Organising a train jam

edited in Events
Let's get this ball rolling by doing some research.

So the Blue Train is definitely out. PTA to CT is R13,000+ per person.

Same for Rovos Rail at R14,000+

And Shongololo Express does 2 week long tours in the R30,000+ range.

Premier Classe doesn't seem to do JHB to CT or vice versa any more?

Shosholoza Meyl looks about right and is more-or-less R600 from JHB to CT or vice versa.
Thanked by 1Tuism

Comments

  • I'm so very, very keen for this. Train jamming to Amaze is a wonderful idea.
  • How long is that ride from CT to JHB on Shosholoza?
  • edited
    It looks like it's a 2 day ride.

    JHB -> CT : Tues 12:30 - Wed 15:30
    CT -> JHB : Thurs 10:00 - Fri 12:15

    I've tried their call centre but I just sat in waiting for ages. But it looks like we can do block bookings. For the jam we'll need to take either:

    A sleeper coach
    image

    Or dining car
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    Dining_Car.jpg
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    Sleeper_Coach.jpg
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  • I'd be down for this, but power points make or break it for me (and my 2hr charge laptop battery)
    Thanked by 2francoisvn Tuism
  • Be sure to give yourself extra time on the train, friends just travelled from joburg to EL and they got delayed 5 hours coming here
  • Yeah, power availability is what's going to make this possible or not.
    Thanked by 1dammit
  • Power, and I'd say a sleeper is a must for security reasons. Looks like an awesome idea :)
  • I've taken the Shosholoza a few times, it's fun if you're in a group but you'll definitely need a sleeper cabin... can't imagine how uncomfortable the dining car will get. I don't remember there being any power plugs available, but this was quite a few years ago.

    You do get meal options (trolley service) in the sleeper car, but I got food poisoning one of those times so perhaps visit the dining car or have your own stuff with you.
  • edited
    Came in here expecting a jam for train-themed games :/
    Thanked by 1duncanbellsa
  • Pretty keen on this, assuming power isn't a problem.

    In terms of sleeper coach vs dining car: going just on those two pics, I would think the dining car might work better. I would personally be quite unkeen on working without a table for so long. Is the sleeper coach any more secure than the dining car? Maybe I'm missing something here...
  • So, spoke to @Fengol last night and apparently there are definitely power points on the train.

    Funny that NOONE WHO KNOWS HAS CONFIRMED THIS HERE.

    Come on, some real confirmation here about the power would be nice :) Hint hint nudge nudge.
  • @Tuism, I'm going on very flimsy, ancient website information. I'm still trying to confirm details with an actual person at the call centre.
  • Cool thanks :) I guess this is what we're talking about with communication - letting the forum know that it's being looked at (and how) will save many grey hairs from people :)

    GJ on organising! :)
  • Hey my friend who took the train recently went in a cabin as the other seats are a mad rush for the best ones. The cabin didnt have any power points, from her blog post on the trip: "because despite what the website shows, there are no plugs for your use unless you need to shave with a 220 watt shaver"
  • D:

    ... any coaches available that have power points? ... that are also cheap...

  • edited
    Having done several cross country train journeys in china on very uncomfortable seats I don't really mind where we end up. Adds to the experience. ;)

    Unfortunately I fear the chances of power points are super low - thats a very first world kinda thing on trains.
  • edited
    Is there any possibility of making this work if there aren't power points on the train? Like maybe a few car batteries and an alternator, or a small generator. This probably sounds absurd, but... TRAIN JAM!

    EDIT: Or a small wind turbine we hang out the window... ok, I'll stop now.
  • I took a train from New York to DC that had free high speed wifi and an apple USB charger. 'Merica!
  • What, they had an apple charger specifically there? Man. 'MERICA! Indeed :)
  • Car batteries + Inverter works great. I use them all the time (cough-Eskom-cough-load-shedding-cough-cough)
  • Hey guyssss

    It's proving a bit hard to ask about trains originating from CT from Joburg side, having a hard time getting people on the phone... Can anyone in Cape Town please try and find out if the train services have power points and how we can secure seats with power?

