Your opinion - is the Cardinal worth it?

[Thunder Road]

As I've mentioned I'm taking the CL home from CHI to PHL for Spring break. Now I need to decide what to do for the return. I have a 2-week spring break, which is why it's the best (and really the only) time that works for taking an LD trip as a means of getting home and back from college.

Anyway, here's the issue. Dorms open Sunday at noon, but if I want to take the Cardinal, I have to leave Friday and then stay with a friend in Chicagoland Saturday night until the dorms open. Or get a hotel in Chicago (which isn't a big deal since we have oodles of reward stays).

So in your opinion, is this extra bit of trouble (and leaving a day earlier) worth it for a ride on the Cardinal, or should I settle for the Pennsy to the CL?

Despite what seems like an enormous hassle, and the idea of 26-hour train ride, I actually kinda want to do the Card. Then we just have to see if I could handle 26 hours in coach because I don't have the budget for a roomette for myself.

Oh yes and the other piece of info is that Amtrak wants $94 for the trip, while Southwest wants $172-$202 for a one-way flight. So that's working in my favor.

Ok I'm done now.

 

[Anderson]

If I'm being honest, I'd say "check the Capitol Limited". You'd have to do a transfer either PHL-WAS-CHI or PHL-PGH-CHI, but I'd go for that if it's not much more expensive.

Of course, the question is really a food/scenery tradeoff, assuming that the costs are equal (which may or may not be the case).

 

[TCRT]

I rode 50 in coach in October. In my experience, the 27 hour trip (which turned into 31 hours) was well worth it for the scenery alone. To be fair, I haven't done the Capitol Limited/Pennsylvanian combination so I can't make a direct comparison. I will also say that the lack of a diner might prove annoying, though I found the cafe menu to be good enough for my very low standards. You can see my full trip report here.

Also of note, I was going eastbound. According to the current timetable, the westbound train, which you would be on, hits the New River Gorge mostly in the evening (6-9PM), when it will most likely be dark or almost dark in the spring. That said, the scenery from Charlottesville onwards (well, until you get to Cincinnati, at least, though I personally enjoy the Indiana farm fields too) is all quite nice, and you would still get to see quite a lot of it during the day on 51.

Overall, unless the lack of a daytime trip through the New River Gorge or the lack of Superliner equipment are total dealbreakers, I'd say go for it, especially since the Cardinal is always rumored to be on the "hit list" if Amtrak loses too much funding.

 

[dlagrua]

As you don't have to change trains and experience a 4 hour layover I'd say yes but not by much.

 

[Anderson]

Honestly, I'd go PHL-WAS-CHI. Mind you, you'd still have to change trains in WAS, but there are worse places to be stuck waiting to change trains.

 

[OBS]

Since I am the no vote, I'll explain... the deal breaker for me is coach. If it was 27 hr in sleeper fine, 27 hr in Superliner coach, tolerable, but in Amfleet II coach...deal breaker. I'll also agree there is some great scenery on this trip...

 

[abcnews]

That is a tough call. My first reaction is - if you are traveling in coach then go for the Superliner train with the Sightseer lounge. On Superliner trains we will only spend a few minutes in the roomette/BR and we really enjoy the giant scenic windows found in the SSL - and the perfectly placed seats facing out. I would try to go Phil - WAS and change to CL.

If you go coach on the Cardinal - try to sit by a window on the left side (east side - or southeast side of the train). Crossing the mountains of VA, the left side - heading west is best. Same for New River Gorge. Also, I think that the scenery is both better than Cap Limited, and the Cardinal offers a lot more of a daytime ride..... The scenery begins to get really good about 45 mins west of Alexandria - between Manassas, VA and Culpeper, VA. That is around 12 noon - 4 hours prior to the Capital Limited departing DC. In the winter the Cardinal wins there - since the Cap hits darkness about the time you get out of the city (past Rockville), and begin to ride along the Potomac to Harpers Ferry.

BTW - the Roomette windows on a Viewliner car are really large - and offer the best view on the train. But the train has Amfleet ll coach cars - which do have larger windows than the Amfleet l. I would really try for an onboard upgrade - that may be the best deal, once you pass Charlottesville, they offer the unsold rooms at low prices, just no guarantee they will have one. On our past trip they could not sell them, even though they sent numerous small groups and couples up to the Viewliner to check them out. They even made a few announcements regarding upgrading.

 

[MrFSS]

I've ridden The Cardinal three times over the years, once in sleeper and twice in coach (shorter trips). Every time, the service was bad, the food was worse, and the coaches for short haul passengers are terrible. I have vowed I will never ride it again.

 

[Thunder Road]

Re: New River Gorge, the nearest town...Fayetteville, WV...has a sunset of 7:32 pm EDT on March 16th. I don't know when the train is supposed to pass through, but I have the advantage of the trip being right after the switch to DST.

