National Train Day 2010

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Long Train Runnin'

Long Train Runnin'

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Found a very interesting .pdf online today outlining the festivities for national train day 2010! :)

Its going to take place on May 8, 2010.

Major cities: Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Chicago and Los Angeles will have things.

It says the official page will launch on Feb. 23.

You can see more here (Its a PDF so you need something like Adobe reader to view it)

Now all we need is info on the AGR promotion :p
 
Events like this are very good to promote the benefits of rail travel. They let the public tour the train and allow them to look in the sleepers , dining cars and observation cars. Its an interesting event, but more so for people who have never traveled by train. They can see Amtrak chefs preparing typical dining car cuisine, learn about RR history and discover the locations that Amtrak now serves.

As for better deals, I can appreciate that. Sleeper travel is very comfortable but quite expensive but first class air travel is too. I view train travel as the hidden jewel of passenger transportation. So far it exists for a select few that appreciate its benefits and I hope that it never goes mainsteam. Otherwise it wil mimic air travel with its many discomforts and indignations.
 
Long Train Runnin said:
Found a very interesting .pdf online today outlining the festivities for national train day 2010! :)

Its going to take place on May 8, 2010.

Major cities: Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Chicago and Los Angeles will have things.

It says the official page will launch on Feb. 23.

You can see more here (Its a PDF so you need something like Adobe reader to view it)

Now all we need is info on the AGR promotion :p
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Cool. Does anyone think they may have any presentations at Promontory Point? I feel that might wishful thinking, but that would be a location I might get to go to. Never been to Promontory Point!
 
I'll be there this year. I booked a room at the river hotel in chicago. I'll leave on sunday to avoid the crowds. just need to book amtrak tickets when i get paid friday.
 
To receive any bonus AGR points or maybe a 2 for 1 offer (or whatever amtrak offers as a reward for Train Day) do you have to travel on that particular day? I'm thinking of taking my granddaughter to LA for the event. To be in LA on the 8th, we would need to travel south (Coast Starlight) on the 7th and return on the 9th. While we would really have a fun time, would we totally miss out on any "Train Day" rewards?
 
Long Train Runnin said:
Found a very interesting .pdf online today outlining the festivities for national train day 2010! :)

Its going to take place on May 8, 2010.

Major cities: Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Chicago and Los Angeles will have things.

It says the official page will launch on Feb. 23.

You can see more here (Its a PDF so you need something like Adobe reader to view it)

Now all we need is info on the AGR promotion :p
Click to expand...
How exciting! I am traveling on the Wolverine from Michigan to Chicago & Empire Builder from Chicago to Seattle that day. We should have a 2 1/2 hour stop over in Chicago. Could be fun!
 
Depending on promotions I'll either be in Philly or Chicago. I have unused NJT tickets to Philly, and $42 of unused Amtrak tickets (Columbus-CHI- for some reason they were never pulled!) so I'll either do Chicago (I don't know via what route, though- I have been thinking NYP-NOL-CHI-NYP, but probably not) or Philly. If there are a lot of promotions, Chicago. If there aren't, after this last trip, my bank account would like to sit back and say WHOAH! I'm sure.
 
Trainmans daughter said:
To receive any bonus AGR points or maybe a 2 for 1 offer (or whatever amtrak offers as a reward for Train Day) do you have to travel on that particular day? I'm thinking of taking my granddaughter to LA for the event. To be in LA on the 8th, we would need to travel south (Coast Starlight) on the 7th and return on the 9th. While we would really have a fun time, would we totally miss out on any "Train Day" rewards?
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Based on the last 2 years, yes you have to start travel that day! :(

Case in point: Last year, when it was 4X points, I went from KIN to BOS on #66. This train starts it's run on Friday night, but departs KIN at 6:22 AM on Saturday morning (thus it qualifies). But it posted on the date of the train's departure (Friday) and didn't give me 4X! :angry: I called up had had it fixed! :)

To get the bonus points :D , take a short trip like LAX to Fullerton or Glendale! If you fare is anywhere between $1 and $50, you still earn the same 100 AGR points! :D
 
I agree with Bill, since I'm a baseball fan will get the best of both worlds by going to Philly, then riding the Acela to NYP

for more points! Looking forward to the official info and the AGR promo for sure! :)
 
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I think it'd be great if they had Train Day activities in lesser served markets as well. Chicago, D.C. Philadelphia and L.A. all already are huge train markets. It still amazes me the number of people in this country who don't even know we have a passenger rails system in the U.S.A. and Amtrak needs to get the word out!
 