    The first choice appears to be the Shosholoza Meyl https://www.shosholozameyl.co.za/, CT office:

    Cape Town Area :
    Mr. Karel Crous (Area Operations Manager)
    Mobile: 083 455 8145
    Office International: (27 21 449 2124\5)
    Office Local: (021 449 2124/5)

    Thanks guys if you can help that'd be great :)
  • Was there any progress on this? Also, from the ppl who went last year, how far in advance should we be looking ahead for booking accommodation and train/flight tickets you reckon?
  • I'd be down for this, but power points make or break it for me (and my 2hr charge laptop battery)
    Well, I suppose you could resort to paper game jamming :P This could actually work out quite nicely for me.
    Thanked by 1Fengol
  • As much as I'd love to make yet another boardgame, I need the ones I've already made to get more traction (e.g. people being interested at all :P) before making more more more more :P
  • Does the train have to move? Can't you just find a stationary one, invade it like those underground graffiti artists do - pop a power cable through the window and maybe start a new underground movement of game makers who ply their trade under scrupulous circumstances?

    I think it could work - code a global, record smashing indie game without getting arrested. Think how pale Phil Fish would look in comparison.

    Jokes aside though, a train jam sounds like a really amazing venture. I hope you can make it happen and post lots of pictures.
    Thanked by 1Nitrogen
  • konman said:
    Does the train have to move? Can't you just find a stationary one, invade it like those underground graffiti artists do - pop a power cable through the window and maybe start a new underground movement of game makers who ply their trade under scrupulous circumstances?
    Now that is the kind of thinking that makes interesting games :)
  • Well we have a 24 hour train ride from CT to JHB, according to the discussion here. I think we should extend that to another 24 hour somewhere else... Before or after. Perhaps we can 24 hour on a stationary train before running for the live one :)

    And I really am going to go down to CT to jam back up. Come on guys we must make this happennnnnnn!
  • Right now the biggest issue appears to be access to power on the train. I don't think that standard tickets will have any...
  • I like the suggestion @dammit had of making a boardgame jam considering the power issue. It makes it different from the US one.
  • Aw

    I really like boardgames but I would like a digital jam personally. Thing is we've not really had the best responses to boardgames lately. I understand that we can boardgame jam and kinda advance the agenda (pun intended) but it's just intrinsically a more difficult to access avenue to people other than those making the stuff.
  • @Tuism's demo yesterday got me thinking, maybe instead of a normal train jam (since that doesn't seem to be practical, at least for digital games), maybe regular PTA-JHB Gautrain commuters should be looking at a one or two week long commute jam? If just for that time you can plan your commutes so you're always on the train at the same time, you could churn something cool out?
    Thanked by 1Tuism
  • edited
    I dont want to discourage anyone out of this, but the last I heard of Shosholoza Meyl were disgusted people phoning into 702 to complain about how terrible the conditions were on the trains. I wouldnt recommend them :/

    Have a look at their Hello Peter: http://hellopeter.com/shosholoza-meyl/compliments-and-complaints and if you do go, just be prepared for worse conditions than you would otherwise have expected.
  • What is happening here ? How are the Cape Town guys getting to amaze ?
  • Airplanes of hope and justice.
  • edited
    So no trains involved ?

    thats a bit disappointing...
  • @LexAquilla's info on the train ride: http://www.newfusion.co.za/_mgxroot/page_10744.html

    I don't understand the prices listed at the top and the Premier Class price of R2650?

    It sounds doable... Though not economical. Especially if I'd have to fly down and then train up. Not a good way to blow reserves for a starting full-time indie.

    I guess I'd be more productive just jamming from home... Or would I? Or CT guys, let's get serious - just fly up for 1k and we can jam for 48hours in the luxury of the MS office. Or the desperation of any novelty venue we can find for WAY cheap :) what do you say? :)
    Thanked by 1dammit
  • I'm keen on the idea of a train jam if the price is a lot less. As @LexAquillia suggested, some sort of group booking could work. Also, maybe we can get a significant discount if we don't get the 3 meals. Personally I feel like it needs to be much closer to the price of a plane ticket, and there needs to be a power point; train jam is an awesome idea, but monies are tight.

    The idea of having a 48 hour jam before (or after) A MAZE sounds like it would be a good idea if the train jam doesn't work. I'd certainly be keen to participate in something like that.
  • I'll fly down for it!
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