Most recent pics are great! One of my favorite routes.
Round trip to Chicago- Washington, DC. 50, 29
- Thread starter Steve4031
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Glad you are enjoying it. 4 hours late and not likely to make up time. Just joined Norfolk Southern at Orange.
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Looks like you have to be headed North or South based on the direction of the pic.
I know that stadium well. Here is a link to the location on google maps. Amos A Stagg Stadium
1035 W 74th St, Chicago, IL 60621
(773) 535-3808
https://goo.gl/maps/vreVThXcCRQampPN7
We were on the tracks south of the stadium. This area is part of a CREATE project that will eventually send Metra southwest trains into Lasalle street and create grade desperation for several diamond crossings in the area.
The Cardinal and Metra Southwest service usually switches off of the nyc-was-Det route and runs west of the yard. Then continues south while Metra diverges west past the stadium. Metra uses the northern most set of tracks. Freights use the southern set of tracks there.
On my trip the Cardinal pulled past the Metra tracks diverging to Orland Park and stopped. Then backed around the southern leg of a wye to back westward down the Metra tracks. Then pulled forward and went south again. It was a very strange move.
Amtrak sent me an email that the Cardinal would be delayed by track work between Chicago and Dyer. The conductor announced that we were detouring on the belt line. So I’m pretty confused why the move was done this way.
1035 W 74th St, Chicago, IL 60621
(773) 535-3808
https://goo.gl/maps/vreVThXcCRQampPN7
We were on the tracks south of the stadium. This area is part of a CREATE project that will eventually send Metra southwest trains into Lasalle street and create grade desperation for several diamond crossings in the area.
The Cardinal and Metra Southwest service usually switches off of the nyc-was-Det route and runs west of the yard. Then continues south while Metra diverges west past the stadium. Metra uses the northern most set of tracks. Freights use the southern set of tracks there.
On my trip the Cardinal pulled past the Metra tracks diverging to Orland Park and stopped. Then backed around the southern leg of a wye to back westward down the Metra tracks. Then pulled forward and went south again. It was a very strange move.
Amtrak sent me an email that the Cardinal would be delayed by track work between Chicago and Dyer. The conductor announced that we were detouring on the belt line. So I’m pretty confused why the move was done this way.
We arrived Alexandria about 9:40 pm. 30 minutes Before arriving I notified the conductor that we wished to get off in Alexandria Rather than Washington union station. He looked up our names to note this. Then he thanked me for being a select plus member. He went on for a couple of minutes thanking me. I was surprised and impressed. Especially since our getting off resulted in his having to open the sleeper door to let us off.
Ferroequinologist
Lead Service Attendant
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Good.
Tom in PA
Bartender
Beautiful pictures! I used to wave at the Cardinal when I was kayaking near Paw Paw, WV. Also on the North Fork of the Potomac, waving at the Potomac Eagle excursion train from Romney.
We had a great breakfast at the original Pancake house in Bethesda and lunch at the Fogo de Chao steakhouse. We used Lyft to limit being in the heat. We arrived Union station at 3:00 pm.
It took less than a minute for a ticket agent to print Mike’s ticket. Then a red cap met us on the way to arrange to take us to 29. We checked in at the lounge. We sat less than 5 minutes before the red cap returned to take us to the train.
The scas of the 2900 and 2901 cars were divvying up passengers between the two sleepers. Apparently most or all passengers were booked into the 2900 car.
The AC is working and the car looks immaculate compared to the viewliner on the Cardinal. Apparently the cleaning protocol is applied rigorously in Washington DC.
It took less than a minute for a ticket agent to print Mike’s ticket. Then a red cap met us on the way to arrange to take us to 29. We checked in at the lounge. We sat less than 5 minutes before the red cap returned to take us to the train.
The scas of the 2900 and 2901 cars were divvying up passengers between the two sleepers. Apparently most or all passengers were booked into the 2900 car.
The AC is working and the car looks immaculate compared to the viewliner on the Cardinal. Apparently the cleaning protocol is applied rigorously in Washington DC.
