Climate Scientists Take the Train

[TinCan782]

NEW UNIVERSITY RULES ENCOURAGE SCIENTISTS TO AVOID AIR TRAVEL

"When Ravikumar woke up after his first night on the train, he learned that 20 other scientists were onboard with him, heading to the conference."

https://www.wired.com/story/climate-scientists-take-the-train/

 

[ainamkartma]

NEW UNIVERSITY RULES ENCOURAGE SCIENTISTS TO AVOID AIR TRAVEL

"When Ravikumar woke up after his first night on the train, he learned that 20 other scientists were onboard with him, heading to the conference."

https://www.wired.com/story/climate-scientists-take-the-train/

I am a research, but not climate, scientist. At my employer, which follows US Government GSA rules, we are required to fly if any one stop or fewer flight is available, unless train (or bus) travel:

1) Is needed by mission requirements, or

2) takes less scheduled time than flying _and_ costs less than the lowest price available airline ticket.

So it is pretty rare for anyone at this organization to take a train on domestic travel except on their own nickel.

Ainamkartma

(We are also graciously allowed to rent hybrid or electric cars "as long as they cost no more than a standard car".)

 

[jis]

Generally the rule in a global company that I worked for, was to use the means that cost the company the least overall. The rail fare had to be competitive with the lowest logical air fare as computed by the designated travel agent, and the net food and lodging costs had to be competitive too.

This in the US in most cases meant flying (or driving). In Europe it often resulted in a train ride. Once I was even able to justify flying to London and then taking the Eurostar to Paris!

 

[cirdan]

The company I work for books most travel through a travel agency, who supposedly get us better rates than if we were to book individually.

I believe that our agency (like many others) is simply not sufficiently aware of raill travel and thus fails to consider it, even in the situations where it might be faster or cheaper.

 

[trainman74]

The company I work for books most travel through a travel agency, who supposedly get us better rates than if we were to book individually.

I believe that our agency (like many others) is simply not sufficiently aware of raill travel and thus fails to consider it, even in the situations where it might be faster or cheaper.

Random semi-related memory: circa 1990, my father used his office's travel agency to book a personal Amtrak trip departing from Chicago -- the printed itinerary showed that the train left from "Chicago-O'Hare."

 

[JRR]

WhenI lived in Baltimore, I always took the train to Philly or NY.

 

[jis]

Roughly speaking, the only area where our corporate travel agent considered rail to be a serious contender was on the North East Corridor and a few of its tentacles, like the Empire Corridor, Springfield, Keystone and the Virginia Regionals.

I did get them once to agree to book me on the Meteor from Newark to Savannah and on the Palmetto back, but I had to foot the difference between Coach and Sleeper on the Meteor, since it was determined that I had no reason to incur one additional hotel night (albeit on the train).

 

[Palmland]

In the 50’s my father worked for a large chemical company with an in house travel office. I’m not sure if he disliked overnight train travel more than unreliable Eastern Airlines! In those day they often booked him on overnight trains and he always talked about not liking the Southern as it ‘Swerved the South’. His favorite trip was on the CZ after a tough week and fighting a cold: good scenery, food, and service. By the 60’s business travel was always on a plane other than NEC. During WWII he had to ‘commute’ on the Broadway each week for a government project. Imagine what train travel was like then.

 

[BCL]

NEW UNIVERSITY RULES ENCOURAGE SCIENTISTS TO AVOID AIR TRAVEL

"When Ravikumar woke up after his first night on the train, he learned that 20 other scientists were onboard with him, heading to the conference."

https://www.wired.com/story/climate-scientists-take-the-train/

I am a research, but not climate, scientist. At my employer, which follows US Government GSA rules, we are required to fly if any one stop or fewer flight is available, unless train (or bus) travel:

1) Is needed by mission requirements, or

2) takes less scheduled time than flying _and_ costs less than the lowest price available airline ticket.

So it is pretty rare for anyone at this organization to take a train on domestic travel except on their own nickel.

Ainamkartma

(We are also graciously allowed to rent hybrid or electric cars "as long as they cost no more than a standard car".)

I'd think the scheduled flying time might not be an accurate indicator of total travel time. Train stations are often in central locations compared to airports that are far from the city center. There's generally no time spent dealing with security lines.

