New timetable book out (sort of)

[Mystic River Dragon]

I picked up the new timetable (winter/spring, starts in January 2016) at TRE this morning. However, I was going to Philly and checked at PHL and they still have the old ones.

TRE getting something before PHL? What is the world coming to?

 

[Seaboard92]

I can't wait to pick up a copy of it. I have a feeling this topic is about to get blown out if proportion

 

[WoodyinNYC]

I have a feeling this topic is about to get blown out if proportion

Assuming that this printed version becomes the online version at Amtrak.com, does anyone want to join me in discussing its MANY flaws?

We could start like this:

On the home page at Amtrak.com, click on SCHEDULES. On that page, right at the top it reads, Acela Express -- see Northeast Corridor timetables.

But suppose I'm some sort of Acela snob, and all I want is info on Acelas, and damn the Regionals. Well, Amtrak does not offer that info.

Simply putting that entry, Acela Express -- see Northeast Corridor timetables, suggests that Amtrak knows some folks are interested exclusively in Acela schedules as such. But due to the shortage of costly pixels and limited cyberspace, Amtrak is unable to create a timetable page listing all Acela trains but only Acela trains.

So the would-be Acela buyer is condemned to sort thru 51 assorted southbound weekday trains out of NYP: Acelas, Regionals, Keystones, and, for good measure, the Carolinian, the Pennsylvanian, and the Vermonter.

Now seriously, why not allow the prospective customer to click on a link labeled Acelas and see the timetable for Acelas?

I could go on, but not now.

And to all a good night!

 

[Acela150]

I did see copies of the new National TT at PHL Last weekend. Very few at that.

I think part of the reason of no Acela only TT's is that on the Southbound end of things 6 of 16 trains start at NYP. The other 10 starting at BOS. 17 trains run North. 1 runs NYP-BOS, 7 run WAS-NYP, and 9 run WAS-BOS. It could be confusing to some. Not to mention that I would guess that many business trips are booked by company bosses not the employee. I would guess the boss says the meeting is at 10a, I'll put them on this train and have them come back on this one.

 

[AG1]

I have a feeling this topic is about to get blown out if proportion

Assuming that this printed version becomes the online version at Amtrak.com, does anyone want to join me in discussing its MANY flaws?

We could start like this:

On the home page at Amtrak.com, click on SCHEDULES. On that page, right at the top it reads, Acela Express -- see Northeast Corridor timetables.

But suppose I'm some sort of Acela snob, and all I want is info on Acelas, and damn the Regionals. Well, Amtrak does not offer that info.

Simply putting that entry, Acela Express -- see Northeast Corridor timetables, suggests that Amtrak knows some folks are interested exclusively in Acela schedules as such. But due to the shortage of costly pixels and limited cyberspace, Amtrak is unable to create a timetable page listing all Acela trains but only Acela trains.

So the would-be Acela buyer is condemned to sort thru 51 assorted southbound weekday trains out of NYP: Acelas, Regionals, Keystones, and, for good measure, the Carolinian, the Pennsylvanian, and the Vermonter.

Now seriously, why not allow the prospective customer to click on a link labeled Acelas and see the timetable for Acelas?

I could go on, but not now.

And to all a good night!

There is an option for Acelas only on the Amtrak HOME page using the FIND TRAINS click

 

[AmtrakBlue]

I have a feeling this topic is about to get blown out if proportion

Assuming that this printed version becomes the online version at Amtrak.com, does anyone want to join me in discussing its MANY flaws?
We could start like this:

On the home page at Amtrak.com, click on SCHEDULES. On that page, right at the top it reads, Acela Express -- see Northeast Corridor timetables.

But suppose I'm some sort of Acela snob, and all I want is info on Acelas, and damn the Regionals. Well, Amtrak does not offer that info.

