Hoosier State Consist

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Joined
Nov 6, 2016
Messages
934
Location
Brownsburg IN
Has anybody around here ridden the Hoosier State lately? I’ve ridden the Cardinal a bunch, but ironically haven’t been on the Hoosier State since Iowa Pacific was operating the train.

I’m obviously not expecting a full, freshly prepared meal on a vintage dome car.
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Does anyone have the details on the consist?

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Here's a recent video of the HS that shows two horizon coaches and a horizon cafe car:

 
What a dump Indy's station is. It was depressing departing from there March of 2017 to catch the Cardinal.

Such a shame.
 
Yep,sadly it's back to being a bus like expierence that terminates/originates in a dungeon like "Station" in Indy.
So horizon coaches and cafe = bus?

Obviously I miss the iowa pacific dome... only made it up there 2 times. Should have gone more. Gotta ride em while you can!
 
Previously, it was 2 horizon coaches. Then, Iowa Pacific came. Next, it's back to the original way but with an Amfleet cafe-business car. Now, it's the same like before but an extra horizon as a cafe-business car.
 
What a dump Indy's station is. It was depressing departing from there March of 2017 to catch the Cardinal.

Such a shame.
I live on the west side of Indianapolis, so I have a choice of two stations - the shining state capital or sleepy, small college town Crawfordsville.

Time for a objective analysis. Let’s go to the tape!

1. Distance Home to Station: IND 24 miles. CRF 31 miles. ADVANTAGE IND

2. Parking. CRF Free, across the street from a police station, no less. IND $9 a day several years ago. I’m sure it’s a lot more now. ADVANTAGE CRF

3. Station. CRF Amshack. IND completely depressing dump/bus station. You know it’s bad when it loses head to head versus an Amshack. ADVANTAGE CRF

4. Departure Time to CHI. IND 5:30am. CRF 6:58am. ADVANTAGE CRF

5. Return Time from CHI. CRF 10:20pm. IND 11:39pm. ADVANTAGE CRF

Needless to say, I’ll be departing from CRF tomorrow

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Leaving IND it looked like only one Coach was in use plus the Cafe/BC car. Since BC is at the rear of the train, BC class looks to be quiet, good place to read or get work done.
Good trip on the Hoosier State this morning. Business Class was nearly full when I boarded in CRF, but I got one of the single seats I was after.

The equipment is pretty old, but reasonably well maintained. The Lounge attendant is a very pleasant guy. It was also the first train I’ve ridden with an electric hand dryer in the rest room. I appreciated the fact it was relatively quiet as those devices go.

Got a lot of work done, sat in on a conference call - and arrived 25 minutes early. No complaints.

Sure wish Indy would put some effort into the station. It is embarrassing. The city bus station (not Greyhound), is brand new and modern. The airport is terrific (the old one was awful).

I’ve heard from a few customers flying into town that the biggest thing missing is a quick rail link to downtown from the airport. If they address that in the next 10 years, maybe they’ll do something about the station. But I’m not holding my breath.

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Work something out with the Crowne Plaza and move back over to the north side and use the actual Indianapolis Union Station. The subway under the tracks is still there and I think they could reopen the access to current platforms on the south side tracks. Get out of the pit in the old REA area.
 
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These comments regarding the Indianapolis station suggest none of the participants were around to see it circa 1971.

"Been there done that"; If you didn't, you weren't missing much.

Even though I go down to Indianapolis (from CHI) several times a year, that schedule to me is worthless - and five hours v. 3.25 in the buggy makes it even more so.

I was giving strong thought to a joyride to Lafayette during the Ellis era. But with my luck with Ellis' operations (friends got "stuck" with one of his '70's "Golden Arrow" jaunts. and I almost got stuck on his Pullman Rail when he scrubbed right when I was completing a booking), all I could think of was the Hoosier State would be loading on Canal Street (Bustetoot) rather than Track 18. Problem of course is that major brand hotels now want 24 - and even 48 - hour notice to scrub without penalty.
 
It would be cool to see something like the Denver Union Station where the train waiting room, tickets, hotel, and restaurants and retail are all blended into a historic train station that feels both modern and vintage at the same time. It's physically possible... just takes money and the willingness of multiple groups working together.
 
It would be cool to see something like the Denver Union Station where the train waiting room, tickets, hotel, and restaurants and retail are all blended into a historic train station that feels both modern and vintage at the same time. It's physically possible... just takes money and the willingness of multiple groups working together.
That'll happen once Indiana decides to sponsor 4-5 daily roundtrips....
 
If the Cardinal was daily, and the Hoosier was a daily second train, a light rail link was constructed between the airport and the DT station, etc. Then there would be enough traffic. Look at Denver, 2 daily big Amtrak trains, Ski train in the winter, several rail routes to different parts of the city, including the airport. The station is active with arriving and departing trains through most of the day.
 
What a dump Indy's station is. It was depressing departing from there March of 2017 to catch the Cardinal.

Such a shame.
The original "historic" Indianapolis station is a beautiful vintage stone building next to the tracks. It is now a hotel Pittsburgh also has a beautiful stone multi-story structure that was once their RR station. That too has been re-purposed as a condo but the tracks still run to it.
 
What a dump Indy's station is. It was depressing departing from there March of 2017 to catch the Cardinal.

Such a shame.
The original "historic" Indianapolis station is a beautiful vintage stone building next to the tracks. It is now a hotel Pittsburgh also has a beautiful stone multi-story structure that was once their RR station. That too has been re-purposed as a condo but the tracks still run to it.
Yup, we walked into the lobby of the Crowne Plaza in search for food (their restaurant was closed by the time we arrived,) and me being a history buff, was able to educate my two traveling companions that it was the "real" station. The Indy experience (that wonderful basement of a station) was one of the reasons (of several that trip) one of the two companions will never set foot on an Amtrak train again in his life.
 
The historic Indianapolis Union Station is really just on the other side of the trainshed from the current hellpit. The hellpit currently uses Union Station's southmost platforms. The concourse subway under the tracks still exists. Moving back over to the historic headhouse ought to very possible, assuming the Crowne Plaza and the City of Indianapolis can be persuaded.
 
It is all possible. Best plan is when the city puts in light rail from the airport to downtown to make the station change then.. Use the Light rail budget for the changes because the city wants it to look good to those arriving from the airport for business.and conventions.
 
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