Amtrak’s decision early in 2018 to drastically limit the number of privately-owned rail cars that can use Amtrak facilities and locomotives set off howls of protests. Clearly, any of the so-called private varnish railroad cars should have to meet minimum standards to be sure that they’re safe and compatible with Amtrak equipment. But Amtrak’s…
Rumor and speculation are running rampant within the passenger rail community. One reader reports hearing that the geniuses running Amtrak are going to take the full service dining car off of the Capitol Limited. There was a time, literally just weeks ago, when I would have poo-pooed that as utter nonsense. Not today. And if…
The Cardinal is one of Amtrak’s long-distance trains—a favorite of mine and one I recommend to people as one of the more scenic eastern trains. It runs between New York City and Chicago, but follows a meandering southerly route—from Penn Station south to Washington, then turning inland to Charlottesville, Virginia. From there, the Cardinal climbs…
(The following is Part 2 of an account of one of my several trips on the Cardinal. It was originally published in the Columbus Dispatch.) At dinner, I’m seated with a husband and wife from Philadelphia on their way to visit a daughter in Portland, Oregon. They’ll be connecting with the Empire Builder tomorrow in…