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I am looking into a roomette for me and my son from Sacramento to St. Paul around 10/1. Roomettes are sold out on #28 10/1 and 10/2 leaving Portland. The Starlight has been averaging 65 minutes late into PDX, which is real close to missing the connection.
Guest Rewards tells me I can not choose to change trains in Seattle without adding SAC-SEA as an additional 1-zone trip, even though the connection is safer and roomettes are available on #8 via Seattle. We have people to stay with in Seattle, and PDX-SEA-Spokane is rail mileage I have not yet seen.
Has anyone ever found the Guest Rewards people to be flexible if I tried to argue that my connection is safer via Seattle (and they have space while #28 does not)? I would rather not spend an extra 15,000 points.
Also, if I do choose to do a connection to #28 at PDX and the connection is missed: 1. Are you bussed from Klamath Falls to Pasco? 2. Is there dinner provided somehow? 3. If baggage is checked SAC-MSP, does it go on the bus?
Thanks for any help.
Posts: 1572 | From: St. Paul, MN | Registered: Dec 2002
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My experience with AGR has generally been that they are only able to ticket the connection which comes up in the computer for them when they type the particular of your requested trip in.
In this case, the connection comes up as being via Portland. I'd be surprised if you're able to ticket anything differently.
But it never hurts to ask.
-------------------- 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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As to checked baggage, if you are put on a bus, your luggage will be, too. (unless for some reason they misplace it). You will possibly get a boxed dinner (just as you would if on the train from PDX). Your champagne will be on the train. I would confirm with AGR or Amtrak as to dinner arrangements because you may end up with a McDonalds stop instead.
Another possibility to consider if you would rather be sure of a connection in PDX is to buy your transportation between SAC and PDX. Your time frame is short, but you might get lucky.
Being in PDX on time to make the connection doesn't mean you will be on the train up the Columbia Gorge. That was my plan in June, but the Empire Builder was turned in Spokane because it was so late. I ended up on a long, grim bus ride in the gloomy rain. You might want to check on the recent on-time performance for the westbound Empire Builder before deciding what to do.
-------------------- My new "default" station (EKH) has no baggage service or QuikTrak machine, but the parking is free! And the NY Central RR Museum is just across the tracks (but not open at Amtrak train times. . ..) Posts: 337 | From: Goshen, IN | Registered: Jun 2006
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Thanks all. I booked the roomette a day earlier (9/29) out of SAC with the connection to the Builder at Portland to MSP. The AGR agent tried to book me through SEA, but the system would not let her. She was very helpful.
My first time on the Starlight and the PPC. Whoopee! Hoping to avoid bus-tee-tution with an on-time #14.
Driving to SAC this morning with my son, sister-in-law and her dog. My son comes back with me on the train (he loves it).
Posts: 1572 | From: St. Paul, MN | Registered: Dec 2002
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Looking forward to hearing about your trip..... and also a status update at Sacramento where I understand they have opened a new Amtrak platform some 500 feet further away from the station.
-------------------- 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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