After a call to AGR to verify that one only needed to be registered for the 2 Million Mile point giveaway and ride ANY trip today I booked a one-way, Senior ticket SBA-CPN on #784. (We had business in Carpinteria today anyhow, so I rode the train down and Vicki and Art's driver brought me home.) The fare was $6.37.
I tried to pick up my ticket at the Amtrak/Metrolink machine at the station but it wouldn't recognize my AGR credit card or the Reservation # entered manually. I went inside and, after a short wait, picked up the ticket. The agent I spoke with hadn't heard of the offer.
There was a good sized crowd waiting to board the 2:00PM departure. I noticed lots of European languages being spoken and it makes sense that this would be a good departure time for people who probably checked out of lodgings at noon.
I was surprised to see that the train was the same low level consist I rode SBA/LAX on 9 August. It had the "Big Dome" but the 16 minute ride to Carp didn't leave me time to explore.
It also didn't give the conductors time to get to me to pull my ticket. As we were pulling into CPN they made an announcement that all people "detraining" should find a uniformed employee and follow them since only two doors would be opened. I gave my ticket to the conductor who was working his way through my car and followed him. As we were pulling into the station I mentioned to him and the Cafe Car attendant why I was on the train. They hadn't heard of the promotion either.
Before we left the station in Carp we saw a teenager get left behind. He had been sent to the Business Class stair but they wouldn't let him on. By the time he made it back to the door I had exited from the stairs were up but the door was still open with a conductor standing in it. He said he couldn't put the stairs down again because "My conductor has highballed the train and I can't go against that.". The train pulled out and left the kid and his fuming mother behind.
Did anyone else who had registered for this offer ride the train today? The points are supposed to be posted by 1 October and I'll let you know then what my share turned out to be.
Mr. Norman--
I became quite good at playing the mileage game at the airlines before I became eligible for passes. When United's program was in its infancy they had a glitch that allowed you to get miles for reward travel. That double dipping made two nice trips to Hong Kong possible.
Now most of my "miles" are from using an airline affliated credit card or the AGR card. Most recently I used AGR points for two B/C seats Seattle/Vancouver, BC in September.
Frank in sunny SBA
Gilbert B Norman Member # 1541
posted
As noted at Frank's related topic and regarding his immediate comment above, I hope everyone who "dropped everything" today in order to do a little "point chasing", had a productive day.
Oh well, looks like the airlines have 'em as well:
My Travel & Entertainment costs go on an American Express Card just as they have since 1970. Their travel rewards plan I'm told is more liberal than are those with bank issued cards, but they want an additional $45 annual fee for the rewards plan over and above the $85 they already get just to have the card.
Neither of the two bank issued cards I have seem to offer any rewards.
smitty195 Member # 5102
posted
Broken ticket machine? Uninformed Amtrak employees? Directing a passenger to the wrong door? Leaving a passenger behind on the platform?? (The A/C does have a radio, by the way). Say it ain't so! It's little things like this which really irk me about Amtrak. None of those things requires too much in order to make improvements. And it doesn't cost anything, either (although I don't know about the expense involved with ticket machines). <sigh!>
I'm curious to hear what type of mileage you all will get on your AGR statement.
City of Miami Member # 2922
posted
Yes, I rode the Cascade 513 from Olympia to Portland today - my first time on the Talgos which I liked. It was sheer luck that this planned travel fell on this day. It was a pleasant trip - as was my longest-so-far five day/four night journey from Austin to Seattle last week. Every thing went as smooth as nylon, no trains late at all until the very end. I would post details, but I don't want to read the negatives from incorrigibles like the preceding post here. It is an incredibly variously beautiful country we live in and we are so lucky to have the way to experience it that Amtrak provides us - and it was FREE thanks to AGR. Case closed. No comment necessary, thanks.
sbalax Member # 2801
posted
City--
Were you registered for the promotion? I've heard from a couple of people who are AGR members who never got the "invitation".
I'll be interested in hearing how many miles are posted to your account.
Glad to hear about your Talgo experience. Mine several years ago from Seattle to Portland was great and I'm looking forward to my trip next month from Seattle to Vancouver, BC.
