# 2 Millionth AGR Member Promotion



## WhoozOn1st

Just got the e-mail and registered for a share of the 2,000,000 AGR points Amtrak will be handing out for travel on 8-20-09. It says points will post by 10-1-09, and will not post with other points earned on that day.

LINK


----------



## GoldenSpike

> Terms and Conditions:Must be an Amtrak Guest Rewards member and register for this promotion online or by calling 1-800-307-5000 (option 2) using registration code 81009. Qualifying Amtrak travel must be taken on August 20, 2009 and the reservation must include your Amtrak Guest Rewards membership number. Redemption travel does not qualify for this promotion.
> 
> The share of two million points will be determined based on the total number of Amtrak Guest Rewards members registered for this promotion with travel on August 20, 2009, regardless of the number of trips taken by each member that day. The share of two million points is in addition to regular Amtrak travel points or any other promotional bonus points you may qualify for on August 20, 2009. These bonus points will post separately to your Amtrak Guest Rewards account by October 1, 2009, and will not post at the time of your Amtrak travel points or promotional bonus points earned on August 20, 2009.


----------



## MrFSS

WhoozOn1st said:


> Just got the e-mail and registered for a share of the 2,000,000 AGR points Amtrak will be handing out for travel on 8-20-09. It says points will post by 10-1-09, and will not post with other points earned on that day.



WHOOZ - when I click your link my security stuff goes bananas.

I wonder if this is a scam and they are getting your number and PW?

I went to AGR regular site and I can't find anything about this promotion (doesn't mean it isn't there). Also, the URL for your link does NOT have www before amtrakguestewards.

When I sign in on the regular AGR page and then click your link I should be signed in on that page, too, wouldn't you think.

Can anyone verify if this is legit or not?

Thanks!!!

*I just checked further and this really looks like a phishing web page!*


----------



## tj722

I can confirm that the promo is legit. It's now appearing on my home page when I log into my AGR account. Guess it's time to plan a quick trip!


----------



## alanh

No, it's just that the www is missing on the front of the site name. Go ahead and use this link. This one doesn't give the certificate warning.


----------



## stntylr

I wonder how many points it would be. I could book a trip from Mcgregor to Temple. The fare is only 10 dollars. I could get my daughter to drive me to Mcgregor then pick me up in Temple.

Hummmmmm.....


----------



## MrFSS

OK - that new link posted works correctly. I changed it in WHOOZ's posts and replies so we should be OK.

Sorry to panic, but my security stuff really went off with that original link.

I wonder why the two pages - www.amtrakguestrewards.com and just amtrakguestrewards.com (no www) bring up two different home pages???


----------



## MrFSS

*One of the admins and I have discussed this situation further. *

* *

*There is still a chance there may be a phishing page out there that looks like the AGR page. *

* *

*While the promotion seems legitimate, please be very careful how you get to the promotion page. *

* *

*We are in contact with Amtrak and AGR regarding this situation.*


----------



## the_traveler

It appears to be legit. When I click on the link, it goes to www. - with my AGR # input. (I previously logged in 10 minutes ago, and logged off.) After I registered, it showed up under "my promotions"!

One of my paid segments just happen to be on August 20 - thanks!  (Don't anyone else travel that day - I could use 2 million points! :lol: )


----------



## alanh

It's hosted on the official site. They just don't have it configured right for using a security certificate without the www prefix (they should have it for *.amtrakguestrewards.com, not just www.amtrakguestrewards.com). Just go through the link I gave or the www.amtrakguestrewards.com front page.

Anyway, who wants to guess how many eligible AGR members will travel that day?


----------



## MrFSS

the_traveler said:


> It appears to be legit. When I click on the link, it goes to www. - with my AGR # input. (I previously logged in 10 minutes ago, and logged off.) After I registered, it showed up under "my promotions"!
> One of my paid segments just happen to be on August 20 - thanks!  (Don't anyone else travel that day - I could use 2 million points! :lol: )


Dave - the original link WHOOZ posted has been removed and replaced with the correct link. We're not saying the promotion is bogus, only the link from a scam site that looks like an AGR page. If you register from the legit AGR page (which has www in the URL) you should be OK.

Tom


----------



## Bob Dylan

the_traveler said:


> It appears to be legit. When I click on the link, it goes to www. - with my AGR # input. (I previously logged in 10 minutes ago, and logged off.) After I registered, it showed up under "my promotions"!
> One of my paid segments just happen to be on August 20 - thanks!  (Don't anyone else travel that day - I could use 2 million points! :lol: )


There you go again Dave!We points poor peons want a crust of bread and you want the bakery! :lol: It is a hoot to think how many of

us are looking for quickie trips that day(AUS-TAY-AUS comes to mind for me!),but of course realizing that maybe well get 5 points each by the time this is over!LOL!!!!!!!


----------



## WhoozOn1st

Let me note that upon receipt of the promotional e-mail I registered immediately; there were no certificate issues. When I first posted a link to the promotion here, for some reason my AGR number showed on the promo page when the link was clicked (I had logged out after registering). I edited my post to remove that link. It was when I sought another link directly from the AGR website - one that wouldn't show my number - that the certificate issue arose.

EDIT: As I retraced my steps I found that I was incorrect in saying the link came from Amtrak. In fact I had typed in the URL, without using the www prefix, and that's what got me to the bogus site.


----------



## OlympianHiawatha

It looks like a day trip to FTW just came on the radar  Now if this is equal shares, I wonder how many AGR members there are and realistically how many points one can put in their kitty?


----------



## Cascadia

I have never done a pure points run before, but I'm thinking about it. Realistically, don't you think most AGR members are commuters who travel on the train every weekday, and will be traveling on August 20 like any other day? Giving us a bonus of about 4 points each? lol


----------



## Shanghai

Thanks for the link. I did not receive an e=mail nor did I see a link on the AGR site. I came back here and clicked on the link above and I'm registered.

Now, I must arrange to travel on Aug 20th. Where is everyone going? Anyone departing from NYP?


----------



## MrFSS

*I have talked with an Amtrak official and they are looking into this situation. *

* *

*In the mean time they say - only log into www.amtrakguestrewards.com and **not** amtrakguestrewards.com that doesn't have the www in front of it. *

* *

*Questions let me or one of the admins know.*


----------



## OlympianHiawatha

I just registered from the link right off the AGR home page. Two clicks and I was set up and within a few seconds recieved a confirmation e-mail from Amtrak. It's legit.


----------



## mucomix

I looked on the calendar. It looks like the Mrs. is free a nice little day trip to Herman MO for lunch and back on the MORR maybe in order. I understand Herman MO is a good wine town. If the SWC could run on time I could just drive across town but I will drive to KC. I don’t have enough guts to try the AM SWC-MORR connection.


----------



## Steve4031

Thanks for heads up. You can bet I'm doing a run on the 20th.


----------



## ALC Rail Writer

I went to amtrak.com and got to the AGR site through the main amtrak.com site. I signed in, clicked under the 'hot deals' tab and there is was along with all the other promos and such.

if its a scam, it's AGR that's causing it!


----------



## MrFSS

ALC_Rail_Writer said:


> I went to amtrak.com and got to the AGR site through the main amtrak.com site. I signed in, clicked under the 'hot deals' tab and there is was along with all the other promos and such.
> if its a scam, it's AGR that's causing it!


The promotion isn't a scam, its legit. There was a page that wasn't really an AGR page that looks like an AGR page that was causing the concern.


----------



## ALC Rail Writer

It's a cool promo, but not likely worth much. If 100,000 AGR members registered (and that's not a big number) then there's only 20 points in it for everybody.


----------



## ScottC4746

tj722 said:


> I can confirm that the promo is legit. It's now appearing on my home page when I log into my AGR account. Guess it's time to plan a quick trip!


I plan to work a half day (since I work Downtown) hope the subway to Union Station and go LAX-FUL and turn around an hour later and go FUL-LAX so I can leave around 5 PM with my car pool buddy.


----------



## MrFSS

*Amtrak and AGR have just notified us that they were aware of the bad certificate problem with the non-www page. It is NOT a scam or phishing page so all is well in Amtrakland!*


----------



## chuljin

MrFSS said:


> *Amtrak and AGR have just notified us that they were aware of the bad certificate problem with the non-www page. It is NOT a scam or phishing page so all is well in Amtrakland!*


*nod* that is a problem with all sites that use SSL certificates. Certificates are issued to a single particular host name (in this case www.amtrakguestrewards.com) but could also wind up being used to negotiate SSL for a related site (like amtrakguestrewards.com). The traffic is still secure/encrypted, but the difference between the host name it's issued to, and the host name it's used for, will give most browsers coniptions [sp?].This security feature is to prevent people from being duped by, say, *stolen* certificates...but in this case, despite your browser's complaints, so long as the URL in your address bar *has amtrakguestrewards.com*, whether preceded by www. or not, it is safe. If it has something like amtrakguestrewards.hax0rs.org, steer far clear.


----------



## nerd

AGR's website has been this way *forever *(the security certificate is only valid for* WWW*.AMTRAKGUESTREWARDS.com and not AMTRAKGUESTREWARDS.COM.

Nothing to be worried about, especially since it's a secure (http*s*://) connection.


----------



## saxman

ALC_Rail_Writer said:


> It's a cool promo, but not likely worth much. If 100,000 AGR members registered (and that's not a big number) then there's only 20 points in it for everybody.


So we need to keep this promo a secret. No one should tell anybody. In fact I think everyone should deregister for this. :lol:


----------



## ScottC4746

saxman66 said:


> ALC_Rail_Writer said:
> 
> 
> 
> It's a cool promo, but not likely worth much. If 100,000 AGR members registered (and that's not a big number) then there's only 20 points in it for everybody.
> 
> 
> 
> So we need to keep this promo a secret. No one should tell anybody. In fact I think everyone should deregister for this. :lol:
Click to expand...

Not being on a weekend, I don't think the turnout will be quite so bad.

I couldn't tell though...can it be a one way trip?


----------



## alanh

As far as I can tell, it's _only_ for a one-way trip (only one trip counts).

Amtrak's daily ridership is around 79,000 and a lot of them aren't AGR members. Assuming they all were, that would be 25 points each.

Unfortunately for me the Sunset Ltd only operates MWF out of MRC. I suppose I could do a TUS-MRC run -- I assume they go by the date on the ticket so it would still count even if the train were late. I'm also assuming they go by the start date rather than the end date of the ticket (it would be 11:35pm Th - 12:52am F).


----------



## jis

chuljin said:


> MrFSS said:
> 
> 
> 
> *Amtrak and AGR have just notified us that they were aware of the bad certificate problem with the non-www page. It is NOT a scam or phishing page so all is well in Amtrakland!*
> 
> 
> 
> *nod* that is a problem with all sites that use SSL certificates. Certificates are issued to a single particular host name (in this case www.amtrakguestrewards.com) but could also wind up being used to negotiate SSL for a related site (like amtrakguestrewards.com). The traffic is still secure/encrypted, but the difference between the host name it's issued to, and the host name it's used for, will give most browsers coniptions [sp?].This security feature is to prevent people from being duped by, say, *stolen* certificates...but in this case, despite your browser's complaints, so long as the URL in your address bar *has amtrakguestrewards.com*, whether preceded by www. or not, it is safe. If it has something like amtrakguestrewards.hax0rs.org, steer far clear.
Click to expand...

Notwithstanding all that I wish they'd just get another cert for the other site and fix it. It is not like it is sooooo difficult or soooo expensive to do.


----------



## PRR 60

MrFSS said:


> *Amtrak and AGR have just notified us that they were aware of the bad certificate problem with the non-www page. It is NOT a scam or phishing page so all is well in Amtrakland!*


*That's Great!* 

Only kidding.


----------



## PRR 60

In all seriousness, and purely for entertainment purposes, let's speculate on what 2 million bonus matching points will mean for travel on August 20.

