Attention LoopHole Fans!!!

[Bob Dylan]

Anyone who is looking for loopholes(arent we all! )will want to check out the Columbus,WI to Omaha route mentioned in OPs!I found sleepers available for the whole route in OCT. including to PDX on #27!Amazing!Admittedly they are all roomettes but for the price(Im talking AGR baby!)its a deal!

Im msure the traveler wont be interested since he never goes to PDX,probably not much interest by anyone else,in fact think I wont bother to book this one having already ridden these trains(except the CZ) in July!Get it while you can as Janis Joplin used to say! :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[DET63]

And I'm sure that if I were in Columbus I'd be just dying to go to Omaha . . .

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

And I'm sure that if I were in Columbus I'd be just dying to go to Omaha . . .

But you get 96 train hours for only 15,000 AGR Points

 

[the_traveler]

Let's see - How many friends do I have in CBS or OMA?

 

[pennyk]

What exactly is a loophole? I am guessing that it is a trip in one zone that takes a long time.

 

[ALC Rail Writer]

What exactly is a loophole? I am guessing that it is a trip in one zone that takes a long time.

Or two zones.

The Traveler will explain in a few moments

 

[ALC Rail Writer]

He'll also brag.

 

[the_traveler]

The loophole is when you can cross a zone boundry twice, but not be charged for that extra zone!

Such as on this one, you enter the Western region but since both CBS and OMA are in the Midwest region, it is only a 1 region award! Another is SDL to the west coast and due to the route of the Crescent you must connect via either WAS or CVS, but you're not charged for the eastern region!

I won't brag - too much!

 

[pennyk]

The loophole is when you can cross a zone boundry twice, but not be charged for that extra zone!
Such as on this one, you enter the Western region but since both CBS and OMA are in the Midwest region, it is only a 1 region award! Another is SDL to the west coast and due to the route of the Crescent you must connect via either WAS or CVS, but you're not charged for the eastern region!

I won't brag - too much!

Thank you. I think I understand now. How often do you take loophole trips just for the fun of it?

 

[JayPea]

And when I try it, it tells me that there are no trains matching that request. :angry: I guess the Fates decided the Slidell loophole was enough for a while.

 

[Upstate]

And when I try it, it tells me that there are no trains matching that request. :angry: I guess the Fates decided the Slidell loophole was enough for a while.

If you follow the wording of the previous posts you would not get anything to pull up. It is previously mentioned as the CBS to OMA when it is actually the OMA to CBS loophole. It only works in a clockwise routing to get the longer itinerary. If you want to go counterclockwise you can only go as far as Denver and it would be the CBS to DEN loophole.

 

[JayPea]

And when I try it, it tells me that there are no trains matching that request. :angry: I guess the Fates decided the Slidell loophole was enough for a while.

If you follow the wording of the previous posts you would not get anything to pull up. It is previously mentioned as the CBS to OMA when it is actually the OMA to CBS loophole. It only works in a clockwise routing to get the longer itinerary. If you want to go counterclockwise you can only go as far as Denver and it would be the CBS to DEN loophole.

Thank you! Much obliged! Of course now the problem is that for me, anyway, I can't get Amtrak's link to Reservations to come up. No matter, I'm not going anywhere by train any time soon.

 

[Green Maned Lion]

Thank you! Much obliged! Of course now the problem is that for me, anyway, I can't get Amtrak's link to Reservations to come up. No matter, I'm not going anywhere by train any time soon.

You gotta do that booking by phone.

 

[JayPea]

Thank you! Much obliged! Of course now the problem is that for me, anyway, I can't get Amtrak's link to Reservations to come up. No matter, I'm not going anywhere by train any time soon.

You gotta do that booking by phone.

Oh, I know that for AGR awards you book them by phone. I just like to play around with Amtrak's reservations to see what sort of trips I can concoct should I want to in the future :lol: But right now the link to their reservations doesn't seem to work at all, so I can't play. :lol:

 

[the_traveler]

How often do you take loophole trips just for the fun of it?

As much as I can! :lol:

Actually the reason that I use them so much is that (besides the extra train time and extra nights in the room) to go from the east coast to the west coast, if you do 1 overnight in the east region in coach and start a roomette or bedroom award from say ATL or BHM, the cost in points is 9,500 or 14,500 points less than a 3-zone award!

OK - I can't stand it any longer - I've done it 3 times this year and I'm on one right now!

