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A call to AGR revealed that a trip from Atlanta to San Francsico will count as 2 zones even though it backtracks into the East Coast zone; the agent told me the end points are the defining thing. So I'm thinking Atlanta to Charlottesville VA on the Crescent, on to Chicago on the Cardinal and on to CA on the Zephyr. This would be four nights for my 20K points. If the Cardinal leg is on March 11th this is the day after the time change so there'll be an extra hour of light, right? And a schedule change seems to have the train running 2 hours earlier. This puts an ontime arrival in Charleston at around 8:30pm. Does anyone think this could put the New River gorge within daylight? Also is the Charlottesville station located downtown? High Street? Anthing nearby for the few hours layover? Any other thoughts? Am I being too greedy with my AGR points which took me 3 years to accumulate?
Posts: 326 | From: San Antonio Texas USA | Registered: Dec 2003
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Thanks for the good word about cashing in those guest reward points. I could drive to Atlanta, fly to San Francisco (which I have done before) and then take the train back to Atlanta through DC or Charlottesville for just a two zone hit. Super.
As for your question, the current Amtrak timetable is effective until April and, in it, the westbound Cardinal is due into Montgomery, WV at 7:38pm. Montgomery is just beyond the New River Gorge so it seems reasonable to expect that at that time of year you will see the gorge by daylight.....IF the train is on-time.
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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Charlottesville station is downtown, right off the main street (which is called Main Street) but somewhat sunken--because the parking lot is paved with stones and I had luggage, I walked down the platform all the way along the parking lot until I came to a street and then went up it to Main Street proper (there also might be steps at the other end but I cannot remember; since I had luggage I didn't go to any steps). On Main Street, with your back to the station, if you go right (east I believe), you get to the historic downtown, with some buildings etc of historic or architectural interest. If you go left (west I believe), you come to the University of Virginia, with its famous rotunda designed by Jefferson and well worth seeing (be sure to go through and see the back etc); there is also a Poe room and museums etc, but you'll have to check when they are open. I found it perfectly walkable, maybe 8-10 blocks, but you'd better see if you can leave luggage at the station. There is a good, inexpensive bagel shop called Bodo's Bagels just before you come to U Va campus, if you want to have breakfast (they have eggs etc); I think it opens at 7 on weekdays but might be a little later on weekends. Daedalus Books, a nationally known used-book store, is downtown too.
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
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Sojourner is correct, left is west and right is east. Since Charlottesville is a college town, there are loads of eateries and watering holes.
The station is in the middle of Charlottesville. There are steps up to Main Street about 50 feet from the station. I believe that there are about 20 steps up to Main Street. There if you turn left/west you will cross over the NS tracks on a bridge when heading toward UVA.
You will probably have a 5-hour wait for the Cardinal. Both times I have taken the Cardinal westbound from Charlottesville it has been on time. The CSX-(Buckingham Branch RR) tracks cross the NS at grade and the station sits at the crossover. You will pick up the CSX main line at Clifton Forge.
I checked on AGR last year and I was told that I would be charged 2 zones to Chicago from Charlottesville and then 2 zones to Seattle. That is 4 zones for a trip from Charlottesville to Seattle. Maybe I will take the Cresent south from Lynchburg for 1 zone then board the northbound Cresent for a 2 zone trip to Seatle. I would save one zone and get a lot of train time in.
Posts: 68 | From: Lynchburg, Virginia USA | Registered: Feb 2003
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I could see how you might be charged four zones for the trip you mention IF that included an overnight stopover in Chicago. Now if you had gone Charlottesville to Seattle taking the first train available (ie - same day) out of Chicago I think you would have been charged just three zones.
One way to check would be to go to the Amtrak website and plug in a trip Charlottesville - Seattle on the front screen. If it shows you the itinerary and quotes you a price you ought to be able to book that for the three zone charge.....again, I'm thinking the key might be whether the person that quoted you 4 zones thought you were staying overnight in Chicago.
