Leg 1 Purchased

[kevin_standlee]

Today I purchased the the first leg of our around-the-country Worldcon train trip: Emeryville to Chicago on the California Zephyr. I wanted to use my Amtrak Guest Rewards points for this leg, and the Amtrak web site said a bedroom was available, but when I tried to actually purchase it, it said "a portion of this trip is no longer available," which didn't make any sense. So I called Amtrak Guest Rewards, and after about a 45 minute wait to talk to an agent, they were able to book this leg of the trip. And a good thing I did not wait any longer, as that was the last bedroom available at that price (43,985 AGR points). That same trip is now almost 10,000 points more now that I've taken the last bedroom in that price bucket.

(As a benefit of my AGR credit card, which is how I earned most of those points to start with, I get a 5% points rebate on my next statement, which is helpful.)

The next leg of the trip will be part of "TrainCon" on the Cardinal from Chicago to Washington, so I'll be paying the trip organizer our share for a bedroom there.

We haven't yet decided for sure how we're coming back. Our options are

1. The Capitol Limited to Chicago, (two nights in Chicago), the City of New Orleans to New Orleans (three nights in New Orleans).

2. The Crescent to New Orleans (four nights in New Orleans).

In both cases, we then continue on the Sunset Limited to Los Angeles, then probably a day trip in coach to the Bay Area on the Coast Starlight, where we retrieve our car and spend the night somewhere in the Bay Area before heading for home.

Because of the AGR restrictions on using points around Christmas and New Year, we're having to fiddle around trying to work out the best overall plan. One version leaves us with enough leftover AGR points to probably be able to buy a one-way trip to Chicago again next year for Chicon 8. The other drains the account entirely. And we'd better make up our minds soon, because from our experience above, the trains are already booking up in June for trips in December.

Comments

[garyomaha]

(1) M and I were just talking about the City of New Orleans. We like the song a lot and he was expressing sadness that "the train is no longer running so we can never ride it." I looked at him and said "It's still running." Possible future travel plans were discussed.

(2) Let me know the date you'll be coming through Omaha. If you're awake and/or the train is late, perhaps we can at least wave at you from some spot or at best meet you briefly at the station.

[kevin_standlee]

If we're on schedule, we should be through Omaha at 4:59 AM on December 10, and I reckon we'll be asleep, so I wouldn't recommend it unless you see that we're running late.

[garyomaha]

The Zephyr -- and the Southwest Chief, too -- have been running quite late recently. (No telling if it'll be fixed by December.) One reason was a derailment out west and another is the heat. We're rather used to the "5 am" train coming through mid-morning. Even the westbound, originating in Chicago, has been late! One small bright spot: when on schedule, #5 and #6 come through when many are asleep and out of sight is out of mind. I often suggest the train, especially for trips to Denver or Chicago, but people are in too much of a hurry and take the easy route by flying.

[kevin_standlee]

I've been noticing the late westbounds. Heat restrictions make sense for what's holding things up. I assume this will continue as long as the temperatures are this high. The eastbounds had a "celebrity" locomotive on board a few days ago: brand-new Amtrak 300. Alas, while I was watching it go by dead-in-tow for its publicity appointments in Chicago before it goes into service, I didn't have my camera handy.

[garyomaha]

I saw photos of the 300 enroute to Chicago. I wonder if it has that "new locomotive smell." :)

[kevin_standlee]

Lisa and I were looking at this in case Memphis wins their Worldcon bid. Regrettably, the scheduled times for Memphis aren't that good, and we'd sort of like to make the entire trip. It wouldn't be a good idea for us to make another circle trip via New Orleans and the Sunset Limited in the summer, based on Lisa's bad experience in San Antonio. She seems to be allergic to some sort of tree pollen there. We're hoping that going through in winter won't be so bad, and she'll be masked up with an N95 mask anyway. She's considered bringing her paint respirator; that's how bad it is.

Essentially, our post-Worldcon train plans are dithering over which routes to collect, mainly choosing between the Crescent and City of New Orleans. One version of the trip had us riding the City on Christmas Day, but that's actually a Christmas afternoon departure and doesn't really fit Lisa's hoped-for plans. We'll have to decide soon, though.

[delosharriman]

Would you be so kind as to e-mail me the Traincon information?

[kevin_standlee]

I will send you information in e-mail, but it's a public Facebook group (search for Traincon) as well.