Let's see. Amtrak boards about 70,000 passengers on a given weekday. Maybe a little less this summer due to the seasonal drop in business travel in the NEC and the drop in overall NEC ridership this year. And, there is a bunch who use monthly passes. So, lets say there are 60,000 passenger segments on regular tickets. So, how many of those 60,000 do you think are AGR members? Maybe 2/3? That's 40,000. What is the average points earning each. Lets say the minimum - 100 points. So, that is a total points earned on August 20 of 40,000 times 100, or 4 million. If everyone opted into the promo, then the 2 million bonus points would be added to the 4 million earned points. That is a rate of 1/2 bonus point per earned point. Hmm. Not that great.

Now, if there are fewer than 40,000 AGR-member riders on August 20, that's good. The bonus point rate goes up. If there are more than 40,000 AGR-member riders, or if the average points earned by each is much more than 100 points per segment (it has to be somewhat more), then that's bad. The points rate goes down.

Truly a nerd's puzzle. That's why I'm playing.


----------



## nerd

PRR 60 said:


> So, how many of those 60,000 do you think are AGR members? Maybe 2/3?


I think that's way too high - I'd say 30%. Honestly, of the people I know who live in the NE and who occasionally or semi-regularly take Amtrak for work or pleasure , not a single one of them is a member of AGR. And that kind of makes sense: If you're not racking up points on the AGR credit card, and if you're not traveling Acela on the 500/750 point city pairs, AGR really offers you very, very limited earning opportunities.


----------



## Guest

I doubt more than a few thousand people register and travel on Aug. 20'th. given dail ridership is 79,000, I would say no more than 20% are active AGR members who value points. Then of those 20% , how many people know they are going to travel on the 20'th?


----------



## the_traveler

saxman66 said:


> ALC_Rail_Writer said:
> 
> 
> 
> It's a cool promo, but not likely worth much. If 100,000 AGR members registered (and that's not a big number) then there's only 20 points in it for everybody.
> 
> 
> 
> So we need to keep this promo a secret. No one should tell anybody. In fact I think everyone should deregister for this. :lol:
Click to expand...

I agree! Everyone deregister - except me! :lol:


----------



## The Metropolitan

I think it's fully possible that only 1,000 or so people actually register and ride. If so, that's 2,000 points per qualifying participant.

There are likely a few thousand ticketed AGR riders who won't bother to register, and others who just can't make such plans on short notice.

I'm fortunate that I can potentially take a $12 corridor ride from BAL t/f BWI to be a participant, and still go to work that day.

Frustratingly, I'm ticketed to go to Raleigh the very next day.


----------



## Upstate

I wonder if reservations in are ridiculously low for Aug 20th. This is a very off the wall promo with very short notice. The 2 millionth member may be joining next week but a prediction of an exact date from a group with caveman style operations makes me wonder.


----------



## ALC Rail Writer

Another question is how will they divide the points given that, in all likelyhood, many more people will register the promo than will travel. In other words you'll have (say) 50,000 people register, but only 30,000 tickets pulled. Which number divides the 2 mil?


----------



## The Metropolitan

ALC_Rail_Writer said:


> Another question is how will they divide the points given that, in all likelyhood, many more people will register the promo than will travel. In other words you'll have (say) 50,000 people register, but only 30,000 tickets pulled. Which number divides the 2 mil?


According to the terms at the bottom, its not the number of tickets pulled, but simply one's qualifying participation in the promotion (i.e. both registering and riding) that determines you as eligible and adds one to the denominator.

So, register, ride, and you're in for an even share. Apparently, a participant travelling 6 segments in one day will get exactly the same bonus as someone taking an Acela RT in FC across the corridor, and they'll get the same as someone riding from San Jose to Oakland on a Capitols.


----------



## nerd

The Metropolitan said:


> I think it's fully possible that only 1,000 or so people actually register and ride. If so, that's 2,000 points per qualifying participant.


I think 1,000 people taking advantage of this is not entirely out of the question.


----------



## Trogdor

I guess I'm going to Glenview on August 20.


----------



## Ispolkom

When I saw this promo, I immediately started thinking about how I could use it. The problem is that I only have the Empire Builder to work with. I even came up with the route with the shortest layover, St. Paul-Staples-St. Paul. The problem is that train #7 leaves MSP at 11:15 p.m. and gets to Staples at 1:42 a.m. Train #8 reaches Staples at 4:09 a.m. and gets me back to St. Paul at 7:05 a.m.

Hmm, more than two hours in Staples in the middle of the night when the only thing working is their one traffic light? For probably a few hundred AGR points? I'm too old for that stuff.

Now if I lived somewhere trains traveled more frequently...


----------



## the_traveler

The Metropolitan said:


> I think it's fully possible that only 1,000 or so people actually register and ride. If so, that's 2,000 points per qualifying participant.
> There are likely a few thousand ticketed AGR riders who won't bother to register


I think you're right on both counts. I actually had a segment planned and purchased for travel on 8/20, and if not for this thread, I would not have known about this promo and the need to register for it!


----------



## sky12065

the_traveler said:


> The Metropolitan said:
> 
> 
> 
> I think it's fully possible that only 1,000 or so people actually register and ride. If so, that's 2,000 points per qualifying participant.
> There are likely a few thousand ticketed AGR riders who won't bother to register
> 
> 
> 
> I think you're right on both counts. I actually had a segment planned and purchased for travel on 8/20, and if not for this thread, I would not have known about this promo and the need to register for it!
Click to expand...

I won't be traveling on 8/20, so you can have my share! Don't say I never gave you anything!


----------



## GG-1

Aloha

I thought that as I understood the offer ,that if you registered, and rode on August 20, you went into a drawing for all the points.

Sadly, for me it is a contest I cannot participate in unless I were very rich. To participate I would have to buy 7 day advance fare to fly ?5000 miles to get just 1 train segment. Sorry, not in, my cards.


----------



## Trainmans daughter

OK, so here's what I'm thinking about doing. I'll board the Amtrak bus in Chico that morning to Sacramento, ride the Capitols to Emeryville, bus to the Ferry Building, take the Cable Car to Nob Hill where I'll have lunch (including a Lemon Drop) at the Top Of The Mark. Then do the reverse trip in the afternoon.

The problem is that the Capitol is non-reserved, so I'll just have to show up at the Chico bus, give the driver my ID, buy my round-trip ticket in Sac, and hope that I get credited with my AGR points.

Does anyone see a problem with this?


----------



## mucomix

When the Mrs. got home she said why not go to Herman for lunch. We have diluted the point’s pool x 2. Now question is where should one kill an afternoon in Herman MO? I have heard it is a poplar stop but have never been there.


----------



## WhoozOn1st

the_traveler said:


> if not for this thread, I would not have known about this promo and the need to register for it!


You're welcome!  My plan: City bus to OXN; OXN-VEC; city bus home. Roughly 2.5 hours, $10.60 ($8.10 NARP, $2.50 busfare).


----------



## sechs

jis said:


> Notwithstanding all that I wish they'd just get another cert for the other site and fix it. It is not like it is sooooo difficult or soooo expensive to do.


But it does cost money. The cheap and easy solution is simply to redirect people to "www." URL, rather than serving the website with an inappropriate certificate.
What gets me is that people here went crazy over a simple security certificate error. The sign up is right on the AGR front page.


----------



## ALC Rail Writer

Well I'm out-- the CL is sold out on the 20th, it doesn't matter which direction y'go-- coach seats are sold out.


----------



## jmbgeg

WhoozOn1st said:


> Just got the e-mail and registered for a share of the 2,000,000 AGR points Amtrak will be handing out for travel on 8-20-09. It says points will post by 10-1-09, and will not post with other points earned on that day.
> LINK


In my opinion, Amtrak would stimulate a lot more incremental travel if eligibility for this promotion applied to all August 2009 travel.


----------



## OlympianHiawatha

This promo gave me the perfect excuse to squeeze in a "train day," starting with a run on the *Heartland Flyer *down to FTW, where I'll dish out $5 and grab an all day pass and ride the Trinity Rail Express over to Dallas Union Station-that will be my first ride on those funky looking Bombardier doubledeckers, and if I'm lucky, I may get a chance to ride the Budd RDCs as well. Just over an hour in DAL before I turn back to FTW and a *Heartland Flyer *ride back to Norman. Total train cost including the TRE just a few cents above $45. Not bad considering I'll be stacking on those extra Summer Bonus Points as well!


----------



## espeefoamer

I will be travelling on 8-20. Now I have to decide whether I will ride to SAN or SBA. :unsure:


----------



## ALC Rail Writer

jmbgeg said:


> WhoozOn1st said:
> 
> 
> 
> Just got the e-mail and registered for a share of the 2,000,000 AGR points Amtrak will be handing out for travel on 8-20-09. It says points will post by 10-1-09, and will not post with other points earned on that day.
> LINK
> 
> 
> 
> In my opinion, Amtrak would stimulate a lot more incremental travel if eligibility for this promotion applied to all August 2009 travel.
Click to expand...

Then everybody would get rewarded a fraction of a point!


----------



## sky12065

OlympianHiawatha said:


> This promo gave me the perfect excuse to squeeze in a "train day," starting with a run on the *Heartland Flyer *down to FTW, where I'll dish out $5 and grab an all day pass and ride the Trinity Rail Express over to Dallas Union Station-that will be my first ride on those funky looking Bombardier doubledeckers, and if I'm lucky, I may get a chance to ride the Budd RDCs as well. Just over an hour in DAL before I turn back to FTW and a *Heartland Flyer *ride back to Norman. Total train cost including the TRE just a few cents above $45. Not bad considering I'll be stacking on those extra Summer Bonus Points as well!


Why do I get a gut feeling that if you bought points for $41.25 to receive 1691 points (based on 1500 points and includes current bonus and CC points) that you might make out better than what you'll wind up receiving when the final distribution per person is established? That is, unless you really want to take the time (or is that do the time :unsure: )and do the traveling!

I know it's a gamble :huh: to "do the buy" instead of "do the travel," but it is an alternative one could consider who only does the traveling for the offer.


----------



## Bob Dylan

sky12065 said:


> OlympianHiawatha said:
> 
> 
> 
> This promo gave me the perfect excuse to squeeze in a "train day," starting with a run on the *Heartland Flyer *down to FTW, where I'll dish out $5 and grab an all day pass and ride the Trinity Rail Express over to Dallas Union Station-that will be my first ride on those funky looking Bombardier doubledeckers, and if I'm lucky, I may get a chance to ride the Budd RDCs as well. Just over an hour in DAL before I turn back to FTW and a *Heartland Flyer *ride back to Norman. Total train cost including the TRE just a few cents above $45. Not bad considering I'll be stacking on those extra Summer Bonus Points as well!
> 
> 
> 
> Why do I get a gut feeling that if you bought points for $41.25 to receive 1691 points (based on 1500 points and includes current bonus and CC points) that you might make out better than what you'll wind up receiving when the final distribution per person is established? That is, unless you really want to take the time (or is that do the time :unsure: )and do the traveling!
> 
> I know it's a gamble :huh: to "do the buy" instead of "do the travel," but it is an alternative one could consider who only does the traveling for the offer.
Click to expand...

A perfect example Joe of dilemas faced by those with gaps in the system!I get the impression that the Op wants/needs :lol: to make this trip anyway!Im making a similar trip later this month(AUS-DAL-FTW-AUS)both for the points and the train

rides,with the various bonus programs,using the AGR MC etc. Ill get more points than I can buy and they are RAIL MILES!

Those of us lucky enough to have short day trips available on AMTRAK(ie AUS-TAY-AUS which I will take on 8/20 and

the travelers famous(or is that infamous?LOL)PDX-VAN,WA-PDX return)will use these,I understand your point and wish

everyone was fortunate enough to be able to hop on a train for a day trip!