Simply putting that entry, Acela Express -- see Northeast Corridor timetables, suggests that Amtrak knows some folks are interested exclusively in Acela schedules as such. But due to the shortage of costly pixels and limited cyberspace, Amtrak is unable to create a timetable page listing all Acela trains but only Acela trains.

So the would-be Acela buyer is condemned to sort thru 51 assorted southbound weekday trains out of NYP: Acelas, Regionals, Keystones, and, for good measure, the Carolinian, the Pennsylvanian, and the Vermonter.

Now seriously, why not allow the prospective customer to click on a link labeled Acelas and see the timetable for Acelas?

I could go on, but not now.

And to all a good night!

If you're an Acela snob, you know that Acela train #s are 4 digits and start with 2. Others are 2 or 3 digits (except specials which I think start with 4). So it's not that hard to find your Acelas on the TT's.
I'm a regional cheapo and skip the columns with the 2xxx trains.

 

[WoodyinNYC]

I have a feeling this topic is about to get blown out if proportion

Assuming that this printed version becomes the online version at Amtrak.com, does anyone want to join me in discussing its MANY flaws?

On the home page at Amtrak.com, click on SCHEDULES. On that page, right at the top it reads, Acela Express -- see Northeast Corridor timetables.

But suppose ... all I want is info on Acelas ... Well, Amtrak does not offer that info.

...
Now seriously, why not allow the prospective customer to click on a link labeled Acelas and see the timetable for Acelas?

There is an option for Acelas only on the Amtrak HOME page using the FIND TRAINS click

Thanks, RRRick, for the work-around advice.

But at the top of that page, left to right, it reads: DESTINATIONS EXPERIENCE SCHEDULES DEALS.

So why can't the user find a Schedule for the Acelas under SCHEDULES? Why should a user have to find another way to get a Schedule besides clicking on SCHEDULES? Why not offer a page separate from the 3 pages of Northeast Corridor Schedules listed far, far below? Wouldn't that be user-friendly at close to zero (0) cost? (I understand that in the old days, printing more separate Schedules was costly and wasteful, but we're talking a click's worth of on-line pixels now.)

Seems like nobody at Amtrak has looked at the on-line SCHEDULES with a fresh eye since the last century.

 

[WoodyinNYC]

I have a feeling this topic is about to get blown out if proportion

Assuming that this printed version becomes the online version at Amtrak.com, does anyone want to join me in discussing its MANY flaws?
On the home page at Amtrak.com, click on SCHEDULES. On that page, right at the top it reads, Acela Express -- see Northeast Corridor timetables.

But [if]... all I want is info on Acelas, ... Amtrak does not offer that info.

Now seriously, why not allow the prospective customer to click on a link labeled Acelas and see the timetable for Acelas?

...

Amtrak Blue said (lost in attempting to cut some of my words)

"If you're an Acela snob, you know that Acela train #s are 4 digits and start with 2. Others are 2 or 3 digits (except specials which I think start with 4). So it's not that hard to find your Acelas on the TT's.

"I'm a regional cheapo and skip the columns with the 2xxx trains. "

+++++++++++++++++++

Thanks again, Amtrak Blue. But this is more insider info for those already in the know. What about first-time users -- they can be Acela snobs without every having consulted the Northeast Regional timetable before. Why make things hard. Why not make it easy for a wanna-be buyer to look over all the offerings before making a decision. Why should anyone have to go thru consulting a Northeast Corridor timetable with 41 Southbound trains with info spread 12 columns wide. Why are you arguing that Amtrak need not bother with an added Acela-only schedule? What would that cost you? Adding an Acela timetable seems like a good project for the intern.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

I have a feeling this topic is about to get blown out if proportion

Assuming that this printed version becomes the online version at Amtrak.com, does anyone want to join me in discussing its MANY flaws?
On the home page at Amtrak.com, click on SCHEDULES. On that page, right at the top it reads, Acela Express -- see Northeast Corridor timetables.

