Amtrak considering eliminating QuickTrak machines

We've been living without QuikTraks or agents up here in Vermonter territory since before e-tickets. As long as you have a valid photo ID you're all set. The conductors' scanners don't need to have internet access to work - they check for updates when they're available.

Before e-tickets same day travel was cash only - call the 800 number and get a "control number" along with your reservation number. If you were connecting onward you had to get a real ticket at the connecting station.

I was in NYC last night and wanted to head back to CT earlier than the first MN train

went on the web site purchased a ticket got the E-mail then went to NYP and scanned the phone at the ticket machine and it popped out muh ticket.

Kinda of glad it was there the phone was dying and i wanted to sleep

I've only traveled on the NEC and the Downeaster, but I've never used a QuikTrak machine. Never seen the point of them. I've always traveled with an eTicket on my smartphone. There have been a few times where my ticket has mysteriously disappeared from the app, especially after passing through NYP, when they check everyone's ticket again. In those cases the conductor has just looked my name up with no trouble at all. Took maybe 30 seconds. Acted like it was no big deal, and happened all the time.

On one trip I wanted to switch to an earlier train home from PHL, and I just went up to the ticket window. Not sure if a QuikTrak machine could have done that or not.

With conductors having the ability to easily look you up on board, I just don't see the need for them. At major stations, there's a ticket window, and everywhere else you can choose between printing them at home, displaying on your phone (with or without the Amtrak app!), or having the conductor look you up.

The QuikTrak machines were handy pre-Eticketing as you could pickup your tickets without a trip to the ticket window in busier stations. However, e-ticketing has made everything much easier to deal with for both travelers and employees, so I can see them going away.

I had to uninstall the Amtrak app and reinstall it to change my boarding station. It wouldn't let me do it otherwise. Please keep at least some of the machines.