Seeking opinions and suggestions

[Steve Zwillinger]

I have been a frequent reader of the conversations here but this is my first post.

I am planning a trip this summer from Washington DC to travel on the three Amtrak routes that are left on my want-to-ride list: Cardinal, Empire Builder and City of New Orleans. I’ve got enough points for two 3-zone roomettes but would like to solicit your opinions and suggestions for how I might optimize the trip to minimize points and maximize nights on board.

Secondary issues I am considering:

1. I think the Coast Starlight going from South to North is delightful experience – from the plains to the mountains

2. I would like to change trains in New Orleans to get the overnight (at my expense) without breaking my journey.

3. Where there is no effect on ticketing (i.e. no increase in points) I would like to have an overnight so the 6,000+ trip is not entirely within a

train.

4. I’ve heard the eastbound Empire Builder lets you see more than the westbound.

My preliminary thoughts:

Cardinal from DC to Chicago

City of New Orleans Chicago to New Orleans

Overnight in New Orleans

Sunset Limited to El Paso

Overnight in El Paso

El Paso to Wolf Point via Coast Starlight LA to Seattle

Overnight in Seattle

Via Empire Builder to Wolf Point

Overnight in Wolf Point

Empire Builder to Chicago

Capital Limited to DC

Thoughts and suggestions welcomed. Thank you

Steve

 

[the_traveler]

Is there a reason you want to overnight in Wolf Point, MT? :blush: Why not just stay on the same Empire Builder right to Chicago? :blush:

 

[Steve Zwillinger]

It will have been a long trip from El Paso and I've never set foot in Montana. I figured as it is two zone city (not quite a city) there would be no point penalty for staying there and seeing it. I think the way I laid it out it is a 5 zone trip.

-Steve

 

[zephyr17]

It will have been a long trip from El Paso and I've never set foot in Montana. I figured as it is two zone city (not quite a city) there would be no point penalty for staying there and seeing it. I think the way I laid it out it is a 5 zone trip.-Steve

Wolf Point is a very small town and it is not in the pretty, mountainous western part of Montana. It is in the eastern Montana plains without much to see or do. Unless you are overnighting there for some AGL reason, I wouldn't do it. If you want to spend time in Montana, do it in the Flathead Valley-Glacier Park area (Whitefish, West Glacier/Belton, East Glacier stops).

In the summer, the east and westbound Builders are about the same in terms of scenery, you'll see both the Montana Rockies around Glacier as well as Stevens Pass over the Cascades. In winter months, the eastbound is more scenic if you want to see Glacier, although Stevens Pass will be in darkness on the eastbound, while it will be in early morning daylight westbound.

Northbound on the Coast Starlight is more scenic as you have both the coast running on the first day and crossing the Cascades the morning of the second day in daylight. Southbound the Cascades are done pretty much darkness, although in high summer you will get some of it.

Also, will AGR count overnighting in Seattle to connect to the Builder as a continuous journey on one award, when there is a same-day guaranteed connection via Portland?

 

[the_traveler]

First, there is no real city or town in Wolf Point. (No offense to those that live there.) I'm not even sure if there's a motel/hotel there. Unless you look for the "station", you may miss it! I only noticed it on my last trip on the EB.

Second, unless you want to visit or overnight in Seattle (again no offense meant), you can get a same day connection to the EB in Portland, OR. And this also continues directly to Chicago.

 

[JayPea]

There are a couple of motels in Wolf Point. Current population is about 2650.

 

[zephyr17]

There are motels on US 2 in Wolf Point. I stayed overnight there once on a road trip. Not much to the place, although unlike someplace like Lamy, NM, it is a bona fide town, not just a stop with not much around it.

 

[crescent2]

I have no experience yet actually using AGR, but numerous previous posts on AU have said that New Orleans is the only overnight allowed on a single AGR redemption that would otherwise require two. Why there is an exception for New Orleans I don't know. (It's a great place to overnight. ) If they were correct, apparently an overnight layover will end the current AGR redemption unless the regular Amtrak website brings the layover up without having to use the "Multicity" function. (Maybe your trip does come up without using Multicity; I didn't check it.) I'm just passing on what I've been told fwiw.

For instance, I wanted to go CZ westbound and CS southbound, but the CS would be a second AGR redemption. However, at least one person had been able to do overnights that others were not. It may depend on the particular agent you get.

I'm sure someone with lots of actual experience redeeming AGR can give you more info. Your trip sounds wonderful!

 

[amamba]

Why are you choosing to overnight in seattle?

That will break up the trip and cause you additional redemptions/points. So it will be one award from El Paso to Seattle, one award from Seattle to Wolf Point, and then another award from Wolf Point to DC.

 

[KrazyKoala]

Cardinal from DC to ChicagoCity of New Orleans Chicago to New Orleans

Overnight in New Orleans

That's 2, 2-zone trips right there. If you want to go WAS>NOL they are only going to put you on the Cresent. No other option.

If you make your first trip WAS>LAX It will only be 3-zones, and you will be taken on the Capital Limited, Empire Builder, and Coast Starlight. Basically half way around the United States for a fraction of the points. Now of course, this being if you don't want to, care to, stop in any of those cities for more than the length of a train break. So you have WAS>CHI>POR>LAX.

Next: LAX>NOL DIrect connection on the Sunset Limited. This is probably going to be the cheapest paying route, so if you have to pay for some portion of the trip, pay for this one, as it is only one train. Of course, you can take many other routes that bring you to CHI, and then down on the City of New Orleans but then you'll have to back track back up to catch the Cardinal.

Now you can pay for a debatable 1 or 2-zone trip, ending in Washington, DC. NOL>CHI>WAS via City of New Orleans and connecting to the Cardinal.

Are there any cities you would like to spend the night over specifically? That might help better figure this out.

 

[the_traveler]

Chicago to NO is only 1 zone! And I haven't tried WAS-NOL but I have NOL-WAS, and have received the choice of CONO/CL besides the Crescent! So WAS-NOL is 2 zones.

Just a thought - If you pay a coach fare from NOL to the 1st stop on the SL (I'm too lazy to look it up), you can go from there to Wolf Point (WPT) via LAX and PDX for only 2 zones! And if you stayed on that EB, you can get back to WAS for 2 zones more! :excl: And if you speak to the SCA and/or conductor upon boarding in NOL, you may be allowed to occupy your room right from NOL!

 

[crescent2]

Glad to see these latest posts. That's what I was talking about--wanted you to be aware that they won't let you just stop and stay overnight on a single award. Best wishes with your plans.