Passenger Trains > Man takes Amtrak to 30 MLB games

Nice article about a man taking Amtrak to 30 Major League Baseball parks. He said it saved him money!

https://www.tribdem.com/sports/riding-the-rails-to-baseball-memories-johnstown-native-took-train-to-games-at-30-mlb/article_101c774e-69f6-11ed-96f8-d7a7ed2701c6.html

Posted from iPhone

Cute story. Please note that only 10 of the 30 parks were within "walking distance" from the train station. Guess he taxied or Ubered to the rest.

TJY

icancmp193 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Cute story. Please note that only 10 of the 30
> parks were within "walking distance" from the
> train station. Guess he taxied or Ubered to the
> rest.
>
> TJY

In LA he could take the "Dodger Stadium Express" from Union Station. Comes free with your ticket for the game.

I live in Louisville, Ky.  When I was a kid, our family would take the L&N to Cincinnati several times a year.  We would go to Coney Island in the morning and afternoon and then to Crosley Field to watch the Reds play in the evening.  The train schedule was such that we could usually watch a complete game before WALKING about a half mile to the train station.  Today, it would be probably 2 or 3 miles to get from Cincinnati Union Terminal to the Great American Ballpark.   

A few years ago, before Covid hit, my brother had a trip planned, visiting a few ballparks and traveling by train.  He was going to drive to Chicago, and take the Empire Builder to Seattle for a game there.  Then they would go to either San Francisco or Oakland (or maybe both) for a game, and then back to Chicago.  He was going with 3 other guys, but they began to back out when Covid started spreading.

John

icancmp193 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Cute story. Please note that only 10 of the 30
> parks were within "walking distance" from the
> train station. Guess he taxied or Ubered to the
> rest.
>
> TJY

Why do you assume that he wouldn't use public transportation to get to ballparks?  That's how I got to ballparks in Boston, Chicago, and Montreal.

RuleG Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> icancmp193 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Cute story. Please note that only 10 of the 30
> > parks were within "walking distance" from the
> > train station. Guess he taxied or Ubered to the
> > rest.
> >
> > TJY
>
> Why do you assume that he wouldn't use public
> transportation to get to ballparks?  That's how I
> got to ballparks in Boston, Chicago, and Montreal.

And to take the point a little farther, why would it matter if he used a taxi, local public transit, Uber, a ride-share bicycle or scooter or any other mode for the "last mile" part of the trip? Lots of airline passengers do that too. And not just to reach an MLB ballpark.

The ":last mile" problem has been used against all forms of public transportation for years by the automobile and highway lobby. And yes they're right, a car very often can conveniently get you right to the door of your destination. But should it be the only way? I and others say no, knowing well that that opens a long and sometimes acrimonious debate, including with other members on this board.

I've used a combination of Amtrak and other public transportation for the "last mile" many times for both practical personal and business travel, and for pure pleasure travel. In fact, if I hadn't been substantially confined to quarters the last couple of years by a certain virus beginning right after I retired (bummer), I would have taken by now a number of such trips. Which I am starting to do again now. Although during winter they will be for hockey games.

MC

He rode with me on the Silver Star a few weeks ago heading to Florida.

WAB