All Aboard! Riding the Amtrak Cardinal from Cincinnati to Prince, West Virginia (Part 1 of 2) 

So informative! A great mix of the cars interiors, drone shots, audio, maps, etc.

Did the Cardinal once....from Indianapolis to DC. Roomette. Spectacular views!

I really enjoyed your extended night shooting of this video. On many of the 'other' train videos, the video's host went to sleep and a lot of scenery was missed, thanks much!! JMS

I live in Edinburgh now but am originally from West Virginia. I had taken the train from Philly when I lived there up to see a university friend in the Boston area, so years later I was eager to try the train from West Virginia to visit an aunt living in northeast Arkansas, so I took the Cardinal to Chicago and changed there. I enjoyed my trip a lot. I had the individual room-type and that included all of my meals and I enjoyed getting to meet other travellers at meal times. I think the train returning to Chicago was delayed by a freight train taking priority but I didn't feel too inconvenienced. The staff on board were extremely professional and helpful. I enjoyed being able to visit my aunt but not taking planes to add to the climate problem. My absolute favourite thing to do in West Virginia is to take the Cass Scenic Railway all the way to the top of the mountain, so that's my tip for any future trips to my home state of West Virginia.

a different perspective . Thanks for the reference to Jackson's drones. Can't wait for part 2.

Unfortunately a second train through Cincinnati has not been approved yet. The worst part of the Cardinal is the ride using the Buckingham Branch Railroad trackage near Washington. The ride is rough and loud because the railroad tracks are not welded. The ride was so rough once that my coffee fell off my table in the diner. You would think with all the complaints about this part of the trip that the BBR would upgrade their lines. Shout out to the Station Mgr at Prince WV, Chris who kept us entertained for a few hours while our train was delayed due to a landslide near Thurmond.

Great video, I grew up in Ashland. I used to go to the Amtrak station that was located just as you entered Catlettsburg KY along US 23 almost every night the Cardinal came through. The schedule used to be the opposite of what it is today. West bound came through Ashland in the mornings and East bound at night. It was flipped in 1979 I think when the put the train on 3 days a week instead of daily. At that time the train consist was a P30CH, baggage, 10/6 sleeper, amdinette, and 2 or 3 amcoaches. In the mid 1980s they reequipped it with heritage cars . The train then actually grew as more people rode it since the service was improved. The consist then was an F40PH, baggage car, 2 10/6 sleepers, diner, lounge, and 4 or 5 coaches. The cars were all Budd. In the early 1990s the train was reequipped again with Superliners. A P42DC was the new locomotive and the train started again with 7 cars and grew to 10 before they had to pull the Superliners off because of an Autotrain wreck. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, Amtrak actually turned away sleeping customers un less there were enough since if the train went over 10 cars they need to add another locomotive to keep up the schedule through the mountains.

It's almost you're presenting a news report - which is part of the charm of your videos.

My late father in law used to ride from Xenia to Union station, watch the Reds and back to Xenia

Nice video. I recognize your vocal delivery from many of VHS train videos I watched in my pop's collection. Cracked me up when you got to the review of the breakfast, with the bit about the undercooked potato using that same delivery. ;D

3:50 Departing Union Terminal 6:22 Amtrak Beech Grove Shops 12:44 Arriving at Huntington followed by the CSX heavy rebuild shops 20:40 Arriving at Charleston, WV 24:35 Kanawa Falls, WV 27:38 New River Gorge Bridge 30:08 Crossing the New River 31:15 Arriving at Thurmond, WV 35:40 Arriving at Prince, WV

I'll stay well away from that big bridge, lol. Driving across that bridge in WV on I-64 was bad enough. I white knuckled the steering wheel all the way across and didn't dare look to my sides.

it's interesting to me that Amtrak equipment maintenance facility is in Beech Grove; that's pretty far from basically all of their hubs except Chicago (Sort of...?) I know that they have a big locomotive maintenance shop in Wilmington, DE along the NEC, I'm surprised they don't have a similar shop somewhere nearer to Chicago

Yesterday as I was on my first Amtrak trip ever, I was seated at the window where they were using a water hose to fill a tank. As you stated, right before Ashland, KY. Keep on flushing!!

Just took the cardinal last month westbound from DC to Chicago. The highlight of the trip is through WV, specifically through the New River Gorge area. Unfortunately we were 4 hours late leaving DC so by the time we got to WV it was already dark. I have spent a lot of time hiking in the Gorge area and have driven to Thurmond. Very cool place.

Fascinating, I really love all the details. You do the finest coverage of #Amtrak, or any trains, I've ever seen.

Very cool video from the commentary to the ride along, Thanks for sharing this and have a great rest of your evening.

We ride Amtrak for fun. It is the trip. I'm in no rush. It teaches me to be patient.

In Huntington, WV You have Marshall University, towards the end of the vid it does look like the Cafe car was dumping a lil bit of water in the middle of car

Great video. I'm a huge fan of the New River Gorge area, often stopping on my way through WV. I've done rafting there, attended Bridge Day, and stayed at Hawks Nest just last year. Therefore the Cardinal is on my bucket list to do, especially during the fall colors.

