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I recently made 4 short Amtrak trips. The first one from Charlotte NC to Charlottesville VA on the Crescent was the least pleasant because of the middle of the night hour. I chose to go coach since it's only about 5 hours; the train was about an hour late.
A couple of days later I took the Cardinal from Charlottesville to Charleston and stayed over til the next return. Both trains were about an hour late. The ride through the Blue Ridge Mts, Shenandoah Valley and Alleghenies was beautiful. I liked Charleston and Charlottesville (where I stayed about 11 days) very much. The house I was in in C'ville is about 50 yards from the Buckingham Branch line so I saw and heard a lot of activity - almost entirely westbound empty coal cars. The orientation of the tracks in C'ville was confusing to me. I had assumed that north of C'ville the Crescent and Cardinal use the same track, but not so. The lines form a cross just west of the station and go on their own way - the old Southern (north/south) and C&O (east/west) lines. I left on the NB Crescent to Washington. It was about half an hour late and consisted of 4 coaches, 2 sleepers, cafe car, diner, baggage, 2 engines. All coaches were pretty much full. The Cardinals had consisted of 2 coaches, 1 sleeper and 1 cafe car. Both trains were very busy, pretty much capacity, and much offing and oning at most stations. It was all very pleasant and enjoyable and gratifying to see the trains operating so well and solidly patronized by normal people and they got me where I wanted to go comfortably and economically and through some gorgeous countryside.
Posts: 326 | From: San Antonio Texas USA | Registered: Dec 2003
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City -- I believe the Cardinal and the Crescent routes come back together on the same tracks at Orange, VA -- N of Charlottesville. You are correct that they take different routes from the CVS station
Posts: 2428 | From: Grayling, MI | Registered: Mar 2002
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What did you think of the recently modified diner/cafe (or whatever they call it)on the Cardinal? How was the seating arrangements,food, and service?
We're headed towards Staunton, Va this weekend and hope to see it. A good restaurant (the Pullman) is located in the old C&O station there.
Posts: 2397 | From: Camden, SC | Registered: Mar 2006
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Plamland - Well, it was a little odd. The cafe car was situated between the two coaches and the sleeper, which was the last car on the stub train. There was the expected snack counter in the center of the car with booth seating on both sides - maybe 6/8 booths on each side. There was an attendant behind the counter and one other. The other turned out to be the server for the 'sleeper' side of the car. No announcements were ever made in coach for meals; I don't know what would have happened had I as a coach passenger marched in there and sat down and expected a meal served to me. Apparently he worked out of the same space behind the counter and used the same microwave oven etc. I only ordered a pizza from the snack counter which was not really satisfactory. The price of coffee has gone up to $2 - but it is good coffee.
Regarding announcements - very few announcements were made over the PA system on any of the trains I was on; they did make 1 or 2 so I know the PA systems were working. For stations stops the attendant and/or conductor made announcements in each car. On my first leg, someone woke me up when we arrived in Charlottesville at 7:15 am. I guess I am used to a lot of talking on the PA system on the Superliner trains I travel on more often.
PS: How is Staunton? It looked like an attractive place to live - unlike Waynesboro. I was in the area scouting around for possible future residence. I was really impressed by C'ville, though it is a bit expensive because of UVA.
Posts: 326 | From: San Antonio Texas USA | Registered: Dec 2003
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A word about the track arrangements in Charlottesville. The former C&O and the former Southern cross right at the Southern depot (which is now a bar/restaurant). The Cardinal stops at a platform on the C&O east/west track, the Crescent at a platform on the north/south Southern main. There is a connecting track in the southeast quadrant of the crossing.
About a half mile east is the former C&O station, now used for private offices. There used to be a turntable and a small yard here (part of which is still in service) and in years past, the Newport News section of the "George Washington" was switched in and out here. The actual junction is about 10 miles east at Gordonsville, which used to have a staffed tower and a nice station at the west end of the wye between the Orange, VA and Richmond lines. From Gordonsville, the line to Washington, DC turns north to a junction with NS at Orange, and the Hanover Sub turns south torward Richmond, crossing the RF&P at grade at Doswell.
Moves through the junction used to be made on signal indication, but Buckingham Branch has removed the signal system from service.
Posts: 614 | From: Merchantville, NJ. USA | Registered: Aug 2000
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My understanding is that the Cardinal is now the only train using the ex-C&O trackage between Gordonsville and Orange.
There has been period talk about a new connecting track in the southwestern quadrant of the junction being built in Charlottesville so that the Cardinal could jump over to NS there without having to make a backup move.
I doubt anything has been done beyond talk and I'd be surprised if that kind of investment is made for a single, tri-weekly train.
How crowded was the Cardinal? I can remember when that train did a pretty fair job of filling three superliner coaches.
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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My best frend lives in Verona, a suburb of Staunton.I always enjoy going down there,good restaurants etc. It is far different from Waynes boro. IME It is about 1 hour over the MT. To Cville. I understand there are a lot of retirees living there. My friend insists that they all come from NJ and points north!!
Posts: 1577 | From: virginia | Registered: Jun 2005
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CityMiami- thanks for the info. Sounds like it might not be too bad, esp. with a 'sleeper' section in the diner. And I am a fan of sleepers on the rear of the train (we've had that discussion on the forum).
We're actually just stopping at Staunton on our way to NJ to see our son. If we take I-81 rather than 95, we usually make a stop in Staunton. The Buckingham Branch RR (operates the Cardinal over former C&O/CSX trackage from Gordonsville to Clifton Forge, VA) has their office and shop there. I catch up with them while my wife checks out the good quilt store.
We like Staunton as the downtown is being revived (gentrified?) and the great old hotel Stonewall Jackson has been restored - http://www.stonewalljacksonhotel.com/
But I think Train Lady is right, the northern invasion has made it a different place from my college days when I dated some of the young ladies at Mary Baldwin college.
Posts: 2397 | From: Camden, SC | Registered: Mar 2006
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