75 lines
2.7 KiB
Markdown
75 lines
2.7 KiB
Markdown
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---
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title: "business-train-primer"
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date: 2024-11-25
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tags:
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- trains
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---
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# Advantages
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Lower Cost
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: Rail travel tends to cost less than air.
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As I write this, a weekend trip from Pasco to Chicago,
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two months from now,
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costs $256 on Amtrak.
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The least expensive flight is $306.
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Within Travel Policy
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: Because costs are usually lower,
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train travel can be easily booked and reimbursed.
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You just need to obtain an airfare quote for an equivalent flight.
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In fact, section 8.4.3 of the PNNL Travel Policy Manual states that
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"railroad travel should be used when appropriate".
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More Comfortable
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: A coach seat on Amtrak is larger and more configurable
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than a first class seat on American
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(the only airline I've ever flown first class).
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Productive Work Environment
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: The train provides a quiet and dedicated space for work.
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A power outlet is available for every seat,
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a generous tray is available for your laptop,
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and the unhurried nature of rail travel
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provides the opportunity for focus.
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Delays Provide Tourism Opportunities
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: Travel delays happen no matter what.
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But because train stations have more lax security,
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and are located downtown,
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it's easy to walk outside the station and find interesting things to do when delayed.
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More Energy Efficient
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: According to the
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[2022 US Department of Energy Data Book](https://tedb.ornl.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/TEDB_Ed_40.pdf#page=50),
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Amtrak is 33% more energy efficient than domestic air travel.
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This can be an important consideration as PNNL persues its
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NZERO initiative scope 3 goals.
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# Disadvantages
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Travel time is longer
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: Sometimes travel time can be hours or even days longer.
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PNNL allows you to use personal days at the beginning and end of your trip,
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and your manager may even allow you to bill work while on the train.
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Because you can sleep on the train,
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there's no additional hotel expense for the extra personal days.
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And packing your own food is allowed,
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so you can handle the lack of per diem on personal days.
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Delays can be very long
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: On some multi-leg trips,
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there is only one train per day.
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This means a delay can cause you to miss a connection.
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While Amtrak will board you for the night and provide you meal money,
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it's wise to have a "buffer day" at your destination that you can afford to miss.
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Increased up-front complexity
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: The "Advanced Travel Request" step of PNNL's travel procedure
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requires you to know what personal days you will take
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before a travel agent establishes an itinerary.
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This means you must work out the train schedule on your own,
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without the help of the travel agency.
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*note: maybe it doesn't need to be this hard, I'm still investigating options*
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