St. Paul, Milwaukee, Chicago (TCMC) second daily service

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WWW said:
That period in August perhaps interleague baseball games between the Cubs and White Sox -or-
Milwaukee Brewers ?
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I'm thinking Wisconsin State Fair, perhaps? It isn't Lollapalooza (previous week.). Milwaukee Summer fest concerts are three weekends in late June/early July. Minnesota State Fair is late August/early September, starting right after the Democratic Convention.

The surge for the Republican Convention, at least, makes some sense as there is an expectation that some delegates will be staying in Chicago hotels. How, exactly, they'll manage that commute without a late night train, though, who knows.
 
moselman66 said:
Putting a $179 fare on Borealis between CHI and MSP during the conventions seems an absurd level of surge pricing, though during the week of the Chicago convention routes like DTW-CHI and STL-CHI are also triple-ish what is available a week earlier. In
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I rode a Northeast Regional into Washington on Jan. 5, 2021. The train was full of people who were obviously there to participate in demonstrations protesting the results of the 2020 election, based on the buttons and shirts, etc., that they were wearing. I suspect that a lot of those people were also involved in the events of the next day, which turned out to be a little more than a mere "protest.". Aside from surge pricing because of the event, it might be that the "Powers That Be" are trying to discourage people from traveling to Chicago during the convention period.
 
moselman66 said:
Over the last few days I've noticed some oddball fares on certain dates in summer where Borealis is really expensive, far more than the Empire Builder. So while watching TV I looked up fares CHI-MSP through summer to see what's going on. Turns out Borealis is nearly always cheaper but there are a few very specific periods when it's not...the two presidential conventions and a four-day period in early August I have not found a reason for:


Putting a $179 fare on Borealis between CHI and MSP during the conventions seems an absurd level of surge pricing, though during the week of the Chicago convention routes like DTW-CHI and STL-CHI are also triple-ish what is available a week earlier. In the case of CHI-MSP the much-lower fares on the Empire Builder make the Borealis fares especially noteworthy. Not sure about those four dates in earlier August but again it seems to be related to something.

Nevertheless I was glad (relieved?) to see a pattern which showed what was going on. When I stumbled upon those $179 days poking around over the weekend it was kind of alarming,
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Thanks for taking the time to post. I switched over all my upcoming EB 8/28/7/27 trips to the Borealis 1333/1340 but Labor Day weekend was really high ($291 roundtrip from LSE to Chicago in Business Class).

Yesterday I looked again and the same dates were $161 roundtrip in Business Class. I quickly canceled without penalty and rebooked.

I am curious how much business class will be affected by dynamic pricing in the future, but I don't mind paying the upcharge, if it is similar to what I remember with 2-1 seating and 15 seats per car. $49 seems reasonable and it'll make my AGR anniversary coupon usable without having to visit the NE corridor.

I know it won't be anywhere near as nice as sleeper class, but it'll also be substantially cheaper.
 
WWW said:
Is this seating plan what is going to be used on the Borealis ?
If the car is Horizon appears to be more than 15 seats ?
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As far as we all know the business class on the Horizon will be in the Amfleet I club-dinette, where half of the car (roughly) is the cafe + table seating, and the other half is 2-1 business class seating, of 15 seats per car.

This prediction appears to have been confirmed by photos and video from railfans who caught a test run of the Borealis earlier this week. On the test run, there was a P42 loco (freshly painted), 4 Horizon cars (also quite clean and shiny) and an Amfleet car bringing up the rear of the train. It only stands to reason that the Amfleet car thus observed is the promised cafe & business car with 15 2-1 seats.

The test train should be on its way back to Chicago right now, as it was apparently slated to return today. I'm sure there will be more video and pictures on the various Amtrak and railfan Facebook pages!
 
WWW said:
Thanks for the info - - - - -
Nice attractive train set
Today bought two round trip Business class tickets MSP-WIN-MSP for Friday May 24 (senior fare)
Was advised there is no seat assignment selection - first come first serve
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I was going to offer to buy you a drink, but you'll be getting off in Winona right before I board in La Crosse.
Enjoy your trip!

Maybe you'll get a "free" drink anyway. I'm not sure if Borealis BC will include a complimentary beverage.....Guess I'll find out in 2 weeks.
 
True will find out about the amenities of Business Class
I rode the Amtrak "Colonial" (First/Business class) from DC to New London CT years ago
1 meal service and non-alcohol complimentary beverages included

On the "EB" in sleeper class - dining service provides -1- alcohol drink
With no sleeper service on the "B" unlikely

I believe that complimentary beverages will be on "B"
Meal (snack?) services ?

