New Rail Passes

[Kevin L.]

I just bought my USA Rail Pass, after a bit of difficulty with formalities in Union Station (WAS), and I got myself my first amtrak reservation/ticket slip. Sadly, they both look the same. I expected the USA rail pass to be an actual card , but function over form always wins in my book.

My first question is that this reservation just says "reserved coach". How do I get an actual assigned seat?

My second question for you guys is that in the USA Rail Pass holder there are mentions of a "West Rail Pass", an "East Rail Pass", and a "Northeast Rail Pass." The "West Rail Pass" covers everything from chicago to the pacific ocean, which would be vastly more convenient for us (if it were cheaper), since the bulk of our trip occurs in that region. Can we buy that pass? Does/did it ever exist? Is the picture on the pass just an anachronism?

**My third question is if you can have proxy purchase of a pass? One of my traveling compadres is having difficulty procuring a pass, and had to get it refunded to avoid cancellation due to pickup not being possible. Amtrak says that legitimate gift purchases of travel is allowed, does this apply to the pass? More importantly though, can this be done?

If I wait until my compadre gets access to a real train station to get his pass reserved, the trains probably will be booked

 

[p&sr]

My first question is that this reservation just says "reserved coach". How do I get an actual assigned seat?

You get your seat when you board the train. They may assign you a seat at the door, or they may permit you to select a seat in your assigned car.

My second question for you guys is that in the USA Rail Pass holder there are mentions of a "West Rail Pass", an "East Rail Pass", and a "Northeast Rail Pass."

That kind went extinct on 9-30, along with the North American Rail Pass.

If I wait until my compadre gets access to a real train station to get his pass reserved, the trains probably will be booked

The interested party should make reservations well in advance, by TELEPHONE. Then when the time comes to pick up the pass, the reservations will already be taken care of. You can designate a date by which to pick up the pass. If it is the same date as Travel begins, then there is really NO EXCUSE not to get to an Amtrak Station on or before that date. In otherwords, if it is time to travel, then you'd best be getting about it!

 

[chertling]

I just bought my USA Rail Pass, after a bit of difficulty with formalities in Union Station (WAS), and I got myself my first amtrak reservation/ticket slip. Sadly, they both look the same. I expected the USA rail pass to be an actual card , but function over form always wins in my book.
My first question is that this reservation just says "reserved coach". How do I get an actual assigned seat?

My second question for you guys is that in the USA Rail Pass holder there are mentions of a "West Rail Pass", an "East Rail Pass", and a "Northeast Rail Pass." The "West Rail Pass" covers everything from chicago to the pacific ocean, which would be vastly more convenient for us (if it were cheaper), since the bulk of our trip occurs in that region. Can we buy that pass? Does/did it ever exist? Is the picture on the pass just an anachronism?

**My third question is if you can have proxy purchase of a pass? One of my traveling compadres is having difficulty procuring a pass, and had to get it refunded to avoid cancellation due to pickup not being possible. Amtrak says that legitimate gift purchases of travel is allowed, does this apply to the pass? More importantly though, can this be done?

If I wait until my compadre gets access to a real train station to get his pass reserved, the trains probably will be booked

I noticed the references to the regional rail passes as well, but I believe it is a case of Amtrak continuing to use the pass booklets from the old program (the booklet also still indicates that US Citizens are not allowed to buy USA Rail Passes). The old regional railpasses are no longer available, they were however offered as recently as this summer.

On your "Reserved Coach" question, you will generally only be assigned a specific seat if the train is relatively full... the seating assignment is given to you by the conductor as you board the train. It is truly luck of the draw as to where your seat is within the car. If you aren't assigned a seat as you board, feel free to sit in any seat that doesn't have a "seat check" card hanging from the overhead luggage shelf.

I was able to purchase both my friend's pass and my own without his presence... although both of our passes were on the same reservation and I paid for both on my credit card. It sounds like you have allready picked up your rail pass, so combining reservations would not be an option in your case. The agent in Kansas City did check my ID when I picked up the pass, so you wouldn't be able to pick your friend's tickets up, unless your name was on the reservation as well. I would ASSUME that you could go to WAS, make the reservations in person on behalf of your friend, pay out of your pocket and collect his pass... but I can't say for certain as my situation was a little different.

