Hoosier State expanding to Cincinnati?

[zkr123]

I recently read that the Hoosier State may expand to Cincy. Would that help save the service? 

[D.Carleton]

No.

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

It would appear that the source implied by the OP was indulging in some wishful thinking.  A realistic Chicago-Cincinnati service hasn't existed since prior to Penn Central.

[Deggesty]

Paul, I agree. Even before the PC came into being, the service had gone downhill drastically. Forty-four years ago, the traffic was not there.

In the spring of 1969, I had planned a trip which would take me, along with other routes, from Washington to St. Louis on the C&O-B&O, thence to Chicago on the former Wabash, and overnight to Cincinnati. Going into Cincinnati, I thought I should look to make sure that the overnight train from Chicago still ran--and I found that it had been abolished. So, I took the C&O to Detroit and what was left of the Cincinnatian to Cincinnati. It's amazing what a man who likes to ride trains was willing to put up with

[oltmannd]

The Cardinal is scheduled 8:32 from Chicago to Cincy.  37 mph.  It's a 4:30 drive.  The train is not very useful.

[dakotafred]

Deggesty

It's amazing what a man who likes to ride trains was willing to put up with

 

I enjoyed this post hugely, having engineered many such monstrosities myself in the old days.

 

We sure died hard, didn't we?

[BaltACD]

oltmannd

The Cardinal is scheduled 8:32 from Chicago to Cincy.  37 mph.  It's a 4:30 drive.  The train is not very useful.

4 hour 30 minute drive - IF - you don't get caught in traffic on the Interstates in and around the Chicago area.

[Brian Schmidt]

oltmannd

The Cardinal is scheduled 8:32 from Chicago to Cincy.  37 mph.  It's a 4:30 drive.  The train is not very useful.

I'll take a slower train that allows me to do things other than focus on driving for four hours. If I take a six-hour train ride and work four hours, then the net loss is only two hours. If I drive that same trip in four hours, I've still lost four hours.

[schlimm]

Brian Schmidt

 

 

oltmannd

The Cardinal is scheduled 8:32 from Chicago to Cincy.  37 mph.  It's a 4:30 drive.  The train is not very useful.

 

 

I'll take a slower train that allows me to do things other than focus on driving for four hours. If I take a six-hour train ride and work four hours, then the net loss is only two hours. If I drive that same trip in four hours, I've still lost four hours.

 

 

Spend 8:32 on a train (plus more time to get origination station and from end station to final destination) and you have killed the day.  Spend 4:30 driving and you still have 4+ hours for business, fun or visiting people.  Not rocket science.