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Thanksgiving Week Extras

Discussion related to Amtrak also known as the National Railroad Passenger Corp.

Moderators: GirlOnTheTrain, mtuandrew, Tadman

Re: Thanksgiving Week Extras

  by Gilbert B Norman
 
Mr. Wolf, "it's better than nothing"; it appears on a par with what I have found on my overseas travels on DB and OBB. Possibly Mr. Dunville, who has traveled more extensively overseas than have I, will choose to add a comment.

Now I realize that back when Amtrak had a printed System Timetable (I think that was up to COVID), it was fun to have such sitting by an armchair for "daydreaming". But with phones, reservations, and the requirement both over here and over there, to change schedules on short notice for operational reasons, printed timetables from any commercial passenger carrier (I think they are becoming scarce with the regional agencies as well; I'll find out soon enough with METRA) belong to another era.

Re: Thanksgiving Week Extras

  by lordsigma12345
 
STrRedWolf wrote: ↑Tue Oct 29, 2024 6:07 am No, that's not a "traditional timetable" format. That's a cheap-looking report that I can easily generate by spending 20 minutes feeding database info into SAP's Crystal Reports to spit out the PDF. And I've done much much better with Crystal Reports. I can reproduce the printed timetables.
I'm sure you can, but in my opinion it's sufficient. This won't be a popular opinion, but I honestly think the impact of the lack of the printed timetables is kind of overblown. Most of the people that are angry about the lack of printed timetables in the traditional form are rail enthusiasts and railfans - I have never once heard a non enthusiast passenger lament it on any of my travels - corridor or long distance. I think they serve a purpose on commuter railroads for people who commute a lot but are not as important for a reserved service like Amtrak.

People these days are well accustomed to an airline style search entering the departure and destinations when booking travel - "can I get there from here - I think I'll pick this flight or train." And if one needs help one can consult their local station agent or call the call center. I think Amtrak should provide the complete schedule information in some form (which they do) but I am not particularly sentimental about the format that it is presented in. My opinion - I'm sure many disagree, but it's one of those issues that some rail advocates get energized about that for me at least is not really a high priority. Amtrak's efforts to feed train information and options into Google Maps and other apps is a far more relevant investment in 2024 than worrying about printed timetables.

Re: Thanksgiving Week Extras

  by daybeers
 
If Arrow was a better reservation system, I'd be more accepting of the demise of timetables, but it's not. No way to search more than one day, each connection must be inputted by staff manually, and it spits out "no service" if you choose the bus station instead of the train station in a particular city (very easy to do).

Re: Thanksgiving Week Extras

  by Silverliner II
 
lordsigma12345 wrote: ↑Mon Oct 28, 2024 2:59 pm If you must have a traditional timetable you can get computer generated ones at this link:

https://www.amtrak.com/schedule

Click routes. Select the route. Click the little printer icon. It will give it to you in a traditional timetable format.
This is an even better spot to get traditional timetables for both Amtrak and VIA Rail Canada. Be advised, however, that it's all volunteer-based, so updates may be a bit slower than actual schedule changes

https://narprail.org/resources/amtrak-t ... YF_QTgswoU

Re: Thanksgiving Week Extras

  by eolesen
 
I miss browsing the timetable, but it's just another thing that these black mirrors we carry around have replaced....

Sent from my SM-S911U using Tapatalk

Re: Thanksgiving Week Extras

  by Gilbert B Norman
 
Looks like East German Railway, the outfit I farebeat (unintentional be it assured) with my ride over the Deutsche Reichbahn to Frankfurt/Oder and return still has printed timetables:

https://www.odeg.de/linien-fahrplaene/l ... fahrplaene

They never checked for tickets outbound. On the return they did, but I was within the limits of my Regional Pass €49,00/wk, which is good for roundly 20 miles from Berlin Hbf (includes the Airport).

Re: Thanksgiving Week Extras

  by David Benton
 
Guilty as charged as well, Mr Norman.
London (england) has a zone system,generally rings emanating from the cbd. Working as a temp, the workplace would change every couple of weeks. One job was in zone 2, I was living in zone 2 but almost an hours ride across the outer suburbs. I had a 2 zone pass.one morning, the random inspector asked for my ticket, I showed him my pass. You are in zone 4, he says.oh, I said , but I got on in zone 2, and getting off in zone 2. Doesn't matter he says, you need a ticket for every zone you pass through.never occurred to me. Musthave been obvious, he did not fine me, or make me buy another ticket.