 

[Bob Dylan]

Thank you! Much obliged! Of course now the problem is that for me, anyway, I can't get Amtrak's link to Reservations to come up. No matter, I'm not going anywhere by train any time soon.

You gotta do that booking by phone.

Oh, I know that for AGR awards you book them by phone. I just like to play around with Amtrak's reservations to see what sort of trips I can concoct should I want to in the future :lol: But right now the link to their reservations doesn't seem to work at all, so I can't play. :lol:

Ive followed this with interest since I did the original post!I have booked the Loophole trip from Columbus-OMA via PDX/SAC as a one zone award,

did it with AGR vis telephone,as others have said guess it depends on your agent?Im not the traveler,dont have his connections so guess I just got lucky!

Im in ncoach from CHI-Columbus,OMA-CHI,the rest is AGR award,roomettes starting 10/13 with a total value,,if I paid for the entire trip @ the buckets available when I first checked of: $1162,not bad for 15,000 points(5nights/4 1/2 days on good trains!) :lol: (dont wanna brag,but will a little!)

 

[the_traveler]

Im in ncoach from CHI-Columbus,OMA-CHI,the rest is AGR award,roomettes starting 10/13 with a total value,,if I paid for the entire trip @ the buckets available when I first checked of: $1162,not bad for 15,000 points(5nights/4 1/2 days on good trains!) :lol: (dont wanna brag,but will a little!)

You're getting as bad as me! :lol: Watch out - "tt disease" is spreading and there's no known cure!

Congratulations on geeting a good deal!

 

[Bob Dylan]

Im in ncoach from CHI-Columbus,OMA-CHI,the rest is AGR award,roomettes starting 10/13 with a total value,,if I paid for the entire trip @ the buckets available when I first checked of: $1162,not bad for 15,000 points(5nights/4 1/2 days on good trains!) :lol: (dont wanna brag,but will a little!)

You're getting as bad as me! :lol: Watch out - "tt disease" is spreading and there's no known cure!

Congratulations on geeting a good deal!

Well I met this guy in the Lounge in FTW(only very select pax get to use that one!)and he offered me a deal: "If I made it possible for you to travel anywhere you want on AGR awards that arent available to anyone else would you take the deal? I immediately :lol: said sure,but whats the catch?

His answer; Youll have to move to Oklahoma!!! :lol: :lol: :lol: (as in:the devil went down to Georgia/Robert Johnsons famous deal for his musical talent etc.!!! )Hope the Crescent is rolling North on time,the authorities in the Northern States have been notified,there is a railblock @ the RI border for suspicious looking characters that might be riding the train!!!(just noticed that you are the receipent of my 700th post,but whos counting??!!!)

 

[BigBlueBuddha]

Ive followed this with interest since I did the original post!I have booked the Loophole trip from Columbus-OMA via PDX/SAC as a one zone award,did it with AGR vis telephone,as others have said guess it depends on your agent?Im not the traveler,dont have his connections so guess I just got lucky!

Im in ncoach from CHI-Columbus,OMA-CHI,the rest is AGR award,roomettes starting 10/13 with a total value,,if I paid for the entire trip @ the buckets available when I first checked of: $1162,not bad for 15,000 points(5nights/4 1/2 days on good trains!) :lol: (dont wanna brag,but will a little!)

OK now I'm confused. The original round trip Columbus loophole was Columbus (CBS)-->Denver (DEN), followed by DEN-->CBS. One-zone AGR for each leg and you're back home.

It is also possible to book an Omaha (OMA)-->CBS loophole, but not a CBS-OMA trip (I just tried it). The OMA-CBS leg, though longer than the DEN-CBS leg, is only bookable one-way. This makes it less useful if one needs to return to a starting point. Because I live near Columbus, I want to leave and return from Columbus. There's no easy way to get to Omaha via rail without burning a lot of points. Obviously driving is out of the question and we won't even mention the other thing.

So how in the world did you book a from CBS to OMA as an award? :huh:

 

[the_traveler]

No, the Crescent is not on time! It's EARLY! In fact - it was early into BHM and has remained that way.

It may arrive NYP 20-30 minutes early!

 

[Bob Dylan]

Ive followed this with interest since I did the original post!I have booked the Loophole trip from Columbus-OMA via PDX/SAC as a one zone award,did it with AGR vis telephone,as others have said guess it depends on your agent?Im not the traveler,dont have his connections so guess I just got lucky!

