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#1 KevinKorell

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Posted 03 July 2016 - 02:30 PM

As we draw closer to the July 11th start date of our travels together, it is important to know where we will meet each day or reassemble within the same day after we split up. Let's go through each day and review the activities and where it will be best to meet.

Monday, July 11: People are coming into Chicago (or starting out from there) from many different directions. The novelty will of course be the new Metropolitan Lounge location. Whoever gets there first can stake out a section for more people to join them as our various trains show up in Chicago.

Wednesday, July 13: Our transit riding will be driven on when we ultimately arrive into Seattle on the Empire Builder. Based upon that, we need to either store luggage at King Street Station, or some can go to hotels first if there is time to check-in and drop luggage. Whenever the start time happens, the goal is to start out from King Street Station since the First Hill Streetcar start point is within a few blocks from there. Exactly where within King Street Station can be determined once we get there.

Thursday, July 14: No official activities planned within Seattle, other than leaving there at 11:15 on the Cascades train. Therefore we meet at King Street Station well in advance of departure. If we want to sit together it may be wise to check-in together once everyone has arrived there.

Fast forward to Portland. Assuming we get there on time on the Cascades, we may want to drop luggage at hotels first since it will be after usual check-in time at most hotels. For some this may mean taking MAX light rail. Since the plan is to have dinner first and then ride one streetcar loop in the evening, we can meet at the restaurant. Again those at the Embassy Suites should be able to walk to the restaurant (or walk a different direction in order to take MAX/streetcar to the vicinity of the restaurant), while those coming from other places can take MAX or streetcar.

Friday, July 15: Meet at Portland Union Station about 8:30 AM or so. We need time to walk to the MAX Orange Line stop near the Greyhound terminal to depart 8:59 AM, so we should start walking there about 8:45 AM.

Plan is to split up for lunch after the MAX & Streetcar riding. We'll meet up again at Union Station in plenty of time before we have to be there in advance of the Coast Starlight 2:25 PM departure. Assuming we'll be in the Metropolitan Lounge there.

Sunday, July 17: We start out in our travels at 10:34 AM on the Metro Red Line from Union Station, so we should meet there about 10:00 and start walking down to the track level about 10:25 or so. No doubt some may choose to make use of the Metropolitan Lounge there, but we should meet near where we have to start out from. My brother suggests a location near the entrance to the Metro Red/Purple Lines adjacent to a Subway restaurant & Wetzel's Pretzels.

We will split up for lunch in Santa Monica, for about 2 hours off the rails. With the goal to make a 1:42 PM departure on the Metro Expo Line, we should all be back at the light rail platform by about 1:30.

Monday, July 18: Our Solana Beach round trip of course starts from Union Station, with an 8:41 AM departure. So we should get there well in advance of that time and meet in the Metropolitan Lounge, allowing time to leave luggage we don't want to drag along on this journey.

Later that day we depart on the eastbound Southwest Chief, which departs 6:10 PM. If we split up and go anyplace in the interim after the Pacific Surfliner trip, be back in the Metropolitan Lounge with enough advance leeway to be there for the boarding call.

Wednesday, July 20: Chicago revisited. See July 11th above. Going separate ways means we're basically on our own to be back at the Lounge with enough advance notice before departure.... assuming we have time to go elsewhere after arrival.



Kevin Korell


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#2 Lightning

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Posted 03 July 2016 - 06:55 PM

After breakfast on the 14th, if anyone wants to ride Link southbound (which won't be covered in the official schedule), or the FH streetcar and back on Link again (covered on the 13th), I'd be glad to accompany. International District/Chinatown station is next door to KSS.  Broad daylight by 5 AM!


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#3 pennyk

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Posted 05 July 2016 - 08:11 PM

With regard to Chicago and the new Metropolitan Lounge, on the 11th, the following was posted on Flyer Talk regarding the new lounge (and a free lunch).  I have no idea if what the poster said was accurate.
 

I was there yesterday for their one-week anniversary.[/size]

Wifi is much improved and I was averaging around 132 MB download and over 200 MB upload which is incredible for anywhere.[/size]

The showers were going to officially open today.[/size]

They also had bottles of wine that they were serving for free, along with a fantastic lunch spread that was put out at around 12:30. All of it was complimentary.[/size]

They called it a wine "tasting, but they were happy to give you a full glass, served in those plastic wine glasses, like on the Coast Starlight.[/size]

If you wanted more, they would give you a punch card that could be validated up to 4 times. They had a nice assortment of red and white.[/size]

When I asked how long they would be offering the free wine and food, thinking it was only for the first week or two to celebrate the new opening, I was told they would be doing it for the rest of the year to encourage people to visit Chicago and ride Amtrak.[/size]

If this holds true, I'll be shocked, but that's what I was told.[/size]





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