PAX East Train Alliance!Check out this DISCOUNT!
Good news everyone!
Thanks to Brian Carr (member of the fruit fucker flag crew), we've gotten a 10% discount code for anyone traveling to PAX. This code will be applicable for anyone traveling between March 8th to March 16th. And if you already bought your ticket, you can call Amtrak and STILL get the discount.
NOTE: You must call 1-800-872-7245 to book your tickets or apply the discount to previously bought tickets. The code is
X77F-922.
Check out these links for the official documents:
http://bit.ly/gZOapghttp://bit.ly/dJBHBd
I promised it would be up this week, so here it is. A fresh new train trip thread for PAX East.
What it is
For those of you just joining us, the PAX East Train Alliance (PAX ETA), or "PAXTrain" for short, is a coordinated effort for PAX-goers to ride the same train at the same time going to Boston for PAX East- both as an alternative to driving or flying, and to enjoy an intimate "mini-convention" while en-route. Obviously, it is impossible for EVERYBODY to be on the same train, so this is a coordinated effort to get as many people together as possible.
Note: When booking at amtrak.com, you may have to book each of your trains separately to get on the train that you want. Please take note of this when booking to ensure you end up on the same train as everybody else.Why the train?
Why not? It's a blast. Spend some time getting to know fellow PAX attendees before the show. We don't care if you're new - this ain't no private party, and all people going to PAX are welcome. We invite you to join us! After taking the train, you'll have a bunch of friendly faces in the crowd at PAX.
How to get on the PAXTrain
Check the map and schedule below to find out what train is closes to you and when you should be on it. Then,
buy your tickets through amtrak.com for the appropriate train on the appropriate time/day.
Stuff You Need
You'll need to be prepared to survive on PAXTrain. Following is a list of stuff you probably should bring if you want to have a liveable experience on the rails.
- You are allowed to carry on two bags, and check three (if you board at a station that allows checked baggage). We suggest checking a suitcase for your PAX supplies and packing a seperate carryon bag / backpack. This pack should contain personal effects and clothing, as well as everything else you think you'll need on the train.
- Ear plugs and an eye mask. It is considered PAXTrain courtesy to be quiet in all coach areas, where people may be sleeping - but still, be prepared.
- A toothbrush and toothpaste, mouthwash, a comb, and if you need them, shaving razors and cream. No showers are provided for coach passengers, so if you're on the train for two days bring wipes or a sponge or something to wash the stank off in the bathroom sink the second day. Ignoring basic hygene highlights a disregard for your fellow gamers, who are great people who don't need to know what you smell like after two days without cleaning yourself in a cramped environment.
- Snacks. There is a snack cart and a dining car, but it's not cheap. You can save some money if you bring some food and water with you.
- Your meds. Nobody needs to see you off them.
We also recommend the following items:
- A power strip. We plan on bringing power squids and some power strips, but there are never enough outlets.
- A handheld system - a Nintendo DS is the preferred item for wireless gaming. A PSP is welcome but has more of a personal role rather than multiplaying with the cool kids.
- A book for pleasure reading. We advise everyone to take a break from train festivities to "regroup", and read a book or listen to music.
- Headphones, preferrably a pair of earbuds rather than studio headphones, but to each his own.
- Cash. Dining with fellow PAXtrain goers is a good way to relax and get to know some people. Expect about one breakfast (from the snack cart), two lunches and two dinners with each trip (either from the snack cart or the dining car), each meal running about 10 dollars. Apart from that, bring spare cash for snacks or bring your own in your travel backpack.
I notice you want citation for meal prices.
Here is a sample dining car menu (varies by train's locale, for example the Luigi Line additionally has gumbo and the Pac-Man line has a BBQ brisket sandwich). If you let the train know in advance they will stock kosher or vegan food for you, and if you get a sleeper car meals are included.
Here is an example menu of the snack bar on the lounge car.
Other things to bring
- Power strips and extension cords. It is better to have too many than not enough. Power management can become a problem on the train. If you can, grab something from home before you go, or go buy a cheapie power strip for 15-20 bucks.
- Card games. Bring your Magic deck, your Fluxx deck, your Curses deck, your WoWTCG deck, your Pokemon deck, or shit, even a Sailor Moon TCG deck, I don't care. Bring it. If you have a silly game that's easy to learn bring it, We didn't Playtest This was a big train hit.
- Fans. An electric fan can reduce the temperature of a room by up to 10 degrees.
