Conductor
Posted 16 January 2013 - 11:20 AM
And now it looks like Amtrak is 'unofficially' endorsing this. Amtrak's corporate Twitter account just tweeted:
@ Amtrak: Check out this#gangam style tour of Chicago. Let#Amtrak take you on your next trip to Chi-town. Book now & save 20%! http://amtrk.us/nf7d
Amtrak
Capitol Corridor (too many times to count!); Coast Starlight (x20); California Zephyr (x5); Empire Builder (x2); Lake Shore Limited (x3); Maple Leaf (x1); Adirondack (x2); Cascades (x1); Pacific Surfliner (x5); San Joaquin (x7); Capitol Limited (x1); Cardinal (x1)
VIA Rail
Ocean (x3); Windsor Corridor (x2); The Canadian (x1)
Engineer
Posted 16 January 2013 - 11:29 AM
Definitely one of the better parodies of that I've seen. And according to this news source it actually was done by Amtrak and/or Union Station....
I also want to know the context of "Luke....I am your feather" from that newspaper.
And now it looks like Amtrak is 'unofficially' endorsing this. Amtrak's corporate Twitter account just tweeted:
@ Amtrak: Check out this#gangam style tour of Chicago. Let#Amtrak take you on your next trip to Chi-town. Book now & save 20%! http://amtrk.us/nf7d
I would say, based on the previous post, that it is officially endorsed by Amtrak.
2011: Jun: WIL=>WAS=>WIL (NER) // Nov: WIL=>WAS=>CHI=>PRO (NER=>CL=>CZ)
2012: Apr: WIL=>WAS=>WIL (NER) // May: WIL=>PHL=>WIL (NER) / PHL=>PAO=>PHL (Keystone) // Aug: WIL=>WAS (NER) / BWI=>WIL (NER) // Oct: PHL=>WIL (NER) / PHL=>HAR=>PHL (Keystone) / SEPTA, NJT, PATCO, River Line, Princeton Dinky
2013: NTD: WIL=>WAS=>WIL (NER) Hope to do's: WIL=>BOS day trip // Gathering
Engineer
Posted 16 January 2013 - 11:47 AM
The Amtrak Facebook account has also linked to it.
https://www.facebook...151488245000911
The comments are a mixed bag, but mostly positive.
Where you'll find my posts: // All Aboard Washington (website, Facebook) // Amtrak Unlimited Forum Group (Facebook) // Grow Trains (website, Facebook, Twitter) // Restore the Pioneer Train (website, Facebook, Twitter) // Save the Seattle Waterfront Streetcar (Again) (website, Facebook, Twitter) // Transit Riders of Puget Sound (Facebook) // Trains on FB (Facebook) //
Petitions: Save the Seattle Waterfront Streetcar // Save King County Metro bus service
OBS Chief
Posted 16 January 2013 - 02:02 PM
This seems to be a joint project of MDOT and Amtrak
from the Youtube page----
"Train conductor" Markus Shields gives college students and alumni from Michigan a tour around Chicago.
Click on the link to save on Amtrak trips to and from Michigan: http://amtrk.us/vqcj
Video sponsored in part by the Michigan Department of Transportation Office of Rail. For more on Michigan's Accelerated Rail program, visit http://1.usa.gov/WGk9pR
Big thanks to everyone who helped make this possible:
Gray Line: http://www.grayline.com/Chicago
Chicago Sailboat Charters: http://www.chicagosa...atcharters.com/
Willis Tower: http://www.theskydeck.com/
InterContinental Hotel: http://www.icchicagohotel.com/
Union Station: http://www.chicagounionstation.com/
The Field Museum: http://fieldmuseum.org/
Shedd Aquarium: http://sheddaquarium.org
The Art Institute of Chicago: http://www.artic.edu/
Navy Pier: http://www.navypier.com/
Millennium Park: http://www.millenniumpark.org/
Amtrak - America's Railroad ℠-----
The target audience looks like Michigan college students.
Engineer
Posted 16 January 2013 - 03:06 PM
Interesting. You might think the Michigan folks would be trying to attract people to THEIR state, not to Illinois. But I understand
the idea is ultimately to get more people to ride the trains, and yeah...Chicago's a bigger draw than Detroit or Grand Rapids.
Engineer
Posted 16 January 2013 - 03:47 PM
The more Michigan residents take the train to Chicago, the more they can justify the HSR (and this is a good thing). Michigan acknowledges Chicago is a big draw for Michigan residents, so why not suggest riding Amtrak? If the ridership increases, that will help Michigan add/improve routes (I'm thinking, hopefully).
Engineer
Posted 16 January 2013 - 04:20 PM
Any views expressed are my own and do not represent the views of my employer, parent companies, partners, or subsidiaries.
Over 50,000 people just like you recently signed a petition to expand high speed passenger rail in the United States of America.
Long live The Coast Starlight, The California Zephyr, The Empire Builder, The Southwest Chief, and The Canadian.
Engineer
Posted 16 January 2013 - 04:40 PM
I think maybe some folks are taking this little video a little too seriously. Seriously.
Ditto! 
The old saying about "change the channel or turn it off" seems to apply to U-Tube Videos also!
And wonder how many Members have noticed your new "Handle" and Avatar Chris? 
Edited by jimhudson, 16 January 2013 - 04:41 PM.
Hope to See See ya' in the Windy City for the Gathering in Oct!!!
