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Calling All Potential Sonic Line Riders

2

Posts

  • MMMigMMMig Registered User regular
    Do we have an idea on the costs for trains this year?

    Last year they were higher than the year before and we had to opt out :(

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    wra
  • DelaneyDelaney Registered User regular
    MMMig wrote: »
    Do we have an idea on the costs for trains this year?

    Last year they were higher than the year before and we had to opt out :(

    Since it depends on where you board, I'd suggest checking Amtrak's site. Right now, I can get a round trip ticket from Philly to Boston for $118, which is a little lower than my current cheapest flight option. (The Northeast Regional is a discounted route right now.) Since that flight doesn't include the possibility of social pre-PAX gaming, would have me stuck in Newark for an hour and a half, and otherwise doesn't get me to Boston that much earlier, I'm likely to book the train soon. I traveled via Amtrak years ago when it was markedly cheaper than flying would have been and it can be oddly relaxing if you're not rushed. It actually sounds pretty cool for PAX purposes.

    And yes, it's the 86. There were more than enough people who answered the poll voting for an earlier train to proceed with the idea as far as I am concerned. Also, as I posted earlier, there seem to be more than enough of us who would go earlier but who otherwise have no interest in the usual Sonic line due to being late for pre-PAX events. By contrast, there also seems to be a good group of people who want or need the later train for scheduling purposes. I really do think two groups could be created. The earlier one just needs a name now, and maybe a different thread? How does everyone think we should proceed?

    "I will participate in the game. It's a wonderful, wonderful opera, except that it hurts." - Joseph Campbell

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  • randy_wreckedrandy_wrecked Gunslinger Harrisburg, PARegistered User regular
    I almost bought tickets for the 176 train today! I'm glad I checked this before biting.

    I took the Sonic Line (boarding in Philly) last year and met some cool folks during the trip. I don't have an issue with the time the train arrives in Boston. It was still enough time to get some dinner/drinks and go to the Ninjaverse gaming night.

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  • MMMigMMMig Registered User regular
    Delaney wrote: »
    MMMig wrote: »
    Do we have an idea on the costs for trains this year?

    Last year they were higher than the year before and we had to opt out :(

    Since it depends on where you board, I'd suggest checking Amtrak's site. Right now, I can get a round trip ticket from Philly to Boston for $118, which is a little lower than my current cheapest flight option. (The Northeast Regional is a discounted route right now.) Since that flight doesn't include the possibility of social pre-PAX gaming, would have me stuck in Newark for an hour and a half, and otherwise doesn't get me to Boston that much earlier, I'm likely to book the train soon. I traveled via Amtrak years ago when it was markedly cheaper than flying would have been and it can be oddly relaxing if you're not rushed. It actually sounds pretty cool for PAX purposes.

    And yes, it's the 86. There were more than enough people who answered the poll voting for an earlier train to proceed with the idea as far as I am concerned. Also, as I posted earlier, there seem to be more than enough of us who would go earlier but who otherwise have no interest in the usual Sonic line due to being late for pre-PAX events. By contrast, there also seems to be a good group of people who want or need the later train for scheduling purposes. I really do think two groups could be created. The earlier one just needs a name now, and maybe a different thread? How does everyone think we should proceed?

    We'll be coming from Western NC, and this helps a lot, thanks!

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    wra
  • RandomAtomRandomAtom Registered User regular
    This is my first PAX East and I'm absolutely stoked. I'm sure I'll be riding the rails with you guys.

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  • gonexallgonexall PhiladelphiaRegistered User regular
    edited October 2013
    Although I got plane tickets because they are cheap from Philly, Delaney makes an excellent point about the hassles of air travel and the joys of gaming while chugging along toward PAX.

    I think I will take the 86 up if I can fly back on my already-purchased ticket. This is a little off topic, but does anyone know if I can use the return part of my plane ticket if I miss the first part?

    gonexall on
  • aBByNormaLaBByNormaL Registered User regular
    gonexall wrote: »
    Although I got plane tickets because they are cheap from Philly, Delaney makes an excellent point about the hassles of air travel and the joys of gaming while chugging along toward PAX.

