the James River Ambus that goes to RVR is sitting there empty running its engine all afternoon waiting for 50 to arrive. :help: I hate that. :angry2: :excl:
There was a charter bus at the station to take folks waiting for 50 (currently running about 4 hrs late) on to Washington?! If they are going beyond they will transfer to a regional. There was no one else on the bus and maybe a dozen people waiting in the station. Of course the James River Ambus that goes to RVR is sitting there empty running its engine all afternoon waiting for 50 to arrive. :help: I hate that. :angry2: :excl:
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William W.
Lead Service Attendant
Oh the Cardinal...
It's my go to train (since it's the only one that goes through Cincinnati). It has the best crews I've seen on Amtrak, but it just can't seem to be on time with any regularity. How I wish that Indiana would fund track improvements between DYE and COI. That portion of the route, more than any other, is what causes the major delays. They tend to hurt 50 more than 51, but the limited track capacity in that area hurts everything in general.
One can only wish...
It's my go to train (since it's the only one that goes through Cincinnati). It has the best crews I've seen on Amtrak, but it just can't seem to be on time with any regularity. How I wish that Indiana would fund track improvements between DYE and COI. That portion of the route, more than any other, is what causes the major delays. They tend to hurt 50 more than 51, but the limited track capacity in that area hurts everything in general.
One can only wish...
PaulM
Engineer
Thanks for the tip. Fortunately, it's academic, but at my age, who knows?
D
Dave F
Guest
I am ticketed on Train 51 on August 8 in car 5101, so that train will have at least 2 sleepers (since a single sleeper would be car 5100).
Almost all Cardinals in July had the 2 sleepers, as did both trains today.
JayMadison
Service Attendant
That makes sense since I was able to get a roomette in the near future w/o much trouble.
neroden
Engineer
I am going to boldly predict that revenue on the Cardinal will be up by $150K-$200K over last year for the month of July 2014, based purely on the added sleeper capacity. Extrapolated over the year, loss per passenger-mile could be reduced to as low as 28.2 cents and the loss per seat-mile as low as 16.1 cents (except of course the extra sleeper capacity wasn't present all year). This puts it within striking distance of the financial numbers of the daily LD trains.
Make it daily, who knows what could happen; some back-of-the-envelope calculations suggest that it could have the second-best operating loss among the LD trains. Of course, who knows what capital costs would be needed to do that.
Make it daily, who knows what could happen; some back-of-the-envelope calculations suggest that it could have the second-best operating loss among the LD trains. Of course, who knows what capital costs would be needed to do that.
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