Will The Kentucky Cardnial Come Back????

For the last 4 summers i have taken a long train trip (Mysic CT-Lousiville KY) and last summer they discountiuned this train. A while ago I think I heard something about it coming back becouse a greyhound from Chicago to Lousiville sucks a lot. Thanks-- John

No. Not unless congress funds the Midwest High Speed Rail network. Then there'd be a branch down to Louisville (I think). Until then, it ain't gonna happen.

Amtrak can't afford a train that averaged 10-15 passengers per trip.

Robert Madison

No point in running a train that averages 20 mph IMO, excluding tourist and railfan excursions of course.

Yes it would be nice but it won't happen ever.

AmtrakFan

Of course I didn't think it would happen the first time. Sure enjoyed it while it lasted tho, despite its limitations.

Maybe someday that Branson fellow that operates Virgin Trains and Virgin everything else will get a franchise to operate services in the United States. Or someone like him. But I no longer see Amtrak or any other annual appropriations entity so subject to the whims of Congress ever becoming a significant vendor of transportation services on a national scale.

I think he's more interested in flying people into space right now!

But I no longer see Amtrak or any other annual appropriations entity so subject to the whims of Congress ever becoming a significant vendor of transportation services on a national scale

No matter who operates the trains, they'll be subject to the "whims" of whomever is subsidizing the service, be it Congress (most likely) and/or the states. There is no privately-funded way to suddenly make a 125-mph Chicago-Louisville train materialize...

Should have never happened in the first place

I feel sorry for the residents of Louisville who had to pay all that money for the station that was used for what? 6 months? if that??

That is a "FLEECING" if I have ever seen it

Only if it went to Florida.

crazy_nip wrote:Should have never happened in the first place

I feel sorry for the residents of Louisville who had to pay all that money for the station that was used for what? 6 months? if that??

That is a "FLEECING" if I have ever seen it

Amtrak's use of the station was a minor blip. There are several businesses renting offices in the building.

Another minor usage is that the Louisville Chapter-NRHS meets there.

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Amtrak never could have really made much use of the Louisville station. From what I'm told, the platform was only long enough for one or two cars, and was stub-ended anyway. Therefore, a through long-distance train would have literally no use for that station.

Anything more than a one- or two-coach corridor train would have needed a new platform or station.

The Louisville Union Station, home to the local transit authority is a beautiful restoration of a truly magnificent building. The Amtrak extension was a very modest stub track which probably would hold about six coaches and two locomotives.. Crazy Nip is right, Louisville ponyed up over a million dollars for that short stub and platform.. we had the sleeper for about 4 months, tho the coach-only operation rattled on for another year. It was awful, with bad ordered cars lacking ac, or working toilets, or even anullments when that wasnt available. Very third world. Anyway, had the midwest high speed thing come through, I think they were talking about a more modest high speed line from here to Chicago. Multiple frequencies. They could have done alot with the L&I with 37million for track and signal upgrades on a flat terrain with about one curve!

Unfortunately, the express business didn't come. Local politics even played a role in that. And the drive to get a train in every congressman's district didn't work out so well either.. They never got the extension to Nashville.

Hey, I enjoyed my 8 Floridian years and my 2+ kinda KC years. You all that are so inclined had better be doing the same thing cause the politicians are determined to get em!

Would be nice, but infrastructure needs to be upgraded, for 79-90 MPH operation. I think that the powers that be need to find a way to fund it.

Also, once the political hurdles are cleared, how hard would it be to restore the Floridian?

once the political hurdles are cleared

Have you seen how tall they are...? Nothing short of "regime change" would introduce a rail-friendly political system. And with close to half our national debt owned by Japan, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, EU and other countries, where would the dough come from...?