    If the Pax train moves to an earlier time, I think I will take the Sonic Line up and flying back. This is a little off topic, but does any know if I can use the return part of my plane ticket if I miss the first part?

    Check with your airline. They may even give you a credit note for the "TO" portion (to be used on future travel). Check the cancellation rights on your ticket.

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  • teriwynteriwyn Frederick, MDRegistered User regular
    My husband and I are first-time PAXers coming from Maryland, so we are certainly considering taking the train from either BWI or Union Station to make it a relaxing trip. We want to get as much of the experience as possible, so we definitely hope to get into town in time for the Thursday evening festivities. (Whatever they are - I haven't discovered, yet...)

  • BearTheHumanBearTheHuman Registered User regular
    Really thinking about doing the 86 (early train). I feel like we should name it something different just because people are still taking the original Sonic Line. I will personally be calling it the Mean Bean Machine line, because I think I actually stuffed more time into that game than the standard Sonic games.

  • iltailta Registered User regular
    edited October 2013
    Count me in as someone who otherwise wouldn't be on the train who is now excited about the 86!

    Just bought my ticket. I'll see you guys when you roll into NYC!

    Anyone have any thoughts on return trips?

    ilta on
  • DelaneyDelaney Registered User regular
    teriwyn wrote: »
    My husband and I are first-time PAXers coming from Maryland, so we are certainly considering taking the train from either BWI or Union Station to make it a relaxing trip. We want to get as much of the experience as possible, so we definitely hope to get into town in time for the Thursday evening festivities. (Whatever they are - I haven't discovered, yet...)

    As far as night before events, there's a Pre-PAX dinner that you'll be able to see a thread for on this page. There are also a couple of different bar crawls, I think, the most infamous one that I know of being the Pokecrawl. My favorite event, though, was the Pre-PAX open gaming night at the Westin last year. (There was a reportedly equally incredible one at the Boston Long Wharf as well.) The Westin let us gamers use their lobby, mezzanine, and one of the restaurants for a huge open gaming session. They of course took the opportunity to sell us food and drink, and overall it was very nicely done. I believe @LexiconGrrl was the organizer and her last post in last year's thread indicated the Westin was pretty pleased with it all, so this year should be even more awesome.

    If you get there even earlier than Thursday night, there is a sightseeing tour as well as a breakfast, I think. I know I've missed things, so maybe others will mention them. Suffice it to say that it is well worth getting to Boston ahead of time. :)

    I'm glad the 86 looks to be a go in addition to the Sonic Line. I was looking at taking the 93 Northeast Regional on the way back Monday. (After a full weekend of PAX, there's no way I'm rushing back to work on Monday, so a leisurely day of travel it shall be.)

    "I will participate in the game. It's a wonderful, wonderful opera, except that it hurts." - Joseph Campbell

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  • teriwynteriwyn Frederick, MDRegistered User regular
    Thanks for the thorough response! We are going to book on the 86 and we will have a huge bag of board games with us. Whatever we call this trip, we will call it fun.

    As for return trip, we are looking at 93 or 173. The 93 puts us back in Baltimore right at rush hour, so I'm inclined to just sleep in and enjoy breakfast in Boston before we head back.

  • randy_wreckedrandy_wrecked Gunslinger Harrisburg, PARegistered User regular
    I'm only seeing reserved seats available for the 86. Were those of you that already bought tickets able to get unreserved seats? I'm just concerned about how we'd gather up on the train if we're all tied to specific seats.

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  • DINuttingDINutting Registered User new member
    Wife and I already have tickets for the 170.

  • DelaneyDelaney Registered User regular
    I'm only seeing reserved seats available for the 86. Were those of you that already bought tickets able to get unreserved seats? I'm just concerned about how we'd gather up on the train if we're all tied to specific seats.

    On Amtrak, "reserved" simply means you have a guaranteed seat somewhere on the train. It's not the same as an assigned seat.

    "I will participate in the game. It's a wonderful, wonderful opera, except that it hurts." - Joseph Campbell

    Steam: delaney_a

  • BSGRushBSGRush Registered User regular
    Guess I booked for the 86 and I did it without knowing about this lol. Im not a mobile gamer but least I know Ill be on board with other gamers.

