Is Amsnag Down again?

[PaulM]

Tried accessing it on two different computers. Looks like it has been blocked. I don't know why Amtrak always does this as the program doesn't harm anything. Anyone got a clue to what is happening??.This is what I get after entering a search.

Query failed: insert into choice select distinct sessId,conCode,seg,train, depSta, arrSta from result where sessId = order by conCode,seg

Error: You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near 'order by conCode,seg' at line 2

Query failed: delete from result where sessId =

Error: You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near '' at line 1

Query failed: select * from choice where choiceId =

Error: You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near '' at line 1

Fatal error: Call to a member function fetch_array() on a non-object in /home/biketra1/public_html/common/mysqlI.php on line 87

This, along with the it works with FF but not IE and visa versa comments, suggests that the browser is set to NOT accept cookies. The only way that the server has of knowing it's you that made a request is by means of something called sessions, which stores a cookie on your computer. The first 3 error messages tell me that the session ID is missing.

If this turns out to solve these intermittent problems, the screen shot will have been a big help. Posts that merely say "It doesn't work" don't provide any clues. Simply copy and paste the error message into the form for posting to AU.

 

[jccpbc]

I haven't used Amsnag lately and was thankfully surprised to find the new features. This makes a useful resource even better. Thanks to those responsible.

 

[Phil S]

Problems again? On most browsers I get DNS lookup error (for amsnag.net).

 

[PRR 60]

Problems again? On most browsers I get DNS lookup error (for amsnag.net).

I go in through:

http://biketrain.net/

and use the link there to Amsnag. Works like a charm. To echo everyone here, what a great resource it is.

 

[Phil S]

This is weird. I can ping amsnag.net just fine but neither IE9, Firefox, nor Chrome will connect to it. Same for biketrain.net -- gremlins are out again tonight. I'll just try again tomorrow.

 

[Notelvis]

I generally use the link to Amsnag which is on the Carolina Association for Passenger Trains website. I was on Amsnag without issue just last night. Sadly, I couldn't find an affordable roomette for a trip I need to make in July. Looks like I'll just have to use Southwest Airlines on this one........ but at least with my AGR credit card I'll be banking points towards an overnight trip later this fall.

 

[Allypet]

I guess I have been useing Amsnag from an old link http://biketrain.net/fooonuAmtrak/amSnag.php it only shows what I think is a "build numner" of 242 440 19.7, (fetures like 'filter results" are missing). While the one from the bike train link above is 99456 165504 16.50. What I did not know is there is a fare watch. I think this is great. I just booked the AT for Oct for a college visit. I assuming that this is prime snowbrid season as the fares for southbound are all at a very high bucket. I am now using the price watch in the off chance that the buckets drop.

Thank you to the developer and the hoster! You guys are great!

 

[Jack]

Fatal error: Call to undefined function mysqli_connect() in /home/biketra1/public_html/common/mysqli.php on line 11

Rats! I was going to give it one last look before reserving ROC-SFW, SFW-MRC, MRC-ROC (Lakeshore Ltd. to Chicago, Calif. Zephyr to San Francisco, SF to Phoenix, and Texas Eagle to Shicago andd back home). But that's the message I've been getting all day, both IE and Firefox. I've tried some of the other suggested URLs above, but to no avail.

I'm reserving this trip for next spring (2014), so I don't suppose I'll miss out on my expected fares, but when I get in vacation mode, I gotta make sure I don't lose my good deals!.

If anybody has any suggestions (yup, already checked my cookies), I'd appreciate it. My first post on this site, so I'll now cross my fingers and click POST!

jack

 

[gmushial]

Mumble - still down. But was up as recently as last night.... hope it's back soon.

 

[Henry Kisor]

Still down, still returning error message as of 5 46 am ET Sept. 22.

 

[dlagrua]

Amsnag is probably not compatible with the new online Amtrak system for booking. IMO, it will take a IT programmer with exceptional credentials to be able to come up with something that can crack the new system. For some strange reason Amtrak doesn't want anyone to have the ability to check fares over time. The new system tends to hide all but the fare on the day that you are checking and you must toggle to the type of sleeping accommodation that you want to price..

If that's the way the game needs to be played I'll just pick a week and go through the process for each day. Since I don't have an unlimited money supply; I am going to need to find a suitable fare anyway.

 

[gmushial]

Amsnag is probably not compatible with the new online Amtrak system for booking. IMO, it will take a IT programmer with exceptional credentials to be able to come up with something that can crack the new system. For some strange reason Amtrak doesn't want anyone to have the ability to check fares over time. The new system tends to hide all but the fare on the day that you are checking and you must toggle to the type of sleeping accommodation that you want to price..

If that's the way the game needs to be played I'll just pick a week and go through the process for each day. Since I don't have an unlimited money supply; I am going to need to find a suitable fare anyway.

Did Amtrak really have an exposed DB API? If so, sounds like a huge exposure... but I'm wondering if that was the case (and yes, I could very well be wrong) - but given the time required to download the strings of days and the prices: my guess was that it was simply constructing fare requests, as if a html form, submitting them and capturing the results... if that's the case, then getting AmSnag working again will be a case of understanding the (new/different) variables being passed by the form back to the Amtrak web server... as I said: could very well be wrong. ... but yes, it would be very nice to have AmSnag back - it was an incredibly useful tool.

 

[guest]

[SIZE=14.399999618530273px] [/SIZE]my guess was that it was simply constructing fare requests, as if a html form, submitting them and capturing the results... if that's the case, then getting AmSnag working again will be a case of understanding the (new/different) variables being passed by the form back to the Amtrak web server...

I'm not a programmer but it makes sense to me that it functioned by accumulating individual user requests... so a new version might not yield the same categories of info, but still could be useful in selecting the best date to travel.

 

[Ryan]

No, amsnag is just screen scraping, and it worked for a while after the changeover.

 

[gmushial]

No, amsnag is just screen scraping, and it worked for a while after the changeover.

"screen scraping" - an expression I've not heard before... by such I assume you mean probably a Python script which is posting a form to the Amtrak site (with successive dates filled in), capturing the returned document, parsing it and collecting up the results?