Smitty--
The ticket machine wasn't actually broken. The person ahead of me, after several false starts, was able to buy a ticket. It just wouldn't accept my card (The AGR card I used to buy the ticket online) or the manually entered res number. My experience with an actual Amtrak machine at LAUPT earlier this month was flawless.
Frank in dark and cool SBA
Tony Malerich Member # 14676
posted
I made the 98 mile round trip ($22.10) from Ann Arbor to Royal Oak and back. The trip after leaving the Michigan Central tracks a few miles short of the old station and winding through Detroit to the station in the New Center area and then further east to meet up with the Grand Trunk line to Pontiac was slow but interesting.
I spoke briefly on the platform in Ann Arbor with a father and son who had taken the early train from Pontiac and were returning there on the train I was riding. They were aware of the AGR promotion and were riding because of it.
smitty195 Member # 5102
posted
City of Miami: The Cascades service is outstanding. I have no complaints with their service. The state-supported corridor trains are generally run very well...especially on the west coast.
But to call me "incorrigible" because I have chosen not to accept the garbage that Amtrak has gotten away with for years? My comments about Amtrak have NOTHING to do with this great country that we live in. What the hell is wrong with you?
smitty195 Member # 5102
posted
quote:Originally posted by sbalax:
Smitty--
The ticket machine wasn't actually broken. The person ahead of me, after several false starts, was able to buy a ticket. It just wouldn't accept my card (The AGR card I used to buy the ticket online) or the manually entered res number. My experience with an actual Amtrak machine at LAUPT earlier this month was flawless.
I've never encountered a broken AmMachine, either. The new generation of machines that they have seem to work very well. I don't know if they have replaced/upgraded them system-wide yet, but there was a new unit at OKJ (Jack London Square) a few months ago. Same principle as the old one, but a little more slick.
sbalax Member # 2801
posted
I guess that means we'll have to split the pot at least five ways!!
I rode the Grand Trunk from Chicago to Lansing, Michigan in May of 1963. We had ridden the El Capitan from Pasadena and were headed to Lansing to pick up a new Olds Super 88 (Baby blue with a white top) to drive to my oldest brother's graduation from Annapolis. I don't remember changing stations so the Santa Fe and Grand Trunk must have used the same facility.
Frank in dark and cool SBA
Gilbert B Norman Member # 1541
posted
Correct Frank, ATSF and GTW both used Dearborn Station. Mr. Black will affirm that the Headhouse remains standing.
Gilbert B Norman Member # 1541
posted
quote:Originally posted by smitty195: The state-supported corridor trains are generally run very well...especially on the west coast.
Acquisition of Talgo equipment by the Cascade's sponsoring agency appears to have been a smart move; case in point; the "four a day' (+Starlight) cover the route in 3'30' while the "three a day" during 1969 needed 4'00'.
Where I do have a problem, however, is that local agencies seem be be hearing the "siren' of Talgo's "hell on wheels' business model. That model is simply if you buy 'em from us, we'll build 'em wherever you want.
I noted earlier in this topic the apparent pastime of "point chasing'; it would appear Talgo's model will result in "job chasing' that could well result in an inferior product being delivered.
Likely it is known that Wisconsin has ordered two Talgo train sets for Chi-Milw service, with an option for a third for use in a proposed Chi-Milw-Madison. Talgo has agreed that the assembly work will be done at a Wisconsin facility and that 80 some jobs will be created resulting from the project. To ensure that the jobs are held by Wisconsin residents (want that Income Tax revenue, dontcha?), the facility will likely be located in Central Wisconsin as distinct from "border towns" such as, say, Beloit or Kenosha.
My problem is that absent a permanent assembly facility, Talgo will simply set up shop anywhere someone will buy their equipment resulting in increased costs (as well as possibly 'relaxed" quality control) from reduced operational efficiency. While not the case in the Northwest, I would dare say that Wisconsin will end up with equipment unsuitable for the essentially tangent Chi-Milw run. Bi-Levels modeled after the California cars are the most suitable equipment for any Midwest Corridor initiative, but watch Talgo try and peddle their product and business model, say, here in Illinois.