  • randy_wreckedrandy_wrecked Gunslinger Harrisburg, PARegistered User regular
    Delaney wrote: »
    On Amtrak, "reserved" simply means you have a guaranteed seat somewhere on the train. It's not the same as an assigned seat.

    Ah, ok...good to know. Thanks for clarifying!
    Weird that I didn't notice that last year.

    Video Game Hangover is a podcast for gamers who overindulge.
    Put it in your ear holes.
  • RandomAtomRandomAtom Registered User regular
    Looks like I've got to go with the 174 due to location. Anybody else on this one?

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  • GrimRupertGrimRupert Registered User regular
    I'd prefer 174. I think it seems there are a lot of folks jumping the gun on which train they're choosing. Granted I'd be good with the 86 as well, but I feel like the 174 would be the most fair for everyone while also getting in earlier. Granted I don't know when everything begins, but arriving at 6:30 does give some time to settle into Hotel rooms and get yourself organized.

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  • DelaneyDelaney Registered User regular
    GrimRupert wrote: »
    I'd prefer 174. I think it seems there are a lot of folks jumping the gun on which train they're choosing. Granted I'd be good with the 86 as well, but I feel like the 174 would be the most fair for everyone while also getting in earlier. Granted I don't know when everything begins, but arriving at 6:30 does give some time to settle into Hotel rooms and get yourself organized.

    I don't think people so much rushed into at as perhaps wanted to make a decision so they could finalize plans once tickets had been obtained. I know I also wanted to take advantage of a sale Amtrak was having on that particular region's fares. Finally, I personally don't think 6:30 is an early arrival time. Last year's Pre-Pax forumer's dinner started at 5:00 so as to allow people to still go to the Pokecrawl and other events. Assuming it will be at a similar time in 2014, even taking the 86 will make this a bit of a race. In some ways, I'd much prefer getting into Boston closer to noon, but I chose to give up the leisurely and unstressed arrival in favor of several hours of what will hopefully be gaming goodness and PAX camaraderie.

    "I will participate in the game. It's a wonderful, wonderful opera, except that it hurts." - Joseph Campbell

    Steam: delaney_a

  • DolarrahDolarrah New JerseyRegistered User regular
    If the train arrives before 4PM I am in, if not then I would rather drive. Only reason I would be on train is for hanging out with PAX People. Would get on train at Metro Station in NJ

  • DolarrahDolarrah New JerseyRegistered User regular
    Delaney wrote: »
    If you get there even earlier than Thursday night, there is a sightseeing tour as well as a breakfast, I think. I know I've missed things, so maybe others will mention them. Suffice it to say that it is well worth getting to Boston ahead of time. :)

    I'm glad the 86 looks to be a go in addition to the Sonic Line. I was looking at taking the 93 Northeast Regional on the way back Monday. (After a full weekend of PAX, there's no way I'm rushing back to work on Monday, so a leisurely day of travel it shall be.)

    MAD KATZ usually has a Pre-PAX party from 9-1, with great swag and awesome previews of new tech, if you can deal with the 19-23 crowd of International Pro Gamers they truck in who think they are gods because they mash buttons for a living.

  • PitBull008PitBull008 Registered User regular
    So we've been debating this a lot lately. I'm feeling like we'll be taking the 86 up towards Boston on Thursday. It's about 4 of us going up by Train as of right now, could potentially be more, but we'll see. I've rode a similar Amtrak in the past and the seating with table/booth area was extremely limited. I think this makes it difficult to find adequate space for board games and such. I am thinking that the best idea will be handheld games or card games, something similar. I only saw the one dining car and it only had a few booths, that could fit 4 skinny people just barely. I don't know if there are other dining cars in the train, i didn't get up to explore once we landed a table during my previous adventure.

    We want to get up there early enough to enjoy the Thursday night I'm thinking, so the 86 will be perfect. You can find us wearing our PAX Scarfs =). Hope to meet some faces from the area, and we'll have at least a few board games. It's getting close! I'd recommend buying your tickets soon if you're gonna be riding on the train, it's about 74$ per person one way at the moment from Baltimore to Boston.