- Television sets (optional). Small, lightweight affairs. Don't bring anything you can't afford to replace if it breaks, but don't bring some ancient monolith because you were planning on giving it to Goodwill anyways.
- You win 10,000 internets if you bring snacks to share with everyone during the trip. Whatever it is, we don't care, as long as it isn't hilariously messy or unsafe. Please do not bring home-cooked goods - we have no way of knowning what's in your killer brownies, duuuuuude. (Cookie Brigade excluded of course. People selling cookies for charity are surely trustworthy)
This is all the essentials - if you want to burden yourself with bringing more, that's fine, but it's also window dressing. If you're thinking about bringing more shit and saying "I'll hook it up in my hotel later after PAX closes", you're so wrong - you should either be sleeping or heading to a bar or party, not going back to the hotel to play some video games. You just did that all day.
The Rules
- Don't be a dick
Just don't. Play nice, children. And if you don't like someone, don't start shit.
- Don't be an ass to the Amtrak staff
Train staffers are generally pretty cool and will let us do what we want with little explanation. Be nice to them, and if they tell you to do something, do it.
- Don't be a loud prick
Other people may be sleeping in other cars. Or whatever. Noise discipline: Be quiet in the coach areas and sleeper cars, be polite in the dining cars and don't try to overrun areas during the day if other people are using it.
- Don't be a freak to kids
When kids are around, mind your tongue. Pretend Mommy's right behind you. Don't give anyone a reason to complain about PAXTrain.
- Don't get too hammered. Public intoxication laws apply, even on a train.
The PassengersEastbound Trains
The Mega Man Line
[*]
The Donkey Kong Line
Name: Prof. Pangloss
Location: San Leandro, CA
Boarding Stop: Oakland - Coliseum Airport, CA (OAC)
Ticket Purchased: No
[*]
The Lemmings Line
Name:
Location:
Boarding Stop:
Ticket Purchased:
[*]
The Pac-Man Line
Name: Christopher (AKA Alphacananogram)
Location: Little Rock, AR
Boarding Stop: Little Rock, AR
Ticket Purchased: Y
[*]
The Luigi Line
Name: Antithesis/Sean
Location: Memphis TN
Boarding Stop: Memphis, TN, Chicago IL
Ticket Purchased: 2 weeks ago.
[*]
The Metal Gear Line
Name: Moe Fwacky
Location: Lakewood, Ohio
Boarding Stop: Cleveland, Ohio
Ticket Purchased: N
Name: antherem
Location: Ithaca, NY
Boarding: Syracuse, NY
Purchased Ticket: Yes
Name: Anthony Bucchioni
Location: Cleveland, Ohio
Boarding Stop: Cleveland, Ohio
Ticket Purchased: N
Name: Dgeorge318
Location: Fairborn, OH
Boarding Stop: Toledo, OH
Ticket Purchased: N
Name: Adam Hurd, Whoever Else I can Convince To Go Esq. III
Location: Watertown, NY
Boarding Stop: Syracuse, NY
Ticket Purchased: Not Yet
Name: David
Location: Kalamazoo, MI
Boarding Stop: South Bend, IN
Ticket Purchased: Very soon
Name: Ryan
Location: Hamilton, ON
Boarding Stop: Buffalo, NY
Ticket Purchased: Not Yet (Just waiting to confirm travel arrangements to Buffalo)
Name: Rick
Location: Dayton, OH
Boarding Stop: Toledo, OH
Ticket Purchased: Yes
Name: Durinthal
Location: Wooster, OH
Boarding Stop: Cleveland, OH
Ticket Purchased: N
Name: Jo!
Plus Zedarius (Danny) and Bitstream (Jeremiah)
Location: San Francisco, CA
Boarding Stop: Chicago, IL
Train Ticket Purchased:Yes
Name: Exor
Location: Cleveland, OH
Boarding Stop: Cleveland, OH
Purchased Ticket: Yes
Name: Pibbs
Location: Bryan, OH
Boarding Stop: Bryan, OH
Purchased Ticket: Yes
Name: Luigi
Location: Rochester, NY
Boarding Stop: Rochester, NY
Ticket Purchased: Once I get my room situation all sorted out.
Name: David Moffitt (Dave is fine)
Location: Rochester, NY
Boarding Stop: Rochester, NY
Ticket Purchased: Y
Name: Daniel Frueh
Location: Schenectady, NY
Boarding Stop: Schenectady, NY
Ticket Purchased: No
Name: Andrew Handshoe
Location: Willard, Ohio
Boarding Stop: Sandusky, Ohio
Ticket Purchased: Yes
Name: blAAAm!!!