Re: on-board fare cuts for sleepers, about how much do they run on-board? It would need to be a huge discount from $393 to make it affordable for me.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Since you are getting to do a Rountrip, and you are Young! , Id say ride the CL East, then take the Cardinal back West! IMO its worth it, even SWA wants more than Amtrak for this route, and on the plane you dont get the scenery! Im not the biggest fan of Amfleet Coaches either,and the food is at best OK, but if you can get a Low Bucket Viewliner Sleeper, its definitely worth it!

(check out fares on Amsnag, a great tool( developed by one of our members! )for findin fares up to 11 months in advance and also comparing up to 30 days @ a time! My other thought, if you have lots of rewards, is check and see if any of them are transferable to AGR so you could get a free trip on the Train! :wub:

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

While I've never ridden the Cardinal, I would strongly consider it just based on the potential scenery.

 

[Thunder Road]

I'm sorry for turning this into an FAQ thread, but....

How do I know when/how long are smoke stops? Is there enough time for me to get off and eat if there's a restaurant right by the station?

What does "low bucket" mean? Again, I apologize for my noob-ness.

And lastly, the Amtrak page for the Cardinal shows a dining car menu. I thought the Cardinal only had a cafe car?

(Ok I guess I'm not *that* sorry )

 

[the_traveler]

I'm sorry for turning this into an FAQ thread, but....

No need to be sorry. We were all newbies once!

How do I know when/how long are smoke stops? Is there enough time for me to get off and eat if there's a restaurant right by the station?

If the timetable shows 2 times for a stop (Example: Ar 12:37, Dp 12:47) that probably is a smoke stop.. However, if the train is late, that may be shortened or eliminated! The Conductor will announce the smoke stops. I would not risk even going as far as the station. As soon as they say "All Aboard!" the train will depart - whether you're on it or not!

What does "low bucket" mean?

"Low bucket" is the lowest fare that a seat of room is sold for.

And lastly, the Amtrak page for the Cardinal shows a dining car menu. I thought the Cardinal only had a cafe car?

The Cardinal has what is called a "diner-lite" car. Ir is 1/3 dining car (with tables) and 2/3 cafe car.

If I were to take the Cardinal, I would take it eastbound, as you will go thru the New River Gorge (right side of train) in the morning. (Westbound, it may be dark.) Then I would take a Regional to WAS and take the Capitol Limited back to Chicago.

 

[Exiled in Express]

I have never found the schedule to fit my needs and have a Superliner bias but would jump on it for that scenery at that fare.

 

[Thunder Road]

I also found out that my dad and I combined have 11000 points, so that would cover the fare (I think he's willing to let me use his).

If he can convert some back from Continental (I don't know if that's possible) then I would have enough for a roomette, in which case I think it would be a no-brainer.

Boy now I'm getting excited!

 

[Big Iron]

I wouldn't hesitate to take the Card from PHL to CHI. I find the coaches to be comfortable and you will have enough time in DC to run inside and stock up on supplies while they change locomotives. The one seat ride is a bonus as well.

I enjoyed my meals in the diner-lite. It certainly does not have the ambiance of a diner or a sightseer lounge but it gets the job done. My judgement may be clouded by the fact that the Capitol Limited is a train I ride with the most frequency so the Card is something newer and less familiar so I can deal with its limitations a bit better.

Likely smoke stops are DC, Huntington, Cincy and Indy. I've only taken the Card eastbound and we were allowed to smoke at those stops. Don't wander away and stay right by the door because there is no predetermined/alloted time for stops if the train is late.

Now by no means am I advocating this as it will get you tossed from the train should you get caught....but....having fractured a few rules in my college days, IF the last coach has the vestibule end at the rear and the door is unlocked you can try to sneak a smoke there. My last ride on the Card had a deadhead Horizon coach behind the sleeper (when the sleeper was on the back) and I would sneak out for a puff. A few times I was with the OBS crew. They were very paranoid about getting caught. Of course I'm making the assumption that you smoke as you asked about smoke stops.

 

[hhswami]

Thunder Road, because of the time of year involved, I concur with the_traveler's suggestion that you alter your plans and take the Cardinal for the eastern bound portion of your trip. In the summer, this wouldn't be an issue. Since your trip is planned early in the year, you'd also have the extra benefit of the trees along the route not being fully grown and blocking out the view of the best scenery.

As far as the available smoke breaks go, prepare yourself for them NOT to be available for the 7+ hours between Huntington, WV and Charlottesville, VA (with the possible exception of a quick one in Charleston, WV). Someone else may be able to shine more light on this, but from my understanding, even if time were to allow it, the stops in West Virginia between these points are primarily on CSX property where smoking is not permitted.

Speaking from a personal standpoint on the usefulness of the Cardinal, it is an enjoyable travel alternative for myself to connect to my hometown area in Southeastern Ohio, a destination nearly void of any long distance travel alternatives. Including it in my itinerary is often difficult since it is a non-daily schedule. A switch to a daily running from/to WAS and going back to the Superliner equipment she formally used would make my day.

