Tentative plans for PNW Fest 2010
#1
Posted 29 January 2010 - 12:21 AM
Still, I do realize that many of you want to make your travel plans, whether on Amtrak or flying, and of course places to stay in the host cities, so I've decided to create this forum and put the tentative plans out there. Please don't make any reservations that you cannot cancel with a full refund.
Our itinerary runs from Thursday, July 15th through Tuesday, July 27th, a 13-day period just as long as last year's SoCal Fest. This of course only applies to those starting and ending their trips on the East Coast, as others from the Midwest and other locations will join later and leave earlier. For those who live in the PNW or will be flying in at least one direction, we will be in the area from Sunday morning, July 18th (arrival in Portland) through Saturday afternoon, July 24th (depart from Seattle).
One of the stumbling blocks is the high Amtrak fares. The itinerary as it is now calls for the Lake Shore Limited and Empire Builder in both directions (only we would be on the Portland section westbound and the Seattle section eastbound). I did an cost analysis this week on different scenarios east of Chicago (but all involving the above Empire Builder trips). For me, taking a Northeast Regional (coach) and the Capitol Limited (first class) from Washington would be $180 cheaper than going via the LSL (first class). Taking the Pennsylvanian (coach) and the Capitol Limited (first class) from Pittsburgh would be $230 cheaper than going via the LSL (first class). And there are similar differences going eastbound. Those amounts are substantial.
The reason why we did the LSL eastbound last year was because of its later schedule and also due to the very close connection we ultimately made from the CZ to the Capitol Limited on our 2007 NoCal Fest. Westbound isn't as much of an issue as eastbound, since both trains usually get to Chicago with plenty of time to make connections to western trains.
So I am toying with just starting and ending the Fest in Chicago (meeting there and diverging afterwards via different routes), or having 2 or 3 simultaneous itineraries being followed east of Chicago.
The other thing that would save some money is to eliminate Vancouver. Doing so would save 2 nights in hotels (1 in Vancouver and 1 in Seattle), the transit fares in Vancouver, and the Amtrak fares between Seattle and Vancouver (plus those who don't have passports still would not need to purchase them). However I really want to visit Vancouver, as we won't have the opportunity to get there anytime in the near future. So for now it's still part of our plans.
Tentatively, here are the long distance Amtrak trips you would need to be concerned with, assuming you're on the East Coast:
Train #49 (Thursday, July 15), NYP-CHI (or travel via 125/29 thru WAS or 43/29 thru PGH)
Train #27 (Friday, July 16), CHI-PDX
Train #8 (Saturday, July 24), SEA-CHI
Train #48 (Monday, July 26), CHI-NYP (or travel via 30/148 thru WAS or 30/42 thru PGH)
Here are the corridor trains on the West Coast:
Train #506 (Tuesday, July 20), PDX-SEA
Train #510 (Thursday, July 22), SEA-VAC
Train #517 (Friday, July 23), VAC-SEA
Hotels would be needed as follows:
Sunday, 7/18 through Tuesday, 7/20 (2 nights) in Portland, OR
Tuesday, 7/20 through Thursday, 7/22 (2 nights) in Seattle, WA
Thursday, 7/22 through Friday, 7/23 (1 night) in Vancouver, BC
Friday, 7/23 through Saturday, 7/24 (1 night) in Seattle, WA
One thing to keep in mind about the Friday night in Seattle, is that we would be arriving back into Seattle at 10:05 PM. So you may not wish to go too far from downtown given the late arrival.
So there you have an outline of the planned trains and hotel nights, at least for now. Hopefully we don't have to cut this down to fewer or zero days... but be able to make changes if they become necessary.
Kevin Korell
OTOL Board Leader
Lakewood, NJ
#2
Posted 29 January 2010 - 01:06 PM
#3
Posted 22 February 2010 - 09:11 AM
#4
Posted 06 March 2010 - 05:23 PM
#5
Posted 06 March 2010 - 06:59 PM
The Coast Starlight stops in Portland too, you know......So looks like the 2 of us will meet the Fest group in Seattle via the Coast Starlight.
Kevin Korell
OTOL Board Leader
Lakewood, NJ
#6
Posted 06 March 2010 - 11:44 PM
Oops, Its Portland Northbound and Seattle Southbound, I guess My enjoyment of her excitement interfered with my fingers
The Coast Starlight stops in Portland too, you know......
So looks like the 2 of us will meet the Fest group in Seattle via the Coast Starlight.
Mahalo
Eric
Edited by GG-1, 06 March 2010 - 11:46 PM.
#7
Posted 08 March 2010 - 10:27 AM
#8
Posted 10 March 2010 - 03:50 PM
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