Great video!! Appreciate you sharing this view of the Cardinal. I am the SW Ohio director for All Aboard Ohio, the passenger rail advocacy group working to improve service in the Cincinnati region. We will be referring people to your video for a look at current Cardinal service. Would love to get in touch with you if you are interested!

it is a fact that amtrak shares the tracks with csx so one should expect the delays. it is not for folks in a rush. its a somewhat laid back experience for one who is writing, working remotely, relaxing, de stressing, watching downloaded movies, hanging out with friends, meeting new travel buddies, using the internet where available etc..on a way to some travel destination. being allowed to get off at certain stops for fresh air breaks or smoking is a bonus. all in all, it is not for the 21st century rush, manic or chronically, bored crowd.

Christian you do a great job at this. I hope you found time to get some rest. This wasn`t a vacation it was a trip. :)

Interesting video. Probably never ride that train but since it passes my house on the Indy sub at like 3 in the morning, it's nice to see where it's going.

Nice Detailed Video of the Cardinal Man! Thank You!

don't kmow about a second train, but this one needs to go daily!

Glad to see your in front of the camera! keep up the great videos

Interesting. I am thinking of taking that train by going from Pgh to CHI on the Capital Ltd. and then onto the Cardinal to either DC or Phila. Then back to Pgh. I would do a roomette on the Cardinal. ( I initially thought that the radio in the background was interesting; then I decided that it became more and more intrusive!) I did enjoy your narrative. Too bad your views of the New River, especially the Falls and the Hawks Nest areas were blocked with trees, altho you could see when you crossed the bridge at Hawks Nest. I have stayed at the lodge there on several occasions and always take the tram down when the train is crossing. Have often driven from Hawks Nest to Thurman which I find to be an absolutely fascinating 'ghost' town----and an Amtrak stop! I went to grad school at WVU and traveled around while there. I have always sort of thought that they should turn the entire state into a national park!!

Excellent video! You did a great job covering everything. I've been through the area a few times on the New River train excursion, but never on the Cardinal. Hopefully, I will someday.

One 'great' thing about this video that is not a part of many of the other 'train trip videos is the commentator's speech instead of just descriptive words and phrases on the screen. JMS

The river in WV is pronounced Ka-naw. The A at the end is silent. It threw me for a loop too....

Great video. A few years ago I took the the Cardinal east to Chicago from Charlottesville, VA to Chicago. It was a great ride except outside Cincinnati a CSX freight train stall. One of its one of it two engines broke down. Therefore we were delayed by about 5 hours getting into Chicago! Not caused by AMTRAK

Looking maybe for a fall foliage trip Chicago-NY-Chicago fall 10/23. Cardinal train holds possibilities though Viewliner cars not as good for viewing as Supetliners.

A very entertaining and informative video! I wouldn't say the Cardinal is top of my bucket list for train trips, but it definitely is in there. A shame that such a beautiful station should only get to serve one train; here in Memphis, Central Station, although recently renovated and quite nice, is not comparable (certainly not in size), and we also only have one train, the City of New Orleans, north and southbound. I actually liked the nighttime views of Cincy as you pulled out, but granted, most scenery is best appreciated in daylight. Currently re-reading David McCullogh's The Great Bridge, so it was very cool to get a look at Roebling's earlier work. Drone footage was great, first train video I've watched that incorporated overhead shots and it really (literally!) added another dimension! I'm with you regarding how cool the sound of that horn is. Thanks for sharing this phase of your journey!

I've done the 51 Cardinal from DC to Cincinnati. The tracks in that everyone hates on didn't mean me no nevermind. I flat out enjoyed it. As far as Thurmond goes, my plan is spend a night or two there, I think that would be a great time!

Great video man, keep up the good work!

Great video very informative nice scenery

It was cool you had some time in Huntington to break out the drone. This was my fist train trip, with my mom, in 1984.

Great

Nice video. What drone do use to film your footage?

Enjoy all your videos!

The water dump is from it sloshing in the tank. It’s just drinking water

Love it!

👍

The former NS engines are SD9043MAC's that were rebuilt to SD70ACU's a couple years ago. NS sold them due to having major electrical issues. Progress Rail which owns them may solve out the issue and sell them to Canadian Pacific or some other railroad. As of now they are parts locomotives and the future very well could be the cutting torch

A blind lady from my ham radio club is taking Amtrak for the first time from Cincinnati to Staunton VA. I am traveling with her to help her with her mobility issues and I figure I can take her service dog out for her potty breaks. I am continuing on to DC. And returning to Cincy on the next train back. (my friend will be driven back by her relatives she is visiting). I of course will have my 2 meter HT with me so i can listen to the train crew and dispatchers and equipment detectors.

Sorry you did not sleep on the train. By the way did you eat anything on the train? Good video by the way.

Nice First Half of the Video!

Quick trivia point: The Cardinal is the successor train to the C&O's "George Washington" of yester-year....

very nice

And another "great" plus to your video, is the added videos of another person! JMS

Too bad the food is still flexible aka microwave dining as compared to the wests traditional

i wish they didnt cover over the windows of those historic shops

really great video - so informative and high quality footage. How did you get audio of the radio chatter?

Enjoyable video. Were you in a Viewliner 1 or a Viewliner 2? I could not tell from the video, as there was not an interior shot of your roomette. We’ll be on the Cardinal in 10 days. Thanks!

If there is not enough frequency and if the average speed does not approach 80 mph then anything else will be a pointless failure.

I really just wanted to learn more about the train trip, but I got an earful of a little too much train nerd stuff

To save time and alleviate boredom: Train finally leaves at 8:58. Daylight passenger experience starts at 16:34. And keep your damn radio off when you are shooting. Nobody but you cares.

Is it worth it you ask? Heeeell no it’s not, will never give Amtrak another thought the ready of my life