Amtrak: Toronto - Vancouver

[Rafi]

P.S. Part of the reason we took the trip was because the Great Dome was ending its run on the route. We had the pleasure to ride in the car on both runs (with Tuesday being the last run for the car, period); if anyone's interested in pictures and video, they can be found here.

"... the last run... Period"? I hope you mean just for the fall 2007 stint on the Adirondack. They're not pulling the car from service, are they?

No, no... they're not pulling it from service as far as I'm aware. I should have been a little more clear—it was the last time this year that the car was running. I hadn't heard about it running next year yet like Alan, and while nothing's for sure in the world of Amtrak, the impression I got from the conductors on the train was that the dome was very, very well received and really helped spur some ticket sales. So if the car makes a return appearance next year, I wouldn't be surprised. The conductors said that they were even considering extending the run for this fall due to the amount of interest (and some late newspaper coverage), but decided not to due to worries about components freezing up as the weather got cooler.

That said, I really hope they'd consider running the car on the Cardinal for a period of time if it makes it back east next year. [EDIT: And I just realized that even if it did make it east, to get it moved between ALB and WAS probably means a move back to Chicago anyway on the LSL due to the NEC tunnels. Ah, well.]

Rafi

 

[wayman]

[EDIT: And I just realized that even if it did make it east, to get it moved between ALB and WAS probably means a move back to Chicago anyway on the LSL due to the NEC tunnels. Ah, well.]
Rafi

That brings to mind another question: how do they move the car around the system? Will they just add it to a westbound LSL, and then the Chief or Zephyr in Chicago to get it back to the left coast, and if so will there be a lucky few people who get to ride it on those routes? Or would they close it off to passengers for such movement?

 

[AlanB]

[EDIT: And I just realized that even if it did make it east, to get it moved between ALB and WAS probably means a move back to Chicago anyway on the LSL due to the NEC tunnels. Ah, well.]
Rafi

That brings to mind another question: how do they move the car around the system? Will they just add it to a westbound LSL, and then the Chief or Zephyr in Chicago to get it back to the left coast, and if so will there be a lucky few people who get to ride it on those routes? Or would they close it off to passengers for such movement?

It came east on the LSL, and I think the Chief to Chicago. AFAIK, it was simply deadheaded and not open to the public.

Interestingly enough, it came through Chicago on the very weekend that we held the gathering in Chicago. Sadly it was gone on the LSL before we got our tour of the yard.