  • DelaneyDelaney Registered User regular
    PitBull008 wrote: »
    So we've been debating this a lot lately. I'm feeling like we'll be taking the 86 up towards Boston on Thursday. It's about 4 of us going up by Train as of right now, could potentially be more, but we'll see. I've rode a similar Amtrak in the past and the seating with table/booth area was extremely limited. I think this makes it difficult to find adequate space for board games and such. I am thinking that the best idea will be handheld games or card games, something similar. I only saw the one dining car and it only had a few booths, that could fit 4 skinny people just barely. I don't know if there are other dining cars in the train, i didn't get up to explore once we landed a table during my previous adventure.

    We want to get up there early enough to enjoy the Thursday night I'm thinking, so the 86 will be perfect. You can find us wearing our PAX Scarfs =). Hope to meet some faces from the area, and we'll have at least a few board games. It's getting close! I'd recommend buying your tickets soon if you're gonna be riding on the train, it's about 74$ per person one way at the moment from Baltimore to Boston.

    $59.00 from Philly. :) Hope to see you onboard!

    "I will participate in the game. It's a wonderful, wonderful opera, except that it hurts." - Joseph Campbell

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  • iltailta Registered User regular
    PAX scarfs are smart, I'll definitely wear mine. I'll have a bunch of board games on my ipad for pass-and-play at the very least. I'm guessing SpaceTeam won't be appreciated on the Quiet Train though! :)

  • SchmulkiSchmulki Registered User regular
    edited January 2014
    I know I said I was going to do this sooner, but I finally got over to the train station to pick up tix, so we're good for the 86!

    edit: To add, my fiance and I will have a PAX scarf and will try to bring some train-friendly board games. Last year, we found that the train takes corners pretty fast, so games with lots of cards did NOT work well. The game of Glory to Rome was kinda laughable, as we all had to keep throwing our arms on the table to stop cards from sliding.

    Munchkin worked decently well because we found some stuff to "bookend" the decks of cards. Still, was a bit rough.

    I think Zombie and Cthulu Dice should work well, and I'm trying to work out what other games like that we can bring and play.

    On the digital side of things, we'll have Ascension and Agricola on our phones and might also have an iPad with us, so we'd be happy to get games of those in.

    Schmulki on
  • iltailta Registered User regular
    edited January 2014
    I'm guessing social games could work particularly well. Maybe Resistance, Coup, and Avalon (all of which I own and weigh nothing, so at least one is likely on the PAX packing list anyway). If anyone has Ultimate Werewolf that's the same sort of thing.

    ilta on
  • SchmulkiSchmulki Registered User regular
    Good idea on Resistance. If you have it already, then I don't need to bring it :)

    Bonus on that one (and Warewolf): you don't actually need a table, that one could actually be played in the seats in the back!

  • chellerschellers New HampshireRegistered User regular
    Maybe 3 sonic options?

    170 gets in around 1, so that gives a little time to play with new friends/wander then get to the hotel for check in (we're at the omni so that's @3) and to settle in

    86 gets in around 4:30, enough time to to ditch your stuff at the hotel and head out

    174/6 for those with unfortunate train connection times

  • iltailta Registered User regular
    edited January 2014
    Schmulki wrote: »
    Good idea on Resistance. If you have it already, then I don't need to bring it :)

    Bonus on that one (and Warewolf): you don't actually need a table, that one could actually be played in the seats in the back!

    Well, who KNOWS what I'll be playing, and when a group of people might get free to play it? Better to be safe and bring your copy too! It's not like it takes up much space or weight. :)

    ilta on
  • xenardxenard Registered User regular
    Looks like I'm taking the 172 arriving around 3. Guess that means no games for me.

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  • Thunderbolt7Thunderbolt7 Registered User regular
    My friends and I decided to take the train for the first time after last year's semi-debacle driving home, where we had to stop in NYC to drop off friends that took the train up on Friday and ended up wasting a bunch of time shuttling stuff for one of them around Queens. Also, while my car was comfortable with three guys on the way up, five on the way back plus the extra luggage put a bit of a squeeze on the guys in the back seat.

    Anyway, this year there's even more of us, so instead of heading up with an armada of vehicles that will incur additional costs in parking and fuel, taking public transit seemed like the sane (and more relaxing) choice. Four of us are getting on the 174 Thursday afternoon at Metropark, and four more will join us at Penn Station. I'll pass along the idea to wear our scarves from last year to the others, hopefully we won't be the only ones on that particular train!