Re: Thanksgiving Week Extras

  by R36 Combine Coach
 
Gilbert B Norman wrote: ↑Tue Oct 29, 2024 6:30 am Now I realize that back when Amtrak had a printed System Timetable (I think that was up to COVID), it was fun to have such sitting by an armchair for "daydreaming". But with phones, reservations, and the requirement both over here and over there, to change schedules on short notice for operational reasons, printed timetables from any commercial passenger carrier (I think they are becoming scarce with the regional agencies as well; I'll find out soon enough with METRA) belong to another era.
Last national timetable was 2017-2018 era. NJT still publishes timetables for all bus and rail routes, everyone else such as MNCR, LIRR have stopped.

Re: Thanksgiving Week Extras

  by Gilbert B Norman
 
David Benton wrote: ↑Mon Nov 04, 2024 11:11 pm Guilty as charged as well, Mr Norman.
.. he did not fine me, or make me buy another ticket.
Berlin: the non-judicial fine is €50,00, if caught three times in as many years, it becomes a judicial matter.

Through a "terp" of course, "Your Honor, the map I was given showed Frankfurt/Oder..." :-)

Re: Thanksgiving Week Extras

  by charlesriverbranch
 
ODEG is not Deutsche Reichsbahn; DR merged with DBB back in the '90s to become the present Deutsche Bahn (DB).

Wow, it looks like you can go to Peenemunde, the place where Wernher von Braun developed the V-2 rocket.

Not on Amtrak, though.

Re: Thanksgiving Week Extras

  by MACTRAXX
 
R36: NOT everyone else has stopped printing timetables like the MTA...SEPTA has timetables available
for all routes and still offers special schedules for RRD track work programs (best examples)...

The Rail Passengers Association has stepped in to offer the option of full downloadable timetables
after Amtrak stopped issuing them - which is a good volunteer effort in any instance...Will Amtrak
give the RPA enough information for a special Thanksgiving timetable to be compiled and available?
MACTRAXX

Re: Thanksgiving Week Extras

  by Gilbert B Norman
 
Mr. Charles River, DR lives on thirty five years after the fact!

And yes, I am quite aware that Deutsche Bahn AG is a publicly held concern that happens to be owned wholly by the state (and just like Amtrak, "shakes the tin cup"). Regarding ODEG; same. The "G" stands for Gmbh, which is German for a privately held corporation over there like S Corporation is over here.

Re: Thanksgiving Week Extras

  by Gilbert B Norman
 
MACTRAXX wrote: ↑Tue Nov 05, 2024 7:39 am The Rail Passengers Association has stepped in to offer the option of full downloadable timetables
after Amtrak stopped issuing them
Yeah; and complete with their exhortation to wear an N-95 mask when riding Amtrak :-D

There is somebody in that outfit, along with his "main squeeze", who has been photographed wearing a gas mask.

Re: Thanksgiving Week Extras

  by daybeers
 
The MTA railroads still publish PDF timetables, which are nearly as good imo.

Re: Thanksgiving Week Extras

  by ryanwc
 
lordsigma12345 wrote: ↑Tue Oct 29, 2024 8:46 am
STrRedWolf wrote: ↑Tue Oct 29, 2024 6:07 am No, that's not a "traditional timetable" format. That's a cheap-looking report that I can easily generate by spending 20 minutes feeding database info into SAP's Crystal Reports to spit out the PDF. And I've done much much better with Crystal Reports. I can reproduce the printed timetables.
I'm sure you can, but in my opinion it's sufficient. This won't be a popular opinion, but I honestly think the impact of the lack of the printed timetables is kind of overblown. Most of the people that are angry about the lack of printed timetables in the traditional form are rail enthusiasts and railfans - I have never once heard a non enthusiast passenger lament it on any of my travels - corridor or long distance. I think they serve a purpose on commuter railroads for people who commute a lot but are not as important for a reserved service like Amtrak.

People these days are well accustomed to an airline style search entering the departure and destinations when booking travel - "can I get there from here - I think I'll pick this flight or train." And if one needs help one can consult their local station agent or call the call center. I think Amtrak should provide the complete schedule information in some form (which they do) but I am not particularly sentimental about the format that it is presented in. My opinion - I'm sure many disagree, but it's one of those issues that some rail advocates get energized about that for me at least is not really a high priority. Amtrak's efforts to feed train information and options into Google Maps and other apps is a far more relevant investment in 2024 than worrying about printed timetables.
For me, the old way is more helpful for Metra commuter service because I live between two stations, only one of which is served by some trains. Entering a single destination doesn't give me all my options. That's less likely to be meaningful for Amtrak passengers in my region, the Midwest, since relatively few people live in the farmland between stations, and few stations have service any different than the next one along, so a given station is almost always your best bet for a given direction of travel. But I wonder if there are places along the NEC where passengers face the same quandary.
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