Im Riding the Eagles after a Year!

[Bob Dylan]

After finishing my 2 Covid Vaccine Shots ( Pfizer) a month ago, and with AGR Points building up due to using my AGR Credit Card, I have booked my first trip on a LD Train in over a Year.

I will be catching #422 in Austin to Dallas on Tues 3/30 in a Roomette, and returning on #421 on Wed 3/31 in a Roomette.

I will be able to try the New Omelette since Austin is Last Call for Breakfast for Sleeping Car Passengers, and have Lunch after Temple.( I'll have to see what is on the Menu and what they have available??)

On the way back I'll have Lunch after boarding in Dallas and Dinner after Temple on the way to Austin.

Total Cost in AGR Points= 11,400

My Hotel in Dallas, the La Quinta across from Union Station where some AUers stayed during the 2019 Gathering, includes Breakfast and is covered by Points, so my only real expense is Dinner in Dallas, any adult beverages consumed and Tips to the OBS.

The only downside is theres still no Sightseer Lounge in the consists, but it's not like I dont know every inch of the Route/ Lol, and the Diner isnt serving a Regular Menu but at least I get to try the current offerings.

I'm really excited after being grounded from Traveling for over a year!

 

[SarahZ]

That's wonderful!

 

[Bob Dylan]

That's wonderful!

Thanks, I looked into Chicago but it's still a little too early for one of our favorites, will wait till the Ivy is Green @ Wrigley and fans can attend games and of course the Gathering that's looking better all the time!

 

[jiml]

Looking forward to your trip report. There's so many more hotel options there than my last visit. I was there for a convention a few years ago and they put us up in the Aloft, near where you're staying. I see there's a Courtyard nearby too, so as a Marriott person I'd probably have tried that first.

 

[Cal]

After finishing my 2 Covid Vaccine Shots ( Pfizer) a month ago, and with AGR Points building up due to using my AGR Credit Card, I have booked my first trip on a LD Train in over a Year.

I will be catching #422 in Austin to Dallas on Tues 3/30 in a Roomette, and returning on #421 on Wed 3/31 in a Roomette.

I will be able to try the New Omelette since Austin is Last Call for Breakfast for Sleeping Car Passengers, and have Lunch after Temple.( I'll have to see what is on the Menu and what they have available??)

On the way back I'll have Lunch after boarding in Dallas and Dinner after Temple on the way to Austin.

Total Cost in AGR Points= 11,400

My Hotel in Dallas, the La Quinta across from Union Station where some AUers stayed during the 2019 Gathering, includes Breakfast and is covered by Points, so my only real expense is Dinner in Dallas, any adult beverages consumed and Tips to the OBS.

The only downside is theres still no Sightseer Lounge in the consists, but it's not like I dont know every inch of the Route/ Lol, and the Diner isnt serving a Regular Menu but at least I get to try the current offerings.

I'm really excited after being grounded from Traveling for over a year!

That's great! Hope you enjoy it

 

[Sidney]

Just got my second shot this week. I have always felt safe riding Amtrak and have done a few trips in the past year. Next one is late May. Keystone and NE Regional to Boston from Harrisburg. I never rode the full length of the Lake Shore from Boston,so I have Business Class to Chicago,a roomette on the Texas Eagle to LA,Coast Starlight to Portland,flying to BWI(couldn't afford the EB this time around) and a Regional to Philly and Keystone back to Harrisburg.

I ll be on the last TE/Sunset with Flex dining and one of the first CS with traditional dining. I was originally going to do a Surfliner trip to San Diego and fly from LA,but I couldn't pass up the chance to enjoy traditional dining again,so I modified my trip.

 

[Cal]

I ll be on the last TE/Sunset with Flex dining and one of the first CS with traditional dining. I was originally going to do a Surfliner trip to San Diego and fly from LA,but I couldn't pass up the chance to enjoy traditional dining again,so I modified my trip.

Please, report back to how it works!

 

[JayPea]

Enjoy yourself, Jim!! I am planning stages of another loop trip that will coordinate in some fashion with a trip my uncle is also in the planning stages of. In the meantime, I have a short trip planned in June: Spokane-East Glacier Park, rent a car there and spend a few days seeing the sights of Montana the Empire Builder does not reach, then back to Spokane from East Glacier.

 

[Seaboard92]

If you get the chance Jim check out Mike's Chicken as I think that is by far the best Fried Chicken in the entire USA in Dallas. It's about a three block walk away from the Victory DART Station. Look for the sign that says Laundromat because it is seriously in a laundromat but so good.

 

[Bob Dylan]

If you get the chance Jim check out Mike's Chicken as I think that is by far the best Fried Chicken in the entire USA in Dallas. It's about a three block walk away from the Victory DART Station. Look for the sign that says Laundromat because it is seriously in a laundromat but so good.