One other note on the "limited number" of rail pass seats available on each train... Based on my reservation, the speculation that the seats were limited to "low bucket" priced seats seems to be incorrect. On my return leg from WAS to CHI, the low bucket seats had already sold out prior to my rail pass purchase (the agent told me the train was over 1/2 full). I was still able to use my rail pass on that leg of the trip.

 

[Kevin L.]

My first question is that this reservation just says "reserved coach". How do I get an actual assigned seat?

You get your seat when you board the train. They may assign you a seat at the door, or they may permit you to select a seat in your assigned car.

My second question for you guys is that in the USA Rail Pass holder there are mentions of a "West Rail Pass", an "East Rail Pass", and a "Northeast Rail Pass."

That kind went extinct on 9-30, along with the North American Rail Pass.

If I wait until my compadre gets access to a real train station to get his pass reserved, the trains probably will be booked

The interested party should make reservations well in advance, by TELEPHONE. Then when the time comes to pick up the pass, the reservations will already be taken care of. You can designate a date by which to pick up the pass. If it is the same date as Travel begins, then there is really NO EXCUSE not to get to an Amtrak Station on or before that date. In otherwords, if it is time to travel, then you'd best be getting about it!

Unfortunately, the times to get to and from Chicago are rather impossible for him with his schedule. I am all for the "drop what you're doing and go", but obligations are never forgiving. Considering how Amtrak confuddled and almost denied my pass-giving process when I went there in person, I'm iffy about recommending that he try it by phone for the first ever trip.

 

[Kevin L.]

I just bought my USA Rail Pass, after a bit of difficulty with formalities in Union Station (WAS), and I got myself my first amtrak reservation/ticket slip. Sadly, they both look the same. I expected the USA rail pass to be an actual card , but function over form always wins in my book.
My first question is that this reservation just says "reserved coach". How do I get an actual assigned seat?

My second question for you guys is that in the USA Rail Pass holder there are mentions of a "West Rail Pass", an "East Rail Pass", and a "Northeast Rail Pass." The "West Rail Pass" covers everything from chicago to the pacific ocean, which would be vastly more convenient for us (if it were cheaper), since the bulk of our trip occurs in that region. Can we buy that pass? Does/did it ever exist? Is the picture on the pass just an anachronism?

**My third question is if you can have proxy purchase of a pass? One of my traveling compadres is having difficulty procuring a pass, and had to get it refunded to avoid cancellation due to pickup not being possible. Amtrak says that legitimate gift purchases of travel is allowed, does this apply to the pass? More importantly though, can this be done?

If I wait until my compadre gets access to a real train station to get his pass reserved, the trains probably will be booked

I noticed the references to the regional rail passes as well, but I believe it is a case of Amtrak continuing to use the pass booklets from the old program (the booklet also still indicates that US Citizens are not allowed to buy USA Rail Passes). The old regional railpasses are no longer available, they were however offered as recently as this summer.

On your "Reserved Coach" question, you will generally only be assigned a specific seat if the train is relatively full... the seating assignment is given to you by the conductor as you board the train. It is truly luck of the draw as to where your seat is within the car. If you aren't assigned a seat as you board, feel free to sit in any seat that doesn't have a "seat check" card hanging from the overhead luggage shelf.

I was able to purchase both my friend's pass and my own without his presence... although both of our passes were on the same reservation and I paid for both on my credit card. It sounds like you have allready picked up your rail pass, so combining reservations would not be an option in your case. The agent in Kansas City did check my ID when I picked up the pass, so you wouldn't be able to pick your friend's tickets up, unless your name was on the reservation as well. I would ASSUME that you could go to WAS, make the reservations in person on behalf of your friend, pay out of your pocket and collect his pass... but I can't say for certain as my situation was a little different.