I would suspect that the alcoholic drinks policy to be same as the "EB"
Open private consumption verboten unless purchased from Amtrak

Que sera sera - - - - although the new "B" train is worth a toast !
Now if we can get the NLX train to Duluth going will be another toast worthy event !
 
This service starts in only a few days! And as such, Amtrak has posted the cafe car menu on their website. They promised "regional food/beverage items," and it's mostly a letdown, unless you care about alcohol the most...which, given the hard-drinking reputation of WI and honestly MN as well (can't speak to IL, ha), may be fitting?! 😆

In all seriousness, here are the only things that seem to be "regional:" Surly and Leinenkugel's beer (MN and WI), a brandy old fashioned (classic WI drink), a bloody mary (maybe regional? not seen on other trains) and Caribou cold brew coffee (MN coffee company). One of the breakfast items is a donut hole, which is generally Midwestern and isn't something I've seen on other cafe menus. Other than that, nothing else "regional", just 3 seemingly random differences from the standard NE cafe menu: Tomato soup, chocolate milk as a second milk option, and Heineken as a beer option.

There's a blueberry muffin which isn't specific to this service. but which is the state muffin of MN. Too bad Amtrak can't source from non-commercial bakeries (I assume). My own personal bias is that they should have St. Paul's own Pearson's Salted Nut Rolls, Nut Goodies, or Mint Patties as candy options, ha! Or Angie's Boom Chicka Pop for popcorn, which was founded in MN and I believe still produced there, or Old Dutch Chips (classic MN based & made chip/snacks company) for the chip option. Dot's Pretzels are originally from North Dakota but are hugely popular in MN (and are now national). I'm sure WI has a lot of similar in-state options. I mean, having a bratwurst of some type would be well-suited for both MN and WI too, but you'd have to find a commercial one that would be good after a microwave heatup.

I also predict some level of (understandable) dissatisfaction among vegetarians, vegans, and those who desire fresher, lighter options. I am guessing they'll add at least some of their Amtrak salad or sandwich option eventually? There are no fresh bowls or salads (asian noodle bowl, greek salad) at all, yogurt, or simple sandwiches like the turkey and cheddar found on northeastern trains. I've had a couple of those and they were both pretty decent. The vegan BBQ burger and I suppose the tomato soup are the only clear veggie/vegan hot options (cup of noodles probably not veggie broth?). Midwesterners may be stereotyped as "meat and potatoes" people, but the demographics of many who plan to and will ride this train will tilt younger, more health-oriented, more transplants to the Midwest, more diverse, and with more dietary restrictions than the upper Midwest as a whole.
 
I am not from the midwest, but from NJ. I am no Gen-Z'r, but a mid-Baby Boomer.

I don't know what "regional" food is there, and I don't drink, particularly dislike the taste and scent of beer, but all the food and beverage items mentioned in the 2nd and 3rd paragraph just above - I'd refuse to ingest any of it. I'd head to a supermarket beforehand and stock up on pre-made cold cut sandwiches, fruit, and fill thermoses of water and coffee.
 
Steve Manfred said:
Cheese curds. That's the regional food here. And they're not on the menu. (probably because restaurants usually serve them fried)
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Yes, someone on Facebook suggested curds! You're right that fried wouldn't work, but they could do Ellsworth 'squeaky' (fresh) refrigerated curds! Wouldn't be all that hard to procure; Ellsworth or other options are of course widely available in WI and even MN.
 
Willbridge said:
Perhaps the short notice start-up did not leave time enough to work food deals with regional firms.
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Maybe not on the St. Paul end but as for Chicago with the number of trains should be able
to rustle up some functional acceptable satisfactory packaged food stuffs and beverages
and then round trip it for the return.
 
OmahaRoad said:
Yes, someone on Facebook suggested curds! You're right that fried wouldn't work, but they could do Ellsworth 'squeaky' (fresh) refrigerated curds! Wouldn't be all that hard to procure; Ellsworth or other options are of course widely available in WI and even MN.
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That's my original home town. My parents' house is close enough to smell the creamery.
 
Mr. skeptic here. All these food items are great but if Amtrak added them the word would get out and maybe overwhelm the current 4 horizon coaches.. What is worse the local CHI- MKE passengers would try to ride this train. We have not heard any resolution of how CHI <> MKE passengers are not allowed to fill up train preventing bookings from north of MKE??
 

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