But [if]... all I want is info on Acelas, ... Amtrak does not offer that info.

Now seriously, why not allow the prospective customer to click on a link labeled Acelas and see the timetable for Acelas?

...

Amtrak Blue said (lost in attempting to cut some of my words)
"If you're an Acela snob, you know that Acela train #s are 4 digits and start with 2. Others are 2 or 3 digits (except specials which I think start with 4). So it's not that hard to find your Acelas on the TT's.

"I'm a regional cheapo and skip the columns with the 2xxx trains. "

+++++++++++++++++++

Thanks again, Amtrak Blue. But this is more insider info for those already in the know. What about first-time users -- they can be Acela snobs without every having consulted the Northeast Regional timetable before. Why make things hard. Why not make it easy for a wanna-be buyer to look over all the offerings before making a decision. Why should anyone have to go thru consulting a Northeast Corridor timetable with 41 Southbound trains with info spread 12 columns wide. Why are you arguing that Amtrak need not bother with an added Acela-only schedule? What would that cost you? Adding an Acela timetable seems like a good project for the intern.

I was not arguing against having a separate TT.

 

[WoodyinNYC]

I have a feeling this topic is about to get blown out if proportion

Assuming that this printed version becomes the online version at Amtrak.com, does anyone want to join me in discussing its MANY flaws?
On the home page at Amtrak.com, click on SCHEDULES. On that page, right at the top it reads, Acela Express -- see Northeast Corridor timetables.

But [if]... all I want is info on Acelas, ... Amtrak does not offer that info.

Now seriously, why not allow the prospective customer to click on a link labeled Acelas and see the timetable for Acelas?

...

Amtrak Blue said (lost in attempting to cut some of my words)
"If you're an Acela snob, you know that Acela train #s are 4 digits and start with 2. Others are 2 or 3 digits (except specials which I think start with 4). So it's not that hard to find your Acelas on the TT's.

"I'm a regional cheapo and skip the columns with the 2xxx trains. "

+++++++++++++++++++

Thanks again, Amtrak Blue. But this is more insider info for those already in the know. What about first-time users -- they can be Acela snobs without every having consulted the Northeast Regional timetable before. Why make things hard. Why not make it easy for a wanna-be buyer to look over all the offerings before making a decision. Why should anyone have to go thru consulting a Northeast Corridor timetable with 51 Southbound trains with info spread 12 columns wide. Why are you arguing that Amtrak need not bother with an added Acela-only schedule? What would that cost you? Adding an Acela timetable seems like a good project for the intern.

I was not arguing against having a separate TT.

Well, OK!

And why not a page for Regionals only?

For the likes of us who are spending our own money, not tax-deductible expense accounts funds on Acela tickets ...

Just looking to find my way thru 51 different trains on a Timetable, when I know that I have no interest in about half of them.

Not saying that Amtrak couldn't keep the full 51-train Timetable for all, and I do mean ALL, trains NYC to D.C. But it wouldn't hurt to carve out a couple of specialized shorter simpler Timetables. I don't see any downside, not printing expenses, with dead trees and all that, so what could it cost?

And dare I say, if we weren't cramming 51 trains onto one page, but only say 20 or 25 Acelas or Regionals, a little white space between the stacked train names could make the thing more readable. On the old-fashioned printed on paper Timetables, it made sense to squeeze all the info into the smallest possible allotted space. But not now.

Maybe I don't want the intern handling the revisions, after all. I want a bifocals-wearing senior employee who often has to squint to read fine print. LOL.

 

[WoodyinNYC]

Wishing I could post images, like RRRick, LOL.

Maybe a link to start?

https://www.amtrak.com/ccurl/606/29/Northeast-Corridor-Schedule-W02-100515,0.pdf

Not an image, but click thru to see for yourself 51 trains on a Timetable.

Why not separate (if redundant) pages for Acelas ... and for Regionals?