 

[jhjr]

Close call. I've done both and would probably vote Cardinal just because of the Pittsburgh layover. One thing that worried me was if the CL happened to run really late, I could be stuck in Pittsburgh for a long time.

Scenery is great on both the Cardinal and the Pennsylvanian - with the Cardinal having the edge. I rode eastbound on the Cardinal and westbound on the Pennsylvanian/CL. Also remember that you will lose light before sundown in the mountains.

I also felt I didn't get to enjoy much of the CL since I fell asleep shortly after boarding and then woke up shortly before arriving in Chicago.

So, if forced, I vote Cardinal - but both options are good ones.

If you do choose to go Pennsylvanian/CL, the station in Pittsburgh will hold your luggage. Also, there's a sports bar in the "Original Fish Market" restaurant that's in a hotel (name escapes me) close to the station. Also, the famous Primanti Brothers Deli is not too far from the Pittsburgh station. The original location (18th Street) is open 24/7.

 

[TCRT]

As far as the available smoke breaks go, prepare yourself for them NOT to be available for the 7+ hours between Huntington, WV and Charlottesville, VA (with the possible exception of a quick one in Charleston, WV). Someone else may be able to shine more light on this, but from my understanding, even if time were to allow it, the stops in West Virginia between these points are primarily on CSX property where smoking is not permitted.

When I rode, the announced stops were only Indianapolis, Huntington, Charlottesville, and DC because they are crew change points, though we ended up being able to detrain in Cincinnati as well due to the large number of passengers boarding there.

 

[Thunder Road]

Of course I'm making the assumption that you smoke as you asked about smoke stops.

Haha thanks, I don't though. I was just asking if I had time to get food, which it seems everyone agrees I do not. Maybe I can order a pizza to be delivered to the train?

 

[Thunder Road]

I think I might take my chances with the westbound, because I planned my CL trip so that I could spend the day with my sister in DC, which I can't do with the Cardinal's schedule.

As an aside, that track work that is sometimes causing the CL to bus, when they say that it's only Sunday-Thursday, do they mean Sun-Thurs departures from CHI, or Sun-Thurs departures from CLE (since CLE is technically the next morning)?

Really though, thanks everybody for your responses.

 

[Big Iron]

Of course I'm making the assumption that you smoke as you asked about smoke stops.

Haha thanks, I don't though. I was just asking if I had time to get food, which it seems everyone agrees I do not. Maybe I can order a pizza to be delivered to the train?

I would have a conversation with the car attendant about the possibility of ordering a pizza. They might know a good place to call in and which stop might work best. Cell phone service can be lacking in WV which may make it difficult for some of the smaller stops.

When I rode the Card the train stopped short of the station in Beckley and I saw one of the dining car attendants dash across the street and get a carton of smokes and then run back on the train. If it is a NY based crew it would make sense as a pack of smokes cost $11.00 in NYC and $3.50 in WV. Funny that the Conductor would allow that since the train was over 2 hours late.

 

[Thunder Road]

Of course I'm making the assumption that you smoke as you asked about smoke stops.

Haha thanks, I don't though. I was just asking if I had time to get food, which it seems everyone agrees I do not. Maybe I can order a pizza to be delivered to the train?

I would have a conversation with the car attendant about the possibility of ordering a pizza. They might know a good place to call in and which stop might work best. Cell phone service can be lacking in WV which may make it difficult for some of the smaller stops.

When I rode the Card the train stopped short of the station in Beckley and I saw one of the dining car attendants dash across the street and get a carton of smokes and then run back on the train. If it is a NY based crew it would make sense as a pack of smokes cost $11.00 in NYC and $3.50 in WV. Funny that the Conductor would allow that since the train was over 2 hours late.

I was joking, but okay, good to know.

Anyway not doing the Card as I don't think I can handle 27 hours in coach and I don't quite have the points for a roomette. So now it's on to Plan B: Pennsy to the CL.

 

[rrdude]

I've ridden The Cardinal three times over the years, once in sleeper and twice in coach (shorter trips). Every time, the service was bad, the food was worse, and the coaches for short haul passengers are terrible. I have vowed I will never ride it again.

I'm with Tom, although I've only taken twice in last few years, a train with GREAT SCENERY, (Which the Card has) but ZERO or NEXT TO NONE, in amenities, (No real diner, no real lounge, no real service) is not worth any price, even free. I'd almost rather take the Dog, just as fun to watch the "scenery" on the bus.

 

[dart330]

I am watching this thread pretty closely as I am planning a trip for next year and must choose between the CL and the Cardinal. I really want to take the Cardinal for the scenery, but my wife and I will be traveling with 2-4 other people. I think the lack of a real lounge would really be a downer. We would be connecting to the Silver Meteor and when I try and tell the others the scenic route includes a bus ride, that is a very hard sell.