How did Amtrak shake out an extra sleeper for the Cardinal?

[NewBags]

Looks like the second sleeper is returning to the Cardinal next week for the summer peak. Starts on 51(15) and 50(16) and is planned to run through 9/9 and 9/10, respectively.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Looks like the second sleeper is returning to the Cardinal next week for the summer peak. Starts on 51(15) and 50(16) and is planned to run through 9/9 and 9/10, respectively.

Hmm, maybe the sleepers from 91/92.

 

[jshell]

Hmmm. It might really be viable, in that case. In which case bring it on ASAP; my guesstimate is that daily service would improve the Cardinal's bottom line by over $4 million/year.

There are some little towns I'd love to stop in on my upcoming Cardinal trip, but only for one night. Daily service would make enjoying/exploring the region much more appealing.

 

[Palmetto]

Looks like the second sleeper is returning to the Cardinal next week for the summer peak. Starts on 51(15) and 50(16) and is planned to run through 9/9 and 9/10, respectively.

Hmm, maybe the sleepers from 91/92.

Don't think so. It was reported here on another thread that both sleepers are staying on the Star.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Looks like the second sleeper is returning to the Cardinal next week for the summer peak. Starts on 51(15) and 50(16) and is planned to run through 9/9 and 9/10, respectively.

Hmm, maybe the sleepers from 91/92.

Don't think so. It was reported here on another thread that both sleepers are staying on the Star.

I saw that...it was posted after I posted my thought.

 

[tomfuller]

I was in a sleeper car that at least sometimes is used on either the CL or the Card. This was on March 26 on the SWC on the way into Los Angeles. There was and announcement for a station in West Virginia inside the comm door which didn't want to stay closed.

On the eastbound CZ on March 16-18 we were 1 coach short of the normal length because they didn't have one to send out from CHI on Friday the 13th.

 

[jis]

It looks like Amtrak likes to keep about 20% for spare + maintenance for the VL1 Sleepers, i.e. 10 out of 50. With a single Sleeper on the Card it takes 39 to maintain service, with 2 it takes 41. With a little careful scheduling of maintenance it is possible to make available one additional beyond the 40 for a short period of rush time. Perhaps it might take reduction of a protect car here and there on occasions too during that period. But if the order has gone out to enhance revenues to the utmost, I can see how they are pulling it off.

 

[dlagrua]

Lets think short term.

What the Cardinal really needs is one of the new baggage dorms that should be placed in service this year. By giving the crew separate sleeping quarters, it frees up four roomettes in the already overcrowded single sleeper car. I don't see the two sleepers that show up periodically as being a permanent long term part of the consist. We will report back in a few months as to what is going on when we take a R/T on the train to CHI.

When we rode the Cardinal in June 2014 there was one engine and a six car consist; one heritage baggage car, three coaches, one café/diner lite and one sleeper. It was a small train but when we reached IND. two Hoosier state coaches were coupled on back. I don't see what all the fuss is about the Hoosier state is, when three days a week its just two coaches attached to an existing Cardinal train.

 

[Ryan]

What about the other 4 days a week?

 

[jnismith]

If there is a second sleeper, the Cardinal needs a proper diner too.

 

[pvd]

You'll likely get the locomotive and coaches back from the Hoosier State pretty soon, the coaches could be converted to LD standards. The qualified T/E crews are still expected to run the Iowa Pacific trains, so that is still a hurdle.