----------



## OlympianHiawatha

sky12065 said:


> OlympianHiawatha said:
> 
> 
> 
> This promo gave me the perfect excuse to squeeze in a "train day," starting with a run on the *Heartland Flyer *down to FTW, where I'll dish out $5 and grab an all day pass and ride the Trinity Rail Express over to Dallas Union Station-that will be my first ride on those funky looking Bombardier doubledeckers, and if I'm lucky, I may get a chance to ride the Budd RDCs as well. Just over an hour in DAL before I turn back to FTW and a *Heartland Flyer *ride back to Norman. Total train cost including the TRE just a few cents above $45. Not bad considering I'll be stacking on those extra Summer Bonus Points as well!
> 
> 
> 
> Why do I get a gut feeling that if you bought points for $41.25 to receive 1691 points (based on 1500 points and includes current bonus and CC points) that you might make out better than what you'll wind up receiving when the final distribution per person is established? That is, unless you really want to take the time (or is that do the time :unsure: )and do the traveling!
> 
> I know it's a gamble :huh: to "do the buy" instead of "do the travel," but it is an alternative one could consider who only does the traveling for the offer.
Click to expand...

The schedule of the *HF* is perfect for a nice 1 day escape, and since I've already hoofed enough shoe leather in downtown FTW, I'll take this chance to try out the TRE and be able to sit back ON A TRAIN and think about those poor souls who have no train nearby to enjoy. If I just wanted the points, I'd dump my car in Purcell the night before, ride back with a friend, enjoy 15 big minutes on the *HF* next morning and have it all over long before lunch.


----------



## Long Train Runnin'

This promo is pretty interesting. I'm still not sure if its worth it. I understand it comes with the summer promo points on top. I could run out to Yonkers, NY for a few bucks, then take MetroNorth home. It would be like $60 while part of me is think, take advantage of Summer Promo Points, and go to Boston on Acela...then whatever points come out of this promotion are a bonus...


----------



## transit54

Well, I just bought my ticket. $7.65 (NARP) from Waterbury to Essex Jct, VT. I'll take the commuter bus down after work (free for me, as I work for the transit agency) and hop on the train back to Essex, then the bus home. I'm mostly interested in how many points I get - in fact, I'd probably be less inclined to do this if this was a more defined promotion. But even if I end up getting 20 or 30, that's 220 or 230 points for $7.65 between the base 100 rail points and the summer promo. Not a bad deal in my book.


----------



## Rumpled

Dang, the Angels are out of town that day.

Might have to make a pure points run.

Fares have gone up, so my cheapest trip is $7.20 to Santa Ana.

Or maybe I'll spring for a $7.65 to San Juan Cap.

I could return either by Metrolink (gotta check schedules on that) or have a long dinner/drinks and Amtrak back later that night.


----------



## the_traveler

I feel the same way!

If I didn't have travel planned for that day anyway, I may not have "traveled to earn points".  But since I had already planned my trip to depart PDX on 8/20, and need to purchase a ticket for a segment that day, it works out for me! (BTW: I purchased this ticket months ago.)

So I'll take the extra 20-50 points or whatever it works out to be. (I'd rather it be 2 million - but I don't want to be too greedy! :lol: ) I was planning on only 100 points, but with the summer bonus it is now 200 points - so I'll be happy with "only" 220 points!


----------



## Ispolkom

the_traveler said:


> I feel the same way!
> If I didn't have travel planned for that day anyway, I may not have "traveled to earn points".  But since I had already planned my trip to depart PDX on 8/20, and need to purchase a ticket for a segment that day, it works out for me! (BTW: I purchased this ticket months ago.)
> 
> So I'll take the extra 20-50 points or whatever it works out to be. (I'd rather it be 2 million - but I don't want to be too greedy! :lol: ) I was planning on only 100 points, but with the summer bonus it is now 200 points - so I'll be happy with "only" 220 points!


And didn't you save money anyway on this ticket because of the recent Empire Builder sale? You've got all the angles covered.


----------



## the_traveler

Yes! :lol: (Somebody has to do it - and the_traveler is happy to comply!  )


----------



## ScottC4746

Ispolkom said:


> When I saw this promo, I immediately started thinking about how I could use it. The problem is that I only have the Empire Builder to work with. I even came up with the route with the shortest layover, St. Paul-Staples-St. Paul. The problem is that train #7 leaves MSP at 11:15 p.m. and gets to Staples at 1:42 a.m. Train #8 reaches Staples at 4:09 a.m. and gets me back to St. Paul at 7:05 a.m.
> Hmm, more than two hours in Staples in the middle of the night when the only thing working is their one traffic light? For probably a few hundred AGR points? I'm too old for that stuff.
> 
> Now if I lived somewhere trains traveled more frequently...


I remember in the 80's I took Sunset from Houston to San Antonio and slept in the train station until the Sunset the other direction came through. I have a healthy respect for the homeless now...no fun sleeping on a bench.


----------



## The Metropolitan

Well, I'm booked #151 BAL-WAS on this thing, taking a loooooong detour on the way to work. I know my luck and probably would have not gotten my ticket lifted in time if I'd have only booked to BWI.

_"Uh, yeah, this is the Conductor, hold at the BWI platform, I'm calling the Police, got a man here thrusting a ticket in my face screaming something about bonus points!"_

Since it was only $2 more, it seemed like a nicer deviation, and since I have the power points stacked on top of a Triple points promo, I know it'll merit at least 425 points, plus whatever this promo's bonus winds up to be.

Sort of wanted to ride back on the B&O, but I just didn't feel like getting up extra early to get #67. Still time to change my mind.


----------



## RailFanLNK

I'm debating as well. For me to pull it off, I pretty much sleep from Lincoln to Hastings on the #5, have about 1 hr layover than flip around and sleep from HAS to LNK. The departure times are 12:08am from LNK and 2:42am in HAS. Arrive back to LNK at 4:42am and then possibly sleep in my car or drive home for two hours more sleep. I will go nuts if it ends up being worth 2000 points or more or at least something considerable, I will be PO'ed if its a measly 45 points or something like that. Then....remember, are we going to have to fight tooth and nail to get the dang points which seems to be more of the norm anymore than the abberation?


----------



## Bob Dylan

RailFanLNK said:


> I'm debating as well. For me to pull it off, I pretty much sleep from Lincoln to Hastings on the #5, have about 1 hr layover than flip around and sleep from HAS to LNK. The departure times are 12:08am from LNK and 2:42am in HAS. Arrive back to LNK at 4:42am and then possibly sleep in my car or drive home for two hours more sleep. I will go nuts if it ends up being worth 2000 points or more or at least something considerable, I will be PO'ed if its a measly 45 points or something like that. Then....remember, are we going to have to fight tooth and nail to get the dang points which seems to be more of the norm anymore than the abberation?


We lucky ones who have convient connections/short runs feel your pain as Bill Clinton said,and the fight tooth and nail for bonus points and the amount

that we end up with may be -50 if millions ride that day(theres this Nigerian Prince waiting to give you $$$$$ :lol: )but as the traveler says:

anyone train with me on it is a good train!If I were a betting man Id wager that you probably will decide to go since you are a member of AU and theres not much hope for us!!!LOL


----------



## Bob Dylan

ScottC4746 said:


> Ispolkom said:
> 
> 
> 
> When I saw this promo, I immediately started thinking about how I could use it. The problem is that I only have the Empire Builder to work with. I even came up with the route with the shortest layover, St. Paul-Staples-St. Paul. The problem is that train #7 leaves MSP at 11:15 p.m. and gets to Staples at 1:42 a.m. Train #8 reaches Staples at 4:09 a.m. and gets me back to St. Paul at 7:05 a.m.
> Hmm, more than two hours in Staples in the middle of the night when the only thing working is their one traffic light? For probably a few hundred AGR points? I'm too old for that stuff.
> 
> Now if I lived somewhere trains traveled more frequently...
> 
> 
> 
> I remember in the 80's I took Sunset from Houston to San Antonio and slept in the train station until the Sunset the other direction came through. I have a healthy respect for the homeless now...no fun sleeping on a bench.
Click to expand...

Well the old Sunset Station benches were much more comfortable than the seats in the "new" AMSHAK in SAS!Longest night of my life

was spent waiting on the TE in that place,as Bill Clinton says, "I feel your pain"-at least it wasnt Beaumont!!!! :lol:


----------



## RailFanLNK

My name is Al and .....I'm Amtrakholic!


----------



## DowneasterPassenger

It's interesting that they are going to reveal an important business number, which might otherwise be confidential information: the number of customers who take advantage of a one-day promotion. Whether there are 1000 of us or 20,000 or 2 million (doubtful), we are going to know the number! (Divide 2 million by the number of points we get). That is, unless they play around with the numbers, which there is plenty of time to do before the promised posting date.


----------



## transit54

SanJoaquinRider said:


> It's interesting that they are going to reveal an important business number, which might otherwise be confidential information: the number of customers who take advantage of a one-day promotion. Whether there are 1000 of us or 20,000 or 2 million (doubtful), we are going to know the number! (Divide 2 million by the number of points we get). That is, unless they play around with the numbers, which there is plenty of time to do before the promised posting date.


Well, I'd argue that the number isn't all that important, given the uniqueness and uncertainty of the promotion. Besides, I'd have to guess that such information is available via a Freedom of Information Act request to Amtrak, given that they're a public corporation.


----------



## ScottC4746

WhoozOn1st said:


> Just got the e-mail and registered for a share of the 2,000,000 AGR points Amtrak will be handing out for travel on 8-20-09. It says points will post by 10-1-09, and will not post with other points earned on that day.
> LINK


Actually I am taking a vacation day that day and then go FUL-LAX-FUL.


----------



## OlympianHiawatha

Happiness is walking down to the mailbox and finding an Amtrak envelope with train tickets in it, in this case the ones for my 20 AUG run


----------



## the_traveler

My name is Dave ... and I'm an Amtrakholic.

I've heard there may be a cure in PDX or LAX or CHI or BHM or SAS or DEN or ABQ or BOS or WAS or SAC or ...! So I must keep riding to them until I find it! :lol: (I hope I never do!  )


----------



## AAARGH!

the_traveler said:


> My name is Dave ... and I'm an Amtrakholic.


Hi Daaaaaave.......


----------



## Bob Dylan

the_traveler said:


> My name is Dave ... and I'm an Amtrakholic.
> I've heard there may be a cure in PDX or LAX or CHI or BHM or SAS or DEN or ABQ or BOS or WAS or SAC or ...! So I must keep riding to them until I find it! :lol: (I hope I never do!  )


Since AA is already take, guess were AUers!!!Im also an Amtrakholic,will keep riding until Im cured,which as Mark Twain said is:

"The ideal life is to run out of breath and money at the same instant!"Hope when my time to go arrives(and it will,just not till after

8/20 please! :lol: )that it's in a bedroom on the EB or CZ or CS or even,gasp,coach on a milk run to one of the Amshaks weve

seen pics of on this forum!What a way to go!(Do funeral homes give points if you use the AGR MC? :lol: :lol: :lol: )


----------



## Upstate

jimhudson said:


> Since AA is already take, guess were AUers!!!Im also an Amtrakholic,will keep riding until Im cured,which as Mark Twain said is:"The ideal life is to run out of breath and money at the same instant!"Hope when my time to go arrives(and it will,just not till after8/20 please! :lol: )that it's in a bedroom on the EB or CZ or CS or even,gasp,coach on a milk run to one of the Amshaks weveseen pics of on this forum!What a way to go!(Do funeral homes give points if you use the AGR MC? :lol: :lol: :lol: )


Umm, yeah, please hold off on those death wishes until you get to the Amshack. I really don't want to ever occupy a sleeper that someone died in. That would be kind of creepy.


----------



## the_traveler

jimhudson said:


> The ideal life is to run out of breath and money at the same instant!


