Internet Access on Amtrak Trains

[AmtrakRider]

I recently travelled the east coast from South Florida to Boston via Amtrak's Silver Meteor and Acela (WAS-BOS-WAS). While I enjoyed and was impressed by many aspects of my trip, I found one thing disadvantageous and downright disconcerting.

There was no internet access on the trains.

I found it really surprising that no wireless service was offered on the Acela. One would think that with the kinds of moveable access point technology currently available in the NEC this would be standard. I'm sure that even if the service demanded an additional charge it would be a moneymaker for ATK on the Acela, if not on the regionals.

In contrast, there is already some discussion in New Mexico about trainwide wireless access on that state's RailRunner.

Even given some of the challenges encountered by some of the LD trains, I'm sure ATK could figure out a way to make wireless available at least on the overnights to CHI and MIA. To my mind, while it would definitely involve some intial outlay on the part of Amtrak, it also has the potential to be a serious revenue maker for the trains. It would also give ATK an advantage over other forms of transportation (or at least parity, in the case of the BOS-NYC speed busses).

Am I way out in left field in thinking that this is something Amtrak should be working on ASAP?

[DutchRailnut]

If Amtrak were to wire and connect rail cars, the service would be obsolete before it were to be activated.
Just like railcall and its phones being over run by affordable cell phones.
G3 and G4 cell phone Internet access is getting more affordable and any Internet junkies, and those that really need access to Internet, will use those services before they would pay Amtrak.

[Suburban Station]

I believe I read in Arrive that the Acela will get wireless in the 1Q and the rest of the regionals by the end of the year. long over due, it's a cost of doing biz IMO

[AmtrakRider]

If Amtrak were to wire and connect rail cars, the service would be obsolete before it were to be activated.
Just like railcall and its phones being over run by affordable cell phones.
G3 and G4 cell phone Internet access is getting more affordable and any Internet junkies, and those that really need access to Internet, will use those services before they would pay Amtrak.

So all these people can do their work on their phones rather than with a laptop / netbook?

I for one don't have the G3/4 phone access. Does this mean I shouldn't have internet access? I'd be willing to pay Amtrak for 1 day's service if it means I don't have to upgrade to $35.00 monthly for a service I don't otherwise use.

[AmtrakRider]

I believe I read in Arrive that the Acela will get wireless in the 1Q and the rest of the regionals by the end of the year. long over due, it's a cost of doing biz IMO

I think that, even considering increased internet phone usage, there is a place for Amtrak placed wireless. I'm glad to hear Acela is getting it. Even if Amtrak does "free" wireless only on Acela at first, it would justify the upgrade for some, while providing what's becoming a necessity of business for others. And on the other trains, if the daily fee is reasonable (under $5.00?) I can see enough people springing for it, especially on overnight LD trips, to make it worth the investments.

[DutchRailnut]

If Amtrak were to wire and connect rail cars, the service would be obsolete before it were to be activated.
Just like railcall and its phones being over run by affordable cell phones.
G3 and G4 cell phone Internet access is getting more affordable and any Internet junkies, and those that really need access to Internet, will use those services before they would pay Amtrak.

So all these people can do their work on their phones rather than with a laptop / netbook?

I for one don't have the G3/4 phone access. Does this mean I shouldn't have internet access? I'd be willing to pay Amtrak for 1 day's service if it means I don't have to upgrade to $35.00 monthly for a service I don't otherwise use.

even for internet a pre-pay internet acess device can be used, it plugs into USB port of your computer or netbook.

[AmtrakRider]

This prepaid access sounds like it could be interesting. I definitely will be reading up on this for future travel.

How would travelling outside a network area affect this? (I'm thinking about LD trains like #7 where even cell phone access can be spotty depending on the provider.)

Another point: if such access is already available on Amtrak routes, why isn't Amtrak using it as a selling point? If I know that I can by some means get internet access on my 22hr trip from MIA to WAS, I'm likely to be more amenable to making that trip.

[DutchRailnut]

If amtrak were to provide internet even they would rely on outside sources like cellphone towers for the WIFI service.
If a cellphone sercive were not present , even the train would not get internet service, unless each and every car were to be somehow connected to satelite, a expensive endeavor.

