[Sca-cooks] [OT][OOP] Pennsic Customs Question

Stefan li Rous StefanliRous at austin.rr.com
Tue Sep 27 21:05:34 PDT 2005


Huette answered me with:
> > Last I looked at the train schedules, they only stopped in Austin
> > once or twice a week. Perhaps they've improved this, though.

> Stefan,
>
> According to the Amtrak website:
>
> http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=Amtrak/HomePage
>
> The Texas Eagle (#422), which leaves Los Angeles daily, swings  
> through the Southwest,
> including Austin, Texas and ends up in Chicago.  You then transfer  
> to  the Capitol Limited
> (#30) in Chicago, which has a stop in Pittsburgh.  So according to  
> the Amtrak schedule there
> is a daily train leaving and arriving Austin Texas.  The one way  
> trip will cost about $137
> and take about 36 hours, not counting layover time.

Thanks for the link and the info.

So, taking the train would be on the low end money wise of flying to  
Pennsic, but take >36 hours vs. 5 hours but have the advantage of  
being able to carry more stuff with me. One of my concerns has always  
been "will that shipped box show up?" and if it doesn't, did I do a  
good enough time splitting supplies and clothes between the two  
shipments that I can still be comfortable at Pennsic.

I also pick my flights so they land in Pittsburg at a convenient time  
for those picking me up. The single arrival time in Pittsburg, if the  
train is on time, doesn't give as much choice.

The train takes 36 hours vs. 27 to drive to Pennsic. However, the  
first four Pennsics which I attended were Pennsic 21, 23, 25 and 27,  
which was the first time I flew up. The reason for the gaps, as well  
as there being no 19 and 20, was that I couldn't find a ride.  
Everyone was already full or was only taking riders that could also  
share the driving.

Certainly worth considering though. Traveling by train might well  
allow those even further away from Pennsic than I to bring along  
their pavilions and armor and other niceties, which they couldn't  
bring by air or ship. And if you could get a group of people to do  
this together, the trip itself could be a lot of fun. "Principality  
of the Mists goes to Pennsic" or some such. "What do you mean we're  
already in Pittsburg? I've still got three more cases...":-)

My wife and I have considered taking a vacation by train. Perhaps  
something like Austin across the Southwest, up along the California  
seashore to Seattle or some such. Maybe this is more practical than I  
originally thought.

Stefan
--------
THLord Stefan li Rous    Barony of Bryn Gwlad    Kingdom of Ansteorra
    Mark S. Harris           Austin, Texas           
StefanliRous at austin.rr.com
**** See Stefan's Florilegium files at:  http://www.florilegium.org ****





More information about the Sca-cooks mailing list