What's this "money" thing I keep hearing about? :huh:

I just keep using the AGR MC to get points. :lol: Do they actually expect you to *pay* for these purchases with this "money"? :huh:


----------



## Ryan

The Metropolitan said:


> Sort of wanted to ride back on the B&O, but I just didn't feel like getting up extra early to get #67. Still time to change my mind.


I'll be on 67 that morning, taking a bit of a detour on the way to work as well.


----------



## alanh

I'm going -- TUS-MRC. A friend will drop me in Tucson and meet me in Maricopa.


----------



## The Metropolitan

HokieNav said:


> The Metropolitan said:
> 
> 
> 
> Sort of wanted to ride back on the B&O, but I just didn't feel like getting up extra early to get #67. Still time to change my mind.
> 
> 
> 
> I'll be on 67 that morning, taking a bit of a detour on the way to work as well.
Click to expand...

I booked a ressie on #67 as well, and am going to shoot for that, at which point I'd cancel the one on #151. I could come back on the "Marcela Express" train #406, but it's been a year since I've ridden Camden, so that'll be my aim.


----------



## Bill Haithcoat

Well,I am going from Atlanta to Birmingham and back on 8/20. Hope there are no freight derailments this time, but if they are, I will consider staying with the train.


----------



## Upstate

I guess I will roll the dice. Charlotte to Salisbury and back on the evening round trip for $14.40 AAA Gives me an excuse to give the Piedmont a try if only for 43 minutes


----------



## jack615

I am going to be on the rails Thursday as well, going to be doing a round trip from Boston to Providence down on the Acela and then back on a regional, not that long of a trip, but easy way to get some points plus the bonus ones ill be getting out of this promotion.

Jack


----------



## AAARGH!

I'm doing a nice loop, starting on the 20th in Pittsburgh. I'll take the Capital Limited to WAS and a Regional to BWI. The next day I will take another Regional from BWI to Philadelphia where I will pick up the Penny back to Pittsburgh.

Add three different motel stays at three different Wyndham brands, and I'll get an additional 10,000 points beyond the regular points, AGR Select bonus points, Summer Power Points AND the 2MM points!!!!!! Woo Hoo!


----------



## rrdude

I dunno, looking for some input from you experts......... Only thing I can really swing is BWI - Balt/Penn RT, and at $30.00 (too late to book with NARP or AAA rate 

What do you all think, is it worth it?


----------



## ALC Rail Writer

rrdude said:


> I dunno, looking for some input from you experts......... Only thing I can really swing is BWI - Balt/Penn RT, and at $30.00 (too late to book with NARP or AAA rate
> What do you all think, is it worth it?


You're paying $30 for 100 rail points, 100 Summer points and at most another 100 or so 2MM points. That is 10 points for every dollar. When you go to use those points you had better get more than 10¢ per point.

Of course its like the lottery, we could all be horribly wrong in our calculations and you could get 3,000 2MM points,


----------



## Rumpled

rrdude said:


> I dunno, looking for some input from you experts......... Only thing I can really swing is BWI - Balt/Penn RT, and at $30.00 (too late to book with NARP or AAA rate
> What do you all think, is it worth it?


I'm no expert, and you get to decide if it's worth it.

But you'd get 100 points each way; plus the summer bonus (you are registered for that, right?) another 100 points each way and I'm guessing about 50-200 points for this promotion.

So that's at most about 6.7 cents per point. Can you make it a worthwhile trip, grab a meal?

That's what I'm doing - I should do better than 3.2 cents per point.

The standard 2 points per dollar works out to 50 cents per point earned. You'll beat that nearly 10 fold.


----------



## Rumpled

ALC (posted just when I did) rrdude is talking RT; so he can nearly double his points and halve his cost per point.


----------



## rrdude

You all are right, it might be a little "high", but then again it will force me to take an afternoon off, and do a little "pure" train watching, I haven't done THAT in literally decades.

DONE DEAL! Ya talked me into it!


----------



## rrdude

kk, we'll see what haps. Paid $30.00 for it using the AMTRAK MC, already registered for the 2MM Promo, and the Summer Promo. Should be interesting........

Check my math guys: 30 for using the AMTRAK MasterCard

100 for coach travel BWI-Balt Penn

100 for coach travel Balt Penn - BWI

300 for Northeast Regional (this is one time right, not each leg of the trip?)

estimated 200 for 2MM promotion

-----

730 (if 2MM promo is accurate) ??? Am I missing something?


----------



## Upstate

rrdude said:


> kk, we'll see what haps. Paid $30.00 for it using the AMTRAK MC, already registered for the 2MM Promo, and the Summer Promo. Should be interesting........
> Check my math guys: 30 for using the AMTRAK MasterCard
> 
> 100 for coach travel BWI-Balt Penn
> 
> 100 for coach travel Balt Penn - BWI
> 
> 300 for Northeast Regional (this is one time right, not each leg of the trip?)
> 
> estimated 200 for 2MM promotion
> 
> -----
> 
> 730 (if 2MM promo is accurate) ??? Am I missing something?


The Amtrak MC gives 2 points per dollar spent on Amtrak so it would be 60.

You wouldn't get the 300 for the NE Regional.

From the T&C of this promotion:



> Northeast Regional travel must be a minimum of $35 per qualifying trip one-way or $70 per roundtrip.


You would get the 100 bonus for coach on the summer promotion for each ticket.


----------



## the_traveler

So you would get

100 + 100 for BAL-BWI

100 + 100 for BWI-BAL

60 for using the CC

plus whatever the lottery will give us from the 2MM

So, you'll earn at least 460 points for your $30!


----------



## ALC Rail Writer

Upstate said:


> From the T&C of this promotion:
> 
> 
> 
> Northeast Regional travel must be a minimum of $35 per qualifying trip one-way or $70 per roundtrip.
> 
> 
> 
> You would get the 100 bonus for coach on the summer promotion for each ticket.
Click to expand...

They obviously had people taking short trips in mind.


----------



## RTOlson

Trainmans daughter said:


> The problem is that the Capitol is non-reserved, so I'll just have to show up at the Chico bus, give the driver my ID, buy my round-trip ticket in Sac, and hope that I get credited with my AGR points.
> Does anyone see a problem with this?


I don't think there will be a problem -- as long as the ticket clerk adds your AGR number to your ticket. I think as long as the AGR number is added before you pick up your tickets, it will be handled routinely.

I'm planning on traveling out of Chico on Thursday too. Unfortunately, the bus doesn't quite work out for me so I'm going to drive to Sacramento and do what I'm calling a NorCal Triangle™ ...

- SAC to Stockton ACE Station (SKT) aboard southbound San Joaquin

- Walk to the other Stockton station (SKN)

- SKN to Martinez (MTZ) aboard northbound San Joaquin

- MTZ back to SAC aboard Capitol Corridor

Three legs + three hours aboard a train = $34.50

For that $34.50, I'll receive a minimum of 500 points plus whatever comes from the 2M promotion.

200 (leg 1) + 200 (leg 2) + 100 (leg 3, which falls outside of summer bonus)

I'll also get to travel between Sacramento, Stockton and Martinez by rail, which is new for me. Plus, I'll be able to double-check the San Joaquin menu which has been a topic of discussion. I'll also be able to check out Martinez and the Lincoln Bicentennial exhibit in Sacramento.

I'm looking forward to Thursday.


----------



## rrdude

Opps, forgot about the 2 points per dollar spread. Man, I HATE reading the fine print on these promos, but I guess that's the only way.........Grrrrrrrrr

I guess 460+ is what I'm getting, plus a few hours of "Forced" train-watching..........

Really we should "take side bets" on what the actual allocation of the 2MM will be. Closest to the actual (in the spirit of "The Price Is Right" game show) WITHOUT going over wins........ a kewpie doll, and our admiration.......

I'm guessing it will be 387 miles


----------



## Ryan

ALC_Rail_Writer said:


> Upstate said:
> 
> 
> 
> From the T&C of this promotion:
> 
> 
> 
> Northeast Regional travel must be a minimum of $35 per qualifying trip one-way or $70 per roundtrip.
> 
> 
> 
> You would get the 100 bonus for coach on the summer promotion for each ticket.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> They obviously had people taking short trips in mind.
Click to expand...

Crap, I never noticed that - I've been doing short trips last week and this week with the bigger bonus in mind. Still, 200 points for 12 or 18 bucks isn't that bad a gig, and the real point is to get over the top on select (I'm getting close!).


----------



## jis

The bonus points do not count towards Select qualification. Only base travel points count towards that.


----------



## Cascadia

I booked Bellingham to Mount Vernon Washington and return, a couple of weeks ago for tomorrow's promotion. It lets you book that as a round trip even though the time between trains is about ten minutes.

I think I will cancel it though, I'd have to be out catching a bus at 8:00 a.m, taking the chance on missing the return train and taking a bus back much later, and then I have to be at work at noon. Sounds like too much of a scramble in the morning to be fun.

I don't have a clue how much the promotion points will be, the trip would cost me 18.00, when I get a bug to do this I should do the "buy points" math again, I did it before and it compared favorably.

Most likely if I don't cancel this I will wake up tomorrow saying to myself "What was I thinking?"

lol.

It's really scenic between here and Mount Vernon for that little half hour trip though! The train goes at the base of a cliff by the water almost the whole way, and you look out into islands that are like a wilderness.


----------



## Steve4031

Well . . . you can add me to the mix. I am making a run down to st. Louis and back in BC on the Lincoln service. Leave Chicago on the first train out, and get back on the last train back. LOL


----------



## the_traveler

rrdude said:


> Really we should "take side bets" on what the actual allocation of the 2MM will be. Closest to the actual (in the spirit of "The Price Is Right" game show) WITHOUT going over wins........ a kewpie doll, and our admiration.......
> I'm guessing it will be 387 miles


I'll go 388 then!


----------



## Explore

Seems likely you could use a pre-existing valid ticket for an unreserved train (e.g. the Capitols), containing your AGR number of course, and it would be coded with the travel date and entered into the promotion. Am I missing something?


----------



## Bob Dylan

the_traveler said:


> rrdude said:
> 
> 
> 
> Really we should "take side bets" on what the actual allocation of the 2MM will be. Closest to the actual (in the spirit of "The Price Is Right" game show) WITHOUT going over wins........ a kewpie doll, and our admiration.......
> I'm guessing it will be 387 miles
> 
> 
> 
> I'll go 388 then!
Click to expand...

Me Ill take the under @ 200 and hope Im wrong! :lol: I didnt realize you NEC folks were getting shorted by the rules,that is interesting but then yall have so many more trains and the Acela too!Hope everyone enjoys their trips and we're all low on our guesstimations!As an aside I had lots of overdue points posted today so the AGR staff must be back from resting up from posting all of the travelers mucho bonus points!


----------



## alanh

199! (just kidding)

Actually, I'm going to go low and say 82.


----------



## rrdude

Sooooooo, about 24,000 AGR pax, that reg'd for the promo, riding that day, that's what you are guessing? 2,000,000/82 = 24,390 is my math right?


----------



## transit54

198.

Though if I get anything more than 40 I'll be happy.


----------



## The Metropolitan

I'm more optimistic - thinking 450


----------



## RTOlson

I'm going to say 170.

It's a weird estimate based on total annual Amtrak passengers compared against the supposed 2 millionth AGR member, total number of corridor passengers (NEC and California service), the posted estimate of daily passengers.


----------



## OlympianHiawatha

2 MILLION!

Weather and mechanical problems will cancel every train on the 20th EXCEPT the *Heartland Flyer *where I'll be nested comfortably in Coach


----------



## Ryan

I'll go big: 500.


----------



## DowneasterPassenger

I took a quick trip on the San Joaquin line today, and had a chance to chat with 2 different ticket agents and 2 conductors. I asked all of them the same question, "Do you know what tomorrow is?" No, they all said. I explained that it was 2 million points day. My LSA friend didn't even know what "AGR" stood for. It seems like the folks in this forum know way more about AGR than most Amtrak employees do.