[Suburban Station]

I believe I read in Arrive that the Acela will get wireless in the 1Q and the rest of the regionals by the end of the year. long over due, it's a cost of doing biz IMO

I think that, even considering increased internet phone usage, there is a place for Amtrak placed wireless. I'm glad to hear Acela is getting it. Even if Amtrak does "free" wireless only on Acela at first, it would justify the upgrade for some, while providing what's becoming a necessity of business for others. And on the other trains, if the daily fee is reasonable (under $5.00?) I can see enough people springing for it, especially on overnight LD trips, to make it worth the investments.

I have my doubts the LD would ever get it. It might be sufficient to have "hot spots" like minot where people can sync up. it's the corridors where there's the most competition though. I'd think they could even use something like "mifi" installed in the tables. I think it has to be free though, esp at NEC prices.

[AmtrakRider]

Since I made that comment, I took a look at what's available data-network-wise across the country, and I'm getting your point on the hotspots. I still think there's a place for it on "corridors" outside the NEC, e.g. NC to WAS, FL to WAS, CHI to WAS, CHI to NYP. But I dunno how feasible it would be to "make it so" in the near term.

[DutchRailnut]

its reasoble do-able to provide internet to 5 out of 40 bus passengers, but to provide a fast connection to 20 out of 85 passengers per coach the cost will go thru the roof.
now provide 120 internet connections on a train doing 90 mph is getting pretty tricky.

[afiggatt]

Quoting the recent New York Times article on Amtrak: "The railroad plans to introduce free Wi-Fi service on all Acela trains in the second quarter of 2010, then add Northeast regional trains later in the year". So the 1st quarter of 2010 for adding WiFi to the Acela appears to have slipped to the 2nd quarter. But it will be free for both the Acela and Regionals. If WiFi is added to the Regionals, wonder if will be available on the Keystones at the same time.

I can see Amtrak adding WiFi to the LD trains on the NEC and up and down the east coast because those trains should remain in reach of decent cell data link coverage. But they would have to wire the Viewliners and Heritage diners for WiFi, not just the Amfleet coach cars, if they don't want unhappy sleeper customers on the LD trains.

[AmtrakRider]

I was actually assuming they would wire viewliners before coach - low usage compared 2 coach, plus big publicity, increased revenue in sleepers?

I was also wondering abt the feasibility of wiring cafe cars first; that way even if a particular coach isn't wired, Amtrak could still claim wireless access for coach passengers on a first come first serve basis.

[mkellerm]

Let us not forget that Amtrak already provides free WiFi on the Downeaster route. From their webpage:

Free Wireless Internet (Wi-Fi)

Now you can easily check your e-mail or surf the Internet on the Downeaster, for free!
Imagine how much you can accomplish during the ride!

PLEASE NOTE: Wireless signals and cellular towers may occasionally be affected by weather conditions, interference from other sources, or geographical boundaries.
The Amtrak Downeaster does not offer technical support and is not responsible for any consequences of surfing the Internet including protection from viruses, etc.

This has been in place for at least a year, and by all accounts is quite successful. Granted, this route has some favorable characteristics (it is close to I-95, so cell coverage is relatively dense, there are few geographical obstacles, etc.), but it can and has been done without bankrupting NNERPA, crashing under excess demand, causing patrons to riot due to gaps in coverage, or any of the other parade of horribles that have been mentioned in this thread.

IMO, Amtrak has been slow to implement this service for two partially contradictory reasons:

1) Amtrak (or at least parts of the organization) does not see itself as a customer-service organization. When there is not an obvious operational payoff, there is little incentive to try new things (think of the problems with the Coast Starlight PPCs, for example).
2) Once the organization does decide to move forward with an initiative, other ostensibly related projects are attached to that initiative like ornaments on a Christmas tree. The WiFi initiative in Northern California provides a good example. By seeking to use WiFi for operational purposes beyond the "customer service" benefit, they imposed a much higher standard of reliability and made the whole project more technologically ambitious and much more expensive. There is a great deal of information of the proposed Northern California system at the following link:

http://www.capitolcorridor.org/on_board/wifi.php

[Batman2]

If Amtrak were to wire and connect rail cars, the service would be obsolete before it were to be activated.
Just like railcall and its phones being over run by affordable cell phones.
G3 and G4 cell phone Internet access is getting more affordable and any Internet junkies, and those that really need access to Internet, will use those services before they would pay Amtrak.

The big weakness of G3 and G4 is that you can rack up a huge phone bill with all those data minutes. Generally, the most internet stuff I'd do on my phone is check my e-mail unless I'm in a wi-fi network anyways. I think that goes for a lot of people. The big advantage is that wi-fi can allow more productivity (or not ) since you only pay a base fee and then have unlimited usage ability.