Rail Travel Meetup Group

Chris Guenzler 1 Millionth Amtrak Mile Celebration

April 7, 2008 · 10:00 AM
Silver Rails Event Center

Chris Guenzler Millionth Amtrak Mile
into La Plata, Missouri, at 9:57 AM CT on April 7, 2008

On Monday, April 7, 2008, Chris Guenzler will have traveled 1,000,000 miles on Amtrak !!!

Chris Guenzler completed his millionth mile of all types of rail travel on April 27, 2007. This new event will commemorate Chris' completion of One Million Miles on just Amtrak routes! Chris has traveled every mile of the entire Amtrak system many times. So far as we know, Chris Guenzler may be the only regular passenger documented to have ever traveled 1,000,000 miles on Amtrak since Amtrak was founded in 1971.

Travel with Chris on his Millionth Amtrak Mile Journey!

Board the train anywhere along the route of the eastbound Amtrak Southwest Chief Train #4 any time between Saturday, April 5, 2008 and Monday, April 7, 2008 and join the group traveling along with Chris. To book your Amtrak travel go to www.Amtrak.com or call 1-800-USA-RAIL.

Monday, April 7, 2008, La Plata, Missouri, Arrival Celebration

Chris will reach his 1,000,000th Amtrak mile right at the La Plata Amtrak Station just as the eastbound Amtrak Southwest Chief pulls into the depot. The scheduled arrival time of the train is 9:57 AM. After a short arrival reception at the depot, a celebration will be held at the new Silver Rails Event Center in Downtown La Plata.

Free shuttle transportation will be provided from the depot to the event center for those arriving by train and anyone else that does not have their own vehicle. Everyone arriving by train may safely leave their luggage in the shuttle van during the arrival events. Free hotel shuttle transportation will be provided at the conclusion of the celebration at the Silver Rails Event Center.

On Monday Afternoon, April 7, 2008, a FREE TOUR of La Plata's Rail Features will be provided

The tour will include the Depot Inn & Suites (a rail museum in itself!), the Exhibition of Amtrak History, the Chris Guenzler Millionth Mile Lookout Point, the Silver Rails Event Center, the La Plata Santa Fe Depot / Amtrak Station, the TrainWeb.com / TrainParty.com new facility, a quick trip through Amish country, and more!

At 6 PM on Monday, April 7, 2008, there will be a Celebration Dinner at the Silver Rails Event Center

During the celebration dinner, there will be a presentation of the future Silver Rails Resort that is planned for La Plata, Missouri.

On Tuesday, April 8, 2008, an optional Van Tour to St. Louis is offered.

Those that chose to go on this van tour will be provided round trip transportation to St. Louis, Missouri, where the group will ride the St. Louis Metrolink Light Rail System and then visit the Museum of Transportation in West St. Louis County. The tour van is limited to the first 24 people to purchase tickets. Tickets will be sold for $20 per person which is well below the cost to operate the van to St. Louis and back. The $20 per ticket covers the cost of round-trip transportation only and does not include any Metrolink fare, museum admission, or any meals or beverages.

On Wednesday, April 9, 2008, you are on your own to enjoy the hotel and tour the grounds!

Some people will be planning to take the entire Amtrak trip with Chris Guenzler while others will be staying only for the day of the celebration or a few additional days in La Plata. You are welcome to create your own itinerary. More information about rail and air transportation as well as car rental information will be posted to this page shortly.

Plans for the Amtrak Return Trip

Chris will be staying at the Depot Inn & Suites for 3 nights, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, April 7 - 9, 2008. He will depart on Thursday, April 10, 2008 at 9:57 AM CT on the eastbound Amtrak Southwest Chief Train #4. He will take that train to Galesburg, Illinois, where he will switch to the westbound Amtrak California Zephyr. Chris will ride that train to Sacramento, California, and then switch to the Amtrak San Joaquin to Bakersfield and then take an Amtrak Connecting bus to Los Angeles and then the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner back to Orange County. Anyone who would like to travel on any portion of the return trip with Chris is welcome to book their Amtrak travel themselves and tag along!

Make Your Reservations Soon!

If you plan to attend, please make your reservations with the Depot Inn & Suites either by calling 1-[masked] or online at www.DepotInnAndSuites.com

This is just a preliminary description of events. More information will be posted later. Please check back!

We hope to see you there. Thank you!

Click here for more info.

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Dutch

It was a surprise that so many people were able to attend with the previous event having been so close. But the meetup folks and the people from La Plata came through nicely. As always, the Depot Inn folks hosted with dash and fun. Many thanks to the Marshalls, Maria, Andrea and the rest of the staff plus the people of La Plata and the organizational skills of Steve, Barbara, Shelli, Ray, Shivam, Carl, Chris and others. The talent of this group is outstanding.

0 · April 22, 2008
Carl Morrison, Still in TRAINing

This absolutely perfect. Thanks Steve, Barbara, Tom and Shelly for all your work! Great to be back in LaPlata, it's always like home!

0 · April 7, 2008
Ken Ruben

I am unable to attend due to personal reasons.

I did attend the group send-off at Fullerton Saturday evening.

Thanks to Steve and Barbaa for the special hospitality to everyone including me who is unable to attend the festivities in La Plata.

0 · April 6, 2008
Ken Ruben

I am unable to attend due to personal reasons.

I did see the group off at Fullerton Saturday afternoon-evening.

0 · April 6, 2008
Peter Warner

I will be heading out to La Plata on the Surfliner, a thruway bus to Bakersfield, the San Joaquin to Stockton, a bus to Sacramento, another bus to Reno, and the Zephyr to Chicago then staying over night and taking the westbound Southwest Chief of the the 6th to La Plata, staying there Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday, and heading on to Chicago on Wednesday on train #4 then into Indianapolis.

0 · March 22, 2008