Wolf Point, MT (WPT) to be Unstaffed Effective July 1, 2016

Wolf Point, MT will be unstaffed effective July 1, 2016. The station waiting room will be open daily from 11 AM to 5:30 PM, or until the last train departs.

A sudden drop in boardings after AGR dropped the zone system? Lol...

rtabern said:

A sudden drop in boardings after AGR dropped the zone system? Lol...

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Ha! Perhaps, though I suspect many of those AGR tickets included an onward cash fare on the same train!

Not a big surprise, given that Wolf Point had about half the annual boardings of the next lowest-ridership staffed station in MT. Even East Glacier Park, with partial year service, had twice as many riders as Wolf Point.

And since Wolf Point did not offer checked baggage service, there is a minimal loss of customer amenities in this case. I would hope that Amtrak will post adequate signage in the station to inform riders on how to check train status, etc. Probably not a given in that area that most passengers would have the Amtrak app at the ready.

Thought. In the unstaffed stations, Amtrak could install an inexpensive display showing the inbound train's status so if passengers do not have internet access they are aware. The monitor could also display preparing messages so the new passengers know what to expect during boarding.

Lonestar648 said:

Thought. In the unstaffed stations, Amtrak could install an inexpensive display showing the inbound train's status so if passengers do not have internet access they are aware. The monitor could also display preparing messages so the new passengers know what to expect during boarding.

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Or local persons can install a raspberry pie computer and a monitor to display the Dixieland software solari board of the upcoming trains for that station.

Lonestar648 said:

Thought. In the unstaffed stations, Amtrak could install an inexpensive display showing the inbound train's status so if passengers do not have internet access they are aware. The monitor could also display preparing messages so the new passengers know what to expect during boarding.

Click to expand...

Internet access is not necessary to check on train status. All it takes is a free call to Julie. The sign in the station should display the 800 number and some basic instructions on how to use the system. I'd venture there are extremely few traveling parties who don't have a cell phone. [i suspect pay phones are long gone but that'd be an option too.]

rtabern said:

A sudden drop in boardings after AGR dropped the zone system? Lol...

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I thought the same thing...but then i remembered I always coached it to wpt from msp, mot or gfk.

Lonestar648 said:

Thought. In the unstaffed stations, Amtrak could install an inexpensive display showing the inbound train's status so if passengers do not have internet access they are aware. The monitor could also display preparing messages so the new passengers know what to expect during boarding.

Click to expand...

Knowing Amtrak rather than a status map or boarding process explanation it would be some really loud endlessly repetitive commercial about see something say something with a warning about dogs sniffing your drugs/cash/bombs.

Yep, at DC Union Station they endlessly run that security video at the gate. Even when a video explaining the boarding process would be quite helpful, and probably speed the process.

Devil's Advocate said:

Lonestar648 said:

Thought. In the unstaffed stations, Amtrak could install an inexpensive display showing the inbound train's status so if passengers do not have internet access they are aware. The monitor could also display preparing messages so the new passengers know what to expect during boarding.

Click to expand...

Knowing Amtrak rather than a status map or boarding process explanation it would be some really loud endlessly repetitive commercial about see something say something with a warning about dogs sniffing your drugs/cash/bombs.

Click to expand...

And given that it's the Builder, the video could include a warning that federal agents can board your train at any point and inquire about your citizenship status. Ah, the romance of train travel.