Im in ncoach from CHI-Columbus,OMA-CHI,the rest is AGR award,roomettes starting 10/13 with a total value,,if I paid for the entire trip @ the buckets available when I first checked of: $1162,not bad for 15,000 points(5nights/4 1/2 days on good trains!) :lol: (dont wanna brag,but will a little!)

OK now I'm confused. The original round trip Columbus loophole was Columbus (CBS)-->Denver (DEN), followed by DEN-->CBS. One-zone AGR for each leg and you're back home.

It is also possible to book an Omaha (OMA)-->CBS loophole, but not a CBS-OMA trip (I just tried it). The OMA-CBS leg, though longer than the DEN-CBS leg, is only bookable one-way. This makes it less useful if one needs to return to a starting point. Because I live near Columbus, I want to leave and return from Columbus. There's no easy way to get to Omaha via rail without burning a lot of points. Obviously driving is out of the question and we won't even mention the other thing.

So how in the world did you book a from CBS to OMA as an award? :huh:

Apology and Correction: My bad!I had written down the roundtrip legs of this loophole based on a previous post on this board!After doing my computer check with Amtrak to see if sleepers were available(dont use AGR points on coach as the pros said!) I was able to book,as the OP said: OMA-CBS,

one way only, with paid coach tickets from CHI-OMA/CBS-CHI.The rest of my trip is on a railpass,mostly in coach but with a couple of upgrades to

Biz class and sleeper!I mistakenly posted the wrong info and apologize: perhaps the traveler has an idea on getting to OMA or how you can do your desired trip?I do remember someone mentioning(was it Alan?)that if Arrow had it you should be able to book it??Again,thanks for the slap upside my old and malfunctioning brain!perhaps you could call back and talk with a supervisor and ask why its not bookable for you?Good luck!

 

[Bob Dylan]

And when I try it, it tells me that there are no trains matching that request. :angry: I guess the Fates decided the Slidell loophole was enough for a while.

If you follow the wording of the previous posts you would not get anything to pull up. It is previously mentioned as the CBS to OMA when it is actually the OMA to CBS loophole. It only works in a clockwise routing to get the longer itinerary. If you want to go counterclockwise you can only go as far as Denver and it would be the CBS to DEN loophole.

This is correct sir!See my correction above,my bad!

 

[Upstate]

Ive followed this with interest since I did the original post!I have booked the Loophole trip from Columbus-OMA via PDX/SAC as a one zone award,did it with AGR vis telephone,as others have said guess it depends on your agent?Im not the traveler,dont have his connections so guess I just got lucky!

Im in ncoach from CHI-Columbus,OMA-CHI,the rest is AGR award,roomettes starting 10/13 with a total value,,if I paid for the entire trip @ the buckets available when I first checked of: $1162,not bad for 15,000 points(5nights/4 1/2 days on good trains!) :lol: (dont wanna brag,but will a little!)

OK now I'm confused. The original round trip Columbus loophole was Columbus (CBS)-->Denver (DEN), followed by DEN-->CBS. One-zone AGR for each leg and you're back home.

It is also possible to book an Omaha (OMA)-->CBS loophole, but not a CBS-OMA trip (I just tried it). The OMA-CBS leg, though longer than the DEN-CBS leg, is only bookable one-way. This makes it less useful if one needs to return to a starting point. Because I live near Columbus, I want to leave and return from Columbus. There's no easy way to get to Omaha via rail without burning a lot of points. Obviously driving is out of the question and we won't even mention the other thing.

So how in the world did you book a from CBS to OMA as an award? :huh:

Here is how you do it. You don't do two awards.

You drive to Milwaukee and catch the Hiawatha into Chicago and get on the CZ to Omaha. You will have to pay pay for this ticket. Its during the day so you can just buy a coach ticket and be happy. It looks like $86 for low bucket.

At Omaha you move it on up to the AGR ticketed sleeping compartment. Enjoy the ride all the way through Sacramento, Portland and then your deluxe ride ends at Columbus on the Empire Builder.

Next you buy a coach ticket from Columbus to Milwaukee and are dropped off where you started. Looks like it should cost about $14. The circle is complete.

 

[BigBlueBuddha]

Ive followed this with interest since I did the original post!I have booked the Loophole trip from Columbus-OMA via PDX/SAC as a one zone award,did it with AGR vis telephone,as others have said guess it depends on your agent?Im not the traveler,dont have his connections so guess I just got lucky!