Those 80 Wisconsin jobs are going to be the most expensive jobs a locality ever "bought".
smitty195 Member # 5102
posted
Interesting---I hadn't thought of the Taglo deal this way. I hope the quality does not suffer, as I think they are really nice trains. I haven't been in a refurbished set yet, but from the pictures I've seen, they look pretty good.
The thing that I think is neat is that the Cascades trains all run with a Talgo mechanic on-board. That person can fix almost anything right there on the spot. In the "power car", he has a small office with a computer, lots of tools, and can also start the generator to keep the air conditioner/electrical outlets powered up whenever the HEP goes down in the locomotive (which has happened quite frequently lately.....the F59's have been very unreliable in the last year).
Railroad Bob Member # 3508
posted
About the kid who got "left behind:"
1) I'm wondering why the attendant at BC car didn't just load him up there and have him walk back to the unreserved? Musta been a new hire; I would have loaded that kid in a instant, knowing Carp is a stop 'n go...and
2) Like Smitty says, the assist. condr. should have had a pac set and could have just used the standard 3 word order to signal an Amtrak engineer to stop (That will do, or- that'll do, 784) and they could have loaded the kid in a couple of seconds and then highballed. Might have been a newish assist. condr too...who was afraid to take the initiative to stop the train by himself. Or, he could have been told by his boss, the main conductor, that once highballed -- anybody still on the platform-- too bad. Lots of variables. They should have loaded him at the Biz car...pretty silly stuff.
palmland Member # 4344
posted
This is impressive - a topic on Surfliners morphed into one on building Talgo's. But, as this 'Trains' newswire reports, GBN comments are on target. Wouldn't it be nice if this turned out to be a permanent production site for Talgo's. We'll take one for Charlotte to Asheville.
Two Wisconsin contract shops may build Talgos
Published: Friday, August 21, 2009 MADISON, Wis. - Spanish car-builder Talgo has looked at two Milwaukee-area passenger car rebuild shops to assemble a state order for two trainsets, the Milwaukee Business Times has reported. Avalon Railcar in West Allis, Wis., and Super Steel in Milwaukee could assemble the cars, or a new shop could open.
Talgo spokeswoman Nora Friend said the company will settle on a site in the next few months. In addition to contracting the work out, it's looking at several sites in southeastern Wisconsin where Talgo might build the cars itself.
The state of Wisconsin ordered the cars for service between Milwaukee and Chicago on the state-supported Amtrak Hiawatha Service. It has an option to add more trainsets, which would be necessary if it wins funding to extend the service from Milwaukee to Madison.
Super Steel has built passenger cars and locomotives, and also builds products for agricultural and construction applications. Its Tower Avenue plant in Milwaukee features 175,000 square feet under one roof with 35 overhead cranes. Avalon works on private passengers cars and railroad-fleet business cars.
RR4me Member # 6052
posted
I'm disappointed we're not going to get a trip report because of a possible disagreement with comments that MIGHT get posted in follow up? Come on, we can't be that thin skinned, can we? These complaints, entirely justified imho, aren't directed at the poster. And the ones herein were right on the money if you ask me (I know, no one did).
sbalax Member # 2801
posted
RR4me--
As the original poster of this thread I'm not sure what you mean by this post?
Smitty--
I missed your comment about the ticket machines. The machine here at SBA is one of those combination AMTRAK/METROLINK machines, not the Amtrak machines you'd find at larger stations. Those, which I have used at LAUPT, work very well and are as intuitive as most airline kiosks.
Frank in cloudy and humid SBA
RR4me Member # 6052
posted
sbalax
"I would post details, but I don't want to read the negatives from incorrigibles like the preceding post here." From City of Miami
That's the quote my post was addressing. I should have been clearer that this was addressed to a digressive thread.
notelvis Member # 3071
posted
Agree with Palmland -
The Talgos have BIG windows and, short of a real dome car, the Talgos would be more than acceptable for a Charlotte-Salisbury-Asheville train.
Of course I'd really, really like to see a train Asheville-Charlotte-Columbia with a through sleeper to Florida on the Silver Star. I and family members would utilize such a train for at least a half-dozen round-trips per year.
sbalax Member # 2801
posted
The points (100) for my SBA-CPN trip have posted. I believe I'll get another 100 for the "Summer Bonus" promotion and then we'll see how much my share of the 2 million points is going to be!
posted