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AMTRAK-P42

Conductor
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
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1,181
Location
Redlands, CA
Well today I finally was allowed to make reservations for my big summer trip, which is being given to me as a graduation present from my parents. I have all the room/car #'s but just wanted to run them by you guys to make sure I know where I am. I am a little rusty! :D

Ok here we go:

Leaving June 8, 2006

#19 ATL-NOL-Sleeper-Room001, Car 1910

#1 NOL-LAX-Sleeper-Room006, Car 0130

#14 LAX-SEA-Sleeper-Room003, Car 1431

#11 SEA-PDX-Coach

#508 PDX-SEA-Business Class

#8 SEA-CHI-Sleeper-Room004, Car 0830

#303 CHI-SPI-Business Class

#304 SPI-CHI-Coach

and finally...

#5 CHI-SLC-Sleeper-Room 009-Car 0531

(meeting my father here for some good ol' bonding time, which should include some white water rafting)

Thanks!
 
In general, the "0" sleepers are next to the diner, and the "1" sleepers are two cars from the diner. However, for some reason, the California Zephyr is different, as there is no 30 car, so the sleeper next to the diner is 31.
 
Well, first things first---it sounds like a great trip!!!

Secondly, I just got back from the Crescent to and from NYC(see trip Reports) and I was in the 11 car in each direction and it was furthest from the diner(behind the dorm). The 10 car was adjacent the diner ......at least on this round trip. This backing up what Robert Madison said.

I returned the following day so they turned the same set of equipment, though that probably need not have anything to do with it,.
 
Congratulations! I'm sure you've earned the trip, which by the way sounds amazing!

Enjoy your trip!!
 
Thanks for the kind words guys! I am counting the days. I am just working on the hotels now. I am staying at the Hilton in New Orleans, not sure about LA yet (suggestions are welcome), Seattle I am staying at the Pioneer Square Best Western I believe, and Chicago I will be staying with a friend.
 
Ok one more question guys. I got my room changed on #5 from 009 (which is right over the wheels) to 022 in the 520 car. Where would this one be located and which car is this in the consist. I believe 22 means room 2, which is directly at the top of the stairs. The car number appears weird though, atleast from what I have heard about the numbering system on Zephyr.
 
AMTRAK-P42 said:
Ok one more question guys. I got my room changed on #5 from 009 (which is right over the wheels) to 022 in the 520 car. Where would this one be located and which car is this in the consist. I believe 22 means room 2, which is directly at the top of the stairs. The car number appears weird though, atleast from what I have heard about the numbering system on Zephyr.
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Room 22 would indicate that you are now booked into the Trans/dorm car on the Zephyr. I think however that you are still at the very end of the car, as in over the wheels. If no one else beats me to it, I'll check the diagram when I get home later today.
 
AlanB said:
AMTRAK-P42 said:
Ok one more question guys. I got my room changed on #5 from 009 (which is right over the wheels) to 022 in the 520 car. Where would this one be located and which car is this in the consist. I believe 22 means room 2, which is directly at the top of the stairs. The car number appears weird though, atleast from what I have heard about the numbering system on Zephyr.
Click to expand...
Room 22 would indicate that you are now booked into the Trans/dorm car on the Zephyr. I think however that you are still at the very end of the car, as in over the wheels. If no one else beats me to it, I'll check the diagram when I get home later today.
Click to expand...
Ok, I was wrong. :( Room 22 according to the Superliner Safety card drawing would be the second room from the stairs on the same side of the car as the stairs. Room 24 is directly up against the stairs and shares a common wall with the stairs.
 
AlanB said:
AlanB said:
AMTRAK-P42 said:
Ok one more question guys. I got my room changed on #5 from 009 (which is right over the wheels) to 022 in the 520 car. Where would this one be located and which car is this in the consist. I believe 22 means room 2, which is directly at the top of the stairs. The car number appears weird though, atleast from what I have heard about the numbering system on Zephyr.
Click to expand...
Room 22 would indicate that you are now booked into the Trans/dorm car on the Zephyr. I think however that you are still at the very end of the car, as in over the wheels. If no one else beats me to it, I'll check the diagram when I get home later today.
Click to expand...
Ok, I was wrong. :( Room 22 according to the Superliner Safety card drawing would be the second room from the stairs on the same side of the car as the stairs. Room 24 is directly up against the stairs and shares a common wall with the stairs.
Click to expand...
Ok well that makes me feel a bit better. The room would still be in the Trans. sleeper though right?
 
AMTRAK-P42 said:
AlanB said:
Ok, I was wrong. :(  Room 22 according to the Superliner Safety card drawing would be the second room from the stairs on the same side of the car as the stairs.  Room 24 is directly up against the stairs and shares a common wall with the stairs.
Click to expand...
Ok well that makes me feel a bit better. The room would still be in the Trans. sleeper though right?
Click to expand...
Yup. :)
 
Wow!!! Sounds like a neat trip and with a young person who has thier things all in a group. When I was your age, I was out doing the typical graduation stuff. (drinking and whatnot) Enjoy your trip. Enjoy the train station/Haymarket in Lincoln Nebraska. (LNK) Sometimes the train arrives early into Lincoln. You can go for a quick walk and theirs a Scooters Coffee house 1/2 block from the station. It closes at midnight. The Haymarket area is a old area that has been revitalized by economic development. If you get to LNK early, de-board and take a small stroll. Its safe as could be and you'll enjoy the old buildings.
 