  • flatlineflatline Registered User regular
    edited January 2014
    Ignore this post.

    flatline on
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  • SchmulkiSchmulki Registered User regular
    flatline wrote: »
    Ignore this post.

    You can't tell me what to do!

  • zerzhulzerzhul Registered User, Moderator mod
    Since I did work on the Metal Gear line today, I poked around with this as well.

    It comes down to the following pieces of information.

    The PAX East Train Alliance was created to try to match up to the Cross Country Supertrip. That is, try to get as many paxers traveling the same paths to PAX as possible (CCST via cars, ETA via trains cause winter).

    Metal Gear is easy because there's only really one reasonable path from points far west to Boston, and that's through Chicago and the 448 lake shore limited. Basically the trains were picked so people could hook up with the 448 LSL and then proceed as one huge group (the metal gear line has sold out in the past ;) ).

    Sonic was a little harder because there are a whole bunch of time options from the DC/VA area to Boston but only a couple of options from points further south to get to DC/VA. Those options are the traditional Star Fox Line from Florida (the 98 Silver Meteor) which hooks into DC pretty early in the day, and then the Metroid Line from Louisiana (the 20 Crescent) which doesn't get into DC until awhile after the Star Fox Line. The plan was to find one single train that both the Star Fox and the Metroid could hook up with. That train was the 176 Northeast Regional, in DC, which became the Sonic Line.

    As it stands today, people coming from Louisiana or points along the route for the 20 Crescent can really only hook up with the 176 Northeast Regional. People coming from Florida on the 98 Silver Meteor should be able to hook up with the 86, 174, or 176 Northeast Regional.

    My personal thought is that if you want to get there early, take the earliest train you can get. For many of you this will be the 86. Some of you will only have one option. If you only have one option, there's no reason to make your schedule insane to do something else.

    Proposal:
    The 176 Northeast Regional stays the Sonic Line. Like many of you have said, tons of people probably already take that line beacuse they know there are paxers on it and don't give a hoot about the forums. Also there will be lots of people who are going to get locked in to the 176 just by sheer virtue of where they're coming from.

    The 86 Northeast Regional gets named the Knuckles Line.

    People coming from Metroid are going to only have the option of the Sonic. People coming from the Star Fox will have the option of either. If your schedule is such that you can't take the Knuckles cause it's too early, and you really don't want the Sonic cause it's too late, well, people have always probably already been doing that and you're not going to be alone. Could we call the 174 the Tails Line? Sure. But then there's probably /more/ fragmentation than there needs to be.

    Anyhow, I don't have a horse in the race, as I don't take any of these trains, but I really think that leaving the 176 as the Sonic Line still makes the most sense due to its history and the hookup times with the Metroid Line, and then whatever the group wants to do with the 86 and the 174, that can stand on its own. Something should be decided upon though so at least there's a nice clean layout of what's going on for people who are new to the pax trains

  • SchmulkiSchmulki Registered User regular
    OK, should there be a separate thread for the Knuckles Line?

  • zerzhulzerzhul Registered User, Moderator mod
    Nah, not this year. I didn't even get much feedback on that proposal either. I was considering making a new OP like I did for the metal gear line but nobody other than you has posted in here since I posted that idea.

  • DelaneyDelaney Registered User regular
    I had intended to post a reply in this thread before now, but things have been busy. Anyway, I think it makes perfect sense to keep the 176 as the Sonic line and name others as needed. From the beginning, it had been stated that the intent wasn't to change or supplant the Sonic line. People (myself included) just wanted a fun train alternative for ourselves that didn't necessitate being so late for pre-PAX activities since that was an unacceptable tradeoff for many. If the 176 had been the only train on which there was going to be an effort for people to meet up, I would have driven again. Options are good.

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  • iltailta Registered User regular
    I think this far in it makes sense to keep the thread, but maybe next year calling it Knuckles and having a new thread makes sense.

    We can always discuss it on the train. :)

  • gwidiongwidion Registered User regular
    Myself and some friends will be on the Knuckles line boarding in Baltimore.

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