Sky Harbor Airport is listed under 'Amtrak Station Locations' in the national timetable, and based on my experience getting to Tempe (ASU) on Amtrak (using an Amtrak ticket all the way), it is the closest and most convenient Amtrak location to ASU. There are a variety of public transit options to get you the short remaining distance into Tempe.

This would involve taking the Southwest Chief to Flagstaff overnight from CA and transferring to an Amtrak thruway bus. It is a very pleasant bus ride. Many of the passengers are your fellow train riders and it only makes 2 stops between the Flagstaff Amtrak station and Sky Harbor. The station at Flag is one of Amtrak's best.

The Sunset Limited to Maricopa is not as convenient an option. To get to Phoenix or Tempe, you need a ride or an expensive taxi/limo trip. There is phone number posted at the Maricopa Amtrak station/picnic table for White's Shuttle Service 520-568-4404.

The Sunset Limited used to stop in Tempe before UP re-routed it. The station, which is now a restaurant, was walking distance from the ASU campus.

I hope I have stayed on topic. I mean no disrespect to our moderator and I am grateful to him for volunteering. The off topic stuff may be a nuisance to wade through, but I enjoy getting to know the contributors so I endulge the whimsical diversions.
 

For our moderator, a technical question. Is it possible to delete a post without locking a thread?
 

[This message has been edited by irishchieftain (edited 12-09-2003).]
 

On the surface, it seems you do. You deleted Room Service's post (which I saw, and simply was a criticism of your moderating), but left the other posts intact.

So taking the assumption you can do laser surgery on a thread without harming the body of messages as a whole, why did you elect to lock the thread?

Here's my take on this issue:

1. CS99 had a question of which of four Amtrak "stations" in Phoenix was the best for getting to a football game at ASU.

It was a question that was of interest to me.

2. You call an off-topic foul by, in part, saying "...I do not answer bus questions; this is not a forum about buses."

Al, I don't recall anybody asking "you" about bus questions. The question was posted to the forum. This forum is not "yours". As moderator, you're not obligated to answer all questions. It's a forum--not "Ask Chief."

3. You eventually agree the thread is on-topic, but it seemed to me grudgingly ("...the question should have been clearer" and, to me, "I will search for it myself but it would save me time if you provide the answers.").

I didn't know the answers; I simply had an interest in the question. I prepared a reply saying such when I found the thread locked. But I say again: I find it strange that you felt a personal obligation to give "the" answer.

4. Twice you state the poster could find "the answers" on google or mapquest. In what I take as a demeaning tone, you state: "If I can do it, so can anyone else with access to a computer."

Maybe you can find all of the "answers" on google,etc.,but then what's the purpose of this forum? Compare TwinStarRocket's information based on personal experience with that found by you surfing the net. In my opinion, his beats yours hands down.

Al, try loosening up a bit.

 

And I said in response to that: there are three links at the bottom of the page that say Close Topic, Archive/Move Topic and Delete Topic...so the answer is yes.

I just reopened the thread in question. I will attempt to loosen up as long as our spamming friends ease up. Take a look at the board now.

[This message has been edited by irishchieftain (edited 12-09-2003).]
 

I agree 100%

You've taken on a difficult job (note I didn't volunteer). Although I'm one of your biggest critics, I'm getting the feeling you can (and very possibly will) win this community's support and gratitude. May I suggest to all forum members that we cut him some slack. He's pioneering new trail, afterall. If you think he's taking the wrong fork, he has asked for you to email him your complaints and thoughts.

Now, let's give him some time to settle into his new job.

Let's all do exactly the opposite of what I am doing now and stop talking about this and talk about Amtrak. I sincerely hope that irishcheiftain will not have to deal with an onslaught of posts and e-mails because he has taken on this responsibility. I thank him for his efforts. We all want our old forum back and I think we all agree obscenities and personal attacks are unwelcome.

 

[This message has been edited by KA6BGJ (edited 12-11-2003).]