Location: Brunswick, OH
Boarding Stop: Cleveland, OH
Ticket Purchased: Y
Name: Nick
Location: Ann Arbor, MI
Boarding Stop: Toledo, OH
Ticket Purchased: Y
Name: Jay
Location: New York City
Boarding Stop: New York City
Ticket Purchased: No
Name: Eric
Location: Kingston, ON
Boarding Stop: Syracuse, NY
Ticket Purchased: YES
Name: Dan
Location: Springfield, MA
Boarding Stop: Springfield, MA
Ticket Purchased: YES
Name: Kenneth
Location: Monticello, IN
Boarding Stop: Union Station Chicago
Ticket Purchased: YES
Name: Pete
Location: Monticello, IN
Boarding Stop: Union Station Chicago
Ticket Purchased: Yes
Name: Alex
Location: Monticello, IN
Boarding Stop: Union Station Chicago
Ticket Purchased: YES
Name: Rufo aka AgentMunroe, Leo
Location: Rochester, NY
Boarding: Rochester, NY
Purchased Ticket: Yes
Name: Todd Farley
Location: Elyria, OH
Boarding Stop: Elyria, OH
Ticket Purchased: Yus.
Name: Anthony, Caleb, Nathen, Ryan
Location: Missouri
Boarding Stop: Chicago
Tickets Purchased: N ( really should soon)
Name: Chris
Location: Burgettstown, PA
Boarding Stop: Pittsburgh PA - Cleveland, OH - Erie, PA
Ticket Purchased: You bet your ass it is
Name: Andrew Claus
Location: Saint Clair Shores, MI
Boarding Stop: Toledo, OH
Ticket Purchased: YES!
Name: Jen (+1)
Location: Mid-Michigan
Boarding Stop: South Bend, IN
Ticket Purchased: Yes, months ago (but hadn't joined the forums until now)
Name: Ben
Location: Manitowoc, WI
Boarding Stop: Chicago
Ticket Purchased: Y
Name: Smerk
Location: Sydney, Australia
Boarding Stop: Chicago, IL
Ticket Purchased: Y
Names: Zen and Amy
Location: Wisconsin
Boarding Stop: Chicago, IL
Tickets Purchased: Y
Name: Lily
Location: Albany
Boarding Stop: Albany-Renesselear
Tickets Purchased: Y
Northbound Trains
- The Metroid Line
Name: Jessica & Bryan Christian
Location: Christiansburg, VA
Boarding Stop: Lynchburg, VA
Ticket Purchased: You betcha!
Name: Tobias
Location: Birmingham, AL
Boarding Stop: Birmingham, AL
Ticket Purchased: Not yet!
Name: John
Location: Salisbury-ish.
Boarding Stop: Salisbury, NC
Ticket Purchased: Yes
Name: James AKA Tarranon
Location: New Orleans
Boarding: New Orleans
Purchased Ticket: Yes
- The Star Fox Line
Name: Jay + Eliza
Location: Richmond Va
Boarding Stop: Staples Mill Station, Richmond Va
Ticket Purchased: Will be doing so after this post
Name: Dan, Sean, Kyle, and MYSTERY GUEST
Location: Orlando FL
Boarding Stop: Orlando FL
Ticket Purchased: Not yet, but soon!
Name: SpyPoet/Shawnda
Location: Parma, Ohio
Boarding Stop: Orlando, FL
Ticket Purchased: Not Yet
Name: Spencer
Location: Myrtle Beach, SC
Boarding Stop: Florence, SC
Ticket Purchased: Soon!
- The Sonic Line
Name: Propriety (the guy with the Fourth Doctor's scarf)
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Boarding Stop: 30th Street Station, Philadelphia, PA
Ticket Purchased: N (Not yet... need to save up).
Name: Feitocomfruta
Location: Poconos, PA
Boarding Stop: Philly
Ticket Purchased: Y
Name: Shadowhaxor
Location: Wilmington, DE
Boarding Stop: Wilmington, DE
Ticket Purchased:Not yet. Need to make sure me and my wife and who ever else is going are on the same page.
Name: Omicron
Location: Washington D.C.
Boarding Stop: Washington D.C
Ticket Purchased: No. (Depending on who I can gather from around here.)
Name: Ian
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Boarding Stop: NYC
Ticket Purchased: N
Name: Gabriel Preston
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Boarding Stop: Philadelphia, PA
Ticket Purchased: N (but will be the Northeast Regional 176 again this year)
Name: flatline + friend(s) [2 of us so far]
Location: Bawlmore, MD
Boarding Stop: BWI
Ticket Purchased: Y
Name: Eric Palakovich Carr
Location: Rockville, MD
Boarding Stop: Washington, DC
Ticket Purchased: Y
Name: Josh W
Location: York,PA
Boarding Stop: Philly
Ticket Purchased: N (waiting for group)
Name: ElectricTurtle and Astayonix (and possibly others)
Location: Fredericksburg, VA (probably take the VRE to DC)
Boarding Stop: Washington D.C
Ticket Purchased: No, but given the way Amtrak jacks prices as time passes, really soon.
Name: Joelle +39
Location: Mt. Pocono, PA
Boarding Stop: Philadelphia, PA
Ticket Purchased: Not yet..we need at least possibly 40 or so tickets..class of 34 students including chaperons are going.
Name: BigShoesPlease (John Abbott) + 3 friends
Location: Lynchburg, VA
Boarding Stop: Lynchburg, VA
Ticket Purchased: YES!
Name: Brian Depaul
Location: Union City, NJ
Boarding Stop: New York City, NY
Ticket Purchased: N
Name: Lady Amalthea (aka. Tara) and four others
Location: Rockville, MD
Boarding Stop: Washington, DC
Purchased Ticket: Yes
Name: kevindoc
Location: Deptford, NJ
Boarding Stop: Philly, PA
Purchased Ticket: Not Yet
Name: Nullzone
Location: Manassas, VA
Boarding Stop: Washington, DC
Ticket Purchased: Yes
Name: Squill2k4 + 3 others (girlfriend, her friend, and SidiousX)
Location: Richmond, VA
Boarding Stop: Washington, DC
Ticket Purchased: Not yet, will be doing so soon.
Name: Lugh Lamfhada
Location: Fairfield, VA
Boarding: Charlottesville, VA
Ticket: Yes
Name: Lcheeseboy (call me Liam)
Location: Norwalk, CT
Boarding Stop: Bridgeport, CT
Ticket Purchased: Yes
Name: James Henry +2 others
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Boarding Stop: 30th Street Station, Philadelphia, PA
Ticket Purchased: Soon, I hope!
Name: Alex
Location: NYC
Boarding Stop: NYC
Ticket Purchased: Y
Name: Jonathan & Sarah
Location: Baltimore
Boarding Stop: Baltimore
Tickets Purchased: Y
Name: Fr00tyTang (Jon H)
Location: Christiansburg, VA
Boarding Stop: Lynchburg, VA (NE176 all the way, rather than Metroid->Sonic)
Ticket Purchased: Yes!
Name: David S
Location: Washington, DC
Boarding Stop: Washington, DC
Ticket Purchased: N - Hopefully today!
Name: Topher
Location: Long Island, NY
Boarding Stop: Penn Station, NYC
Ticket Purchased: N (probably tomorrow.)
Name: Alan (+3 others)
Location: Laurel, MD
Boarding Stop: New Carrollton, MD
Ticket Purchased: Y
Name: Praxis
Location: DC
Boarding Stop: DC
Ticket Purchased: Yes, back in December but only found this thread now.
To be added to the list copy/paste the text below and add in your info:
What line you will be on:Name:Location:Boarding Stop:Ticket Purchased:
Posts
The Mega Man Line
"In the year 20XX"
Train: 8 Empire Builder
Originating Station: Seattle, WA (SEA)
Departure Date/Time: March 7, 16:40 PDT
Travel Time: 45h10m
Schedule/Stops:
Arrival Date/Time: March 9, 15:55 CDT
Layover Time: 5h35m
The Donkey Kong Line
"Damn dirty ape!"
Train: 6 California Zephyr
Originating Station: Emeryville, CA (EMY)
Departure Date/Time: March 7, 09:50 PDT
Travel Time: 51h40m
Schedule/Stops:
Arrival Date/Time: March 9, 15:30 CDT
Layover Time: 6h00m
The Lemmings Line
"Glug glug"
Train: 4 Southwest Chief
Originating Station: Los Angeles, CA - Union Station (LAX)
Departure Date/Time: March 7, 18:15 PDT
Travel Time: 42h35m
Schedule/Stops:
Arrival Date/Time: March 9, 15:25 CDT
Layover Time: 6h05m
The Pac-Man Line
"Om nom nom"
Train: 22 Texas Eagle
Originating Station: San Antonio, TX (SAS)
Departure Date/Time: March 8, 07:00 CDT
Travel Time: 30h52m
Schedule/Stops:
Arrival Date/Time: March 9, 13:52 CDT
Layover Time: 7h38m
The Luigi Line
"Mario is Missing"
Train: 58 City of New Orleans
Originating Station: New Orleans, LA (NOL)
Departure Date/Time: March 8, 13:45 CDT
Travel Time: 19h15m
Schedule/Stops:
Arrival Date/Time: March 10, 09:00 CDT
Layover Time: 12h30m
The Metal Gear Line
"Snaaaaaaaaake!"
Train: 448 Lake Shore Limited
Originating Station: Chicago, IL - Union Station (CHI)
Departure Date/Time: March 9, 21:30 CDT
Travel Time: 22h40m
Schedule/Stops:
Arrival Date/Time: March 10, 21:10 EDT
The Metroid Line
"Samus is a girl!?"
Train: 20 Crescent
Originating Station: New Orleans, LA (NOL)
Departure Date/Time: March 9, 07:05 CDT
Travel Time: 26h5m
Schedule/Stops:
Arrival Date/Time: March 10, 10:10 EDT
Layover Time: 1h50m
The Star Fox Line
"Do a barrel roll!"
Train: 98 Silver Meteor
Originating Station: Miami, FL (MIA)
Departure Date/Time: March 9, 08:40 EDT
Travel Time: 23h6m
Schedule/Stops:
Arrival Date/Time: March 10, 07:46 EDT
Layover Time: 4h14m
The Sonic Line
"The Fastest Train Alive!" (although not really)
Train: 176 Northeast Regional
Originating Station: Washington, DC - Union Station (WAS)
Departure Date/Time: March 10, 12:05 EDT
Travel Time: 7h52m
Destination Station: Boston, MA - South Station (BOS)
Arrival Date/Time: March 10, 19:57 EDT
Name: antherem
Location: Ithaca, NY
Boarding: Syracuse, NY
Purchased Ticket: Yes
Also, apparently AAA members get 10% off on Amtrak. For short hops this is likely insignificant but might make a difference for someone long-hauling it.
I'll get this added to the HGtPE soon.
We'll see how this semester plays out and if I can afford an extra day in Boston. It would almost be heresy to miss you guys coming so close.
What line you will be on: Sonic Line
Name: Propriety (the guy with the Fourth Doctor's scarf)
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Boarding Stop: 30th Street Station, Philadelphia, PA
Ticket Purchased: N (Not yet... need to save up).
Love Pokemon? Going to PAX Prime/East/Aus/South? Challenge the PAX Pokemon League!!!
NAME: Feitocomfruta
LOCATION: Poconos, PA
BOARDING STOP: Unsure, Likely between Philly and NYC
TICKET PURCHASED: No (still saving up for the whole thing, student loan payments suck)
Name: Smerk
Location: Sydney, Australia
Boarding Stop: Emeryville, CA
Ticket Purchased: N (Contingent on Critical Mass)
If there are enough people getting on in .ca (say five) I'll definitely be there. If not, I'll get a flight directly to Chicago & meet up there.
NAME: Shadowhaxor
LOCATION: Wilmington, DE
BOARDING STOP: Wilmington, DE
TICKET PURCHASE: Not yet. Need to make sure me and my wife and who ever else is going are on the same page.
What line you will be on: Metal Gear
Name: Wingedillidan and company
Location: Rochester, NY
Boarding Stop: Rochester, NY
Ticket Purchased: N (Note: Still debating on Train Vs. Car)
Do it
Aww, not starting in Seattle this time around?
Though I'm kinda thinking the same thing, if nobody else takes the long haul on the Mega Man line from western Washington then I might just fly to Chicago and meet up with everybody there. It depends on money too, there's no way I'm riding coach from Seattle to Chicago, I would have died if I didn't have my own room last time.
But for now I guess you can put me on the list for said line.
Line: Mega Man
Name: Coldbrew
Location: Everett, WA
Boarding Stop: Everett, WA
Ticket Purchased: N (Depends if others will be there and my financial situation in a few months)
The problem was there was just the two of us. I was traveling light and you were full of camera. I recall discussing the loud 13 year olds in the lounge car, and I suggested mugging them for their pokemon cards. There definitely needs to be 5 or more nerds on a train for a proper paxtrain event.