I guess 279 points.


----------



## Cascadia

My points run, which I booked a couple of weeks ago and figured I would cancel, just took on an interesting twist! Tomorrow morning when I get on the southbound Cascades, it will be the first day of the morning run coming from Vancouver in the new extended service which is spending the night in Vancouver BC tonight for the first time!

So, I am glad I saw that last minute news posted in the forum here tonight. I am sure I would have cancelled this morning scramble otherwise. The weather is perfect though, the scenery is spectacular, I will probably see some crew members I know, and it sounds like fun to ride that train for one half hour between here and Mount Vernon for the points.

What the heck I have meant to do this for a long time, and now I it will be doubly interesting to ride the new service on its first day. 

Edited to add: in a sign that this was meant to be, as soon as I posted this, I heard the northbound train coming through town in its first run to Vancouver BC! You can really tell the difference between the Amtrak Talgo whistle and the regular freight whistle.


----------



## saxman

So they say 24,000 folks have registered for the promotion. But you can't bet on every one of those to take a trip. Some may have changed plans or will simply forget about it. Others just probably register for every promotion.

And no one seems to be listening to me. I mean, do you really think its worth it to ride the train tomorrow just for measley points?? I mean the fewer the better right?? You could all be doing something better like visiting Amtrak Unlimited tomorrow. :lol:

Oh and my guess is 133.


----------



## rtabern

I think it's an awesome promotion... sorta like playing the lottery where you don't know how many points you're going to get. I'm hoping that 1,000,000 people don't ride and we get like 2 points a piece... but I think it's a fun way of doing a promotion and will get me to atleast do a ride for points from atleast Milwaukee Airport to Milwaukee Downtown and back tomorrow night.


----------



## The Metropolitan

Well, I'm up for this ramble to DC on #67. Craziness.


----------



## Ryan

The Metropolitan said:


> Well, I'm up for this ramble to DC on #67. Craziness.


Hey, save me a seat! Gotta grab a shower and get over to BWI! 

Where did the 24,000 come from? That's only 83 points a head, so if that's right, I'll bet your guess is a good one.


----------



## The Metropolitan

HokieNav said:


> The Metropolitan said:
> 
> 
> 
> Well, I'm up for this ramble to DC on #67. Craziness.
> 
> 
> 
> Hey, save me a seat! Gotta grab a shower and get over to BWI!
> 
> Where did the 24,000 come from? That's only 83 points a head, so if that's right, I'll bet your guess is a good one.
Click to expand...

I'll have on a red polo, grey slacks, and a bright yellow messenger bag if you should see me.


----------



## mucomix

And therrrre off!! A rat race for AGR points.


----------



## Bob Dylan

mucomix said:


> And therrrre off!! A rat race for AGR points.


So the big day is finally here,everyone is gearing up for the ride,and except for the traveler :lol: ,no-one is really thinking about points right?

Me,Im ready to leave for the station and the train hasnt even left San Antonio yet!  Hope everyone has a great trip,looking forward to all the reports,

true or not :lol: ,and hope about half those that registered changed their mind so the points go higher!!!!!


----------



## Ryan

mucomix said:


> And therrrre off!! A rat race for AGR points.


Yep! I can confirm that The Metropolitan, Amy and I all got our points for the day!


----------



## jis

My trip is in the evening. Got a heavy work day before that to go through.

As for thinking about points, not thinking much about it. It was a good excuse to get on a train again, as if one needs one. But once on the mission I will probably not even bother checking what points I got out of it.


----------



## OlympianHiawatha

I'm putting my shoes on this very moment ready to swing over to the NOR station and begin my "lunch/Points run" to DAL, giving me not only Amtrak time but my first rides on the TRE as well. And that funky Disney Train is supposed to be wandering through here sometime today as well.


----------



## WhoozOn1st

Yes, fellow passengers and points chasers, the Big Day has arrived. Locally that means Pacific Surfliner 799, OXN-VEC, for my eventual alloted take of the two million big ones. While this 14-minute jaunt may not *quite* compare with, say, saxman66' recent 4-corners national Odyssey, I still believe it calls for a major modern multi-media extravaganza trip report. What? You don't THINK so?? Luddite.


----------



## The Metropolitan

HokieNav said:


> mucomix said:
> 
> 
> 
> And therrrre off!! A rat race for AGR points.
> 
> 
> 
> Yep! I can confirm that The Metropolitan, Amy and I all got our points for the day!
Click to expand...

Meeting up with you guys was probably the best part of the trip. I spent the entire bus ride to Penn Station on pins and needles that I'd get there in enough time to print my ticket and make the train (got there at 606a, just 5 mins to spare and the train was already berthed in the station.) Then came the search for a seat that didn't have someone sprawled across the entire pair knocked out asleep. After squeaking into a aisle seat, finally was the gnawing doubt that I'd even get my ticket lifted (thankfully I didn't do the short hop of BAL-BWI) as I didn't see any sign of a conductor until after we left BWI. So all in all, it was not really a pleasure ride in the usual sense.

After meeting you guys, I got some sugary breakfast from Au Bon Pain in Union Station and got the 8:05am Camden train back to Bmore to get to work. Interesting when a commuter train ride is several times cozier than one on Amtrak!


----------



## Long Train Runnin'

saxman66 said:


> So they say 24,000 folks have registered for the promotion. But you can't bet on every one of those to take a trip. Some may have changed plans or will simply forget about it. Others just probably register for every promotion.
> And no one seems to be listening to me. I mean, do you really think its worth it to ride the train tomorrow just for measley points?? I mean the fewer the better right?? You could all be doing something better like visiting Amtrak Unlimited tomorrow. :lol:
> 
> Oh and my guess is 133.


Well I wish everyone the best on their points run today! I for one Saxman am registered, but won't be taking a trip on Amtrak. Enjoy my slice of the pie I bet its 97 points.


----------



## rrdude

Off to BWI for # 186, "Hey Mr. Conductor, 'punch my ticket...........puhleeze!........"


----------



## chuljin

WhoozOn1st said:


> Yes, fellow passengers and points chasers, the Big Day has arrived. Locally that means Pacific Surfliner 799, OXN-VEC, for my eventual alloted take of the two million big ones. While this 14-minute jaunt may not *quite* compare with, say, saxman66' recent 4-corners national Odyssey, I still believe it calls for a major modern multi-media extravaganza trip report. What? You don't THINK so?? Luddite.


*nod* For my own part, I'll be taking the same $3.15, 13-minute trip home from work on 785 that I always do, and just see what we get.

Watch, AGR will say that all members registered for the promo, including the said 2,000,000th member, and they all traveled today. 1 point.


----------



## Rumpled

So, those who've already ridden today - did you sense mor pax or not?


----------



## Cascadia

I did my run and it was a quick one! Got on the 513 southbound at Bellingham at about 8:45, it was running a little late. It was looking dicey to catch the 510 northbound back in Mount Vernon, but luckily it was running late too and was waiting for us to pass when we got down there. So it was no problem hopping off the one train and onto the other.

Really it was a fun thing to do and I might not have done it except it was the first run of the 513 coming from Vancouver BC instead of Bellingham. Last night was the first night it stayed overnight in Canada. So that made it kind of neat!

Very short trip only 1/2 hour down and 1/2 hour back, but the train goes along the water almost all the way there and is really beautiful. I enjoyed my trip. The Bellingham ticket agent told me a bunch of Amtrak higher-ups rode to Canada on the inaugural run last night and stayed up there. I think she thought they would come back down on this train but the conductor told me they stayed up in Canada for a couple of days.

Pretty neat to have an expansion of service! Especially one that comes in so handy for me personally 

I really doubt if there was anyone else on the train who was riding for points, but hey you never know.


----------



## alanh

I'm lowballing (83) based on the assumptions (a) most riders are regular NEC riders, and (b) many of the regulars are registered for AGR. The wildcard is © how many registered for the promotion. AGR members who opted out of emails and haven't checked the web site recently may not be aware of it.

25 points would be the rock bottom, assuming everyone who rides is in AGR and registered for the promtion.


----------



## Shanghai

I just got home from my NYP - PHL - NYP trip. Both trains were crowded. I tried to change my return trip from 11:45am to 10:55am but was told by the agent that the 10:55am was sold out. Someone is riding the trains!!

It will be interesting to see how many AU'ers rode the train today.


----------



## MrFSS

I haven't gone back and looked at the details of the promotion. When will everyone find out how many points they will receive?

Maybe we should have a pool on what everyone thinks they will get.


----------



## ALC Rail Writer

I'll enter a low-ball prediction of 78 points per member.


----------



## alanh

T&C for the record:



> Must be an Amtrak Guest Rewards member and register for this promotion online or by calling 1-800-307-5000 (option 2) using registration code 81009. Qualifying Amtrak travel must be taken on August 20, 2009 and the reservation must include your Amtrak Guest Rewards membership number. Redemption travel does not qualify for this promotion.
> The share of two million points will be determined based on the total number of Amtrak Guest Rewards members registered for this promotion with travel on August 20, 2009, regardless of the number of trips taken by each member that day. The share of two million points is in addition to regular Amtrak travel points or any other promotional bonus points you may qualify for on August 20, 2009. These bonus points will post separately to your Amtrak Guest Rewards account by October 1, 2009, and will not post at the time of your Amtrak travel points or promotional bonus points earned on August 20, 2009.


So it may not be until Oct 1 we find out how we did.


----------



## ALC Rail Writer

Well it wouldn't be out of character for AGR to send an email saying "thank you all xx,xxx who participated in our event..." then dropping a promo for the Mastercard.


----------



## rrdude

MrFSS said:


> I haven't gone back and looked at the details of the promotion. When will everyone find out how many points they will receive?
> Maybe we should have a pool on what everyone thinks they will get.


Pools been started, Jump in B4 it's too late!


----------



## rrdude

Oh btw, i did my BWI/Balt-Penn RT, and actually DID run into a couple of dads, with kids in tow, (kids rode free too, DAMN! why didn't I think of THAT) and they mentioned the promo to me in passing.

Also got to witness a pigeon "evaporate" as it somehow cause an arc between two wires on the light-rail catenary. BOOM! Nothing but dust! Even Amtrak's RR police came hustling out to see what's up.

Learned my lesson thou, if I'd booked earlier, I coulda saved a few bucks on one of the rail fares (12 v 18) and gotten my NAPR or AAA discount (10%) No Biggie. Did find a nice place for lunch though.


----------



## Long Train Runnin'

ALC_Rail_Writer said:


> Well it wouldn't be out of character for AGR to send an email saying "thank you all xx,xxx who participated in our event..." then dropping a promo for the Mastercard.


:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: They dont need a reason to send out another reminder to get the master card. Those offers get so tiresome especially since even if I wanted one I doubt Chase is going to hand a 17 year old a line of credit.


----------



## Dovecote

Shanghai said:


> I just got home from my NYP - PHL - NYP trip. Both trains were crowded. I tried to change my return trip from 11:45am to 10:55am but was told by the agent that the 10:55am was sold out. Someone is riding the trains!!
> It will be interesting to see how many AU'ers rode the train today.



I rode the train today from WAS>NYP on #184. Utilized the two week pay in advance promotion price of $49. Fortunately for me it was the same day of the AGR promotion. The crowd on the train was decent size to PHL but sparse for the remainder of the trip. Was able to sit by myself for the entire trip.


----------



## ALC Rail Writer

Long Train Runnin said:


> ALC_Rail_Writer said:
> 
> 
> 
> Well it wouldn't be out of character for AGR to send an email saying "thank you all xx,xxx who participated in our event..." then dropping a promo for the Mastercard.
> 
> 
> 
> :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: They dont need a reason to send out another reminder to get the master card. Those offers get so tiresome especially since even if I wanted one I doubt Chase is going to hand a 17 year old a line of credit.
Click to expand...

