Please, someone explain "Toledo Shuffle"?

[HARHBG]

Would a knowledgeable member please explain, "Toledo Shuffle"? THANKS!

 

[Bob Dylan]

Would a knowledgeable member please explain, "Toledo Shuffle"? THANKS!

The "Toledo Shuffle" is where one would start or end an AGR Award since Toledo is on the border of the Eastern and Central AGR Zone.( going away Jan.24th,2016).This applies to any city on the Zone Border, ie El Paso, Albuqurque, Denver, Wolf Point,Atlanta etc.

For example, if coming from the West Coast on a 2 Zone Sleeper Award, one could switch to a Paid Coach ticket from say Toledo to Cleveland,( and vice versa) thus saving AGR Points because you don't add a 3rd Zone to the Award.

Usually, if you ask the SCA you can stay in your room, if it is not booked, only paying for any meals in the Diner and the Rail Fare for the Coach ticket.

 

[niemi24s]

So, putting it bluntly, the "Toledo Shuffle" is simply a way of milking the AGR cow for all she's worth?

 

[TinCan782]

So, putting it bluntly, the "Toledo Shuffle" is simply a way of milking the AGR cow for all she's worth?

How would you be "milking the AGR cow"? You would pay $$$, not points for the travel in the additional zone.

 

[oregon pioneer]

I will be doing the "Toledo Shuffle" at CIN on the Cardinal next month, on my way to BAL. Yes, I am "milking the cow" so to speak, because I did not have enough points for the third zone from Oregon to the east coast. Still haven't earned enough to get that third zone... so I will be getting up at oh-dark-thirty and lugging my bag over to coach (if my room is booked, otherwise I'll sleep till dawn and THEN do it). Mea culpa. hboy:

I'm actually looking forward to the rules change next year, because I'll be able to use whatever points I actually have to reduce my travel expense, rather than having to earn 15, 20, or 35,000 points before redeeming. No, I won't be taking the more roundabout routes any more. I'll go the shortest way possible. But I will STILL be traveling Amtrak, because Hubby and I both hate being crammed in flying sardine cans. I like to see the countryside (one reason I don't mind getting up at oh-dark-thirty: I will be awake at dawn!), and I like to be able to move around frequently.

 

[Anderson]

It would also apply to doing a two-zone in a sleeper and then switching to a paid sleeper at TOL.

 

[me_little_me]

It will all be moot for any reservation made or changed starting January 16.

In fact, sometime after that date, Amtrak says they will allow mixed points/cash tickets for any point along your route.

 

[Carolina Special]

So long as the cash portion of the mixed points/cash deal is at the same rate as redemptions, I agree it will be moot. If Amtrak decides to establish a higher price for the cash portion when mixed with points, doing the shuffle at the location where you run out of points may still be advantageous.

Because Amtrak raised the price at which points are bought this summer, I suspect they are planning to go with that higher price for the cash portion of the mixed points/cash bookings. Hopefully I'm wrong on that.

 

[PaulM]

So, putting it bluntly, the "Toledo Shuffle" is simply a way of milking the AGR cow for all she's worth?

How would you be "milking the AGR cow"? You would pay $$$, not points for the travel in the additional zone.

I'm sure 24 was just saying in an inelegant way that ending an AGR award at the boundary maximizes the value of the points consumed.

 

[TinCan782]

So, putting it bluntly, the "Toledo Shuffle" is simply a way of milking the AGR cow for all she's worth?

How would you be "milking the AGR cow"? You would pay $$$, not points for the travel in the additional zone.

I'm sure 24 was just saying in an inelegant way that ending an AGR award at the boundary maximizes the value of the points consumed.

Perhaps but, "maximizing" the value is not the same as "milking"...at least to me! Returning to LA from PDX via SPK, CHI and SAS might be! :giggle: