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West Coast Train Trip 2007!

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Posts

  • ctishmanctishman Registered User regular
    edited April 2007
    Fantastic. Glad to have you aboard!

    The rooms/roomettes are really fantastic. I've done the trip in one of those, and they treat you really well.

    ctishman on
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  • JustioVonAwesomeJustioVonAwesome Registered User new member
    edited April 2007
    There will be three people in my group hopefully attending by this train method.

    Me - Justio Von Awesome

    My younger brother Austin and my friend Kat.

    We figured anything is easier than the hell that is driving through Seattle.
    Plus I think we may bring bikes...Totally rad.

    JustioVonAwesome on
  • ctishmanctishman Registered User regular
    edited April 2007
    Sweet!

    ctishman on
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  • Big GuyBig Guy Registered User regular
    edited April 2007
    I know I'm already listed as confirmed, but now I'm really confirmed. We got our tickets today. Neither me or my friend had cash last time we went to the station and since the coupon book isn't actually from Amtrak, we had to have cash. The coupon book is actually a fund-raiser for a local high school sports team I found out. So after buying the book for $20, we got 2 round trip tickets for $84. Oh and we are taking the 5:45 AM train instead of the 9:00, because we want to get up there earlier, plus it doesn't stop in Portland...Or so it says...

    Big Guy on
    Survivor of PAX '06 (BALL!), PAX '07 (Don't be a Dick), PAX '08 (Bad Horse), PAX '09 (H1Nerd1), PAX '10
  • Zombies Tossed My Salad!Zombies Tossed My Salad! Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    Hello WCTT! It is I the famous ZeroZero. I shall be attending PAX this year and wish to train it up with you fine folks. I don't have tickets yet, but put me on the list!

    Zombies Tossed My Salad! on
  • ctishmanctishman Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    Big Guy:
    Good to hear! Also, it does stop in Portland. In fact, the train ends there, and you board another train entirely for Seattle, then the one you were on heads back to Eugene and becomes the 9:00 Cascades, at least that's how I remember it.

    ZeroZero:
    Woot! Welcome, fellow Supertripper!

    ctishman on
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  • Big GuyBig Guy Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    ctishman wrote: »
    Big Guy:
    Good to hear! Also, it does stop in Portland. In fact, the train ends there, and you board another train entirely for Seattle, then the one you were on heads back to Eugene and becomes the 9:00 Cascades, at least that's how I remember it.

    Good to know... thx

    Big Guy on
    Survivor of PAX '06 (BALL!), PAX '07 (Don't be a Dick), PAX '08 (Bad Horse), PAX '09 (H1Nerd1), PAX '10
  • nemaihnenemaihne Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    Stupid trivia time!
    A quick surf of Wikipedia reveals that Amtrak had another running name right up until its launch.
    The font of all human knowledge:
    The original working brand name for NRPC was Railpax, but shortly before the company started operating it was changed to Amtrak.

    Coincidence? I think not.



    Sad, isn't it, the things a geek will do to while away the time?

    nemaihne on
    I *think* that's what I meant to say...
  • Zombies Tossed My Salad!Zombies Tossed My Salad! Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    Also, add a maybe +1 to mine. This girl said she would go with me. She's just about perfect.

    Zombies Tossed My Salad! on
  • LindygamerLindygamer Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    nemaihne wrote: »
    Sad, isn't it, the things a geek will do to while away the time?

    Alright, no its not sad. Your a geek and you should be damn proud of it.

    Also I had this idea well I had jeopardy turned on last week. They were doing there college championship thing and one of the categories was "Let your geek flag fly".

    Instantly I realized a possible game for the WCTT. A quiz made up by us to see who is the nerdiest.

    Let me know what you guys think.

    Lindygamer on
    The opinions I don't have are the opinions I don't got.

    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
  • VertigoVertigo Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    I really like that idea. I'm good at stupid trivia and my BF is good at tech/gaming trivia. I'm guessing he'd beat me at least. That isn't saying much....

    Vertigo on
  • ThrashThrash Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    nemaihne wrote: »
    Hi, nemaihne (Stephanie) and husband Suiryu (Tony) are also gonna be catching this train. We sprung for the cabin though, because it's our anniversary. (Insert rude comment here.) OK, also because that gives us access to the all powerful electron motion- although I doubt there's any way short of satellite we're getting internet connectivity...
    How ironic is it that on a 22 hour trip to a gaming con you can't even check WoW auctions?

    Oh, hey... Internet connectivity is possible, but it just takes a little creativity... I made it happen by enabling dial-up networking on my Verizon phone and connecting to my laptop (but that was before I got a dedicated Verizon BroadbandAccess card ;-)). I had probably 30 people asking about it (obviously jealous) during an hour-long period I sat and surfed in the observation car. As long as you do it between 9:00 PM and 6:00 AM, it's free and you're golden.

    For information on enabling DUN on your own phone, check out www.howardforums.com and see what you can find out.

    Thrash on
  • PapaZebPapaZeb Registered User new member
    edited May 2007
    Did something similar when I roadtripped to see the Dear Friends... concert in San Francisco (from Las Vegas). With my Sprint wireless connection card I could keep a couple of telnet sessions on the go back to the house, read/post on forums, and enjoy all the comforts away from home.

    Nowadays it's even worse - mate of mine loves his Slingbox (http://www.slingmedia.com/indexa.php) - has it hooked up to the TiVo, streams his favourite shows over his Verizon wireless card with no slowdown/stutter on a regular old MacBook. We're off driving to California to head to the beach and this jerk is in the back with the latest eps of Scrubs and House blaring their theme songs from the back seat.

    PapaZeb on
  • kruxkrux Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    PapaZeb wrote: »
    Did something similar when I roadtripped to see the Dear Friends... concert in San Francisco (from Las Vegas). With my Sprint wireless connection card I could keep a couple of telnet sessions on the go back to the house, read/post on forums, and enjoy all the comforts away from home.

    Nowadays it's even worse - mate of mine loves his Slingbox (http://www.slingmedia.com/indexa.php) - has it hooked up to the TiVo, streams his favourite shows over his Verizon wireless card with no slowdown/stutter on a regular old MacBook. We're off driving to California to head to the beach and this jerk is in the back with the latest eps of Scrubs and House blaring their theme songs from the back seat.

    I'm sure we'll figure something out. I'll have to see if the Verizon or Sprint wireless cards work with the Gentoo laptop.

    krux on
    perl -e 's++=END;++y(;-P)}\n?k++=;<+xru}?print: ??;'
  • Magically_StoopidMagically_Stoopid Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    Go ahead for the time being to add me onto the group of Justio's friends. Since I think going on the choo-choo with my buddy would be fun.

    Magically_Stoopid on
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  • ctishmanctishman Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    Awesome. Will do!

    ctishman on
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  • Methos645Methos645 Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    Hey ctishman,

    I have a group of four dudes from salem, Oregon heading up by train. We are departing from salem on the 23rd and staying up in seattle until the 27th. So count us in for the ride! The brothers of arealmanwoulddoit.com and g0atnet.com will join you on the noble journey!

    Sincerely,
    Methos645
    ChocoboXV
    GreenGiant645
    MrChoupon

    Methos645 on
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  • ctishmanctishman Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    Great to have you along!

    By my count, that makes 44 confirmed, and an even 50 if all the tentatives show!

    ctishman on
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  • ctishmanctishman Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    HEADS UP! PRICES HAVE GONE UP!

    They will continue to do so until departure day, so BUY YOUR TICKETS ASAP.


    Edit: Updated price sheet on page 1, and added Salem. Doesn't look like the Cascades price has gone up yet, but it will soon.

    ctishman on
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  • Methos645Methos645 Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    This may seem like a stupid question...

    but if my crew departs on the 23rd from salem and tranfers to the pdx train up to seattle then we should theoretically be able to merge with the rest of the crowd correct?