"What a Long,Strange Trip it's Been!"-Grateful Dead
"..My heart is warm with the friends I make,and better friends I'll not be knowing,
Yet there isn't a train I wouldn't take,No matter where its going!.." -Edna St. Vincent Millay
Engineer
Posted 16 January 2013 - 04:51 PM
Ditto!I think maybe some folks are taking this little video a little too seriously. Seriously.
And wonder how many Members have noticed your new "Handle" and Avatar Chris?
Any views expressed are my own and do not represent the views of my employer, parent companies, partners, or subsidiaries.
Over 50,000 people just like you recently signed a petition to expand high speed passenger rail in the United States of America.
Long live The Coast Starlight, The California Zephyr, The Empire Builder, The Southwest Chief, and The Canadian.
Administrator
Posted 16 January 2013 - 05:43 PM
I've never participated in a forum that allowed display name changes before this one.
Many forums do, although by no means do all forums allow it. And even if the Admin's of a forum don't allow the user to do it, most Admin's will honor such a request from the user.
Here at AU, only those in the "Members" Group are allowed to make the change on their own; it's one of the perks for being an active participant here.
Engineer
Posted 16 January 2013 - 05:49 PM
Ditto!I think maybe some folks are taking this little video a little too seriously. Seriously.
And wonder how many Members have noticed your new "Handle" and Avatar Chris?
Conductor
Posted 16 January 2013 - 06:18 PM
Ditto!I think maybe some folks are taking this little video a little too seriously. Seriously.
And wonder how many Members have noticed your new "Handle" and Avatar Chris?
I've never participated in a forum that allowed display name changes before this one. I think this handle allows newer folks to see where I'm coming from in my posts. Outside of AU I'm generally pro-Amtrak, but since that view is already extremely well represented here I'm willing and able to take the role of the anti-Amtrak contributor. Amtrak is the sort of business that's easy to have a love-hate relationship with. On the one hand Amtrak is chock full of promise and potential, but on the other hand it often fails to live up to other passenger rail systems that came before or since. In any case the signature was left alone. I would think that should be enough to make the connection obvious.
Also, one can go on your profile page, click on "Display Name History" under user tools, and see any former names that you've had.
Engineer
Posted 16 January 2013 - 07:01 PM
2011: Jun: WIL=>WAS=>WIL (NER) // Nov: WIL=>WAS=>CHI=>PRO (NER=>CL=>CZ)
2012: Apr: WIL=>WAS=>WIL (NER) // May: WIL=>PHL=>WIL (NER) / PHL=>PAO=>PHL (Keystone) // Aug: WIL=>WAS (NER) / BWI=>WIL (NER) // Oct: PHL=>WIL (NER) / PHL=>HAR=>PHL (Keystone) / SEPTA, NJT, PATCO, River Line, Princeton Dinky
2013: NTD: WIL=>WAS=>WIL (NER) Hope to do's: WIL=>BOS day trip // Gathering
Engineer
Posted 16 January 2013 - 07:16 PM
I was finally able to watch the video (I normally cruise AU at work). I loved it! The conductor did a really good job mimicking the dance from the video, and I loved all the shots of Chicago. I wish they'd shown more of Union Station and the trains, though.
The shot on the Ledge was great. 
Engineer
Posted 16 January 2013 - 07:39 PM
I like how Flyertalk handles it: Someone who has changed their username is given a "formerly known as" designation
under their new username. Thus you can update your username to reflect a new location or favorite airline, etc, but
you're less able to obfuscate your past. (Not implying that TS/DA is trying to do that)
Conductor
Posted 16 January 2013 - 08:25 PM
The more Michigan residents take the train to Chicago, the more they can justify the HSR (and this is a good thing). Michigan acknowledges Chicago is a big draw for Michigan residents, so why not suggest riding Amtrak? If the ridership increases, that will help Michigan add/improve routes (I'm thinking, hopefully).
Absolutely!
As a native Chicagoan, the proximity of my home town was one of the biggest factors in moving to Michigan.
The train had nothing to do with it because I had no idea how convenient, easy, and fun it was to take the train to the *City* but, now that I know, it's my #2 reason to live here next to the proximity to the shore of Lake Michigan.
Honestly, thanks to my daughter making the suggestion of me taking the train to Dallas to visit her and investigating, then finding this place (thank you to all of you!) and becoming a train fanatic and then traveling more in one year than I have in the past 10 years (in all honesty, I worked 6 days a week)... anything that excites people about the train has a thumbs up from me.
Yay for positive fun stuff and yay for Michigan stepping up and seeing an opportunity.
Riding the rails since 06/11 - 25,927 miles
Trains traveled: California Zephyr(2) City of New Orleans(4) Empire Builder(2) Lake Shore Limited(2) Pere Marquette(21)
Southwest Chief (2) Texas Eagle(8) Wolverine(1) Bustitution(2) International Limited? (CHI- TWO 1983-ish) (2)
Coming up:
CHI-LAX-PDX-CHI roomette AGR
CHI-NOL-CHI roomette/cruise
CHI-NOL-CHI roomette/another cruise
Somehow, I became a train addict 
Conductor
Posted 17 January 2013 - 05:50 AM
BTW, nice name change DA.
I watched the vid again, without the sound, I definitely liked the locations.
Question, is that business class on a Horizon car at the beginning? It sorta looks like it from what I have seen.
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