Acela150
Super Buff
When is the Fall/Winter schedule change??
Fall Schedule Changes
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cpamtfan
OBS Chief
More than likely October 25th or so.
Agreed, Nov 8 is the date that I heard.
had8ley
Engineer
Great find...too bad Amtrak got away from the RR's 100 plus year habit of putting out new TT's at the change of time(Daylight to Standard and vice-versa)..it's more of a guessing game now unless you book into the future time period and the computer has the new times!
If one knows the trick, one can often find the new schedules on Amtrak's website 3 to 4 weeks prior to the effective date. The printed timetables generally start showing up about 2 weeks or so before the effective date.
Amtrak generally doesn't make a huge fanfare about the new TT's though.
Amtrak generally doesn't make a huge fanfare about the new TT's though.
JAChooChoo
Service Attendant
November 7,200 am is time change!
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Speaking of timetables, I am wondering how much longer will Amtrak distribute timetables. In this age of more and more people carrying smartphones and other communications devices, I would guess pretty soon you will have to go 'online' to get schedule information.
Airlines have ceased putting them out long ago, although in their case they change their schedules much more frequently than Amtrak. Even Greyhound stopped the practice.
I suppose that if Amtrak can carry enough advertising in timetables to pay the costs to produce them, they may continue.
Probably only railfans or collectors would lament their loss.
Airlines have ceased putting them out long ago, although in their case they change their schedules much more frequently than Amtrak. Even Greyhound stopped the practice.
I suppose that if Amtrak can carry enough advertising in timetables to pay the costs to produce them, they may continue.
Probably only railfans or collectors would lament their loss.
cpamtfan
OBS Chief
Alot of people don't have computers, smart phones, etc so schedules should be around for quite a while.
Acela150
Super Buff
How can one do this Alan?
ButFli
Train Attendant
What about the Amish who seem to like Amtrak? Pretty sure they don't own the internet or smartphones.
DaveKCMO
Service Attendant
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timetables should be printed for unstaffed stations without quiktrak machines. other than that, a printed timetable should be available by request only. printing is expensive and wasteful. amtrak would be better off using that money for more advertising or improved station signage.
lthanlon
OBS Chief
Schedules, route guides and timetables are constantly in demand at the Amtrak display near the Metra tracks at Chicago's Ogilvie Transportation Center. The display seems to be refreshed at least two or three times a month.
While fans and collector's (including myself), enjoy sitting down with a system timetable, I'll have agree that they are expensive. And when a schedule has to be changed in between issues, it is too costly to produce entirely new ones.
Perhaps Amtrak could do what Greyhound does....on request they will provide a customer with a printout of the schedules between the stations of interest to that customer.
That is right up to date, and inexpensive to produce.
And not to say, much easier for the novice traveler to read than trying to find schedules in a thick booklet.
Perhaps Amtrak could do what Greyhound does....on request they will provide a customer with a printout of the schedules between the stations of interest to that customer.
That is right up to date, and inexpensive to produce.
And not to say, much easier for the novice traveler to read than trying to find schedules in a thick booklet.
zepherdude
OBS Chief
Wow! I thought I was the only one to sit down and browse the Amtrak Timetable! Its great light reading and relaxing, always thought I was a little weird! Actually, given the interest that we all have, the cost is nothing compared to the PR Amtrak receives! If they stopped printing, I would have to find something new to read, like the newspaper!
In favor of printed timetables. They're handy to have, very convenient to check schedules without having to call Amtrak, get to a computer (not handy for most of us while en route), or wait in line for a computer print-out.
Laptop computers are expensive and bulky to carry around, and cell phone coverage isn't available everywhere en route. and not everyone can afford expensive cellphones/smartphones to view the Amtrak website.
Laptop computers are expensive and bulky to carry around, and cell phone coverage isn't available everywhere en route. and not everyone can afford expensive cellphones/smartphones to view the Amtrak website.
Nickrapak
Service Attendant
I think that the only reason the national timetable is being printed anymore is due to the sponsorship, as the single route timetables are more convenient and cheaper to produce. That being said, I do not think Amtrak will ever cease printing paper timetables, they will just be printed in smaller numbers, and go from being set out at the ticket counter to being available on request from a ticket agent (if the station is staffed).
I expected Amtrak timetables will go away in 30-50 years when those of us who grew up before computers enjoying timetable are gone. The young computer savy people today seem to want less hard copy because they can get the information electronically when they need it.
had8ley
Engineer
This is one category I'd have to give Amtrak an A plus. If one reads the first Amtrak TT's there was little,or no,advertising. I would imagine that the TT is self supporting, if not a revenue enhancer, with all the paid advertising. I think that Amtrak would be wise to continue in this direction.
had8ley
Engineer
Very true Choo, Choo but if you look at Amtrak TT's they are not dated (Spring/Summer, Fall/Winter) as were pre-Amtrak TT's. This change of time date is just a coincidence as I promise you that some Amtrak TT's have missed the mark (change of time)by a month or more.Maybe Rafi has more info on TT release dates?
DaveKCMO
Service Attendant
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i would never assume that the sparse advertising covers the cost of production, let alone bringing in additional revenue. one only needs to look at the airlines for proof that printed schedules are no money maker. this also applies to paper tickets. both will be gone very soon.
most laymen can't make sense of a train timetable **on first glance** anyway, so i don't believe it's effective advertising for new riders (unlike, say, the amtrak vacations booklet).
as for those who've commented about "expensive smartphones", amtrak's website can be used on every phone that can access the internet. this technology is called WAP... no fancy hardware or special software required. try it
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