2 Millionth AGR Member Promotion

[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]

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]

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!

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]

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]

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.

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]

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]

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]

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!

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!