AMTRAK-P42 said:
I am staying at the Hilton in New Orleans, not sure about LA yet (suggestions are welcome)
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Los Angeles - Days Inn Downtown is really the only reasonable, logical choice for your hotel in downtown L.A. While not the Ritz, it is definitely clean, safe, affordable at under $100/night, and most importantly is only one short block from the front door of Los Angeles-Union Station. Most Amtrak passengers overnighting in L.A. stay there so there will undoubtedly be a dozen or so walking over there from the longhaul train you arrive on. Amtrak uses the hotel itself for overnighting crew or misconnecting passengers.

There aren't really any other hotels within walking distance of the station, and those that can be reached by a cab a mile or two away are quite prestigious and very pricey (few hundred bucks or so a night). The Days Inn has a Subway sandwich shop on the ground level of the building, one door over, and is adjacent to Olvera Street which is a mexican promenade of shops and restaurants that have very good, authentic mexican food if you're into that. Beyond that I really wouldn't recommend venturing too far out into the neighborhood (especially at night!) but I guess that's just common sense stuff. Union Station, Olvera Street, and the Days Inn area (all adjacent to each other) all have heavy round-the-clock security and keep the riff-raff out.
 
AMTRAK-P42 said:
I am staying at the Hilton in New Orleans, not sure about LA yet (suggestions are welcome), Seattle I am staying at the Pioneer Square Best Western I believe, and Chicago I will be staying with a friend.
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I hope that you've signed up for Hilton's Hilton Honors program. While you might not care about the Hilton points, unless you stay in Hilton's a lot, you can also earn 500 AGR points. You need an $250 Amtrak ticket to earn that many points. :eek:

And if you do take up JCCollins recomendation of the Days Inn, you might also want to join their program Trip Rewards. While you won't get AGR points immediately, if you collect 8,000 points over the next few years, you can then trade those in for 3,200 AGR points.

Neither program costs anything to join, so it might be worth signing up. Especially the Hilton Honors, which will give you immediate AGR points.
 
AlanB said:
And if you do take up JCCollins recomendation of the Days Inn, you might also want to join their program Trip Rewards. While you won't get AGR points immediately, if you collect 8,000 points over the next few years, you can then trade those in for 3,200 AGR points.
Click to expand...
You can opt to receive Amtrak Guest Rewards points instead of TripRewards points, just as I do all the time. When you sign up for a TripRewards account, they let you set your point earning preference and it won't change unless you tell them to change it. TripRewards members receive 2 Amtrak points per dollar spent, excluding taxes, when booking a reservation with their TripRewards number. Currently they even have a bonus so you can receive 4 Amtrak Guest Rewards points per dollar spent!
 
jccollins said:
AlanB said:
And if you do take up JCCollins recomendation of the Days Inn, you might also want to join their program Trip Rewards.  While you won't get AGR points immediately, if you collect 8,000 points over the next few years, you can then trade those in for 3,200 AGR points.
Click to expand...
You can opt to receive Amtrak Guest Rewards points instead of TripRewards points, just as I do all the time. When you sign up for a TripRewards account, they let you set your point earning preference and it won't change unless you tell them to change it. TripRewards members receive 2 Amtrak points per dollar spent, excluding taxes, when booking a reservation with their TripRewards number. Currently they even have a bonus so you can receive 4 Amtrak Guest Rewards points per dollar spent!
Click to expand...
You're quite right JC, I completely forgot about that option. I don't use that option, since the rate of return is better via the transfer option as opposed to the direct option.

If one spends $800 on hotel rooms and collects Trip Rewards points at 10 points for a dollar, one earns 8,000 points. Those 8,000 points can then be traded for 3,200 AGR points.

If one takes direct points to AGR, then $800 times 2 points is only 1,600 AGR points. The current double points however would level the playing field for the moment.

So, if you don't travel very often, then direct AGR points make sense. However, if you expect to hit a Trip Rewards hotel even once or twice a year, then it is a far better choice to take Trip Rewards points and transfer them later when you reach 8,000 points.
 
I will def. take those suggestions to mind guys, thanks.

I just got back from the ATL Amtrak station where I picked up my tickets. I went ahead and changed my room back to 009 in the 531 as I would rather be in the full sleeper, even if the room is a bit louder.
 
Well since I have a couple of days in CHI, I was thinking about taking a day trip down to Springfield, IL. What do you guys think? Good train watching there? Any cafes near the station where I could get lunch?
 
Well, I have done the Naperville trip a couple of times before. Always impressed by the number of trains and ease with which you can get out to the station. I was hoping this time to do something along an Amtrak route I had yet to travel on. The Springfield trip allows me to go fairly far on a route I have not been on yet. Do you know if there are any good cafes or what not near the station. Maybe a Borders?
 
The only place I know to eat in Springfield is Bones Tavern over by the State Historical Museum. Other then that nothing that I know of. The Springfield trip is a nice ride on Amtrak I believe but would be nice if there was a better schuale.
 
Btw, whats the buisness class set-up in the horizon coaches? I was thinking of going one way in buisness class but wasnt sure on the seating set up. Ill be headed down/back on the Ann Rutledge. I guess my other question would be whether there would be a lot more to do if I traveled to a dif. stop. Alton, IL would be the furthest south, and I would like to go atleast as far as Bloomington, IL. If you know of any cafes or anything closer to a dif. stop between these points id be up for suggestions.
 
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