 

[WoodyinNYC]

And how about this?

https://www.amtrak.com/ccurl/1005/750/Michigan-Services-Schedule-103115,0.pdf

Just look at the cover to start. In ALL CAPS it proclaims WOLVERINE SERVICE BLUE WATER and PERE MARQUETTE.

(I could do without that word SERVICE, and without the ALL CAPS. But whatever.)

My favorite part is midway down, the list of important stations served:

CHICAGO - KALAMAZOO - BATTLE CREEK

EAST LANSING - PORT HURON

JACKSON - DETROIT - PONTIAC

Those are all nice places, I'm sure. But not listed are two of the three busiest stations in Michigan!

C'mon, Ann Arbor is #1 in the state with 141,000, Kalamazoo is #2 with 119,000, and Dearborn #3 with 78,000 (2014 figures from NARP). Next are East Lansing #4 at 65,000, Detroit at #5 with 62,000. Then (leaving aside three Pere Marquette stations for Wolverine and Blue Water routes only) it's Battle Creek #6 with 46,000, Flint #7 with 35,000, Royal Oak #8 with 34,000, Port Huron #9 with 29,000, Jackson #10 with 27,000, Birmingham #11 with 23,000, Niles #12 with 20,000, and Pontiac #13 with 16,000.

How did #11 JACKSON land on the front of the Timetable but #1 ANN ARBOR and #3 DEARBORN aren't important enuff? Well, back in time, Jackson was a connecting point between north-south trains on one railroad and east-west trains on another line. Only the east-west line carries riders today. So apparently this timetable cover has not been updated since before Amtrak? (Well, I do like the nostalgic typefaces; reminds me of Disney movies from my childhood.)

Let's try again:

CHICAGO - KALAMAZOO - BATTLE CREEK

EAST LANSING - FLINT - PORT HURON

ANN ARBOR - DEARBORN - DETROIT - PONTIAC

It also works, and is easier to read, this way:

Chicago - Kalamazoo - Battle Creek

East Lansing - Flint - Port Huron

Ann Arbor - Dearborn - Detroit - Pontiac

Either way adds #1 ANN ARBOR and #3 DEARBORN to the Wolverines stations, and #7 FLINT, the second busiest station on the Blue Water route. (Sorry about dumping Jackson, but really.)

It's easy. Amtrak could fix this.

 

[WoodyinNYC]

Wasn't much enthusiasm for mu suggestions for updating the Timetables. But since this is a very very slow day for posting, I hope no one will mind if I whine about this one:

https://www.amtrak.com/ccurl/671/71/Sunset-Limited-Schedule-030815.pdf

The cover again. This annoys me:

[SIZE=10pt]NEW ORLEANS - HOUSTON [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]SAN ANTONIO - TUCSON [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]MARICOPA - LOS ANGELES [/SIZE]

Why not fix it to read:

[SIZE=10pt]NEW ORLEANS - LAFAYETTE - HOUSTON [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]SAN ANTONIO - EL PASO -[/SIZE][SIZE=10pt] TUCSON [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]MARICOPA (PHOENIX) - LOS ANGELES [/SIZE]

EL PASO is a big and fast growing city, with 14,000 passengers last year making it the 4th largest city between the end points (bigger than Maricopa/Phoenix). LAFAYETTE is the other busy station (Univ of Louisiana campus) not on the cover.

And putting PHOENIX on the cover could help almost everyone in the world who doesn't know that Maricopa means "sort-of Phoenix." LOL.

And why not put it Upper Case and lower case, which is easier to read:

New Orleans - Lafayette - Houston

San Antonio - El Paso - Tucson

Maricopa (Phoenix) - Los Angeles

 

[neroden]

I've emailed Amtrak more than once to suggest that the Northeast Corridor timetables in the main national schedule book be separated into "Weekday" and "Weekend" timetables. The current timetables are practically unreadable, because for any given day, half the trains listed are not running. I think there's only one train which runs at the same times on weekdays and weekends, and it's #66/67.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

I've emailed Amtrak more than once to suggest that the Northeast Corridor timetables in the main national schedule book be separated into "Weekday" and "Weekend" timetables. The current timetables are practically unreadable, because for any given day, half the trains listed are not running. I think there's only one train which runs at the same times on weekdays and weekends, and it's #66/67.

