From the Desk of Bob Basques to all FOSS4G2014 Conference attendees:
Do you want to travel to FOSS4G in style? With leg room, good food, good friends and no security lines?
As conference attendees across the world prepare to travel to Portland, OR for FOSS4G2014, this message is intended to gauge the interest of attendees in riding in a set of three ‘classic’ privately rented passenger rail cars attached to Amtrak’s Empire Builder going from St. Paul, Minnesota to Portland, Oregon.
The Empire Builder goes across the Northern Great Plains, through the stunning south side of Glacier National Park and then down the magnificent Columbia River Gorge to Portland, Oregon. The train leaves St. Paul, MN Sunday night (September 7, 2014) at 10:10 pm and arrives in Portland, OR Tuesday morning (September 9, 2014) at 11:40 am. When the conference ends, the train leaves Sunday afternoon ( September 14, 2014) Portland, OR at 4:45pm arriving back in St. Paul, MN at 7:52 am Tuesday Morning (September 16, 2014) along the same route.
The train will consist of the three classic passenger rail cars affiliated with the non-profit ‘261.com‘ historic steam locomotive and passenger rail car collection. There will be two sleeper cars, one of these is the historic “Minnesota River” Pullman Sleeper. Each of the sleeper cars is laid out with private single roomettes. The third and final car will be either the Superdome or Cedar Rapids observation and lounge cars and may be used for code sprinting and workshops.
Train capacity is limited to the first 28 passengers to sign up for round trip tickets, plus rail staff. Each round trip ticket on this inaugural FOSS4G Conference train excursion is estimated at $2800.00 per person. Meals and a private sleeper roomette is included in the price.
The private cars will be parked near Portland, OR Union Train station which is across the Willamette River from the conference convention center. Shower facilities on the train are limited, and it is advised to make hotel reservations in Portland during the FOSS4G2014 Conference.
So, if you are seriously interested in participating in this classic rail journey to the FOSS4G conference, please reply to Bob Basques (bbasques@sharedgeo.org) before June 12th with your interest. A minimum of 24 firm responses are needed in order make the trip possible. If there are enough responses, we will start taking pre-payments for the trip after June 12th.
Please pass this posting to any other contacts that you have that may be attending FOSS4G2014 and interested in participating.
These classic passenger cars are not affiliated with Amtrak but are Amtrak certified for travel and attached to Amtrak trains.
So, come along with us and see the United States as few have seen it, from your own private rail car.
This is not an official FOSS4G sponsored event, and FOSS4G/OSGeo are not liable in any way.
