CHW-ALX-TPA

[colobok]

I understand that Cardinal to Silver Meteor is not guaranteed connection because layover in WAS is only 1:25,

but this connection can be done in Alexandria and in this case the layover is 2:20.

Is there any rule regarding determination of guaranteed connections?

I called AGR asking them to do connection in ALX and they were willing to do it, but computer system rejected.

Is there any way to override their system?

P.S. Please don'e advise me bus connection to RVR.

 

[Acela150]

To catch the SM from the Card you have to get off at CVS catch the bus to RVR. Sorry. It's the only guaranteed connection.

 

[the_traveler]

The Cardinal does not have the best OT stats. Thus even with a 2:20 layover, it may be cutting it close. So they offer a guaranteed Thruway connection between CVS and RVR instead.

I was on the Cardinal in May, and it arrived BAL almost 3 hours late - and that included a shortened stop in WAS!

A couple of years ago, I was on the Cardinal when it arrived "on time" at 2:54. The problem was it was 2:54 AM and not the scheduled 2:54 PM!

 

[colobok]

To catch the SM from the Card you have to get off at CVS catch the bus to RVR. Sorry. It's the only guaranteed connection.

I know that. But I don't want to ride a bus and spend 5 hrs with 2 little kids in the middle of nowhere in Richmond.

Even better if the train is late and I take Silver Meteor the next day. This way I will spend an extra day in Washington.

But I can't book it. This is a problem. Can AGR supervisor override this?

 

[saxman]

If your Cardinal is running on time you may certainly wish to stay onboard until ALX even though you are ticketed to CVS. You may want to ask your car attendant or conductor to make sure this is okay. But remember after that you are on your own. Should Cardinal lose time between CVS and ALX and you miss your connection, you are probably on your own. Back when I did this connection two years ago, I met a man who was making the same connection and did not want to ride the bus. So he opted to stay on the train until either ALX or WAS (don't know which), and catch the Meteor from there. He ended making the connection with plenty of time, and I went as scheduled from CVS to RVR. Mostly that was because I wanted to use a couple station that I had never used before.

So just ask your attendant or the conductor about making that connection, and after that it's most likely at your own risk. In all honesty, the bus ride isn't bad at all. It's only about one hour. The downside is having to wait in RVR for quite a while. It is out in the suburbs, and is quite small. You can walk across some parking lots to various restaurants, or go to the grocery store which has a little cafe there.

Good Luck!

 

[Acela150]

To catch the SM from the Card you have to get off at CVS catch the bus to RVR. Sorry. It's the only guaranteed connection.

I know that. But I don't want to ride a bus and spend 5 hrs with 2 little kids in the middle of nowhere in Richmond.

Even better if the train is late and I take Silver Meteor the next day. This way I will spend an extra day in Washington.

But I can't book it. This is a problem. Can AGR supervisor override this?

The only way to go through WAS is overnighting. Which on AGR isn't allowed it's a seprate award. Even an AGR supervisor can't override it. The supervisor can only go so far. It's the system that says yes or no and the system will overall say no. The bottom line is your only way is CVS to RVR then onward.

 

[colobok]

If your Cardinal is running on time you may certainly wish to stay onboard until ALX even though you are ticketed to CVS. You may want to ask your car attendant or conductor to make sure this is okay. But remember after that you are on your own. Should Cardinal lose time between CVS and ALX and you miss your connection, you are probably on your own. Back when I did this connection two years ago, I met a man who was making the same connection and did not want to ride the bus. So he opted to stay on the train until either ALX or WAS (don't know which), and catch the Meteor from there. He ended making the connection with plenty of time, and I went as scheduled from CVS to RVR. Mostly that was because I wanted to use a couple station that I had never used before.

How could he board the Meteor in ALX or WAS if he had tickets starting from RVR???

 

[colobok]

The only way to go through WAS is overnighting. Which on AGR isn't allowed it's a seprate award. Even an AGR supervisor can't override it. The supervisor can only go so far. It's the system that says yes or no and the system will overall say no. The bottom line is your only way is CVS to RVR then onward.

My plan was to convince them to allow connection in ALX. It's 2:20 layover and doesn't require overnight.

I was able to get some connections in the past from AGR that are generally not allowed by amtrak.com.

 

[Acela150]

The only way to go through WAS is overnighting. Which on AGR isn't allowed it's a seprate award. Even an AGR supervisor can't override it. The supervisor can only go so far. It's the system that says yes or no and the system will overall say no. The bottom line is your only way is CVS to RVR then onward.

My plan was to convince them to allow connection in ALX. It's 2:20 layover and doesn't require overnight.

I was able to get some connections in the past from AGR that are generally not allowed by amtrak.com.

That's when AGR wasn't "In House" AGR is now run by Amtrak and loopholes and things like this are a thing of the past and you just can't do it.

 

[saxman]

If your Cardinal is running on time you may certainly wish to stay onboard until ALX even though you are ticketed to CVS. You may want to ask your car attendant or conductor to make sure this is okay. But remember after that you are on your own. Should Cardinal lose time between CVS and ALX and you miss your connection, you are probably on your own. Back when I did this connection two years ago, I met a man who was making the same connection and did not want to ride the bus. So he opted to stay on the train until either ALX or WAS (don't know which), and catch the Meteor from there. He ended making the connection with plenty of time, and I went as scheduled from CVS to RVR. Mostly that was because I wanted to use a couple station that I had never used before.

How could he board the Meteor in ALX or WAS if he had tickets starting from RVR???

He probably just asked the conductor when he boarded if he could get on one stop early? I've gotten on one stop early and had no problem. I was of course willing to pay if the conductor wanted me to, but I don't think a conductor would want to go through the process of writing out another paper ticket for a short distance.

Now don't get me wrong and think I'm encouraging this practice. I am not. Plus you might can show you are on an AGR award, and in that case it doesn't matter.

Or you could actually buy a ticket from ALX to RVR just to be safe and get the 100 points for it!

 

[Trogdor]

This can't be overridden because it is not a guaranteed connection, and Arrow specifically disallows it. This is done intentionally, and there is no workaround.

If you buy that connection manually, and you miss, you're on your own.

 

[Rafi]

Just to echo Trogdor, the only way to get that routing is to purchase two separate itineraries: CHW-ALX and ALX-TPA. In the case of an AGR award, the two purchases are two separate redemptions (1 zone each), and if you miss the connection in ALX, you're on your own. If you know before you get to CVS that you're probably going to miss the ALX connection, you're on your own to beg your ride on the bus from the bus driver, as the CVS agent will be unable to alter the AGR award. If there is capacity available, you could purchase a second ticket from CVS to PTB while on-site at CVS, I suppose, but only in the case that the Meteor isn't sold out (you can't purchase CVS-RVR for the bus ride alone; a train must be part of the itinerary).

Bottom line: it's a risky move, and it'll cost you more to even try it.

Rafi