 

[bretton88]

NEW UNIVERSITY RULES ENCOURAGE SCIENTISTS TO AVOID AIR TRAVEL

"When Ravikumar woke up after his first night on the train, he learned that 20 other scientists were onboard with him, heading to the conference."

https://www.wired.com/story/climate-scientists-take-the-train/

A friend of mine just got out of this world. He says its a scam for the general university to get their hands on the grant money. Want to fly? That's a fee for "carbon offset." Want to take the train? That's "premium travel" and not fully reimbursable. Driving is usually not an option with the distances needed to cover for the conferences. There is no win in this for the scientists.

 

[Bob Dylan]

When I lived in Washington ( it was so long ago I could afford to live @ Dupont Circle!)and traveled a lot on business trips, our Travel Agent would book us on Trains upon request, as long as the Fare wasn't more than an Airline ticket.We could pay the difference ourselves which I chose to do often over the Infamous Eastern Shuttle.( our Government Per Diem didn't go to far in the Large Cities!)

I rode the Metroliners many times between WAS,PHL and NYP.

I also took lots of trips on the New Haven Railroad to Boston, and several trips to various cities on the Broadway Ltd., but unfortunately didn't get to do the 20th Century.

In addition I was a frequent rider on the Crescent, both Southern RR and Amtrak Versions, including many trips in Slumber Coaches.

 

[cirdan]

The company I work for books most travel through a travel agency, who supposedly get us better rates than if we were to book individually.

I believe that our agency (like many others) is simply not sufficiently aware of raill travel and thus fails to consider it, even in the situations where it might be faster or cheaper.

Random semi-related memory: circa 1990, my father used his office's travel agency to book a personal Amtrak trip departing from Chicago -- the printed itinerary showed that the train left from "Chicago-O'Hare."

A good thing he didn't actually go there and look for the train.

 

[MARC Rider]

NEW UNIVERSITY RULES ENCOURAGE SCIENTISTS TO AVOID AIR TRAVEL

"When Ravikumar woke up after his first night on the train, he learned that 20 other scientists were onboard with him, heading to the conference."

https://www.wired.com/story/climate-scientists-take-the-train/

I am a research, but not climate, scientist. At my employer, which follows US Government GSA rules, we are required to fly if any one stop or fewer flight is available, unless train (or bus) travel:

1) Is needed by mission requirements, or

2) takes less scheduled time than flying _and_ costs less than the lowest price available airline ticket.

So it is pretty rare for anyone at this organization to take a train on domestic travel except on their own nickel.

Ainamkartma

(We are also graciously allowed to rent hybrid or electric cars "as long as they cost no more than a standard car".)

I wonder if those are agency rules, not GSA rules. My agency (EPA) has let me take the train for years, even for one night trips. DC to Chicago, DC to Savannah or Tampa, and pretty much anywhere on the NEC. Of course, they only cover coach fare, I pay for sleepers out of my own pocket.

 

[ainamkartma]

NEW UNIVERSITY RULES ENCOURAGE SCIENTISTS TO AVOID AIR TRAVEL

"When Ravikumar woke up after his first night on the train, he learned that 20 other scientists were onboard with him, heading to the conference."

https://www.wired.com/story/climate-scientists-take-the-train/

I am a research, but not climate, scientist. At my employer, which follows US Government GSA rules, we are required to fly if any one stop or fewer flight is available, unless train (or bus) travel:

1) Is needed by mission requirements, or

2) takes less scheduled time than flying _and_ costs less than the lowest price available airline ticket.

So it is pretty rare for anyone at this organization to take a train on domestic travel except on their own nickel.

Ainamkartma

(We are also graciously allowed to rent hybrid or electric cars "as long as they cost no more than a standard car".)

I wonder if those are agency rules, not GSA rules. My agency (EPA) has let me take the train for years, even for one night trips. DC to Chicago, DC to Savannah or Tampa, and pretty much anywhere on the NEC. Of course, they only cover coach fare, I pay for sleepers out of my own pocket.

These are in-house policy implementations of GSA rules. So they often add additional local restrictions when desired, but the source documents are from the GSA. We are located nowhere near the NEC, so trains don't really get onto our local policy-makers' radar screen.

Ainamkartma