66 is daily but 67 is 65 on Fridays & Saturdays

 

[Philly Amtrak Fan]

Wishing I could post images, like RRRick, LOL.

Maybe a link to start?

https://www.amtrak.com/ccurl/606/29/Northeast-Corridor-Schedule-W02-100515,0.pdf

Not an image, but click thru to see for yourself 51 trains on a Timetable.

Why not separate (if redundant) pages for Acelas ... and for Regionals?

If there's two pages, why not put Acelas on one side and NE Regionals on the other side? Then you can have northbound and southbound of the same type on the same side so you don't have to flip back and forth?

 

[niemi24s]

If there's two pages, why not put Acelas on one side and NE Regionals on the other side?

Sounds like that might be a pretty good idea. However, I don't think any of us here are involved with Amtrak timetable publishing. Have you made your suggestion known to Amtrak?

 

[Ryan]

I think that the number of people that actually use timetables to plan travel (especially in the NEC) is greatly outnumbered by the number of people with suggestions for making the timetables better

 

[willem]

I can't wait to pick up a copy of it. I have a feeling this topic is about to get blown out of proportion.

If not out of proportion, at least far-ranging.

For what it's worth, New York Penn ClubAcela had the old timetable on display and available yesterday, and Chicago Metropolitan Lounge and Customer Service counter had the new timetables today.

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

I think that the number of people that actually use timetables to plan travel (especially in the NEC) is greatly outnumbered by the number of people with suggestions for making the timetables better

Well, I'm one who likes the printed timetable and having all my choices, especially for the NEC, on one page. I can sit in an armchair and review everything at once instead of having to pop back and forth all over the computer screen. Then, of course, it is convenient to check prices and book it online, but I like having the option of looking at the book first.

I can see the Acelas having their own page, as well as being listed on the main NEC pages with all the other trains. I would skip that page myself (not going to pay Acela prices), but I can see that others might find it convenient. Besides, they do that for the lowly (but my favorite train! ) Keystone, so it's certainly an option.

 

[HARHBG]

The vast majority of people who ride the Acela's have secretaries who do it all for them.

 

[neroden]

The timetable is an incredibly useful planning tool. Makes it easy to work out all possible scenarios, when you have a fair amount of flexibility.

For this purpose, the separate "weekday" and "weekend" schedules are way more useful than the way it's printed in the national timetable, because generally what I'm doing is saying "So suppose I leave New York on Thursday, what times could I get into DC?..." in an attempt to stuff extra activities into my day either in the morning or in the evening.

 

[WoodyinNYC]

The vast majority of people who ride the Acela's have secretaries who do it all for them.

Meaning what? Their secretaries would be inconvenienced if the Timetables were simplified?

What about people who are not in the majority? In the US, those who ride trains at all are NOT part of the vast majority. And some large number who ride Amtrak, do so rarely. But never mind them (us)?

Who would be hurt if Timetables were simplified? And how exactly?

Or are you saying that human beings don't like change? LOL. I'll give you that.

 

[Ryan]

The vast majority of people who ride the Acela's have secretaries who do it all for them.

Almost certainly untrue.

And irrelevant, since those that do have secretaries booking for them use the website like the rest of us.

 

[west point]

Quite a few changes but none significant. Approximately or same departure times. Arrivals same as well. There is some tweaking. Vermonter had some tightening. Most other trains only a few minutes better and a very few several minutes longer. some medium changes WASH - RVR but end points same..

There is a major change of the BOS - Albany times being tightened Trains 448 / 449