I'll check this out for sure, thanks!

 

[MARC Rider]

On the way back I'll have Lunch after boarding in Dallas and Dinner after Temple on the way to Austin.

... Assuming #421 is close to schedule.

Total Cost in AGR Points= 11,400

That's pretty good. I spent about that amount in points on a FC Acela ride between BAL and PHL. (1 hour 5 minutes; 95 miles) I've spent 10 - 12,000 points for various Acela FC rides between Boston and Baltimore, too.

 

[bratkinson]

I spent about that amount in points on a FC Acela ride between BAL and PHL. (1 hour 5 minutes; 95 miles) I've spent 10 - 12,000 points for various Acela FC rides between Boston and Baltimore, too.

After reading about someone on another site booking a trip to 'try out' the restored Night Owl/Twilight Shorliner/65-66-67 sleeper as their first Amtrak trip since Covid, I decided to do the same and booked the same trip in mid-April as he posted his itinerary. I was stunned to find that the prices along the NEC are half or less of what they were pre-Covid. Also, both Acela and regional trains have the same price for BC/FC on Acela and Coach/BC for regional. In other words, FREE UPGRADE! I even 'stumbled' into what must have been a 'blip' that the price showing for Acela First Class was maybe 15-20% LESS than Business Class! I should have booked it on the spot! I've not been able to get it back.

The only problem is no matter how I tried, I could not book the trip with points. Not as multi-city, not as individual segments! I finally gave up and called AGR and booked it. I also detailed my experience in an email to Amtrak and noted that I'm on a Windows 10 computer with the current version of Firefox (86.0.1). I had on and off problems with Firefox on a number of sites in the past 4-5 years I've used it, so maybe it's a compatibility issue with Firefox. But I'll never switch as the left-side bookmarks works very well for some of the sites I regularly visit.

 

[caravanman]

Feeling envious Jim!
Here in the UK, the criminals running things have decided to only give the second dose of vaccine 12 weeks after the first, so it is still a long time to wait for my full two jabs! (Naturally it's trhe cheap AZ one which may not work anyway. )
Enjoy your trip, looking forward to your in depth report on the omlette.

 

[willem]

Sounds great, Jim. As I've seen you say many time, "We're envious!"

 

[tonys96]

Good deal!
We have both also been vaccinated (Moderna). Perhaps we can get together with you while you are here

 

[Barb Stout]

If you get the chance Jim check out Mike's Chicken as I think that is by far the best Fried Chicken in the entire USA in Dallas. It's about a three block walk away from the Victory DART Station. Look for the sign that says Laundromat because it is seriously in a laundromat but so good.

Curious combination. I would be concerned about getting chicken grease on my newly laundered clothes because that sounds like something I would do.

 

[Seaboard92]

Curious combination. I would be concerned about getting chicken grease on my newly laundered clothes because that sounds like something I would do.

It is strange but trust me it is worth going there.

 

[daybeers]

Sounds great! Why does the TE still not have a SSL?

 

[Cal]

Sounds great! Why does the TE still not have a SSL?

It doesn't? Darn, I'm taking the Eagle soon as well.

 

[Bob Dylan]

It doesn't? Darn, I'm taking the Eagle soon as well.

It's still running with a shortened Consist. Yesterday's #21/#421 had the usual P-42, Transdorm ( #21 Sleeper),Sleeper( #421 Cutout Sleeper), CCC ( Combined Diner/Cafe) and 2 Coaches( the #21 and the #421 Cutout Coach).

The Austin agent told me that when Daily Service returns, the Consist will go back to the usual one with a SSL and a 3rd Coach on #421/#422 Days.( 3 days a week)

 

[Cal]

It's still running with a shortened Consist. Yesterday's #21/#421 had the usual P-42, Transdorm ( #21 Sleeper),Sleeper( #421 Cutout Sleeper), CCC ( Combined Diner/Cafe) and 2 Coaches( the #21 and the #421 Cutout Coach).

The Austin agent told me that when Daily Service returns, the Consist will go back to the usual one with a SSL and a 3rd Coach on #421/#422 Days.( 3 days a week)

Okay, great. But I'm riding well before they go back to daily, so...

 

[Acela150]

Let's go BIRDS!!

 

[Bob Dylan]

Okay, great. But I'm riding well before they go back to daily, so...

Ditto!

 

[Cal]

The virtual railfan camera of the week is Fort Worth! So we will be able to watch your train depart, you gonna be there?

 

[Bob Dylan]

The virtual railfan camera of the week is Fort Worth! So we will be able to watch your train depart, you gonna be there?

Yep, I always take a "Fresh Air" break in FTW when on the Eagles.