Given my limited participation at the Fest, I hesitate to make a suggestion – but I will anyway. Here are my thoughts.
Instead of trying to force a Canada trip for July – now just a few weeks off, maybe it would be better to postpone the Canada plans to a future year and do something simpler this fall that has a greater emphasis on Amtrak long distance with less reliance on local hotels. My suggestion would be to do a round trip to Denver in September.
The trip could start on a Saturday or Sunday from the NEC and arrive Denver on Monday or Tuesday. The westbound Zephyr’s morning arrival and eastbound evening departure times in Denver allow the better part of two days for local activities requiring only one hotel night. Denver has several new lines that have opened since the last Fest there in 2014. Included among them are the new commuter rail lines which the Fest group has not experienced. Denver weather in September is usually great. With only one hotel night, hotel costs are not an issue. After Monday or Tuesday night in Denver, it would be back east arriving NEC destinations Thursday or Friday. There would be one extra day each way for the Florida people. An extra night in Chicago could be worked in if desired (late Zephyr insurance or just some R&R time).
One of the attractions of the annual longer Fest is gathering together on an Amtrak long distance train – visiting each other in rooms, sharing meals, and sitting in the Sightseer. Doing a quick Denver out-and-back would provide a nice Amtrak ride to and from, plus two days in Denver with lots to do. Moving it to September would allow time for more relaxed planning.
I would likely participate with the Zephyr ride one way and the Denver stay.
Just a thought.
Example:
- Sunday – Leave east coast on #49 or #29 for Chicago
- Monday – arrive Chicago, connect to #5 for Denver
- Tuesday – arrive Denver, check into hotels (or drop luggage). Ride RTD in the afternoon. Group dinner Tuesday night. One hotel night in Denver
- Wednesday – Check out of hotels, store bags, ride RTD. Board #6 to Chicago in the evening (dinner on board if on time)
- Thursday – arrive Chicago, connect to #48 or #30 for the east coast (or stay the night in Chicago).
- Friday (or Saturday) – arrive east coast.