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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I believe David is right, SSTS; you must have asked about the zones as if you were stopping in Chicago. If you just say "Charlottesville to Seattle," and are not attempting any Chicago overnight stopover, it will be 3 zones only.
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
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The two of your are probably correct. It could have been the way I presented my travel plans to her. I did not plan on staying over in Chicago. My plans were to take the EB the same day.
Any chance of scheduling my departure from Atlanta but boarding in Lynchburg instead of Atlanta and ride to Charlottesvill? That way I would get a 3 zone trip for the price of a 2 zone.
Posts: 68 | From: Lynchburg, Virginia USA | Registered: Feb 2003
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quote:Originally posted by SouthernServesTheSouth: David, Sojourner
The two of your are probably correct. It could have been the way I presented my travel plans to her. I did not plan on staying over in Chicago. My plans were to take the EB the same day.
Any chance of scheduling my departure from Atlanta but boarding in Lynchburg instead of Atlanta and ride to Charlottesvill? That way I would get a 3 zone trip for the price of a 2 zone.
In coach you could probably get away with that....in the sleeping car you run the risk of your room being resold to someone boarding in, say Greenville, SC, if you no show the room in Atlanta.
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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I don't know about doing that going, but you could certainly do it coming home (i.e., book to Atlanta but get off in Lynchburg).
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
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Thanks you two, I will have to give this some serious thought. I have about 55,000 AGR points another 5,000 and I could do a two zone bedroom roundtrip.
Is it too early to start humming "California Here I Come"?
Posts: 68 | From: Lynchburg, Virginia USA | Registered: Feb 2003
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quote:Originally posted by SouthernServesTheSouth: Thanks you two, I will have to give this some serious thought. I have about 55,000 AGR points another 5,000 and I could do a two zone bedroom roundtrip.
Is it too early to start humming "California Here I Come"?
How sad. I generally try to use my points before they build up that high.......but then I'm sitting on 32,000 right now and my feet are getting itchy to travel. Maybe in April.
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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Merry Christmas – Happy Holiday and Happy New Year to all. May all your Amtrak travel plans for 2007 be successful.
This has to be the best bunch of people on the web. You are always helpful and full of timely knowledge. The best part is the humor that is blended in with the comments posted here.
We may not always agree with some comments but, but everyone agrees to disagree as ladies and gentlemen. No “bomb throwers” here.
A special greeting to the Amtrak employees posting here…Thanks for making our travel experiences this past year memorable.
SSTS
Posts: 68 | From: Lynchburg, Virginia USA | Registered: Feb 2003
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Well,it worked! I just did it! Four days and nights, roomette, 3 zones of travel for the price of 2: 20,000 AGR points. Atlanta to Emeryville. And I get to take the westbound Cardinal on the day of the time change (3/11) which gives me an extra hour of daylight.
The funny thing was though if I asked for Atlanta to San Francisco, i.e. with the throughway bus, the Cardinal option for that leg of the trip was not available. Only the Capitol from Washington to Chicago. Well, I specifically wanted the WB Cardinal which was available if I asked for Emeryville instead of SF. Just a peculiarity of the computer I guess. I'll try to buy a throughway bus ticket from Amtrak in the meantime - I don't want to get stuck in Emeryville at midnight in case the Zephyr is 8 hrs late. Anyway, very happy here. What a trip I look forward to!
Posts: 326 | From: San Antonio Texas USA | Registered: Dec 2003
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quote:Am I being too greedy with my AGR points which took me 3 years to accumulate?
If so, call me greedy too.
I'm doing the 2 zones for the price of two going from Atlanta to San Diego. 4 days and 4 nights in a roomette - 20,000 points
Posts: 218 | Registered: Apr 2003
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I guess it's only possible because there's no longer a connection in New Orleans between the Crescent and the Sunset Ltd.
Posts: 326 | From: San Antonio Texas USA | Registered: Dec 2003
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Would they have allowed you to ride the Empire Builder to PDX and connect to the Coast Starlight there? Or were you 'forced' to take the SW Chief?
Posts: 54 | Registered: Oct 2006
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