Departing CUS on train 50 on 1/9/10 there was a horizon coach on the rear behind the sleeper. I've seen two coaches behind the sleeper in pictures/videos and assumed it was the cars for the Hoosier State. Shortly after departing from CUS I stepped back into the car to find it empty save for an extra board engineer deadheading to Indy. I talked with him a bit and he said the car was sent to Chicago for cleaning and was being returned to Indy. The car was not removed at Indy (a good thing..more later) and stayed, I assume, to DC or NYP. I got of the train in CVS.
I asked the conductor about the car and was it part of the Hoosier State, his response was they didn't add cars in CUS for the HS anymore as there was a big ditch in Indy where the tracks were that they used to switch off the cars and were unable to contiue to do so. We did do a backup move into the Indy station. Another conductor told me the car was needed in NYP and a crew member told me the car was needed in Florida??????? Any ideas where this horizon coach was going??
I'm glad the car remained as the toilets froze in the sleeper so it made a convenient restroom car (sleeper pax were told to use it). Also, since my roomette was on the wrong side of the train for the New River Gorge, I was able to view the scenery from my own private coach as no one was in there. Perhaps the highlight (and I'm setting myself up for a scolding) was standing in the open vestibule as the train went over the bridge at Hawk's Nest and under the New River Gorge bridge. The jointed rail sections of the route also sounded good standing outside. The tracks owned by the Buckingham Branch RR were rough as a corn cob.
I asked the conductor about the car and was it part of the Hoosier State, his response was they didn't add cars in CUS for the HS anymore as there was a big ditch in Indy where the tracks were that they used to switch off the cars and were unable to contiue to do so. We did do a backup move into the Indy station. Another conductor told me the car was needed in NYP and a crew member told me the car was needed in Florida??????? Any ideas where this horizon coach was going??
I'm glad the car remained as the toilets froze in the sleeper so it made a convenient restroom car (sleeper pax were told to use it). Also, since my roomette was on the wrong side of the train for the New River Gorge, I was able to view the scenery from my own private coach as no one was in there. Perhaps the highlight (and I'm setting myself up for a scolding) was standing in the open vestibule as the train went over the bridge at Hawk's Nest and under the New River Gorge bridge. The jointed rail sections of the route also sounded good standing outside. The tracks owned by the Buckingham Branch RR were rough as a corn cob.