Blackout date predictions for 2011-12

[TML]

I know it's early for this, but I've been following Amtrak's blackout dates since 2008, and based on existing information, I've been speculating on when future blackout dates will occur. If this year's pattern were to repeat itself next year, then next year's blackout dates would be expected to be as follows:

February 18, 2011

February 21, 2011

April 22, 2011

April 24-25, 2011

November 22-23, 2011

November 26-28, 2011

December 16-23, 2011

December 26-30, 2011

January 2, 2012

However, blackout dates have not always followed a perfectly consistent pattern over the past several years, so there is still room for change here. If I were to make changes, I would be more generous on Easter weekend & winter break but I might consider reinstating blackouts for summer holidays. As such, my personal set of blackout dates would be as follows:

February 18, 2011

February 21, 2011

April 22, 2011

April 25, 2011

May 27, 2011

May 30, 2011

July 1, 2011

July 4, 2011

September 2, 2011

September 5, 2011

November 22-23, 2011

November 26-28, 2011

December 16-18, 2011

December 23-26, 2011

December 30-31, 2011

January 1-2, 2012

 

[soitgoes]

Last year I compiled a list of historical blackout dates for AGR and posted it on FlyerTalk. Spurred on by this post here, I updated the post:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/11007264-post7.html

 

[TML]

Well, according to this source, it looks like the following dates will surely be blackout dates:

February 18, 2011

February 21, 2011

April 22, 2011

April 24-25, 2011

At this time we'll have to keep waiting for blackout dates during the second half of 2011.

 

[TML]

I now have information from this source which suggests that the following dates will be blackout dates, in addition to those already mentioned:

May 27, 2011

July 1-2, 2011

September 2, 2011

September 5, 2011

It does seem a bit weird that for Memorial Day & Independence Day weekends, the front end is blacked out but the back end isn't...

 

[printman2000]

I had my trip all planned out and was going to finally get to use my kids points for something (Cascades train from Portland to Seattle) and I find out the day we need it, July 1, 2011 is a stinkin blackout day.

Tried to book it and the system told me "No". :angry2:

 

[frugalist]

I had my trip all planned out and was going to finally get to use my kids points for something (Cascades train from Portland to Seattle) and I find out the day we need it, July 1, 2011 is a stinkin blackout day.

Tried to book it and the system told me "No". :angry2:

I can confirm that July 1 & 2, 2011 are blackout dates. I just got off the phone with AGR CS and the rep confirmed those dates as well as the May 27 date. After reading the above 2 posts I became concerned because we're now planning to leave on July 3 on our big cross country trip for our Alaska cruise. Doesn't look like we'll be affected, but I'm feeling bad for you, printman2000. Hopefully you'll find other dates that will work out.

 

[MrFSS]

I had my trip all planned out and was going to finally get to use my kids points for something (Cascades train from Portland to Seattle) and I find out the day we need it, July 1, 2011 is a stinkin blackout day.

Tried to book it and the system told me "No".

I can confirm that July 1 & 2, 2011 are blackout dates. I just got off the phone with AGR CS and the rep confirmed those dates as well as the May 27 date. After reading the above 2 posts I became concerned because we're now planning to leave on July 3 on our big cross country trip for our Alaska cruise. Doesn't look like we'll be affected, but I'm feeling bad for you, printman2000. Hopefully you'll find other dates that will work out.

A quick look at the calendar shows that 7/1-2/11 are the Friday and Saturday of the long 4th weekend. The trains will be packed!

 

[printman2000]

I had my trip all planned out and was going to finally get to use my kids points for something (Cascades train from Portland to Seattle) and I find out the day we need it, July 1, 2011 is a stinkin blackout day.

Tried to book it and the system told me "No". :angry2:

I can confirm that July 1 & 2, 2011 are blackout dates. I just got off the phone with AGR CS and the rep confirmed those dates as well as the May 27 date. After reading the above 2 posts I became concerned because we're now planning to leave on July 3 on our big cross country trip for our Alaska cruise. Doesn't look like we'll be affected, but I'm feeling bad for you, printman2000. Hopefully you'll find other dates that will work out.

The dates are not flexible anymore. I have booked trips to and from Lamy around this date. Not worth it to change everything else. Oh, well.

 

[TML]

To summarize, it appears that the following dates are confirmed to be blackout dates via quasi-official sources:

February 18, 2011

February 21, 2011

April 22, 2011

April 24-25, 2011

May 27, 2011

July 1-2, 2011

September 2, 2011

September 5, 2011

Although not yet confirmed by any sources, I am also counting on the following dates to be blackout dates based on past patterns:

November 22-23, 2011

November 26-28, 2011

December 16-23, 2011

December 26-30, 2011

January 2, 2012