DC & Back

[VentureForth]

Won a trip to the Nation's Capitol on Amtrak through local radio station. Added my kids with AGR. Took 98 up on 7/3 and 97 down on 7/5. Same crew both directions. I dare say we even sat in the exact same row.

Departed Savannah an hour late, but thanks to massive padding at WAS, arrived just about ontime.

Departed WAS on time and arrived back in Savannah just about ontime (maybe 10 minutes late).

My only real gripe for the entire journey was that the SA's didn't really do much to encourage disembarking until the train stopped. At just about every station, passengers only started to get off the train after the doors opened. This delayed disembarkation and then boarding. They spent WAY too much time at each station. It was actually pretty impressive that we were able to gain time going North and keep time on the return - both sold out trains - with all the station dwell time we had.

Didn't sleep well at all either way. Now at work on about 3 hours of sleep last night.

 

[OBS]

Any luck with Club Acela Passes?

 

[VentureForth]

Oh yeah... Both the agent on duty when we arrived and when we left (different individuals) bought my story about leaving them at home. The latter said something to the effect of "I've heard worse stories, including people's dog ate 'em." First guy was just like "It's the holidays. Come on."

Great folks there. I was truly blessed. Didn't take advantage of their generosity, but my wife's bum knee made that early boarding real nice.

 

[OBS]

Glad to hear!

 

[Bob Dylan]

Glad the trip went OK!soynds like y'all caught some friendly Amtrak staff in DC.

How were the sights in our Nation's Capital?

 

[MARC Rider]

Oh yeah... Both the agent on duty when we arrived and when we left (different individuals) bought my story about leaving them at home. The latter said something to the effect of "I've heard worse stories, including people's dog ate 'em." First guy was just like "It's the holidays. Come on."

Great folks there. I was truly blessed. Didn't take advantage of their generosity, but my wife's bum knee made that early boarding real nice.

There are some nice agents at the Club Acela in DC. Now that I'm a Monday and Wednesday evening regular, there's a woman who not only recognizes me, but greets me by name. If she's busy changing someone's rez or printing a ticket, she'll just wave me in without scanning my AGR card. Once, when my smartphone ate my e-ticket, she printed me a copy and didn't even need to check my AGR card.

 

[Libby]

I ride Amtrak quite often, and in two weeks, I will be going to Birmingham, Alabama. When I leave Birmingham, will I be able to check my bags to Charlotte, NC. The last time that I departed Birmingham, the agent REFUSED to check any bags. Everyone had to get their bags up a long flight of stairs, onto the platform, and onto the train. Please let me know if we will be able to check bags. Thanks.

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

VentureForth,

Sounds like a cool prize that you won on the radio contest!

I'm so glad the trip went well for you and your family and especially that the Club Acela agents were both so helpful and nice.