# Goofy AGR Point Run



## Anderson (Nov 21, 2010)

Ok, AGR is running that "take ten" offer right now. I've already got a "five trip special" coming up (my annual run to Iowa, augmented with an Acela run and two separate trips...one RVR-WAS and one back). So, I need to stack on five more. Well, there's a funny thing...I live on the lower end of the Virginia Peninsula, and I do a lot of stuff up in Williamsburg. It's $18 one way, and I have _never_ heard of this train selling out. I've got an excuse to do this (some times in Williamsburg where lacking a car might actually be a good thing...notably an upcoming W&M playoff game where the time might just work out), and doing two of these "cycle" runs would get me four trips and 400 points for $72 (net of gas, the spending is about $60). After that, I'd just need to bolt on one more run (a daytrip to Richmond might be the winner here, or another Williamsburg round trip). Should I go for this?


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## Long Train Runnin' (Nov 21, 2010)

Keep in mind you need to spend a minimum of 40 dollars to make it a qualifying trip. So 18 dollar runs won't help you reach the 10 for 10.


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## the_traveler (Nov 21, 2010)

As LTR said, each segment need to be $40 to qualify




, but you still earn 2x points for each segment anyway!


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## Anderson (Nov 21, 2010)

the_traveler said:


> As LTR said, each segment need to be $40 to qualify
> 
> 
> 
> , but you still earn 2x points for each segment anyway!


Follow-on to that: Does the minimum double as well?


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## OlympianHiawatha (Nov 21, 2010)

ALL segments, even those under $40 do double under this promo. I just did a FTW "lunch run" on the _*Heartland Flyer*_ and picked up a fast 400 Points, 200 Rail and 200 Bonus, not to mention some good lunch


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## Anderson (Nov 21, 2010)

Alright, I found a funny "alternative run": Dinner in Richmond on Wednesday. Because of the price bulk-ups due to Thanksgiving, it's $43 each way. Main Street is about a block from a great Irish pub I know...and it's _just_ over the threshold each way.

Edit: And if I do this on Sunday as well, that might just pull something together. Ah, the joy of an overpriced spur route.

Edit 2: Serious, if silly question: Do AGR points accumulate to the account of the person purchasing the ticket or the person using the ticket?


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## the_traveler (Nov 21, 2010)

Anderson said:


> Do AGR points accumulate to the account of the person purchasing the ticket or the person using the ticket?


Like any airline frequent flyer program, only the person named on the ticket and doing the traveling can earn AGR points for traveling! If that person does not have an AGR account, no one earns those points!

Note: If you bought the tickets with the AGR MasterCard or some other point/mile earning card, you earn points/miles for the *COST* of the tickets, but not for the actual travel!


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## Anderson (Nov 22, 2010)

the_traveler said:


> Anderson said:
> 
> 
> > Do AGR points accumulate to the account of the person purchasing the ticket or the person using the ticket?
> ...


Considering that I've been on an airplane five times since 9/11 (I'd previously forgotten one trip, and another one was in 2002), I wouldn't know how a frequent flier trip worked to save my life.


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## the_traveler (Nov 22, 2010)

Anderson said:


> Considering that I've been on an airplane five times since 9/11 (I'd previously forgotten one trip, and another one was in 2002)


That's more than me - and I have over 600K frequent flyer miles!


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## abcnews (Nov 22, 2010)

Anderson said:


> Alright, I found a funny "alternative run": Dinner in Richmond on Wednesday. Because of the price bulk-ups due to Thanksgiving, it's $43 each way. Main Street is about a block from a great Irish pub I know...and it's _just_ over the threshold each way.
> 
> Edit: And if I do this on Sunday as well, that might just pull something together. Ah, the joy of an overpriced spur route.
> 
> Edit 2: Serious, if silly question: Do AGR points accumulate to the account of the person purchasing the ticket or the person using the ticket?


BTW - Main Street Station is also next door to "Havana 59" - one of the best (and very popular) places to eat in Richmond. It has 3 floors, great food in a restored old warehouse building. I know that they offer fresh Northern Neck of VA Oysters (my favorite there), and they cook on wood - great flavor and aroma. Amazing food, rooftop dinning available (nice), overlooking Shockhoe Bottom, and a smokers lounge/bar - good spot for Cigar and pipe smokers...

Also two blocks from Main Street Station is Bottom's Up Pizza - best Pizza in Virginia - with Rooftop dinning by the elevated C & O main line. It's funny, the trains will toot the horn to the restaurant patrons on the roof - who wave back... very train friendly crowd. I would say that it's about two blocks - walking southeast from Main Street Station.


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## Anderson (Nov 23, 2010)

abcnews said:


> Anderson said:
> 
> 
> > Alright, I found a funny "alternative run": Dinner in Richmond on Wednesday. Because of the price bulk-ups due to Thanksgiving, it's $43 each way. Main Street is about a block from a great Irish pub I know...and it's _just_ over the threshold each way.
> ...


I know the neighborhood well...Havana 59 and I have a _long _history (and a funny story involving a date with a girlfriend back in high school...let's just say we didn't ask our parents before running up there, and it's one of only two dates I've ever had that I truly remember _that _well). There also used to be The Frog and the Redneck in where Sine (the pub in question) is; going the other way, there are a string of eateries, etc. It's just about ideal for a run like this, truth be told. So...dinner Wednesday in Richmond it is.

Of course...assuming everything runs on schedule, I think 6:15 or 6:30 should be a good dinner time that'll get me back on the train by the 8:30 departure.

Edit: Now, to make sure I do this right: I should do two one-way tickets rather than a round-trip to maximize my Take Ten benefit, right? Can I get both run off at the manned NPN station when I get there about 4:30?


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## Long Train Runnin' (Nov 23, 2010)

You can just book a round trip. Either way you will get your take ten bonus.


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## Anderson (Nov 23, 2010)

Long Train Runnin said:


> You can just book a round trip. Either way you will get your take ten bonus.


Alright. So a round trip _will_ count for two trips for that. One round of antics skipped, one to go...

(I"m trying to differentiate between "trips", "segments", and "round trips")


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## abcnews (Nov 23, 2010)

I would think that Newport News to Main Street Station is a great train ride. I have never been on that line, but certainly good scenery (Williamsburg, Lee Hall, US 60, the Chickahominy River and the swamp... And arriving at Main Street Station is about as good as it gets - among the finest train stations in America.

In fact, we actually photograph quite a few events at main Street Station. Great facility for a wedding reception. Really nice...


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## Anderson (Nov 23, 2010)

abcnews said:


> I would think that Newport News to Main Street Station is a great train ride. I have never been on that line, but certainly good scenery (Williamsburg, Lee Hall, US 60, the Chickahominy River and the swamp... And arriving at Main Street Station is about as good as it gets - among the finest train stations in America.
> 
> In fact, we actually photograph quite a few events at main Street Station. Great facility for a wedding reception. Really nice...


It's a nice run...one I haven't made in as long as I can remember, though. I've booked the reservation (both on the train and for dinner)...it'll be dark for a fair share of the ride, but I know the area well. I'll be sure to stick up a travelogue when I get home...particularly as I'll be getting the "flavor" of Thanksgiving travel without any of the stress.


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