One other note on the "limited number" of rail pass seats available on each train... Based on my reservation, the speculation that the seats were limited to "low bucket" priced seats seems to be incorrect. On my return leg from WAS to CHI, the low bucket seats had already sold out prior to my rail pass purchase (the agent told me the train was over 1/2 full). I was still able to use my rail pass on that leg of the trip.

So tomorrow I shall see if Amtrak will cooperate with me, and I hope that they will. Thanks for the input.

 

[p&sr]

Unfortunately, the times to get to and from Chicago are rather impossible for him with his schedule. I am all for the "drop what you're doing and go", but obligations are never forgiving. Considering how Amtrak confuddled and almost denied my pass-giving process when I went there in person, I'm iffy about recommending that he try it by phone for the first ever trip.

You missed my point. If it is impossible for him to go to Chicago, that should be MORE reason to use the Phone instead, not less. As to "drop what you're doing and go", I meant ON THE DAY OF HIS PLANNED DEPARTURE. If he can't get to an Amtrak station then (to pick up his pass and tickets just before getting on the Train*), just exactly what is it that he has in mind?

*always leaving some extra time in case of delays at the station, maybe an hour and a half so you can stand in line and still hopefully catch your train.

 

[Kevin L.]

Unfortunately, the times to get to and from Chicago are rather impossible for him with his schedule. I am all for the "drop what you're doing and go", but obligations are never forgiving. Considering how Amtrak confuddled and almost denied my pass-giving process when I went there in person, I'm iffy about recommending that he try it by phone for the first ever trip.

You missed my point. If it is impossible for him to go to Chicago, that should be MORE reason to use the Phone instead, not less. As to "drop what you're doing and go", I meant ON THE DAY OF HIS PLANNED DEPARTURE. If he can't get to an Amtrak station then (to pick up his pass and tickets just before getting on the Train*), just exactly what is it that he has in mind?

*always leaving some extra time in case of delays at the station, maybe an hour and a half so you can stand in line and still hopefully catch your train.

Sadly, it does seem that this is the only way. Planning everything by phone and then hoping that when we show up all his stuff is in accord with our plans seems like a big risk, especially since we'd have barely any time to change it (3 hours and 40 minutes), and no paperwork from them to prove that they did not do what we wanted.

Considering the complications in picking up my pass in person at Union Station, DC I have no faith in the phone. (They tried to tell me that ordering online was not valid, that I had to pick it up the day _before_ I said I would, and they gave me the pass without the holder sleeve, and I had to get the sleeve since I noticed that the pass says it is invalid out of that sleeve.)

The Penn Station amtrak ticket staff said it would have been possible for me to pick up the passes if we had bought them on the same credit card, though they wouldn't let me refund my pass and just buy 2, as that wouldn't "prove credibility". They then said that since LAF was unstaffed they could give me the pass, but only he could book segments with it, making it still useless.

The amtrak staff did acknowledge that this "for your own protection" nanny-state policy rot was asinine, but that didn't avoid the phone situation

BTW, who approved that heinous statue in front of Penn Station, Baltimore (MD)? This was the first time that I have seen the "ode to androgyny" at night, and the color changing chest light didn't make the statue any less of an eyesore. :angry:

edited to remove political (and non-rail-related) rant. AmtrakWPK

 

[access bob]

BTW, who approved that heinous statue in front of Penn Station, Baltimore (MD)? This was the first time that I have seen the "ode to androgyny" at night, and the color changing chest light didn't make the statue any less of an eyesore. :angry:

the statue had to be approved by the local arts commission. But, am I the only person that kinda likes the statue, I do think that maybe something a little more "Railroady" might have been better at that location. but think about it, how do you design a railroady statue that is vertical rather than horizontal, the site really has very little room for art and they did have to spend a certain amount on art when they built that new front entryway, did you ever see the old entry plaza,........ I guess that is the problem with art, one persons art is anothers eyesore...

but if art is to get people talking that has got to be the best piece in town, I have never heard so many opinions about anything as about that statue

Bob

 

[AmtrakWPK]

C'mon, guys, the election is over, I know there's hard feeling by a lot of people either way, but please let's try to leave the liberal/conservative name calling out of forum posts. If there is some congressional or administration action specifically about rail and Amtrak, then perhaps some mentions might be acceptable if strictly factual. Otherwise, let's PLEASE cease and desist. I suspect most of us are so sick and tired of all the political nonsense (putting it politely) on both sides at this point that we could just spit. I know I am. And since, as far as I know, Amtrak has no intention of mounting that statue (or whatever you want to call it) as a hood ornament "maybe a bowsprit?" on a P42, the statue itself has very little relevance to this forum anyway.

