preliminary trip planning

[jb64]

My daughter has asked me if I would take her on a cross country train trip for spring break again this year. In particular, she wants to go back and ride the Coast Starlight again as that is her favorite train. She has never ridden the Empire Builder and would like to take that on one of them, too. So here is what we are thinking:

Regional up to New York

LakeShore LImited to Chicago (I have never ridden the LSL and would like to)

California Zephyr westbound (She and I have only ridden eastbound) connecting to

Coast Starlight northbound (we only rode from LAX to OKJ before, so we would like to ride north of OKJ) to Portland. Stay one night in Portland.

Cascades to Seattle and stay a couple of days there.

Empire Builder from Seattle to Chicago

Cap Ltd from Chi to WAS.

I would like to make this AGR as much as possible. I don't think I can get them to route me on LSL from WAS, right? If I pay to get to NYP and then start the reward trip to Portland will that work?

I think I have read before that you can connect CZ to CS in places other than Sacramento, is that right? Where is best? Are Cascades a special route?

Any potential problems here?

Thanks for your input, always appreciated.

 

[RRrich]

The general rule is that if you can see it in Arrow, AGR will book it - and for NYP - PDX it shows LSL -CZ - CS. they will allow you to eransfer at EMYinstead of SAC, especially you ask nicely. EnJOY