They don't even hand me a line of credit.


----------



## saxman

Well I headed down to Dallas Union Station to ride the Texas Eagle to Fort Worth. There were two other guys doing the same thing as I. I missed OlympianHiawatha. I saw your post about coming from Norman and riding the TRE. Too bad I didn't see your post earlier to catch you in FTW.


----------



## DowneasterPassenger

I took a quick one-stop round-trip on the SJ line. Train 714 was carrying one of those refurbished Superliners discussed in another thread (as well as this thread), and it definitely has no ADA restroom. It is #31934 and called "Cedar Grove".

I met one other person who was riding for points. My LSA buddy said that the ridership seemed higher than normal today (maybe 200 instead of the usual 130). The ticket agent didn't know about the 2M Points Day, but when I returned he said one other person had asked him to double-check the AGR number so she would be sure to get her points.

So there's anywhere from 2 to 70 people riding for points on one SJ train today. Suppose it was around the average of those numbers, 36. Amtrak runs 300 trains per day. Assuming the SJ is an average sample of all trains, 36 * 300 people or around 10,000 took advantage of the offer. So we'll see 200 points each. :lol:


----------



## Bob Dylan

My trip today from AUS-TPL-AUS on the Eagles had a higher than normal pax load but lots were kids with their parents

getting in rides before school starts!The agent told me when I picked up my ticket that I was the only one boarding with a ticket that he saw that was an AGR member!Hopefully only AU members rode today so the points go up,up and away!

(they oughta write a song right Eric?)I voted in the poll,100-200 seems about right unless the traveler has figured out a way to get them all!!!LOL


----------



## OlympianHiawatha

saxman66 said:


> Well I headed down to Dallas Union Station to ride the Texas Eagle to Fort Worth. There were two other guys doing the same thing as I. I missed OlympianHiawatha. I saw your post about coming from Norman and riding the TRE. Too bad I didn't see your post earlier to catch you in FTW.


I watched your *Eagle* pull into FTW and had time to walk it before having to get onto the TRE side. I was the Longhair wearing the *Texas Eagle *shirt. Also got to catch a look at the northbound *Eagle* at DAL and as a bonus saw the Disney Train a few minutes after leaving Norman this morning. All in all a good train day!


----------



## NJCoastExp

Took 148 from MET to NRO. Had about 70 % load. I know at least one more person was on board in BC from NYP to NRO taking advantage of the promo.


----------



## transit54

I was the only one getting on in Waterbury this evening (no surprise there) though a surprising number of people got off there (maybe 10 - I figure usually only 4 or 5 do on a weekday). Essex Jct has 27 people getting off, which I thought was high for a Thursday. Fridays and Sundays usually do about 30-50, though the record is about 170, most of whom where students coming back from vacation. No idea how many were taking advantage of the promotion, but in past experience there's not a lot of AGR members in Vermont, and those I've met don't follow the program too closely. Keeping my fingers crossed for a decent number of points...


----------



## AlanB

NJCoastExp said:


> Took 148 from MET to NRO. Had about 70 % load. I know at least one more person was on board in BC from NYP to NRO taking advantage of the promo.


And I was that "other" person. BC was basically empty, probably 10 people at most.

Biggest problem however was that 148 was late, causing us to just miss our intended ride back to NYC. It was pulling away from the southbound platformas we walked down the northbound platform. 

I think that we deserve extra bonus points for that.


----------



## WhoozOn1st

My promo points run on Surfliner 799 went as planned. Only the second time I've been aboard (other time was when chuljin gave the dome heads-up and I scrambled to ride), so don't know if passenger load was any more than a typical weekday (dome ride was a packed Sunday train). I was the only OXN-VEC passenger, though - meaning only one who boarded at OXN then detrained at VEC.

Long as I was at the Ventura platform I walked up the line a bit to get this video about 20 minutes after alighting:


----------



## mucomix

We just got home from our points run KC to Hermann MO and back. Some good wine to be had in Hermann. I think we brought back 14 bottles.


----------



## saxman

OlympianHiawatha said:


> saxman66 said:
> 
> 
> 
> Well I headed down to Dallas Union Station to ride the Texas Eagle to Fort Worth. There were two other guys doing the same thing as I. I missed OlympianHiawatha. I saw your post about coming from Norman and riding the TRE. Too bad I didn't see your post earlier to catch you in FTW.
> 
> 
> 
> I watched your *Eagle* pull into FTW and had time to walk it before having to get onto the TRE side. I was the Longhair wearing the *Texas Eagle *shirt. Also got to catch a look at the northbound *Eagle* at DAL and as a bonus saw the Disney Train a few minutes after leaving Norman this morning. All in all a good train day!
Click to expand...

I don't remember seeing you, but I got off the Eagle and went right over to the station. Did you board the 1:30 TRE to Dallas? I was riding the front car with a couple other rail fans. I didn't wait around the north (east) bound Eagle because I've already seen in a few dozen times. I just went home from DAL in the car.


----------



## alanh

I'm at TUS now. #1 just pulled into Tucson, way early (9:45 pm, scheduled for 10:50 pm).


----------



## OlympianHiawatha

saxman66 said:


> OlympianHiawatha said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> saxman66 said:
> 
> 
> 
> Well I headed down to Dallas Union Station to ride the Texas Eagle to Fort Worth. There were two other guys doing the same thing as I. I missed OlympianHiawatha. I saw your post about coming from Norman and riding the TRE. Too bad I didn't see your post earlier to catch you in FTW.
> 
> 
> 
> I watched your *Eagle* pull into FTW and had time to walk it before having to get onto the TRE side. I was the Longhair wearing the *Texas Eagle *shirt. Also got to catch a look at the northbound *Eagle* at DAL and as a bonus saw the Disney Train a few minutes after leaving Norman this morning. All in all a good train day!
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I don't remember seeing you, but I got off the Eagle and went right over to the station. Did you board the 1:30 TRE to Dallas? I was riding the front car with a couple other rail fans. I didn't wait around the north (east) bound Eagle because I've already seen in a few dozen times. I just went home from DAL in the car.
Click to expand...

I was on the 1:30 but in car 3, hoping to avoid a HUGE group of kids on some kind of outing; I thought they were headed into car 1, but as my luck had it, as soon as I settled in upstairs, here they came! I then caught the 3:55 back to FTW and hopped right over to the *Heartland Flyer *for the run back to Norman.


----------



## rrdude

mucomix said:


> We just got home from our points run KC to Hermann MO and back. Some good wine to be had in Hermann. I think we brought back 14 bottles.


You got MY VOTE for the BEST AGR POINTS RUN of the day!


----------



## jis

AlanB said:


> Biggest problem however was that 148 was late, causing us to just miss our intended ride back to NYC. It was pulling away from the southbound platformas we walked down the northbound platform.
> I think that we deserve extra bonus points for that.


First, you abandon Amtrak for your ride back and then you expect more bonus points from Amtrak for doing so? Sheesh :blink: :lol:

Well I am just guessing that your ride back was Metro North since if it was Amtrak your Southbound would leave from the same platform, most likely the other track as the one that you arrived on at NOR.


----------



## jis

I did my jaunt to Harrisburg. The more I ride it the more I love the Keystone Service. The trains are fast, clean, convenient and frequent, and not as expensive as some of the other Amtrak service around New York. On the minus side the NYP - HAR Keystones are probably one of the longest Amtrak runs with no food service. But then on the plus side the Pennsylvania Dutch Country has a charm of its own that has grown on me. And on what other service do you occasionally pass by a living and breathing Steam Train as the Keystones do at Leaman Place/Paradise when the Strasburg Railroad Steam Train happens to be in town, and that happens at least half a dozen times a day ... i.e. the steam train is in town at Paradise.

Anyway, I took the 4:20pm out of Newark getting into Harrisburg at 7:20pm. A quick snack at Harrisburg and then onto the 8:15pm departure to Philly arriving at 9:55. Dinner at 30th St and then onto a Regional at 10:45 headed back to Newark. Lots of 125mph running on the NEC and 110mph running between Paoli and Harrisburg. Had a perfect late afternoon/evening.

The rebuilt high speed track 2 on the NEC is in perfect condition in NJ. Now they are working on re-laying track 3 starting from the Newark end. They are at or around Lane interlocking this week.


----------



## PRR 60

My updated prediction:


Average daily Amtrak boardings: 70,000

Estimated individual Amtrak passengers each day: 70,000 / 2 = 35,000 (figure an average of a round trip each)

Estimated percentage of passengers who are AGR members: 30% (pure guess)

Estimated number of AGR passengers each day: 30% of 35,000 = 10,000 (more or less)

Estimated bump from promotion: say 2,000 passengers (another pure guess)

Estimated AGR passengers on August 20: 12,000

Per passenger point distribution: 2,000,000 / 12,000 = 200 (more or less)

Including some margin for error, I figure each AGR member who took a ride on August 20 will get between 100 and 300 bonus points for their effort. I know excactly what I will get - zero. I had no time to take even a short trip on August 20. That's more points for everyone else.


----------



## chuljin

LAX-GDL on 785 (as I do every day).

When I boarded my usual car 2, it *seemed* slightly more crowded than normal, so I sat in seat 61 instead of my usual seat 33.

Not sure if the crowding was due more to an actual acute increase in ridership, or the fact that I met our own *BlueJeanGirl* on the platform, and chatted with her until some 3 minutes before departure.


----------



## Shanghai

I developed my estimate in a similar manner as did PRR 60, except I felt less than one-half of the riders would take a round trip on the same day, plus I didn't

"bump-up" extra passengers. My estimate was 300 points per participant. We will need to be patient until October to find out the correct amount.

Also, to jis, I also love that Keystone service between Philadelphia and Harrisburg. We have relatives in Lancaster and we usually take the train when we visit.

I like the mountains on the north side and the well kept farms and fields to the south as the train speeds through the countryside. We like the Pennsylvanian

best as it has business class and a snack bar.


----------



## Rumpled

My own ride was IRV-SNA and the conductor (or whatever the actual title is; LSA?) asked if I was riding to get the bonus today. I said yes and she commented that I was the fourth person that day riding only one stop to get the bonus.

She was pretty friendly and having a good time.

Wandered around the Santa Ana station which I hadn't been inside of for about 15 years for awhile. Then I hopped a Metrolink back to my car. Had the 785 been on time; I might have taken the 784 back, but I missed it.

Looks like chuljin and I were on the same train; just at different stations.


----------



## chuljin

Rumpled said:


> My own ride was IRV-SNA and the conductor (or whatever the actual title is; LSA?) asked if I was riding to get the bonus today. I said yes and she commented that I was the fourth person that day riding only one stop to get the bonus.She was pretty friendly and having a good time.
> 
> Wandered around the Santa Ana station which I hadn't been inside of for about 15 years for awhile. Then I hopped a Metrolink back to my car. Had the 785 been on time; I might have taken the 784 back, but I missed it.
> 
> Looks like chuljin and I were on the same train; just at different stations.


Indeed. And the friendly conductor would have been our (AU's) own *BlueJeanGirl*. 

(Strictly speaking, Assistant Conductor...If you'd stayed on until LAX, the Conductor is the guy you'd hear talking about tapdancing and handstands on the platform, and naming every station and thruway stop in California. The LSA is the person in charge of the Cafe.)


----------



## Rumpled

I was going to ask her if that was her (BJG) - but I passed.

The blonde, right?


----------



## JSmith

I did a short round-trip between Niagara Falls and Buffalo-Exchange St. The Maple Leaf was sold out, but I don't think that's too unusual, so I don't think that it more crowded than usual because of AGR members (most of the passengers were international travelers going from either Toronto or Niagara Falls to New York City). The ticket agents at both stations didn't seem to be too aware of the promotion (e.g., the Buffalo agent asked if I was heading to Niagara Falls to gamble at the casino).

