Search results

Amtrak Unlimited Discussion Forum

Help Support Amtrak Unlimited Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
  1. rtabern

    Amtrak's New Unfriendly Group Rates Policy

    I work for a travel tour operator who was considering incorporating Amtrak into a couple of its 2017 tours... but not after their policy change for group tours. Basically, if we make a reservations 10 months out -- we have to pay Amtrak the full, non-refundable amount 8 months out. So, if a...
  2. rtabern

    Private Car Trip: CHI-LAP September 9-11, 2016

    A disclaimer after some moderators on this forum apparently thought that I had a financial gain from this post and it was briefly removed: For more than 10 years now (about the same length I have been a forum member), I have volunteered our time doing narration for Amtrak and the National Park...
  3. rtabern

    Private Car Trip: CHI-LAP September 9-11, 2016

    I am helping to put together a private railcar excursion, in conjunction with "Zephyr Route" and Iowa Pacific. We only have 8 seats left... so before we totally sell out... I wanted to offer up the trip to anyone who might be interested on the Amtrak Unlimited Forum. It will be with "Prairie...
  4. rtabern

    Glenview, IL Station Agent Cut

    Another rail forum is reporting the ticket agent job at Glenview, IL (my hometown) will be cut by the end of the year. Sad. 16 trains a day and half his salary was paid by Metra. Hope they reconsider this one if its true.
  5. rtabern

    CHI-STL Lincoln Service Dome Car Excursion: April 23-24 '16

    Just a handful of seats are left!!! Here is a nice newspaper article that was just published about the trip: http://www.sj-r.com/article/20160307/NEWS/160309630
  6. rtabern

    National Train Day/Amtrak Train Days -- GONE!

    Here's one idea for Amtrak -- why not sell space at National Train Day events for train-related vendors? And then, use that money to cover any of their expenses related to National Train Day. Sorta like Train Fest in Milwaukee or the various other train shows around the country. In Chicago...
  7. rtabern

    CHI-STL Lincoln Service Dome Car Excursion: April 23-24 '16

    Yes, the Iowa Pacific "Prairie View" dome car. There are several other excursions planned. Check out www.aprhf.org after 2PM CT Saturday for more details!
  8. rtabern

    CHI-STL Lincoln Service Dome Car Excursion: April 23-24 '16

    All aboard, you history buffs! Passengers along the 284-mile railroad corridor between Chicago, Illinois and St. Louis, Missouri will have a unique opportunity to see the trackside scenery from a historic 1950’s full-length dome car the weekend of April 23 and April 24, 2016. This train will...
  9. rtabern

    National Train Day/Amtrak Train Days -- GONE!

    I got this in my e-mail this morning... I think because I am on the mailing list and have worked the events in Chicago and Milwaukee since the original one in 2007. "Since its inception, Amtrak Train Days/National Train Day has been a popular program with customers and employees, allowing us to...
  10. rtabern

    The Last Hurrah....

    I didn't feel like I was "cherry picking" with my example to make a point against Amtrak -- if I did, I would have purposely picked the highest possible fare bucket from CHI-EMY in my example. I did not do that. I used a bedroom fare of $1,472.00 from CHI to EMY in my example which is very...
  11. rtabern

    The Last Hurrah....

    I would argue... in your example given... it seems like VIA and Amtrak are just about "a wash"... especially if you are looking at the value one is getting from accommodations and meals. Here is my math to back up by feelings: You said Amtrak from Grand Forks to Seattle is $804.00. You get...
  12. rtabern

    Any good souvenirs to look out for at the stations or on the train?

    As I also write route guides... I got to meet Eva finally last year. We now carry her books on my website for all routes she has written. www.outsidetherails.com That way you can order them before you go at a better price than the GCT station.
  13. rtabern

    The Last Hurrah....

    Are you referring to me and what I said about the prices? Here is my math... correct me if I am wrong. VIA is simply hands down the better deal when it comes to a long-distance train ride. A "Cabin For Two" on the Canadian from Toronto to Vancouver (4 nights) with a departure date of 11/1/16...
  14. rtabern

    The Last Hurrah....

    True... will likely be doing more VIA trips. I mean with the weak dollar --- a 2 night bedroom on Amtrak costs about as much as a 4 night bedroom on VIA. And, the service is 100x better. I did read on another forum that VIA might be closing the Park Cars off at certain periods throughout the...
  15. rtabern

    Double Days Spring 2016 (former R.I.P.)

    Half?? That is being generous. Maybe one-tenth!! Glenview to Chicago used to earn me 100 points. It is now worth 9 points. More than a 90% reduction. Yep... just about done with AGR... just waiting until 1/1/17 to transfer most of my remaining points in another batch over to Choice Hotels...
  16. rtabern

    The Last Hurrah....

    We will be doing our "Last Hurrah" in about 10 weeks from now. GLN-CHI on the Hiawatha CHI-WAS on the Capitol Limited WAS-MIA on the Silver Meteor (Fly MIA-NOL on Southwest Airlines) NOL-CHI on the City of New Orleans CHI-LAX on the Southwest Chief LAX-Salem, OR on the Coast Starlight...
  17. rtabern

    Chicago's new Metropolitan Lounge Information

    Thanks for sharing!! I hope it opens on-time on June 1st. Atleast I will be able to enjoy it for 9 months before I lose my Select Plus status on 2/28/17 thanks to AGR 2.0.
  18. rtabern

    St. Paul, MN First Class Lounge?

    I got to see the lounge in December 2015 when I was volunteering with the Friends of the 261 North Pole Express train... and it was one of the worst First Class lounges in the system. You have to go to a different floor of the station and get the code for the room from an agent. Of course, they...
  19. rtabern

    Chicago's new Metropolitan Lounge Information

    June 1 is what theyre aiming for.
  20. rtabern

    Pullman Pulled their schedules?

    A younger couple out of Glenview, IL bought two ex-Great Northern half-dome/lounge cars last year. Their goal was to add the cars permanently into the Hiawatha train sets -- one dome for each of the train sets. Their business model was to sell "monthly memberships" and create a luxurious...
Back
Top