The Cardinal/Hoosier State pauses in Indiana awaiting the track to clear.
NARP reports that the Cardinal, a scenic railfan-favorite route stretching from New York to Chicago via the Virginias, has received a much-needed boost courtesy of the Commonwealth of Virginia, which has partnered with the Buckingham Branch host railroad to upgrade a stretch of track.
I know from personal experience how much the delay-plagued passengers of the Cardinal will appreciate the new trackwork. Where previously the train crawled along at 15 mph in portions of Virginia owing to neglected track maintenance, 30 mph looks to be the new low threshold while the upper stands at speeds of up to 70 mph on certain stretches.
Despite these improvements, plans to make the tri-weekly Cardinal a daily train appear to be dead. The lack of available trainsets to support the move (especially sleeping cars) is a primary culprit, as is a lack of interest from host railroads for increased frequency. And, of course, the fact that the Cardinal is a major money-loser endears it to few on the Hill save a few well-placed, stalwart defenders like Rep. Nick Joe Rahall (D-WV), whose district the train serves.
Similarly, hopes of improved service on the existing train have also faltered. Despite the introduction of the new single-level Viewliner Diner Indianapolis on the Lake Shore Limited, no plans are in the works to equip the Cardinal with full diner service anytime soon. This is a source of continual criticism among riders, particularly sleeping car passengers, who bemoan the stripped-down dining offerings of the cafe-lounge "diner lite" presently attached to the route. One may hope that the delivery of new equipment planned for 2013 may allow upgrades--that is, of course, if the route survives that long.
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