# Consistency - SEA-LAX-CHI



## Rail Freak (Feb 9, 2012)

What's everyone's experience booking SEA-LAX-CHI AGR Trip, how many zones???

Thanx

Sorry, should have put it in AGR Forum!!!


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## the_traveler (Feb 9, 2012)

I moved it for you.


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## Rail Freak (Feb 10, 2012)

Thanx Dave,

This inconsistancy is becoming very frustrating &, really, shows the lack of training on Amtrak's part!!!

I hate to be critical, but how hard can it be to get this sh#* straight!?!??!

RF


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## Bob Dylan (Feb 10, 2012)

Booking this trip w AGR probably won't fly unless youre willing to do a 1 Zone Trip on the CS from SEA-LAX, then a 2 Zone from LAX-CHI on the SWC!Total=3 Zones!This is because the Empire Builder runs daily from SEA and PDX as a 2 Zone trip as you know! Also a trip to LAX involves spending the night on your own Nickel!

If you wanted to do lots of changes you possibly could do Cascades 501 from SEA-PDX, then a Bus from PDX to Salem ,Albany or Eugene as a Special Rooute for 1,000 Points Coach/1,500 BC before April 1st, then Paid from one of these cities to SAC on the Starlite, then a San Joaquin Train/Bus from SAC-LAX as a Special Route, then a 2 Zone AGR Trip from LAX-CHI on the SWC!! Not positive AGR will allow this but it is on the schedule and in the Rules!!(what AGR Rules ???  :wacko: )


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## Rail Freak (Feb 10, 2012)

jimhudson said:


> Booking this trip w AGR probably won't fly unless youre willing to do a 1 Zone Trip on the CS from SEA-LAX, then a 2 Zone from LAX-CHI on the SWC!Total=3 Zones!This is because the Empire Builder runs daily from SEA and PDX as a 2 Zone trip as you know! Also a trip to LAX involves spending the night on your own Nickel!
> 
> If you wanted to do lots of changes you possibly could do Cascades 501 from SEA-PDX, then a Bus from PDX to Salem ,Albany or Eugene as a Special Rooute for 1,000 Points Coach/1,500 BC before April 1st, then Paid from one of these cities to SAC on the Starlite, then a San Joaquin Train/Bus from SAC-LAX as a Special Route, then a 2 Zone AGR Trip from LAX-CHI on the SWC!! Not positive AGR will allow this but it is on the schedule and in the Rules!!(what AGR Rules ???  :wacko: )



I got dizzy just trying to read that,LOL!!!!!!!!! hboy: :lol:


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## manderson (Feb 10, 2012)

jimhudson said:


> Booking this trip w AGR probably won't fly unless youre willing to do a 1 Zone Trip on the CS from SEA-LAX, then a 2 Zone from LAX-CHI on the SWC!Total=3 Zones!This is because the Empire Builder runs daily from SEA and PDX as a 2 Zone trip as you know! Also a trip to LAX involves spending the night on your own Nickel!


I think it's more cuz of the LA overnight. CHI-SEA is a two zoner via the EB, CZ/CS or SWC/CS. All are valid two-zone routings.


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## Rail Freak (Feb 10, 2012)

manderson said:


> jimhudson said:
> 
> 
> > Booking this trip w AGR probably won't fly unless youre willing to do a 1 Zone Trip on the CS from SEA-LAX, then a 2 Zone from LAX-CHI on the SWC!Total=3 Zones!This is because the Empire Builder runs daily from SEA and PDX as a 2 Zone trip as you know! Also a trip to LAX involves spending the night on your own Nickel!
> ...



I agree but, I've been told by agents & Supervisors that if the connection is less than 24 hrs. & you pay for the hotel, they'll allow you to to continue on the same zone award. ex. SEA-LAX-CHI!!! BUTTTTTT, I've also been told, No Way!

Kind of hard to make plans with these inconsistant rules!!!!

RF


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## Ispolkom (Feb 11, 2012)

Rail Freak said:


> I agree but, I've been told by agents & Supervisors that if the connection is less than 24 hrs. & you pay for the hotel, they'll allow you to to continue on the same zone award. ex. SEA-LAX-CHI!!! BUTTTTTT, I've also been told, No Way!
> 
> Kind of hard to make plans with these inconsistant rules!!!!
> 
> RF


Why didn't you book the trip with the agent who said that this was a valid routing?

Why don't you call again until you get an agent who agrees to book this routing?

Given that you can book travel 11 months ahead and cancel with no penalty, why not secure your train reservations first, then plan?

It's always difficult to book a routing that doesn't appear in the system, especially one that involves a overnight stay. This has been very consistent. It's also consistent that it doesn't matter what an agent says, what matters is what the reservation says. Talk is cheap.

