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  1. rtabern

    Who works the weekend at the call centers?

    I am curious WHO is heck is working weekends at the call centers? and are there seriously no managers available what-so-ever on Saturdays? Usually once a month, since moving to far NW Wisconsin a little more than years ago, we take the Empire Builder from Tomah to Glenview and back to visit...
  2. rtabern

    Cascades Help - Which Train Set is the Talgo Equipment?

    Hi, Hoping someone from the Pacific Northwest or who knows more about the Talgos can help here... My wife and a good friend of mine are going to Guam and Hawaii in December. On the way back, on December 31st, we have a day layover in the Portland/Salem area before leaving on the Empire Builder...
  3. rtabern

    Private car trips in the Midwest -- Summer & Fall 2021

    https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews/news-wire/midwest-private-car-trips-set-for-summer-fall/ The owner of private car Hollywood Beach, a 1956 Seaboard Air Line observation car, is offering three trips open to the public this summer and fall that will feature guides from Midwest Rail...
  4. rtabern

    Ex-Amtrak 'Ocean View' Dome Car Parked in West Virginia (as of 3/17/21)

    As of this morning (3/17/21), ex-Amtrak Great Dome "Ocean View" is parked in the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad Yards in Ridgely, West Virginia (just across the Potomac River from Cumberland, MD). It was purchased by Paxrail and is on loan to the WMSRR. I do not think a formal announcement...
  5. rtabern

    Empire Builder 2021-22 obscene pricing

    We decided to take the Empire Builder back home to the Midwest from a trip to Guam and Hawaii we have planned for December 2021 nto January 2022. We snagged one bedroom on #28 out of PDX on 1/1/22 with points. Went back and looked and the cost of the other 4 bedrooms are over $2,450 for two...
  6. rtabern

    Amtrak "Hot Turning" Bedrooms Again

    My wife and I just completed a trip on the Sunset Limited/Texas Eagle #422 that departed LAX at 10PM PT on 12/30/20... arriving in St. Louis at 7:30AM CT on 1/2/21. We had Bedroom C and Roomette 9. (Neither of us like sleeping on the top bunks) Had a great trip all the way... with attendants...
  7. rtabern

    Big news from Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad -- July 27, 2020

    Keep your eyes on the Trains Magazine Newswire tomorrow morning --- big announcement coming from the Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad in Trego, Wisconsin where I work as Director of Passenger Development.
  8. rtabern

    Pacific Parlour 39972 en route to Wisconsin

    Railfans in Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin should keep and eye out for former Pacific Parlour Car 39972 which is slated to move out of Beech Grove, IN possibly today or later this week. Will be taken in freight service to Chicago Kirk Yard and then up on the CN through Antioch, IL -- Waukesha...
  9. rtabern

    Ride Amtrak's Saluki Roundtrip to Carbondale in a Private Car - June 8, 2019

    Hi! I am President of the Midwest Rail Rangers, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization... and we are working with the owner of "Hollywood Beach" private car to organize a day-trip excursion down to Carbondale and back from Chicago Union Station on Saturday, June 8, 2019. Both sleeping car...
  10. rtabern

    Amtrak Riverside Call Center to Close - Jan 2019

    My friend who works at the Riverside Amtrak Call Center just got called into the meeting room over lunch --- and was told the ENTIRE Riverside call center will be shut down and everyone will lose their jobs effective January 18. Get ready for super long wait times!  I get that call centers are...
  11. rtabern

    Next cut: Amtrak Dome Car Ocean View (??)

    In addition to the Legacy Club closing soon (see separate post)... the next cut appears to be the last remaining dome car Ocean View. Due for major maintenance in Spring 2019... Will be shelved in Beech Grove instead! I know Amtrak management lurks here. Can you at least give it a proper...
  12. rtabern

    Chicago Legacy Club Possible Closure - June 2019 or sooner

    I got wind that the Legacy Club at Chicago Union Station is likely slated to close by June 2019... if not sooner. Amtrak was planning to use this as a "model" --- and if successful --- would be emulated at other larger stations around the country. Apparently it was NOT a success. My guess is...
  13. rtabern

    2018 Season Trails & Rails Cuts

    The schedule has been posted for 2018 Trails & Rails program dates/routes: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/amtraktrailsandrails/trains.htm Significant cuts include: **Elimination of ALL T&R programs on the California Zephyr **Elimination of ALL T&R programs on the City of New Orleans...
  14. rtabern

    No more charters & special moves: 3/28/18 Memo fr Anderson

    A source just shared with me that Mr. Anderson sent down a memo to employees this morning advising Amtrak will no longer do special charters or moves anymore EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY. The information is very vague, but does mention them essentially being a distraction to regular Amtrak operations...
  15. rtabern

    Talgo move this weekend MKE-SEA (March 30-April 1)

    A source at Amtrak says the Talgo set that was damaged by the rock slide -- and has been under repair in Milwaukee --- is scheduled to move west this weekend. It is currently slated to leave the old Tower automotive plant in Milwaukee at 06:00 on Thursday morning -- overnight at the depot in...
  16. rtabern

    Where are the PPCS?

    I was down at the Amtrak Chicago yard yesterday and didn't see the four Parlour Cars. But I also don't recall anyone posting they went on 50 or 850 to Beech Grove either. Anyone have insight?
  17. rtabern

    #14(02) & #11(04) - 2 PPC's

    The last run will have 2 Pacific Parlour Cars on it: #14's consist: #189 (will be cut off at OKJ) #201 #510 #61030 Baggage #39009 Transition #32040 Sleeper #32068 Sleeper #32111 Sleeper #39972 & 39970 PPCs (39972 will be used just for extra seating) #38059 Dining Car #33033...
  18. rtabern

    Galesburg Loophole

    It's been awhile since I booked an Amtrak trip... but. glad to see the good ol' Galesburg loophole is still around. Try playing around with dates. $108 for 2 people in coach straight thru LAP-CHI Only $86 for 2 people in coach if you buy a ticket LAP-GBB ($52) and then GBB-CHI ($34) Not...
  19. rtabern

    Cuts to Trails & Rails

    I read last night in another post on here (the one about certain discounts not being accepted) -- major changes to Trails & Rails coming for 2018. The OP didn't elaborate, but I was able to do some digging last night and this morning -- and apparently three weeks ago the announcement was made...
  20. rtabern

    Heads up -- lots of private cars -- Oct 13-15 CHI-MKE-MSP

    I thought railfans in the Chicago, Milwaukee, and Twin Cities corridor would like a "heads up" to the large amount of private cars moving through the weekend of Oct 13-15, 2017. Friday, October 13th will see the Silver Lariat and Silver Solarium on the back of #7 between Chicago, Milwaukee and...
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