I'm not sure I could do Fogo for lunch, almost defeats the purpose....When my niece lived a few blocks from Union Station, I conspired with her husband to have dinner at the Penns Avenue location. We had a good laugh at her expense since she had recently become a vegetarian.
Since you live in Chicago, I know you understand about the "Slackers" that work the Yards there!
Glad to know the Cap is getting Good Equipment, last time I rode ( Fall of 19)I thought I was on a NDM Train the Sleeper was so Old and Ratty!
The SCA announced that csx has imposed a heat restriction until 7 pm. He thinks we will probably make up time.
Mexico's National Railroad that used to run Old Ex American Class I RR Equipment on its Passenger Trains.
Dinner was served. I again got the meatball pasta. That’s decent. Attendant asked us when we wanted our meals. Gave us choices of when to receive them at 30 minute intervals. Food arrived right at 6 pm.
gaspeamtrak
Lead Service Attendant
Sounds like a great trip !!! I wish I could do it to... But I live in Canada and can't cross the border, but I wouldn't right now anyway.
Maybe next year hopefully when all of this will be a distant memory...
Looking forward to your next post...
Maybe next year hopefully when all of this will be a distant memory...
Looking forward to your next post...
An update on the air conditioning. It’s struggling to keep me cool with door closed to my roomette . It was ok for awhile. But now I’m warm. Strange because sun has set and it’s cooled outside.
I hope it is because a good amount of outside air is brought into the system. Not as good for cooling as mostly recirculated, but more than likely a healthier choice at the present time. (just guessing though)
Are you in a Reconditioned Car or one of the Run hard and put up wet Antiques???
We are early into Pittsburg. Still stuffy but in the car. A few seconds after checking vents I feel cool air circulating. Relief.
I’m in a superliner 2 car. Delaware. Some work has been done on this car as evidenced by a new control button for air temperature and a new outlet. I’ve not seen this before. 
Ferroequinologist
Lead Service Attendant
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Poor AC in Superliners is what someone else said here. I think I'm going to cancel my cross-country reservation for next month. Too many issues, not just Amtrak. Anyway, the Cardinal Viewliner AC was OK in your roomette?
Yes. The AC was ok in the viewliner sleeper. It was ok in the superliner sleeper. It was functional. Just not as cool as I would like.
The breakfast service was same as Cardinal. Walk to diner and take food back to room. There was no sightseer lounge.
We arrived Chicago 9 minutes late.
The breakfast service was same as Cardinal. Walk to diner and take food back to room. There was no sightseer lounge.
We arrived Chicago 9 minutes late.
Yes, oddly enough the Mexican passenger service declined in proportion to the end of the supply of second-hand U.S. equipment. I have worked for two transit systems that sent "old" trolley coaches to Mexico City, where they ran for years. If you have low-cost workers in the shop you can do wonderful things. Also, if the capital cost of "new" second-hand rolling stock is low enough, then it's affordable to keep a big spare ratio, which makes life easier for the shop.
I also rode in some Cars on NdM that were so old Pancho Villa probably used them during the Revolution!
Ferroequinologist
Lead Service Attendant
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Yes but you said it was straining and you were warm. That's not my idea of functional. I like it 70-72 F, no more. I have trouble breathing when it's too warm. Do you know what your temp was? I'll bet it was around 78. Does that seem right? It's a critical health issue for me.
I don't know how the Ferrocrriles Nacionales de Mexico came into the conversation. I rode the train from Mexico City to Guadalajara in the early 1990s. As I recall, it was all Pullman. All the equipment had come from the US and was in good shape (it was summer and the AC in my bedroom worked!). At the station they inspected tickets at a stand prior to boarding. The conductor's cap said "Pullman". That was a time when the national government had made the decision to invest in passenger trains. In Latin America policies can change radically when a new government takes over. I don't know what happened in this case but I got the impression that they abruptly changed policy and abandoned the passenger train subsidies. Anyway, I loved the train. I also rode Mexico City-San Miguel de Allende. I remember a very good dining car.