I'd rather have inconsistent responses from AGR agents than consistent application of hard-and-fast rules that don't allow me to book the travel I want to.


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## Rail Freak (Feb 11, 2012)

Ispolkom said:


> Rail Freak said:
> 
> 
> > I agree but, I've been told by agents & Supervisors that if the connection is less than 24 hrs. & you pay for the hotel, they'll allow you to to continue on the same zone award. ex. SEA-LAX-CHI!!! BUTTTTTT, I've also been told, No Way!
> ...


I was just calling to see if it was doable, was still in the planning stages (& still am)!!!

Why is it that i can't get an AGR connection for CHI-LAX-PDX on the #421 to the #14 but can get a #421 connection from the #421 to the #14 ELP-LAX-PDX?

The only thing I can think of is that they are reducing the risks of delays?!?!?

RF


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## Ispolkom (Feb 11, 2012)

Rail Freak said:


> The only thing I can think of is that they are reducing the risks of delays?!?!?
> 
> RF


Another possibility that I've read is that ARROW requires that some programmer has put in a routing for the routing to appear. Perhaps no one ever thought of that particular routing. After all, the risk of delay starting in Chicago is no greater than the risk of delay starting in Austin, which is a booking that appears at Amtrak.com. I as a matter of course refuse to credit rationality to decisions AGR has made for long-distance redemptions. AGR don't care about long-distance redemptions. We've seen this for years, and I for one am grateful for it. Otherwise, I'd be expected to travel from Houston to New Orleans, and then north to get to Minot, rather than west to Los Angeles, north to Portland, and then east.


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## Rail Freak (Feb 11, 2012)

Ispolkom said:


> Rail Freak said:
> 
> 
> > The only thing I can think of is that they are reducing the risks of delays?!?!?
> ...


WEll, I don't know if I agree with that assumption, particurlarly in the Spring Flooding Season, but ....!

RF


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## Ispolkom (Feb 11, 2012)

Rail Freak said:


> WEll, I don't know if I agree with that assumption, particurlarly in the Spring Flooding Season, but ....!RF


If you imagine that AGR policies take into account the possibility of spring flooding, I've got a bridge in Brooklyn to sell you.


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## Shanghai (Feb 12, 2012)

Ispolkom said:


> Rail Freak said:
> 
> 
> > WEll, I don't know if I agree with that assumption, particurlarly in the Spring Flooding Season, but ....!RF
> ...



I* thought that the_traveler bought that bridge last year!!*


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## Ispolkom (Feb 12, 2012)

Shanghai said:


> Ispolkom said:
> 
> 
> > Rail Freak said:
> ...


Yeah, but he returned it. Said it didn't fit in the penthouse.


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## Rick (Feb 12, 2012)

We have a two zone trip booked from Cincinnati(the Easternmost point in the Central zone)to Chicago, on to Los Angeles and up to Seattle for late April. Going Westbound there is a same day connection from the SW Chief to the Coast Starlight. The other direction involves an overnight in Los Angeles, unless you wanted to take one of the San Juaquins from Sacramento to LA and transfer that evening.


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## boxcar479 (Feb 12, 2012)

Rail Freak said:


> manderson said:
> 
> 
> > jimhudson said:
> ...


I tried (unsuccesfly, again) to book Del Rio (DRT) to Columbus (CBS) involving the SL, CS, and EB as one 2-zone award. This time the agent booked it for me, but at the last minute told me it would be 2 2-zone awards DRT-PDX one 2-zone, and once I turned and started heading back in the direction I came from another 2-zone award PDX-CBS. I asked her about the 24 hour rule and she explained that they allowed an over night connx, with hotel on your dime IF there were no other options for your entire trip. I tend to agree there is no rule book, that they just wing as they go :huh:


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## Rail Freak (Feb 12, 2012)

Ispolkom said:


> Rail Freak said:
> 
> 
> > WEll, I don't know if I agree with that assumption, particurlarly in the Spring Flooding Season, but ....!RF
> ...


Well, LOL, there are more chances of delays (no matter what type) on a 3 day trip opposed to a 2 day trip, & I'll call that Bridge & raise you a trip on the Sunset Limited from NOL to JAX!!!

RF


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## Ispolkom (Feb 12, 2012)

Rail Freak said:


> Well, LOL, there are more chances of delays (no matter what type) on a 3 day trip opposed to a 2 day trip, & I'll call that Bridge & raise you a trip on the Sunset Limited from NOL to JAX!!!
> 
> RF


Sure, you're absolutely correct that the chance of delay increases with the length of travel. What I refuse to believe is that anyone at AGR ever gave that issue the least little bit of thought. If there are rules to AGR redemptions (and I still prefer to believe that AGR runs on a probabilistic basis) they seem to have been thought up in a couple of hours when the program first started.

Say, what's the border city on the Sunset Limited east of New Orleans? Mobile?


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