I'm thinking of going from San Francisco because there's a direct air route from Sydney, and it isn't LA. You should consider SF too, it's not that far :P.
I know that a few people are planning to fly to Chicago from SF and pick up the train there. I'm trying to convince them to not be so boring.
(note thAt I'm not making sweeping judgements about LA, just an observation that I personally can't stand it)
(note also that if anyone wants to go halves in a sleeper from Emeryville, a top bunk will be available.)
Nah, if yr sleeping in the last 10 hrs of the metal gear line yr doing it wrong
The train gets more and more awesome as Time goes on. You shouldn't need more than a nap in that length of time, if you can tear yourself away from the shenanigans at all!
Get ear plugs and an eye mask and you should be fine.
Ed: my language subroutines are corrupted I claim immunity from prosecution for reason of 3AM. Srykthxbye.
Name: Omicron
Location: Washington D.C.
Boarding: Washington D.C
Purchased Ticket: No. (Depending on who I can gather from around here.)
If anything, I'll be sure to meet those coming in on the Star Fox line for breakfast. Union Station has some amazing eateries.
It's really not necessary between Chicago - Boston though as that's like a whole 1 day, 1 night trip, where at least this year pretty much everybody was in the lounge car the entire trip.
Smerk: I may consider flying to San Fransisco if it doesn't cost any extra money and there's more people on that line than this one. I won't take a train from the west coast though unless i can afford a room again, which I'd be willing to share with somebody to cut costs.
Location: Cleveland, Ohio
Boarding Stop: Cleveland, Ohio
Ticket Purchased: N
And hey, I've got some friends that wanna go this year, so we'll see what happens.
I wasn't particularly serious about the fly to SF thing, but that would be awesome if you could make it. Now we just have to convince <Gidgets> and <IRL Names Redacted> to train the whole way. I shall poke and harass them :P
For the Sonic Line, is there a reason you picked the 2164 Acela Express line over the 176 Northeast Regional line? The 176 Northeast leaves 5 minutes after the Acela Express and it's half the price. Plus, I believe we used this same line for DC to Boston last time.
Why 2164 Acela over 176 Northeast Regional?
I gotta concur... While the Acela is undeniably nice, I think me and my buddy are going to end up on the NE Regional 174 (Leaves Baltimore at 11:10, Arrives in Back Bay at 6:19) for $130 vs $354 for the Acela 2164. If anyone else is considering that train, let me know!
I assumed a 1-bed was like a king... but if it's just 1-double, I'll see if I can book a rollaway. Does the Westin have a lot of rollaway beds, if any at all?
Yeah, they're quoted to having "Heavenly rollaway beds" at a rate of $30/night. I think they're only available for rooms with one bed though, if anybody else was curious.
The metal gear line is only 1 day and the donkey kong line is 2 days.
I'm not sure where you got those extra 2 days from
Because, judging on rumblings going on in the travel thread, and the fact that it gets in at 6:30 instead of 8, I figured it was be the more popular choice. Also, if you're going to get on the northeast regional, you should hop on the 176. In case enough people are against the Acela, the 176 would the the train of choice given the arrival times from the other two trains.
Name: Ian
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Boarding Stop: NYC
Ticket Purchased: N
Alternately you could fly back, or troll the room share threads for people who are taking the train both ways and have space in their rooms. Or if you don't mind sitting in Penn Station for 5 hours overnight, you can take the Northeast Regional to the Maple Leaf at 9:25 PM. (I considered this, but decided to stay the extra night.)
I hear what you're saying, but given the choice between having an extra hour of travel (Regional 176) and paying an extra $224 (Acela) I'd imagine most people will want to save the money. And I'm sure many people will make that choice even though the official PAX train is the Acela.
I'd really hate to see the PAX people get split up to multiple trains. Is there anyway you'd reconsider updating your post so that it's the 176 Regional instead of the Acela so everyone is on the same page?
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Boarding Stop: Philadelphia, PA
Ticket Purchased: N (but will be the Northeast Regional 176 again this year)
That, and it's funny to call it the Sonic Line.
Everything is starting earlier this year - the Pre-PAX dinner is at 5:30 on Thursday, and the Pub Crawl is starting (I believe) at 7:00 or so, so even the Acela is going to be too late this year for either of those, really. Since that is the case, I guess my buddy and I can catch the 176 instead of the 174.