When I was getting off the train at Exchange St, there was a Catholic priest boarding who told the conductor he was only going one stop up to Buffalo-Depew. I can't think of ANY reason to do that except just to ride the train, so I'm guessing he is an AGR member!

I would doubt that anywhere near 30% of Amtrak riders each day are AGR members. Maybe for business commuters on the corridors, but for the system as a whole, I doubt it. I think most leisure and occasional travelers probably haven't even heard of the program, let alone care to sign up. I was thinking more like 5% overall, but maybe I'm misjudging the distribution of business vs leisure travelers on Amtrak, since I don't live in the Northeast Corridor.


----------



## chuljin

Rumpled said:


> I was going to ask her if that was her (BJG) - but I passed.The blonde, right?


Oh! Perhaps not, then. I thought perhaps she was the only Lady conductor on that run. She is very friendly (not just 'pretty' friendly  ) and has a good time, and is otherwise as you describe, but is not blonde.


----------



## RTOlson

JSmith said:


> I would doubt that anywhere near 30% of Amtrak riders each day are AGR members. Maybe for business commuters on the corridors, but for the system as a whole, I doubt it.


I concur with your assessment — I believe that the number of AGR members could be dramatically higher on the main corridors, including NEC and California service. That's why I include a ratio of corridor passengers to total passengers in my original estimate of 11,764 AGR travelers earning 170 points.

That number is about 33 percent of total estimated daily round-trip travelers, and I hope is a fair representation of commuters and potential AGR members.

----------

My trip was really fun although it included waking up at 4:15 a.m. so I could drive to Sacramento for a 6:40 a.m. San Joaquin. I'm glad I drove, I thought about taking the southbound Starlight but it pulled in a scant minute before the San Joaquin left.

I've got photos and I hope to work up a travelogue over the weekend because it was a lot of fun.


----------



## ALC Rail Writer

RTOlson said:


> JSmith said:
> 
> 
> 
> I would doubt that anywhere near 30% of Amtrak riders each day are AGR members. Maybe for business commuters on the corridors, but for the system as a whole, I doubt it.
> 
> 
> 
> I concur with your assessment — I believe that the number of AGR members could be dramatically higher on the main corridors, including NEC and California service. That's why I include a ratio of corridor passengers to total passengers in my original estimate of 11,764 AGR travelers earning 170 points.
> 
> That number is about 33 percent of total estimated daily round-trip travelers, and I hope is a fair representation of commuters and potential AGR members.
> 
> ----------
> 
> My trip was really fun although it included waking up at 4:15 a.m. so I could drive to Sacramento for a 6:40 a.m. San Joaquin. I'm glad I drove, I thought about taking the southbound Starlight but it pulled in a scant minute before the San Joaquin left.
> 
> I've got photos and I hope to work up a travelogue over the weekend because it was a lot of fun.
Click to expand...

But the VAST majority of traffic is in the corridors on any given day.


----------



## stevenp

NJCoastExp said:


> Took 148 from MET to NRO. Had about 70 % load. I know at least one more person was on board in BC from NYP to NRO taking advantage of the promo.


This makes ZERO mathematical sense. The NYP-NRO trip costs at lest $20. You can buy points for about 40/$1. (550 for $13.75 currently.) The ride back from NRO to NYP wasn't free, so increase the trip cost. And a very good estimate of points for this promotion is 200, 300 tops. So those (say) 300 points could be purchased for about $8. Why pay over $20, and endure the hassle of a round trip to nowhere, to "take part in the promotion" when you could get more points for less money by doing nothing?

Do some people really think they'll get thousands of points from yesterday's trip? The mathematical ineptitude of many Americans is astounding (in a sad way).


----------



## DowneasterPassenger

stevenp said:


> NJCoastExp said:
> 
> 
> 
> Took 148 from MET to NRO. Had about 70 % load. I know at least one more person was on board in BC from NYP to NRO taking advantage of the promo.
> 
> 
> 
> This makes ZERO mathematical sense. The NYP-NRO trip costs at lest $20. You can buy points for about 40/$1. (550 for $13.75 currently.) The ride back from NRO to NYP wasn't free, so increase the trip cost. And a very good estimate of points for this promotion is 200, 300 tops. So those (say) 300 points could be purchased for about $8. Why pay over $20, and endure the hassle of a round trip to nowhere, to "take part in the promotion" when you could get more points for less money by doing nothing?
> 
> Do some people really think they'll get thousands of points from yesterday's trip? The mathematical ineptitude of many Americans is astounding (in a sad way).
Click to expand...

Many of us took trips for under $10. The share of 2M points are on top of whatever other points we get, from summer promos, select status or other tricks. So instead of 200 or 300 points, we are looking at 500 or 600 points. Although points can be purchased, but there is a limit of 10,000 per year.


----------



## Shanghai

stevenp said:


> NJCoastExp said:
> 
> 
> 
> Took 148 from MET to NRO. Had about 70 % load. I know at least one more person was on board in BC from NYP to NRO taking advantage of the promo.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *The mathematical ineptitude of many Americans is astounding (in a sad way).*
Click to expand...

Are you referring to our Members of Congress??


----------



## ALC Rail Writer

I feel sorry for those who took 20 or 30 dollar trips on the NEC only to find out it was all for not.

Not that this promo will be worth much anyway.


----------



## rtabern

WhoozOn1st said:


> Yes, fellow passengers and points chasers, the Big Day has arrived. Locally that means Pacific Surfliner 799, OXN-VEC, for my eventual alloted take of the two million big ones. While this 14-minute jaunt may not *quite* compare with, say, saxman66' recent 4-corners national Odyssey, I still believe it calls for a major modern multi-media extravaganza trip report. What? You don't THINK so?? Luddite.


#799????

I thought you'd never ride the "Vomit Comet" again!!! Hahaha.


----------



## OlympianHiawatha

stevenp said:


> NJCoastExp said:
> 
> 
> 
> Took 148 from MET to NRO. Had about 70 % load. I know at least one more person was on board in BC from NYP to NRO taking advantage of the promo.
> 
> 
> 
> This makes ZERO mathematical sense. The NYP-NRO trip costs at lest $20. You can buy points for about 40/$1. (550 for $13.75 currently.) The ride back from NRO to NYP wasn't free, so increase the trip cost. And a very good estimate of points for this promotion is 200, 300 tops. So those (say) 300 points could be purchased for about $8. Why pay over $20, and endure the hassle of a round trip to nowhere, to "take part in the promotion" when you could get more points for less money by doing nothing?
> 
> Do some people really think they'll get thousands of points from yesterday's trip? The mathematical ineptitude of many Americans is astounding (in a sad way).
Click to expand...

For many of us, the chance to relax on a train for a few hours, or in some cases a few minutes is often worth more than the points; in my case I made an excellent day vacation out of it and gained about 5 pounds in doing so  The xtra few hundred or so points are just a nice bonus for doing something we already enjoy.


----------



## RTOlson

ALC_Rail_Writer said:


> RTOlson said:
> 
> 
> 
> I concur with your assessment — I believe that the number of AGR members could be dramatically higher on the main corridors, including NEC and California service. That's why I include a ratio of corridor passengers to total passengers in my original estimate of 11,764 AGR travelers earning 170 points.
> 
> That number is about 33 percent of total estimated daily round-trip travelers, and I hope is a fair representation of commuters and potential AGR members.
> 
> 
> 
> But the VAST majority of traffic is in the corridors on any given day.
Click to expand...

Right, I'm looking at different sets of numbers:

- Total number of "passengers" (28.6 million in FY2008).

- Of the total, percentage that might be on the corridors. (Likely high - Amtrak's all-corridors pax is 20.48M or 71.6 percent)

- Of the corridors passengers, percentage that might be AGR members (which I believe to be high, higher than that of casual travelers). If I were to guess, I would think that 30 to 50 percent of commuters might be members, but that's a total guess.

- Of all the possible AGR members, the percentage that may have registered for the promotion AND actually traveled on Thursday.

So, while it's possible that the number of non-corridors AGR members is low, I believe that it is offset by a high number of regular corridor commuters.

It's fun to keep spinning the numbers around, but I guess we won't know until we know.


----------



## JSmith

OlympianHiawatha said:


> For many of us, the chance to relax on a train for a few hours, or in some cases a few minutes is often worth more than the points; in my case I made an excellent day vacation out of it and gained about 5 pounds in doing so  The xtra few hundred or so points are just a nice bonus for doing something we already enjoy.


Agreed - I spent $20 on a short trip because it was a nice excuse to do so on that line. Buffalo to Niagara Falls is off the mainline, so it's scenery I wouldn't get going to New York or Chicago. And if I want to take the train to Toronto again, I'll probably drive to Niagara Falls, ON and take VIA from there, to bypass the 2 hour wait for customs. And I think it's an interesting little stretch of track - there's an curvy elevated section through North Tonawanda that I enjoy as a very unusual view of the town. It's also fun because I'm familiar with all of the landmarks and it's interesting to me to work out where the train is ("Oh! So that's what the other side of that looks like!").

So for me, the bonus points just gave me an excuse to relax and ride between two stations that I generally have no other reason to do so.


----------



## jis

Frankly whether any points are collected or not is immaterial to me. It was a nice silly excuse to go for a train ride one evening and it sure worked out to be a nice ride. I am sure I will not even bother to check what points I got out of it. So all this huffing and puffing about mathematical abilities etc. is based on inaccurate assumptions about the motivations, at least in this case. However, if such assumption makes one feel superior and good, I am all for it. Knock yourself out


----------



## BlueJeanGirl

Yes, that was me! I'm glad you chased me down to hand me your ticket :lol:

I love what I do. Can you tell? 

Travel light!

~BJG



Rumpled said:


> My own ride was IRV-SNA and the conductor (or whatever the actual title is; LSA?) asked if I was riding to get the bonus today. I said yes and she commented that I was the fourth person that day riding only one stop to get the bonus.She was pretty friendly and having a good time.
> 
> Wandered around the Santa Ana station which I hadn't been inside of for about 15 years for awhile. Then I hopped a Metrolink back to my car. Had the 785 been on time; I might have taken the 784 back, but I missed it.
> 
> Looks like chuljin and I were on the same train; just at different stations.


----------



## mucomix

rrdude said:


> mucomix said:
> 
> 
> 
> We just got home from our points run KC to Hermann MO and back. Some good wine to be had in Hermann. I think we brought back 14 bottles.
> 
> 
> 
> You got MY VOTE for the BEST AGR POINTS RUN of the day!
Click to expand...

If Hermann MO and I bet Washington MO had good ground transport it would be a good day overnight trip for us in the KC & St Louis region. It would not take much for the wineries just out of walking range to have a call up shuttle. One could spend a good day at the Stone hill winery it's self. Not to short change others in town. A operation the size of Stone hill has some one with time to run a van to town a few times a day.

In short not a bad train run you could fill out your turn around time and have a good afternoon close the the Amtrak stop. Be ready to walk if you want to see more. With a little effort on part of the town/CC Hermann MO could be turned in to a great stop. but it is not there at this time.

The AGR point's run was a good excuse for a short recon trip. We will run over in the car for a good look around.


----------



## mucomix

And by the way I made a pest of myself asking if anyone was on a point run. The term AGR was enough to draw a blank stare. I hold out hopes for big points (In my dreams the NEC will eat them up).


----------



## Bob Dylan

Well the ride on a train is the main thing of course,and as Mark Twain said: "Theres three kinds of lies: lies,damn lies and STATISTICS!" The wine run sounds cool,my little trip was a repeat but I still got to eat @ a great diner(not on a train but better food!),tour the rail museum in the old Santa Fe depot and be back home before dark,the points and the bonus points were nice(LOL),whatever shows up in OCT will be gravy,but I havent seen a post yet regretting that they took a trip on the train!!Sour grapes are just that,to each his own etc. but a ride on a train is like what Bob Dylan said: "..it can cure the soul,can make it whole.."