    -Methos645

    Methos645 on
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  • ctishmanctishman Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    Nah, the Coast Starlight doesn't even stop anywhere north of Klamath Falls. We're on the Cascades the whole way up.

    ctishman on
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  • QapfQapf Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    Just wanted to post and say that Myself and 3 friends will be going on the train and we would love to meet up with everyone else. We are coming out of Bakersfield, CA and meeting up with the Coast Starlight in Martinez, CA at about 11PM.

    Qapf on
  • TimeCruiserMikeTimeCruiserMike Past Organizer of the West Coast Train Trip San Fernando ValleyRegistered User regular
    edited May 2007
    so charles will we be compiling a list of numbers or somthing so we can find each other once we're on the train or do you think that our geeky presence will be blatently obvious and we'll simply be drawn towards each other. I know i'll stick out like a sore thumb so people will most definatly notice me right away.

    TimeCruiserMike on
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    {Fondly remembers the PAXTrain}
  • ctishmanctishman Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    Good to have you, Qapf!

    I dunno, TCM. How do you think it'd work best? I never had a big problem finding the gamers on previous trips, but then again, I always met them at the IHOP, and finding the one table of loud young people in a restaurant full of quiet old people wasn't exactly herculean.

    ctishman on
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  • TNTrooperTNTrooper Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    I figured I would be walking into random cars shouting out "WOOT PAX!" every now and then to see who shouts back. Unless I am busy playing Munchkin or something on my DS...

    TNTrooper on
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  • ctishmanctishman Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    Amtrak usually organizes it such that everyone going to Seattle ends up sitting in the same car. Additionally, I'll make a bunch of WCTT tags you can stick in the ticket slot above your seat.

    ctishman on
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  • LindygamerLindygamer Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    so charles will we be compiling a list of numbers or somthing so we can find each other once we're on the train or do you think that our geeky presence will be blatently obvious and we'll simply be drawn towards each other. I know i'll stick out like a sore thumb so people will most definatly notice me right away.

    Well Im getting on at LA, so if you see a guy wearing a gabe shirt with a cabby hat with a DS and a cardboard tube sticking out of his backpack, thats me. Ill be getting to the station pretty early, as im taking a train to LA that morning and will get there around 8-8:30. If you would want to make some type of meet up place either in the station or one of the little restaurants across the street that sounds good to me.

    Of course we could go with the TNTrooper idea and run around yelling "WOOT PAX" and scaring the nice little old mexican ladies who frequent the area.

    Lindygamer on
    The opinions I don't have are the opinions I don't got.

    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
  • kruxkrux Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    Lindygamer wrote: »
    Of course we could go with the TNTrooper idea and run around yelling "WOOT PAX" and scaring the nice little old mexican ladies who frequent the area.

    Seems like an effective enough method to me. Baring that, you could just look for the people wearing geek themed shirts who are playing with a portable gaming device or other electronic gadget of some sort.

    krux on
    perl -e 's++=END;++y(;-P)}\n?k++=;<+xru}?print: ??;'
  • ctishmanctishman Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    Better yet, have waypoint captains like we always do. Somebody to meet newbies in the observation lounge twenty minutes after each stop and introduce them to the other 'trippers. Somebody with a large, brightly-colored sign, perhaps.

    Edit: or even better, I know there are big tables downstairs in the observation lounge. The only tables big enough to play tabletops, for instance. I don't think finding other gamers will be a problem.

    ctishman on
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  • LindygamerLindygamer Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    ctishman wrote: »
    Better yet, have waypoint captains like we always do. Somebody to meet newbies in the observation lounge twenty minutes after each stop and introduce them to the other 'trippers. Somebody with a large, brightly-colored sign, perhaps.

    Ok this sounds interesting, besides fore-mentioned sign what would one do? Just stand on a table and yell at the top of there lungs and attracting attention?