 

[AlanB]

Sadly, it does seem that this is the only way. Planning everything by phone and then hoping that when we show up all his stuff is in accord with our plans seems like a big risk, especially since we'd have barely any time to change it (3 hours and 40 minutes), and no paperwork from them to prove that they did not do what we wanted.

Actually at the time he makes the phone reservations for each leg of the trip, he can request that the agent email him the itinerary. That way you'd have some proof, not to mention a chance to make sure in advance that you are booked on the trains you wanted.

 

[Kevin L.]

Sadly, it does seem that this is the only way. Planning everything by phone and then hoping that when we show up all his stuff is in accord with our plans seems like a big risk, especially since we'd have barely any time to change it (3 hours and 40 minutes), and no paperwork from them to prove that they did not do what we wanted.

Actually at the time he makes the phone reservations for each leg of the trip, he can request that the agent email him the itinerary. That way you'd have some proof, not to mention a chance to make sure in advance that you are booked on the trains you wanted.

Thanks for that fact--I wasn't told that you could get anything mailed to you; the station attendants mentioned "no mailing" any time I asked about it, I guess they mention that since we were talking about the USA Rail Pass, which they were quite adamant over the fact that it can't be mailed. Now that we can get a receipt of our desired travel, I feel much more comfortable about doing this over the phone.

I didn't know anyone actually took kindly to that statue...though in B'more that is the only real piece of modern art besides graffiti, so it has to be the conversation piece. Even the amtrak customer service representatives were conversational about it when I brought it up. The statue is the only piece of art approved by the city that doesn't impede the lives of citizens, or block off/deface public property (too avante guarde for their own good), so I guess it is the best piece of modern art in the whole city....though I must say that I believe the statue to be tres gauche.

(Though I have nothing against the left hand lol)

 

[fizzball]

I must say that I believe the statue to be tres gauche.

gauche perhaps, but is is sinister?

 

[Kevin L.]

I must say that I believe the statue to be tres gauche.

gauche perhaps, but is is sinister?

lol--at night with the glowing chest, I want to say that it is. Then I remember that other art projects were to completely block off a park with gold-painted chain link fence as so no one could enter, and defacing park trees with streamers and banners, and laying down carpet in parks to "inspire people to go outdoors", I realize that I should reserve sinister for those "efforts" and the next "san francisco class" project they bring in.

"Izquierda" could work, but it doesn't have the cultural meaning that gauche has...though the majority of people who would use these terms are the ones creating the art that the words need to be applied to.

 

[AlanB]

Sadly, it does seem that this is the only way. Planning everything by phone and then hoping that when we show up all his stuff is in accord with our plans seems like a big risk, especially since we'd have barely any time to change it (3 hours and 40 minutes), and no paperwork from them to prove that they did not do what we wanted.

Actually at the time he makes the phone reservations for each leg of the trip, he can request that the agent email him the itinerary. That way you'd have some proof, not to mention a chance to make sure in advance that you are booked on the trains you wanted.

Thanks for that fact--I wasn't told that you could get anything mailed to you; the station attendants mentioned "no mailing" any time I asked about it, I guess they mention that since we were talking about the USA Rail Pass, which they were quite adamant over the fact that it can't be mailed. Now that we can get a receipt of our desired travel, I feel much more comfortable about doing this over the phone.

Just to be clear, I did say Email, not mail. If you're asking for something via the US Postal service, then you're out of luck. But the agent should be able to send you an email that confirms your itinerary.