west point wrote: ↑Tue Apr 12, 2022 9:46 pm
Carolina to only have 6 cars ? Someone needs to inform NC DOT. Present Carolinian and who knows what the loads could be in the future? Amtrak will be artificially limiting Carolinian ridership. Appears to be another effort to limit LD train travel? Palmetto is another train that often sells out now. (Pre C-19)
Hmmm, that is a head scratcher. Capacity was the thing holding the Carolinian back from significant profitability pre pandemic. The current 5 coach consist (plus cafe plus bag) is the max possible due to the size of the current storage siding in Charlotte. A new (larger) storage facility has been built and its been finished for a while, but it will not be used (or connected to the NS main) until Gateway station opens in a few (they say two, but it looks like it will be longer) years.
Perhaps giving Amtrak planners too much credit but, its possible they are assuming the S-Line and the new Potomac bridge will be open which would allow for significantly higher frequency from Charlotte to the corridor? (Thus justifying the short consists?)