Amtrak P42 #6 on The Cardinal PO51 August 1, 2011 - Heading to Chicago

It was a nice morning as a slightly late Cardinal came buzzing into town Monday. This was the train that left NY on Sunday, and picked up the engine #6 in Washington later in the day. After running across West Virginia and Kentucky last night, here she is under sunny skies in Indiana on Monday.

Engine 6 got a paint refresh in 2010, so she looks pretty good. She originally was one of those assigned to New Orleans before Amtrak pulled the plug on the Crescent City.

There is finally checked baggage available in Indianapolis again, after a long time without. Still, the Cardinal only runs 3 times a week because there is not enough equipment to make it daily.

After hauling the off-day Hoosier State back to Indy and return on Monday night and Tuesday morning, #6 hitched back up to the Cardinal for the return run to Washington Tuesday night. It arrived back in DC on Wednesday for its next assignment out of Ivy Yard.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• amtrak
• p42
• cardinal

[BosworthJ]

Amtrak has not done New Orleans any favors. It cancelled the eastern leg of the Sunset Limited in 2005. Then just as the city was trying to get back on its feet in 2006, Amtrak closed the diesel shop and laid off a good bit of the staff there and at the car shop. They tried to move the Crescent out of NOL to run across through Meridian and Shreveport to Dallas. Even had the crews hired. Now their plan is to downgrade further by changing the western portion of the Sunset Limited to coach.

[amtrk128]

Engine looks great, but that 3rd Gen K5LA ruins it. Those should be illegal. AWESOME video though!!!

[mainscoop250]

Excuse me, what exactly do you mean when you say "Pulled the plug on The Crescent City"? Just wondering because I am from New Orleans and am a diligent rider of the "Crescent".