BOGO on Texas Eagle

[tonys96]

Got this email today:

Take a friend on a Texas Eagle adventure after the holidays. To celebrate the completion of many track upgrades over the past two years, a special "buy one, get one free" promotion will begin in January on the Texas Eagle. Buy one-get one tickets must be purchased at least one day in advance of travel, with purchase available beginning January 5-March 15, 2016. Travel must take place January 6-March 20, 2016. The special is NOT available for local travel within the Chicago-St. Louis corridor. Tickets may be upgraded to sleeper upon payment of accommodation charge. Seating is limited; fares are subject to availability. Refer to discount code V344 when making your reservation.

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

This is a good one since upgrade to Sleeper is allowed!

 

[Bob Dylan]

Yep, several Face Book Eagle Lovers sent this out!

Why not make ALL "specials, deals, coupons etc. upgradeable to Sleepers?

Great way to increase LD Revenue on this Route along with making the Eagle Daily from CHI-LAX!

 

[Devil's Advocate]

I previously saw a companion offer on the Sunset Limited as well.

Buy one regular fare and receive 50% off a companion fare to any destination between New Orleans, LA and Tucson, AZ when you book a trip aboard the Sunset Limited® now through November 30, 2015 for travel February 1 – 29, 2016.

Unfortunately the 2:45AM-4:50AM Departure-Arrival times and three runs a week service remain the primary stumbling blocks. Nobody I know (outside of AU foamers) feels like waking up between one and four in the morning in order to board and disembark Sunset Limited on those rare occasions when it just happens to be running on a day you want to travel.

 

[PaulM]

Unfortunately the 2:45AM-4:50AM Departure-Arrival times and three runs a week service remain the primary stumbling blocks. Nobody I know (outside of AU foamers) feels like waking up between one and four in the morning in order to board and disembark Sunset Limited on those rare occasions when it just happens to be running on a day you want to travel.

I'm not following you.

1. I'm sure there are a few stations between NOL and Tuscon with acceptable calling times.

2. I'm sure foamers are not the only SL customers. There are a few of us who have flexible schedules and think the train is the only civilized way to travel.

 

[Railroad Bill]

Unfortunately the 2:45AM-4:50AM Departure-Arrival times and three runs a week service remain the primary stumbling blocks. Nobody I know (outside of AU foamers) feels like waking up between one and four in the morning in order to board and disembark Sunset Limited on those rare occasions when it just happens to be running on a day you want to travel.

I'm not following you.

1. I'm sure there are a few stations between NOL and Tuscon with acceptable calling times.

2. I'm sure foamers are not the only SL customers. There are a few of us who have flexible schedules and think the train is the only civilized way to travel.

Like those of us in Cleveland who always board our trains between 1 & 5am in the mornings.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Unfortunately the 2:45AM-4:50AM Departure-Arrival times and three runs a week service remain the primary stumbling blocks. Nobody I know (outside of AU foamers) feels like waking up between one and four in the morning in order to board and disembark Sunset Limited on those rare occasions when it just happens to be running on a day you want to travel.

I'm not following you.

1. I'm sure there are a few stations between NOL and Tuscon with acceptable calling times.

2. I'm sure foamers are not the only SL customers. There are a few of us who have flexible schedules and think the train is the only civilized way to travel.

Like those of us in Cleveland who always board our trains between 1 & 5am in the mornings.

Bill: I think it's rather unfortunate that either (let alone both) of our cities are stuck with middle of the night scheduling.

Paul: Having to adjust your schedule by days at a time to match what's left of a route that only runs once every few days in the middle of the night doesn't sound very civilized to me.

Few passengers are going to ask their employer to accommodate such a limited schedule or ask a friend or family member to take them to their dead of night departure or pick them up from a predawn arrival. Nor are there any buses or shuttles running or any overnight parking spaces for Amtrak customers anywhere near the station. Or the opportunity to purchase goods or services besides a half functioning vending machine. Which means you'll probably be doing a fair bit of middle of the night walking from your (more expensive than airport) downtown parking lot to our bus station style limited service train depot. Which aspect of this experience is supposed to be the civilized part again?

Sure there are other much smaller towns which enjoy better scheduling at our expense, but here in my metro area of roughly two million local ridership on the Sunset Limited is down by over ten percent since the "new and improved" schedule was implemented. It makes sense for Amtrak to focus the discounts on companion tickets to help avoid problems with their surprisingly uncivilized coach seats that provide zero separation between strangers nor do anything to dissuade your seatmate from invading your personal space and snuggling up to you at night. If you're heading to Los Angeles, which is the top revenue pair for my city and probably many others, you have an obnoxiously early predawn arrival to look forward to.

The only civilized way to travel? Surly you jest.

 

[tonys96]

The TE departure/arrival times for the DFW area are really pretty good! This BOGO on the TE is a great deal for us!

 

[rtabern]

A special to celebrate track work completion. Not valid from Chicago to St. Louis where the track work has been taking place mostly. Makes sense to me... lol. Ugh, Amtrak.