Amazed at the ease of loophole booking

[dart330]

After reading all the great trips people have been taking lately, I decided to jump in and try one of these loopholes myself. We have been planning to go to New Orleans for Memorial Day weekend, and instead of flying back I thought I'd try to take advantage of the Slidell loophole through WAS (although now you can book straight from NOL). Initially we were just going to ride the SWC back to KNG and thruway to Vegas, but decided to try a new route since we rode the SWC in June (our first sleeper trip).

I had wanted to take the CZ to Sacramento, but all the dates we could go had sold out bedrooms. So we opted for the EB to Seattle, which we have never been on either. Looking on the Amtrak website the Crescent was filling up fast heading East, Memorial Day was already sold out and the day after only had one bedroom left.

I called AGR and talked with Patrick, had all the routings out of NOL in front of me and was expecting to have to talk them into letting me take such a strange route. I really thought AGR would try and make you take the shortest trip. He said there were 2 trains our of NOL I could take, so I said put me on the early one, and that was that. No hassle at all.

I did have to say we were going to PDX instead of SEA to stay on the EB to SEA and then the Cascades down to PDX. Very bizarre routing they give you that way, but at least it gives us the option to head to Portland if we want.

So if you haven't tried it, it is a super painless process. I just hope they don't change the rules anytime soon. I hope to take the CZ next year out of OMA.

 

[RRrich]

When you book a loophole trip you are NOT doing anyting wrong. You are asking to use AGR points for a valid Amtrak routing. If Amtrak chooses to offer a wierd routing, its not our fault and by accepting what Amtrak offers I think we are just going with the flow.

We have to go along with Amtrak's occasional weirdness - why not take advantage when we can

 

[MJL]

So is this considered a one or two zone trip?

 

[Guest]

So is this considered a one or two zone trip?

Starts in NOL, ends in PDX. On a map draw a straight line between the two, count the number of zones. This is a two zone trip.

 

[amamba]

Can you clarify which trains you are going on?

Is it Crescent from NOL - WAS, then cap limited from WAS - CHI, then EB from CHI - SEA and then coast starlight from SEA to PDX?

I am amazed at all of these loopholes and gotta get on one!

Any loopholes that start on the east coast?

 

[Shanghai]

Ask the Traveler, he knows all the loopholes!!

 

[the_traveler]

Can you clarify which trains you are going on? Is it Crescent from NOL - WAS, then cap limited from WAS - CHI, then EB from CHI - SEA and then coast starlight from SEA to PDX?

Yes, those are the ones!

I am amazed at all of these loopholes and gotta get on one!
Any loopholes that start on the east coast?

The only ones on the east coast are those to/from Pt Huron, MI (and maybe Detroit, MI) since you have to connect in Chicago. But we have our own (semi) loophole in the northeast that you can travel from POR to LYN for 3,000 points!

 

[the_traveler]

Ask the Traveler, he knows all the loopholes!!

She just did!

 

[dart330]

I guess what I was trying to say, is that I am surprised from a business standpoint that AGR doesn't make you take the shortest trip (I have no idea what the agreement with Amtrak is). I don't feel guilty booking a loophole trip.

I just really hope they don't change the rules from origin to destination zone, which makes this a 2 zone trip. It seems they could easily make it a zones traveled trip (which would make my trip a 3 zone trip). With all the people taking loopholes, I wouldn't be surprised if they restricted it, as unfortunate as it would be.

I can't wait for the trip and am very glad my fiancee is up for it.

 

[Roadfool]

So if you haven't tried it, it is a super painless process.

I was also surprised at how easy it was when I redeemed for my first AGR award this week (POS-EMY). I live in central California and I'm going from southern California to northern California...via Illinois. I was a bit nervous before I called, figuring the AGR rep would ask me if I was insane for not just taking the CS or (god forbid) the BFD Thruway bus/SJ route. I was even more nervous when he put me on hold to "check something" when he saw the weird routing on his computer. Then he came back and said "wow, that's one heck of a loophole" and I was in the clear.

I also hope they don't change the rules any time soon since I'm just getting started with all this AGR stuff. I'm guessing it isn't a huge money loser for Amtrak because there aren't that many people who would actually want to spend 5 days on the train for what should be an 8 hour trip. And at least in my case, the availability of the loopholes has been a major incentive for me to take more rides and spend more money on Amtrak. They may be losing money on my POS-EMY trip, but they've gotten a bunch of FNO-HNF runs out of me...not to mention lots of word of mouth advertising as I brag to all my friends about my awesome loophole trip.

 

[BigBlueBuddha]

I'm guessing it isn't a huge money loser for Amtrak because there aren't that many people who would actually want to spend 5 days on the train for what should be an 8 hour tripabout 8 ours.

Yah, I tend to agree. I think the percentage of Amtrak travelers who actually use these loopholes is very, very small and so it doesn't affect the bottom line very much. We do cost Amtrak some extra meals, perhaps up to 15 meals for a 5-day trip. I suppose that on occasion, if the sleepers are sold out, we also might be taking up an accommodation that a paying customer could have had. . .but still, in the scheme of things, I don't think they lose much money on loophole nuts like us!

 

[RRrich]

I wonder what percentage of folk that ride Amtrak really enjoy it? My wifey rides Amtrak as a pleasant way of getting somewhere but she would NOT want to join me on a loophole trip. For her riding the train is a way to get somewhere, not an end in itself.

When I told her I wanted to be on the train for 6 days (KWD-CBS loophole) she thought I was out of my mind and since she did not want to be alone for 6 days, partially due to health issues, she invited a pal to stay with her. That evolved into a big old hen party.

When I returned I was told that the girls wanted to do it annually – and that I had to take a similar train ride next year. [sarcasm]I grudgingly agreed – thinking of the OMA-CBS loophole. The things I do to keep my wife happy! [sarcasm off]

I assume that only a rather small percentage of the general population would ride Amtrak for pleasure or take a loophole trip so I don’t think that we pose a threat to Amtrak’s bottom line and I hope that they feel it is not in their interest to possibly irritate their most ardent travelers by attempting to limit loopholes

 

[AlanB]

I just really hope they don't change the rules from origin to destination zone, which makes this a 2 zone trip. It seems they could easily make it a zones traveled trip (which would make my trip a 3 zone trip). With all the people taking loopholes, I wouldn't be surprised if they restricted it, as unfortunate as it would be.

When AGR first started it was less restrictive than it is currently. One could pretty much book any trip one wanted, including trips that involved overnight stays. I'm thinking that lasted maybe 2 or 3 years before they stopped that and made it more like it is now where it has to be a continuous routing with no overnights on the ground unless there is no choice.