# "Loophole" trip (AGR award) no more?



## the_traveler (Feb 13, 2009)

Checking random dates for July and September show that when you enter from SDL to LAX, you are still given the Crescent to WAS and the CL to CHI. However, the only option from there to LAX is the SWC! I could not get the EB/CS via PDX! I even tried from either BHM or ATL, and also only got the SWC! 

It looks like "the loophole award" is no more!  

Maybe Amtrak finally got smart! ("Amtrak" and "smart" - do those words go together? :lol: )


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## Rail Freak (Feb 13, 2009)

the_traveler said:


> Checking random dates for July and September show that when you enter from SDL to LAX, you are still given the Crescent to WAS and the CL to CHI. However, the only option from there to LAX is the SWC! I could not get the EB/CS via PDX! I even tried from either BHM or ATL, and also only got the SWC!
> It looks like "the loophole award" is no more!
> 
> Maybe Amtrak finally got smart! ("Amtrak" and "smart" - do those words go together? :lol: )


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## HP_Lovecraft (Feb 13, 2009)

the_traveler said:


> Maybe Amtrak finally got smart! ("Amtrak" and "smart" - do those words go together? :lol: )


Nope.

Try booking Slidel to Seattle. It routes you through LAX!

It will even allow you to do the reverse, except routed through San Fransisco.

It actually looks like a pretty nice trip: 115 hours on a train for a 2-zone reward!

I suspect that Amtrak made some unrelated changes to arrow, and it causes the original loophole booking to drop out. But, being that its replaced with an even better loophole, who could complain?


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## the_traveler (Feb 13, 2009)

HP_Lovecraft said:


> the_traveler said:
> 
> 
> > Maybe Amtrak finally got smart! ("Amtrak" and "smart" - do those words go together? :lol: )
> ...


Are you sure? I've tried, and it only gives me the EB and/or EB/Cascades - not via LAX!


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## OlympianHiawatha (Feb 13, 2009)

I tried the booking on 13 JUN and also got the Cardinal/Builder but then went to 14 JUN and got the Zephyr/Starlight. So it must be date sensitive.


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## Long Train Runnin' (Feb 13, 2009)

OlympianHiawatha said:


> I tried the booking on 13 JUN and also got the Cardinal/Builder but then went to 14 JUN and got the Zephyr/Starlight. So it must be date sensitive.


Well the cardinal only runs 3 days a week so... can't be on a train that isn't running


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## inspiration100 (Feb 13, 2009)

if someone would be so kind maybe you can explain how exactly this loophole works? Where does it let you go?


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## JayPea (Feb 13, 2009)

Interesting. Good thing I booked the Slidell loophole trip for this August when I did. When I tried it for Slidell to Seattle, it didn't go through Los Angeles, but rather on the Zephyr from Chicago to Sacramento and then Sacramento to Seattle. Let's see, with the buy points option, I should have 20,000 points by the end of this year. Sounds like a good trip for 2010!!!


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## HP_Lovecraft (Feb 13, 2009)

the_traveler said:


> Are you sure? I've tried, and it only gives me the EB and/or EB/Cascades - not via LAX!


The route atlas shows both the Southwest Chief, California Zephyr, and EB routing, but the reservation system just shows the Zephyr and Empire builder for 9/13/09. Since the atlas is also connected to arrow makes me wonder if the SWC routing is availible, but just doesnt show up?

Edit: The coast-to-coast 1-zone RT is still there as well (ie NOL-WAS-ABQ/ABW-LAX-NOL)


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## OlympianHiawatha (Feb 14, 2009)

Long Train Runnin said:


> OlympianHiawatha said:
> 
> 
> > I tried the booking on 13 JUN and also got the Cardinal/Builder but then went to 14 JUN and got the Zephyr/Starlight. So it must be date sensitive.
> ...


Oops, that's right. I forgot the Cardinal isn't every day.

I find it interesting on the west end, you have the option to stay on the Builder all the way to SEA or take the PDX split and bail onto the Cascades for arrival into SEA later in the day.


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## the_traveler (Feb 14, 2009)

inspiration100 said:


> if someone would be so kind maybe you can explain how exactly this loophole works? Where does it let you go?


The "loophole" is that there are 3 regions for an AGR award: East, Midwest and West. Normally, you count how many regions you pass thru to determine how many points you need to use. (WAS-SEA = starting in zone 1 and ending in zone 3, so you need a 3 zone award.) If you travel starting between Atlanta and Slidell, those cities are iin the Midwest zone, but due to the route of the Crescent (and the arrival time in New Orleans), you travel back to WAS to head west. And because they are in zone 2 and you are going to zone 3, you just need a 2 zone award! 

That's the loophole! B)


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## gswager (Feb 14, 2009)

Are there other loophole areas, besides Slidel? I thought there is one other place, but I don't remember.


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## the_traveler (Feb 14, 2009)

Actually any station between SDL and ATL heading west takes you east to WAS first. I always use BHM, since there is a 3 hour turnaround between #19 and #20. I think the other one you're thinking of is ABQ-NOL. You can route ABQ-LAX-NOL or ABQ-CHI-NOL for a 1 zone award (since both ABQ and NOL are in the Midwest zone)!


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## Rail Freak (Feb 14, 2009)

the_traveler said:


> Actually any station between SDL and ATL heading west takes you east to WAS first. I always use BHM, since there is a 3 hour turnaround between #19 and #20. I think the other one you're thinking of is ABQ-NOL. You can route ABQ-LAX-NOL or ABQ-CHI-NOL for a 1 zone award (since both ABQ and NOL are in the Midwest zone)!


Or, anywhere in the west zone to the ATL-NOL stretch, correct ( you can go to Was or CVS, then the Crescent)?


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## the_traveler (Feb 14, 2009)

Rail Freak said:


> Or, anywhere in the west zone to the ATL-NOL stretch, correct ( you can go to Was or CVS, then the Crescent)?


Yes!


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