Im in ncoach from CHI-Columbus,OMA-CHI,the rest is AGR award,roomettes starting 10/13 with a total value,,if I paid for the entire trip @ the buckets available when I first checked of: $1162,not bad for 15,000 points(5nights/4 1/2 days on good trains!) :lol: (dont wanna brag,but will a little!)

OK now I'm confused. The original round trip Columbus loophole was Columbus (CBS)-->Denver (DEN), followed by DEN-->CBS. One-zone AGR for each leg and you're back home.

It is also possible to book an Omaha (OMA)-->CBS loophole, but not a CBS-OMA trip (I just tried it). The OMA-CBS leg, though longer than the DEN-CBS leg, is only bookable one-way. This makes it less useful if one needs to return to a starting point. Because I live near Columbus, I want to leave and return from Columbus. There's no easy way to get to Omaha via rail without burning a lot of points. Obviously driving is out of the question and we won't even mention the other thing.

So how in the world did you book a from CBS to OMA as an award? :huh:

Here is how you do it. You don't do two awards.

You drive to Milwaukee and catch the Hiawatha into Chicago and get on the CZ to Omaha. You will have to pay pay for this ticket. Its during the day so you can just buy a coach ticket and be happy. It looks like $86 for low bucket.

At Omaha you move it on up to the AGR ticketed sleeping compartment. Enjoy the ride all the way through Sacramento, Portland and then your deluxe ride ends at Columbus on the Empire Builder.

Next you buy a coach ticket from Columbus to Milwaukee and are dropped off where you started. Looks like it should cost about $14. The circle is complete.

I knew that. <_< But it's still not a round trip AGR loophole; you still have to either spend $100 or burn what, another 12,000 points? I guess it comes down to whether it's worth it to go from Columbus to Omaha for $100 or the extra points? I suppose it could, it is a longer trip and has some good scenery. . .

 

[Bob Dylan]

Ive followed this with interest since I did the original post!I have booked the Loophole trip from Columbus-OMA via PDX/SAC as a one zone award,did it with AGR vis telephone,as others have said guess it depends on your agent?Im not the traveler,dont have his connections so guess I just got lucky!

Im in ncoach from CHI-Columbus,OMA-CHI,the rest is AGR award,roomettes starting 10/13 with a total value,,if I paid for the entire trip @ the buckets available when I first checked of: $1162,not bad for 15,000 points(5nights/4 1/2 days on good trains!) :lol: (dont wanna brag,but will a little!)

OK now I'm confused. The original round trip Columbus loophole was Columbus (CBS)-->Denver (DEN), followed by DEN-->CBS. One-zone AGR for each leg and you're back home.

It is also possible to book an Omaha (OMA)-->CBS loophole, but not a CBS-OMA trip (I just tried it). The OMA-CBS leg, though longer than the DEN-CBS leg, is only bookable one-way. This makes it less useful if one needs to return to a starting point. Because I live near Columbus, I want to leave and return from Columbus. There's no easy way to get to Omaha via rail without burning a lot of points. Obviously driving is out of the question and we won't even mention the other thing.

So how in the world did you book a from CBS to OMA as an award? :huh:

Here is how you do it. You don't do two awards.

You drive to Milwaukee and catch the Hiawatha into Chicago and get on the CZ to Omaha. You will have to pay pay for this ticket. Its during the day so you can just buy a coach ticket and be happy. It looks like $86 for low bucket.

At Omaha you move it on up to the AGR ticketed sleeping compartment. Enjoy the ride all the way through Sacramento, Portland and then your deluxe ride ends at Columbus on the Empire Builder.

Next you buy a coach ticket from Columbus to Milwaukee and are dropped off where you started. Looks like it should cost about $14. The circle is complete.

I knew that. <_< But it's still not a round trip AGR loophole; you still have to either spend $100 or burn what, another 12,000 points? I guess it comes down to whether it's worth it to go from Columbus to Omaha for $100 or the extra points? I suppose it could, it is a longer trip and has some good scenery. . .

Glad you got the info,you might want to still call and determine why its not bookable,Ive been assured in a PM that it should be!To me its worth it,to pay for a coach ticket that is,never use points on coach the pros say!But to each his ownI consider it a better deal than the Slidell loophole but Im a southerner and lived in DC so favor the Western scenery,especially on the EB/CS and CZ!