I will as usual be in Washington DC traveling there and back by Acela from Metropark to maximize points and bonus points whatever they turn out to be this year. Already got the reservation in low bucket.
 
OK, I'm gonna take my family from BWI to WAS this year, spend a few minutes at Union Station, and then "Do" DC. I booked the two adult fares at $24 RT, minus the AAA discount.

Do I remember correctly, that last year Amtrak offered some type of "kids ride free, with paying adult fare" on Train Day? (or am I thinking of something else.........)

Anyone?

btw, do you have to be 18 to sign up for AGR, or can I sign up my kids too?
 
rrdude said:
OK, I'm gonna take my family from BWI to WAS this year, spend a few minutes at Union Station, and then "Do" DC. I booked the two adult fares at $24 RT, minus the AAA discount.
Do I remember correctly, that last year Amtrak offered some type of "kids ride free, with paying adult fare" on Train Day? (or am I thinking of something else.........)

Anyone?

btw, do you have to be 18 to sign up for AGR, or can I sign up my kids too?
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No deal on the kids (we took ours to WAS for the day), and you can call and sign your kids up (ours has had his since he was 4).

Thinking BWI-WAS myself, unless I get crazy and go up to PHL.
 
rrdude said:
Do I remember correctly, that last year Amtrak offered some type of "kids ride free, with paying adult fare" on Train Day? (or am I thinking of something else.........)
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Kids ride half price with paying adult fare, every day. I don't remember a further kids discount on National Train Day.
 
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the_traveler said:
Trainmans daughter said:
To receive any bonus AGR points or maybe a 2 for 1 offer (or whatever amtrak offers as a reward for Train Day) do you have to travel on that particular day? I'm thinking of taking my granddaughter to LA for the event. To be in LA on the 8th, we would need to travel south (Coast Starlight) on the 7th and return on the 9th. While we would really have a fun time, would we totally miss out on any "Train Day" rewards?
Click to expand...
Based on the last 2 years, yes you have to start travel that day! :(

Case in point: Last year, when it was 4X points, I went from KIN to BOS on #66. This train starts it's run on Friday night, but departs KIN at 6:22 AM on Saturday morning (thus it qualifies). But it posted on the date of the train's departure (Friday) and didn't give me 4X! :angry: I called up had had it fixed! :)

To get the bonus points :D , take a short trip like LAX to Fullerton or Glendale! If you fare is anywhere between $1 and $50, you still earn the same 100 AGR points! :D
Click to expand...
That's not entirely correct, Dave. IIRC, the NTD promo went more like, first two trips in May earned double points, remaining trips earned triple points, travel on NTD day itself earned quad points.
 
You can even sign kids up for AGR onine - just leave the date field blank; that's what I was told by an AGR rep on the phone a few years ago to get a bigger promotion for my stepdaughter.

Oops, just went to look and you need to be 16 to signup online now.

My calendar looks pretty up so far; maybe I'll check out LA that day.
 
jis said:
AlanB said:
That's not entirely correct, Dave. IIRC, the NTD promo went more like, first two trips in May earned double points, remaining trips earned triple points, travel on NTD day itself earned quad points.
Click to expand...
Wasn't the quad points only on the first two trips on NTD?
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Alan is right again! But in my case, because #66 started on Friday, it at first only posted as 3X! But because departure from KIN is @ 6:22 AM on Saturday, it should have been 4X instead!

The 4X was on the 1st 2 trips (or technically 4 one ways). I went KIN-BOS, BOS-KIN, KIN-NHV and NHV-KIN and all got 4X! :cool:
 
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