    Lindygamer on
    The opinions I don't have are the opinions I don't got.

    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
  • TNTrooperTNTrooper Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    Lindygamer wrote: »
    ctishman wrote: »
    Better yet, have waypoint captains like we always do. Somebody to meet newbies in the observation lounge twenty minutes after each stop and introduce them to the other 'trippers. Somebody with a large, brightly-colored sign, perhaps.

    Ok this sounds interesting, besides fore-mentioned sign what would one do? Just stand on a table and yell at the top of there lungs and attracting attention?

    That sounds more fun then a sign.

    Then again when you walk into the lounge and see a big group of geeky looking people playing tabletops or DSes or PSP then odds are you found us.

    TNTrooper on
    steam_sig.png
  • LindygamerLindygamer Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    TNTrooper wrote: »
    Lindygamer wrote: »
    ctishman wrote: »
    Better yet, have waypoint captains like we always do. Somebody to meet newbies in the observation lounge twenty minutes after each stop and introduce them to the other 'trippers. Somebody with a large, brightly-colored sign, perhaps.

    Ok this sounds interesting, besides fore-mentioned sign what would one do? Just stand on a table and yell at the top of there lungs and attracting attention?

    That sounds more fun then a sign.

    Then again when you walk into the lounge and see a big group of geeky looking people playing tabletops or DSes or PSP then odds are you found us.

    Ahhh but where is the fun in just letting people find every us for themselves. I wanna make an ass of myself in front of a group of people ill never meet again. Or if we all want to make asses of ourselves we could come up with like a chant or song or something for the group to yell at each stop.

    Lindygamer on
    The opinions I don't have are the opinions I don't got.

    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
  • Methos645Methos645 Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    I think my group will be pretty obvious. We will all be wearing Nintendo themed t-shirts...

    Methos645 on
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  • TerraFirmaTerraFirma Registered User new member
    edited May 2007
    Hello everyone (again),

    Since I'm a tard and can't remember my login, StarPally is now TerraFirma! The WCTT sounds awesome, please count me in! I'll be jumping on the train in Sack-o-tomatoes, CA with one, possibly two guests. PA-themed shirts will be worn, likely the Fruit Fucker.

    I am planning on bringing my PC (assuming I get authorized for the BYOC), any tips on packing and transporting it by train? I have no idea how those Amtrak folk treat such items...

    I had an awesome time with this group in '06, I hope '07 can top that monumental experience :)

    -Nick

    TerraFirma on
    I WILL buy a DS Lite for this year. I will no longer be a loner...
  • ctishmanctishman Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    Amtrak baggage handlers make airplane baggage handlers look like china shop employees. Pack accordingly. On the other hand, Amtrak is way less uptight about proper stowage of stuff than the airlines are. You'll be able to bring it onboard in the passenger section, and probably stow it down below in the luggage racks without causing a fuss.


    Welcome aboard!

    ctishman on
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  • munkyboy0930munkyboy0930 Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    Put me down for the trip. this is going to be the awesomest trip ever. I will be joining in portland. WEST COAST TRAIN TRIP FTW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    munkyboy0930 on
    trainer.png
  • Foxy_RoxyFoxy_Roxy Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    I will be joining you all in Portland. I wish I could buy now, stupid not having money for basic needs such as PAX.

    So put me down!

    Foxy_Roxy on
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  • ctishmanctishman Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    Woo woo! Two more Portlanders! Shit, it's gonna be an awesome trip, no matter which train you're on!

    ctishman on
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  • Foxy_RoxyFoxy_Roxy Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    oopps, forgot to tell y'all....

    I will be coming on with three friends, as well.

    Foxy_Roxy on
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  • Foxy_RoxyFoxy_Roxy Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    The CCST-ers have their own banner-graphic. We should have one too... Somebody get on that!
    ::clap-clap::

    Foxy_Roxy on
    linkdb4.png
This discussion has been closed.