RAILROAD.NET

I'll be taking the Cardinal From Indianapolis to New York City next month.
A couple of questions:
One, will there be a dining car on the train, or just a cafe?

Two, I am aware that this was the old route of the Chesapeake & Ohio (C&O) George Washington, is this pretty much the same schedule?

And then lastly, since I am retruning from a msuic festival with a guitar, does anyone think that a guitar is too loud for a standard sleeper room? I don't want to bother the other occupants.

The existing timetable at the web page shows a Dinette for the Cardinal. If they are offering the same level of service as recently reported by TRAINS with respect to the Three Rivers, you should find the service "acceptable".

The EB schedule of #50 best approximates that of the C&O Sportsman, rather than the George Washington. The latter's schedule called for a Dinnertime departure from Cinci and an AM Wash arrival.

Best ++++ for riding the Cardinal EB; you can be sure of a daylight view of the New River Gorge, which even though I have not seen such by the light of day for now 42 years, can only be described as "spectacular" and probably is the most scenic vista offered by Amtrak anywhere East of the Rockies.

As for playing a musical instrument on board, someone will hear it, even though an unamplified guitar is preferable to a brass instrument. I can recall a 1962 ride on the Century where a world class violinist was practicing a cadenza for the Brahms Op 77 in his Bedroom. It could be heard throughout the car, but was, AFAIC, hardly any kind of "aural rape".

Assuming that you are a good player and won't keep playing the same song over and over, I don't think it would be a problem at all. Just ask your neighbors to be on the safe side

A quick question:

why does the eastbound Cardinal's schedule have a 2h 5m difference between Connersville IN and Hamilton OH, while the westbound covers the same distance in only 6 minutes? I would guess its a scheduling layover to allow for "better" arrival times further eastbound.

Anyone have any insight on this?

The time zone is out in that area somewhere.
Noel Weaver

I found out the hard way.

In June I picked up the cardinal, which in Indiana, the daylight savings time does not apply even though they are CST, not EST.
I get to the station an hour early, then have to wait another hour b/c the train was delayed in Chicago...so I waited 2 hours total.

CTAA-Rail wrote:why does the eastbound Cardinal's schedule have a 2h 5m difference between Connersville IN and Hamilton OH, while the westbound covers the same distance in only 6 minutes? I would guess its a scheduling layover to allow for "better" arrival times further eastbound.

The key is that the timetable shows "E(D)T"--eastern daylight time--in Hamilton, OH, while in Connersville, IN, it shows "EST"--eastern standard time, which in fact is the same as CDT, central daylight time. Eastern Standard Time is an hour behind the "sprung forward" Eastern Daylight Time, making EST the same as CDT. This must be used because the majority of Indiana does not spring forward or fall back but rather keeps its clocks unchanged all year long.

Thus the timetable times (shown in bold) can be reinterpreted as follows, allowing a head-to-head comparison of times translated to the same zone.

Eastbound:
Connersville, IN: 01:48 EST = 02:48 EDT
Hamilton, OH: 02:51 EST = 03:51 EDT

The elapsed time (01:48-02:51 EST, or 02:48-03:51 EDT) is 63 minutes for those 42 miles.

Westbound:
Hamilton, OH: 04:07 EDT = 03:07 EST
Connersville, IN: 05:13 EDT = 04:13 EST

The elapsed time (04:07-05:13 EDT, or 03:07-04:13 EST) is 66 minutes for the same 42 miles. It's not fast, but it's consistent.

Oh well, now that it is public knowledge that Martha Stewart will "do her time" in Alderson, WV, might she use The Cardinal to get there.

Will her A-List visitors do same?

Alderson is of course not a stop, but is on-line between White Sulphur Springs and Hinton

Gilbert B Norman wrote:Oh well, now that it is public knowledge that Martha Stewart will "do her time" in Alderson, WV, might she use The Cardinal to get there.

She'll prorably take Amtrak then the Hound to the Jail or the Hound all the way.

AmtrakFan

Martha probably will be "flying in" to Alderson on her "jet ranger" helicopter complete with a full picnic basket to 'tide her over' until she takes over the re-do of the meal menus.

New entree's to include: JailHouse steaks ala Martha, (that's hamburger without the 'helper' with a sprig of parsley) Cell Block Omelet (scrambled eggs with yesterdays ham chopped up)

I can't wait to see her redesigns of the prison uniforms!!!! (what color goes with jailhouse orange?????)

I haven't got a chance get a new Timetable yet so I was just wondering if the Cardinal got back it's Baggage Car yet?

AmtrakFan

Here is the most painless way I know to obtain a new timetable.

I have the full timetable book that is valid until Dec. 2004. Does the "Arrive" magazine cover the same time period, or is this a new update?

Does Amtrak still issue NEC timetable booklets? The only timetable booklet I'm aware of was issued in April, and it will be replaced with one effective November 1.

Arrive magazine appears to be printed on a different schedule than the timetables.

Robert Madison

Not sure about the NEC timetables, but this book is simply titled "amtrak timetables", and has the schedules for every Amtrak line, not exclusively for NEC, though NEC is included.