fixj
Service Attendant
I keep getting "unknown error" message.
Probably has to do with Amtrak’s new website.I keep getting "unknown error" message.
I'm sure you are right. I'm not going to bother looking at it until things settle down.Probably has to do with Amtrak’s new website.I keep getting "unknown error" message.
Excellent post.Has anyone spotted any improvements in the website, like being able to view all reservations, regardless of the source? I don't consider changes in fonts and moving buttons around to be an improvement. Whenever someone wonders why you can't do something obvious with the website, it always comes back to the age of the system and the lack of funds to make the necessary improvements. So why waste money rearranging the deck chairs?
It's the trains themselves that look like they were last updated in the 1990's, not the website.I mean, to some extent Amtrak wants to keep a fresh image to try and look modern to those who may be considering the train but haven't yet.
Amtrak's website may compete favorably with Greyhound but it's a poor knock off compared to contemporary airline websites. Not in the way it looks but in the manner of its core abilities and functional limitations. Legacy airlines suffer outdated infrastructure from the same era as ARROW so I'm not sure why they can manage to add new functionality while Amtrak simply moves the same features around over and over again.There's certainly a lot of limitations on the back-end, but if Amtrak can hide them to some extent with a flashy website, people may find them to be modern even if the back-end isn't.
Where I live sleeper compartments typically run $500+ overnight, which is Park Hyatt/Four Seasons/Ritz-Carlton money being spent on a tiny fiberglass compartment with stained carpets. The least they can do is make choosing and changing the the location of that room as simple and easy as possible. Calling works until there's a misunderstanding or major delay or accident or weather event somewhere on the network. At which point the phone lines are basically useless. It's silly that basic selections from a knowable list of options saved in a computer system still requires humans on both ends.I will say, personally, that I've had decent luck booking things online as long as I don't need to apply any AGR coupons and I don't care about what sleeping compartment I'm in.
Hear, hear!I don't consider changes in fonts and moving buttons around to be an improvement.
My point is more "how many people actually care what room they're in, since Amtrak can't guarantee a side of the train anyways?" It's popular on this forum, but I'm not convinced most Amtrak passengers care (beyond maybe upper/lower level, which frankly should be available online but isn't.) If Amtrak could actually guarantee a side, then the demand would be higher to select the roomette. However, until then I think most people simply don't care enough about what room they're in to worry about it - I honestly usually don't because it's not a big deal to me.Where I live sleeper compartments typically run $500+ overnight, which is Park Hyatt/Four Seasons/Ritz-Carlton money being spent on a tiny fiberglass compartment with stained carpets. The least they can do is make choosing and changing the the location of that room as simple and easy as possible. Calling works until there's a misunderstanding or major delay or accident or weather event somewhere on the network. At which point the phone lines are basically useless. It's silly that basic selections from a knowable list of options saved in a computer system still requires humans on both ends.I will say, personally, that I've had decent luck booking things online as long as I don't need to apply any AGR coupons and I don't care about what sleeping compartment I'm in.
One of the most popular questions on AU is which room/level/side is best for a given train. Just because Amtrak isn't listening doesn't mean people don't care. Meanwhile I can't think of even one single person who was suggesting Amtrak.com should be remade into a Pinterest knockoff. Like I said above, US airlines have been enhancing their core website functionality to the point that it's really rare that I need to talk to anyone anymore. That's a benefit to me and to them since I no longer have a reason to tie up their call center resources with simple tasks a computer can handle. Instead I leave those phone lines open for people who struggle to make these changes online and need someone to hold their hand through the process. Everybody wins.My point is more "how many people actually care what room they're in, since Amtrak can't guarantee a side of the train anyways?" It's popular on this forum, but I'm not convinced most Amtrak passengers care (beyond maybe upper/lower level, which frankly should be available online but isn't.) If Amtrak could actually guarantee a side, then the demand would be higher to select the roomette. However, until then I think most people simply don't care enough about what room they're in to worry about it - I honestly usually don't because it's not a big deal to me.Where I live sleeper compartments typically run $500+ overnight, which is Park Hyatt/Four Seasons/Ritz-Carlton money being spent on a tiny fiberglass compartment with stained carpets. The least they can do is make choosing and changing the the location of that room as simple and easy as possible. Calling works until there's a misunderstanding or major delay or accident or weather event somewhere on the network. At which point the phone lines are basically useless. It's silly that basic selections from a knowable list of options saved in a computer system still requires humans on both ends.I will say, personally, that I've had decent luck booking things online as long as I don't need to apply any AGR coupons and I don't care about what sleeping compartment I'm in.
My point is more "how many people actually care what room they're in, since Amtrak can't guarantee a side of the train anyways?"
It's not that all the other features are not available; but that the reservation output has an entirely different format.We are currently experiencing an issue which is preventing us from providing all the features of Amtrak.com. It is only possible to make one-way and round-trip reservations or check Train Status. For more assistance, please download the Amtrak app or call 1-800-USA-RAIL (1-800-872-7245).
I'd make it a very long smoke break; like say, after a carton or so has been consumed. :mellow:Amsnag is down again. Perhaps this is the cause
It's not that all the other features are not available; but that the reservation output has an entirely different format.We are currently experiencing an issue which is preventing us from providing all the features of Amtrak.com. It is only possible to make one-way and round-trip reservations or check Train Status. For more assistance, please download the Amtrak app or call 1-800-USA-RAIL (1-800-872-7245).
I think I'll take a smoke break and come back when Amtrak has its act together.
It may be a thankless job, but Amsnag is worth a lot IMO.It's back up again for what it's worth.
+1It may be a thankless job, but Amsnag is worth a lot IMO.It's back up again for what it's worth.
As long as the original URL still retrieves the data, there is hope. If Amtrak changed the URL or removed the site, there is no hope. I never understood why Amtrak maintained the old version.Any prognosis for the original version?
I forget what the advantages of Version 1 are.I've no idea whether or not Amtrak has changed its URL, but I get an "Under Construction" notice when using this URL for the original Version 1 of AmSnag: http://biketrain.net/amsnag/amSnag.php
Am I doing something wrong, or is there no hope for Version 1?
I preferred the results table in V1 where each segment was on one line instead of a line for each accommodation type on that segment. It made for easier comparisons for different days.I forget what the advantages of Version 1 are.I've no idea whether or not Amtrak has changed its URL, but I get an "Under Construction" notice when using this URL for the original Version 1 of AmSnag: http://biketrain.net/amsnag/amSnag.php
Am I doing something wrong, or is there no hope for Version 1?
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