----------



## Cascadia

stevenp said:


> NJCoastExp said:
> 
> 
> 
> Took 148 from MET to NRO. Had about 70 % load. I know at least one more person was on board in BC from NYP to NRO taking advantage of the promo.
> 
> 
> 
> This makes ZERO mathematical sense. The NYP-NRO trip costs at lest $20. You can buy points for about 40/$1. (550 for $13.75 currently.) The ride back from NRO to NYP wasn't free, so increase the trip cost. And a very good estimate of points for this promotion is 200, 300 tops. So those (say) 300 points could be purchased for about $8. Why pay over $20, and endure the hassle of a round trip to nowhere, to "take part in the promotion" when you could get more points for less money by doing nothing?
> 
> Do some people really think they'll get thousands of points from yesterday's trip? The mathematical ineptitude of many Americans is astounding (in a sad way).
Click to expand...

I don't think "mathematical ineptitude" enters into it at all. For me, I did it for FUN. It was something to do on a beautiful day, an excuse to look at beautiful scenery and I had the added thrill of riding the new service coming from Vancouver BC for the first time.

I also gambled on even being able to catch the return train, which was waiting for us to pass at the stop where I got off the train. So it was just a silly thing to do for me. I have done the math you did, in the past, and realized that wanting an excuse to ride the train down and back one stop for a cost of 18.00 wasn't a good value even for double points. Thursday I said the hell with it. I wanted to get out of the house.

So there. Are you European? What do you do for fun when you want to go see some scenery and some people and get out of the house? I don't drive so I can't go for a joyride in my car. I walk everywhere for transportation and am on my feet at work all day so going for a walk isn't as recreational as it sounds sometimes.

You know what else? I kind of wanted to do this because the other members here were doing it! Kind of silly but here we all are talking about it. That's kind of neat.


----------



## alanh

Another vote for "fun". This gave me an excuse to go down to Tucson. I had a nice dinner and enjoyed the block party the city was having downtown. I got on the SL, had a beer in the lounge while riding to Maricopa. I realize that with the gas and ticket it's not a financial win, but it was a fairly cheap night out.


----------



## NJCoastExp

Yes, instead of sitting in front of TV, I went on a trip that was just for pleasure of riding and only cheap AMTRAK option for where I am located and available timing (after work). $50 I spent on Amtrak, parking and return commuter tickets is worth the ride to me.


----------



## sechs

jimhudson said:


> as Mark Twain said: "Theres three kinds of lies: lies,damn lies and STATISTICS!"


You mean Benjamin Disraeli.


----------



## Bob Dylan

sechs said:


> jimhudson said:
> 
> 
> 
> as Mark Twain said: "Theres three kinds of lies: lies,damn lies and STATISTICS!"
> 
> 
> 
> You mean Benjamin Disraeli.
Click to expand...

I stand corrected sir, I believe that Mark Twain quoted Disraeli in his social commentary,my memory is not what it used to be since we helped Moses carry the tablets off the mountain so many,many years ago! :lol:


----------



## Ispolkom

sechs said:


> jimhudson said:
> 
> 
> 
> as Mark Twain said: "Theres three kinds of lies: lies,damn lies and STATISTICS!"
> 
> 
> 
> You mean Benjamin Disraeli.
Click to expand...

You mean Charles Wentworth Dilke. Or maybe Leonard Courtney.


----------



## sechs

In any case, a British guy, and not Twain....


----------



## RTOlson

I've posted some photos from my Thursday trip here.


----------



## Bob Dylan

RTOlson said:


> I've posted some photos from my Thursday trip here.


Good pics,makes me think of the song "California Dreaming"!Bet it was a fun ride,some pretty nice old buildings and stations!Thanks for the post!


----------



## rrdude

Great photos, being from the East Coast now, I have not seen many interior shots of Cali Cars. I had to laff at the waste and recycle bins though. Personally I believe they are a VAST improvement over the "paper bags" Amtrak used in the late 70's early 80's.

To THIS DAY, I still can't open a paper grocery bag to be used for ANYthing (recycling, trash, or just to carry something) WITHOUT folding down the tops, "neatly and crisply" like they taught us at Amtrak training............. many, many, moons ago....


----------



## RTOlson

I thought the bins were kinda funny too. I think they are an interesting supplement to the receptacles scattered throughout the train.


----------



## mucomix

The Mrs and myself had a good afternoon together. In the long run that is worth more than any AGR point's we may get.


----------



## mucomix

sechs said:


> In any case, a British guy, and not Twain....


This may not post right but it looks like you have a nice train out in CA. I enjoyed the pic's.


----------



## alanh

The regular points for my trip on the 20th just posted -- dated the 18th. D'oh. I suppose I'll have to try to get them to fix it. Ordinarily that wouldn't be an issue, but since it's a one day promotion....


----------



## Ryan

HokieNav said:


> ALC_Rail_Writer said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Upstate said:
> 
> 
> 
> From the T&C of this promotion:
> 
> 
> 
> Northeast Regional travel must be a minimum of $35 per qualifying trip one-way or $70 per roundtrip.
> 
> 
> 
> You would get the 100 bonus for coach on the summer promotion for each ticket.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> They obviously had people taking short trips in mind.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Crap, I never noticed that - I've been doing short trips last week and this week with the bigger bonus in mind. Still, 200 points for 12 or 18 bucks isn't that bad a gig, and the real point is to get over the top on select (I'm getting close!).
Click to expand...

Interestingly enough, I just got the 200 bonus points posted for all of the BWI-WAS travel I did over the course of those two weeks, despite the T&C saying that I wouldn't.

Hopefully AGR won't realize the error. 

My points for the 20th just posted for the correct day, so I've just got to wait for the bonus points and the 2MM points.


----------



## jack615

It didnt say anything about $35 one way or 70 rt for the 2 mil promotion anywhere, is that for another promotion?


----------



## transit54

jack615 said:


> It didnt say anything about $35 one way or 70 rt for the 2 mil promotion anywhere, is that for another promotion?


Yes, that's for bonus points for riding on the northeast corridor. Entirely different promotion. I bought a $7.50 ticket for the 2 million promo.


----------



## rrdude

Mine, well, ONE LEG of my trip, posted yesterday, but none of the bonus, or the return trip has.........


----------



## IHC

alanh said:


> The regular points for my trip on the 20th just posted -- dated the 18th. D'oh. I suppose I'll have to try to get them to fix it. Ordinarily that wouldn't be an issue, but since it's a one day promotion....



Same here. I did a round trip and one way posted as the 20th and the return posted as the 21st. Can't they get anything right??? :angry:


----------



## ScottC4746

IHC said:


> alanh said:
> 
> 
> 
> The regular points for my trip on the 20th just posted -- dated the 18th. D'oh. I suppose I'll have to try to get them to fix it. Ordinarily that wouldn't be an issue, but since it's a one day promotion....
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Same here. I did a round trip and one way posted as the 20th and the return posted as the 21st. Can't they get anything right??? :angry:
Click to expand...

There are two columns. A post date and a travel date...the travel date is towards the right hand side. It matters not what the post date shows, as long as the travel date is 8/20.


----------



## Ryan

IHC said:


> alanh said:
> 
> 
> 
> The regular points for my trip on the 20th just posted -- dated the 18th. D'oh. I suppose I'll have to try to get them to fix it. Ordinarily that wouldn't be an issue, but since it's a one day promotion....
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Same here. I did a round trip and one way posted as the 20th and the return posted as the 21st. Can't they get anything right??? :angry:
Click to expand...

They got mine right


----------



## OlympianHiawatha

Both my segments have already posted as well, and I'm just waiting for the Summer and Bonus Points, which should post in time. I understand tickets, at least for my area, are all cleared through San Antonio.


----------



## AAARGH!

Neither of my legs on the 20th have posted yet (including a NE Regional). One of my two for the 21st have though.


----------



## The Metropolitan

WTH?!?

I'm having the same problem as some of you! My trip on #67 posted as taking place on the 19th! Even though this train originated in Boston on the evening of the 19th, my ticket and travels were dated on the 20th.

I had a bad worry this would happen. SIGH! Guess I have to try to contact them!


----------



## Bob Dylan

Mine posted for the outbound trip from AUS-TPL but not for the return from TPL-AUS,six hour turnaround?Maybe they are so flooded with Bonus point riders(lets hope not!)they are only doing one way first or else the traveler has them behind since generations have lived and died since he got off his never ending tour of America!LOL


----------



## Bob Dylan

OlympianHiawatha said:


> Both my segments have already posted as well, and I'm just waiting for the Summer and Bonus Points, which should post in time. I understand tickets, at least for my area, are all cleared through San Antonio.


Well that splains that in my part of the world,its so HOT that everyone is on siesta! :lol: :lol: :lol:

But the travel date for my trip is shown as 8/19 like the OP,is AGR trying to short us?


----------



## IHC

ScottC4746 said:


> IHC said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> alanh said:
> 
> 
> 
> The regular points for my trip on the 20th just posted -- dated the 18th. D'oh. I suppose I'll have to try to get them to fix it. Ordinarily that wouldn't be an issue, but since it's a one day promotion....
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Same here. I did a round trip and one way posted as the 20th and the return posted as the 21st. Can't they get anything right??? :angry:
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> There are two columns. A post date and a travel date...the travel date is towards the right hand side. It matters not what the post date shows, as long as the travel date is 8/20.
Click to expand...


I am looking at the travel date. It says I took one trip on the 20th, and my return trip on the 21st, even though both were on the 20th.

I'm wondering, if you *did* take two trips that day, if they would give you the bonus points *twice*? I guess I'm cool because one of my trips is showing that I did travel on the 20th, so I should be included when they run their computer program to sweep/validate all the elligible members for the 2 million points. But serious question, what if both of my trips had posted correctly as the 20th? Would I be double counted, and also receive double the bonus points?


----------



## AlanB

jimhudson said:


> Mine posted for the outbound trip from AUS-TPL but not for the return from TPL-AUS,six hour turnaround?Maybe they are so flooded with Bonus point riders(lets hope not!)they are only doing one way first or else the traveler has them behind since generations have lived and died since he got off his never ending tour of America!LOL


Jim,

That's not surprising at all. Your southbound ticket went right along with the train to San Antonio, one of the processing centers, and it got there the same day you rode the train. Your northbound ticket stayed on the train all the way to Chicago, one day later, before it got turned in. And I'm not sure if Chicago is one of the places where they process the tickets. If it's not, then the tickets had to be shipped to a processing center.

But no matter how you slice it, your southbound ticket was at least a two day head start on getting processed.


----------



## AlanB

IHC said:


> I'm wondering, if you *did* take two trips that day, if they would give you the bonus points *twice*? I guess I'm cool because one of my trips is showing that I did travel on the 20th, so I should be included when they run their computer program to sweep/validate all the elligible members for the 2 million points. But serious question, what if both of my trips had posted correctly as the 20th? Would I be double counted, and also receive double the bonus points?


According to the T&C each person will count as one person and will get only one bonus, without regard to the number of actual trips you took on the 20th. So if one trip is right and the other is wrong, no point in worrying about it.

Of course one never does know what will happen when they really do the work, but again that's what the T&C states.


----------



## sechs

ScottC4746 said:


> There are two columns. A post date and a travel date...the travel date is towards the right hand side. It matters not what the post date shows, as long as the travel date is 8/20.


If you look at the details, you can also catch the issuance date on the ticket.
I used my ticket issued on the 20th the day before. If I only knew how this time travel worked....


----------



## rrdude

BINGO, my return from Balt to BWI just posted the 100 miles.......

Along with 377 "Amtrak Guest Rewards" bonus miles for promotion date 8/20/09............KIDDING!


----------

