# AmSnag



## PaulM (Aug 24, 2010)

I had some time on my hands, so I developed a website that retrieves coach and sleeping car fares for a given origin and destination and a range of up to 30 days. You will get all connections, So, for example, if you try CHI to LAX on a day the SL runs, you will get 5 connections with as many as 3 segments per connection.

I had fun testing it with several recent examples. I didn't know there were so many types of sold out: -- trains, other options, seats, rooms, and each type of room separately.

Try it out at https://creditcontrolservice.sslpowered.com/amSnag/


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## inspiration100 (Aug 24, 2010)

Nice, a web developer on here! I'm actually learning php right now. The site right now is just loading and loading, not getting an index to load here. I'm really excited to try it out.


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## jmbgeg (Aug 24, 2010)

Awesome. If you can do it, Amtrak should be able to add something like tghis to their site's functionality. Many thanks.


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## Exiled in Express (Aug 24, 2010)

Will put this to use in the near future. I ran a few test searches and I noticed that on some sleeper prices, what appears to be the low bucket, there is a "p" following the price. IS that the purpose of this flag or am I missing something?


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## hello (Aug 24, 2010)

What a great site ... easy to use, and so much information ... thank you!


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## PaulM (Aug 24, 2010)

Exiled in Express said:


> Will put this to use in the near future. I ran a few test searches and I noticed that on some sleeper prices, what appears to be the low bucket, there is a "p" following the price. IS that the purpose of this flag or am I missing something?


Thanks for reminding me. It's fixed.

The price comes from text that says for example "Add 389.10 per room". So I grabbed 7 characters after the "Add". If the price is less than $100, 7 characters includes the "p" from "per room".

None of the many samples, I tested had sleepers less than $100; most were sold out. I didn't think to try HMD to NOL next January.


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## rrdude (Aug 24, 2010)

PaulM said:


> I had some time on my hands, so I developed a website that retrieves coach and sleeping car fares for a given origin and destination and a range of up to 30 days. You will get all connections, So, for example, if you try CHI to LAX on a day the SL runs, you will get 5 connections with as many as 3 segments per connection.
> 
> I had fun testing it with several recent examples. I didn't know there were so many types of sold out: -- trains, other options, seats, rooms, and each type of room separately.
> 
> Try it out at https://creditcontro...red.com/amSnag/


Can't get it to work for Auto Train, is that because you have to enter a vehicle too?

That IS a great tool too, I hope Amtrak doesn't squish it like SWA did that little app that "automatically went to retrieve your boarding pass".........


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## PaulM (Aug 24, 2010)

rrdude said:


> Can't get it to work for Auto Train, is that because you have to enter a vehicle too?


The problem is the lack of an "Add to Cart" or "Sold out Train" image next to the coach price ($146 ). I'll look into it. I need to see what is going on here by looking at the underlying web page which looks something like this:



> <span class="price" id="addToCartPrice1">$146.00
> 
> <span id="1_estimatedPrice_span"> <a href="javascript:var child=window.open('http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/Satellite?SnippetName=IBLegacy&pagename=am/AM_Snippet_C/SnippetWrapper&ibsref=estimatedFare','ibsref','directories=0,dependent=1,menubar=0,top=20,left=20,width=680,height=600,scrollbars=1');child.focus();" CLASS="smallblue">estimated</a></span></span>
> 
> ...


Well anyway you get the picture.

By the way the error message was just a guess, since Amtrak's error messages don't seem to follow a pattern, at least one I could figure out. I now have more sympathy for error messages that lie.


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## Dovecote (Aug 24, 2010)

Good job Paul M! I am about to make Thanksgiving and Christmas reservations. This will sure make it a lot easier to findout the cheapest dates to travel.


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## Exiled in Express (Aug 24, 2010)

PaulM said:


> None of the many samples, I tested had sleepers less than $100; most were sold out. I didn't think to try HMD to NOL next January.


January is correct, CHI-MSP.  It is a great tool, thank you for putting your time into it.


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## Long Train Runnin' (Aug 24, 2010)

I mean this is really cool but does it not breach the amtrak websites terms of use?


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## sunchaser (Aug 25, 2010)

Paul, thank you for doing up that software!! It is great!! It sure makes it so much easier for me to find dates I want! Thanks again!


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## Steve4031 (Aug 25, 2010)

This is Awesome!!!! Works on the iPhone.


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## Rail Freak (Aug 25, 2010)

Thanx,very useful tool!


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## PaulM (Aug 25, 2010)

Long Train Runnin said:


> I mean this is really cool but does it not breach the amtrak websites terms of use?


You got me. One of my basic rules of life is that I never read fine print. Especially at my age, you have to save the old eye balls.


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## AKA (Aug 25, 2010)

WOW, thanks for your time and effort.


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## Edgefan (Aug 25, 2010)

PaulM said:


> I had some time on my hands, so I developed a website that retrieves coach and sleeping car fares for a given origin and destination and a range of up to 30 days. You will get all connections, So, for example, if you try CHI to LAX on a day the SL runs, you will get 5 connections with as many as 3 segments per connection.
> 
> I had fun testing it with several recent examples. I didn't know there were so many types of sold out: -- trains, other options, seats, rooms, and each type of room separately.
> 
> Try it out at https://creditcontrolservice.sslpowered.com/amSnag/


Wonderful! I think that you had more than "some" time on your hands! :lol: Great body of work. Tremendous timesaver for me. In a few keystrokes I get what would take me a half hour with numerous filled post-its to figure one leg in a future itinerary.  Great tool! Very Impressed!


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## guest (Aug 25, 2010)

Nice tool, but one glitch: It seems to think the Cardinal runs every day. (I wish).


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## PaulM (Aug 25, 2010)

rrdude said:


> Can't get it to work for Auto Train, is that because you have to enter a vehicle too?


Fixed!


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## uptheirons29 (Aug 26, 2010)

Holy cow...I just tried to put in my one way trip ( i already bought my return ticket from Kalamazoo to Anaheim) from LA to Grand Rapids, and the difference of roomette fare on the Southwest Chief on some dates near my planning time to leave is pretty big in some days. Awesome tool


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## PaulM (Aug 26, 2010)

guest said:


> Nice tool, but one glitch: It seems to think the Cardinal runs every day. (I wish).


Fixed!


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## hello (Aug 29, 2010)

PaulM, I used your site today before booking our tickets ... thank you!


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## Guest (Aug 29, 2010)

It would be nice if it could display a static low bucket/high bucket as a reference... (assuming you had the price chart)


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## PetalumaLoco (Aug 29, 2010)

I'm not getting good answers. On 5/1/11, #6 EMY to CHI, bedroom price is $985. Amsnag says $267, which happens to be the roomette price.

Also looking at 30 for the 5/3/11, also lists the roomette and bedroom prices as the same. The bedroom should be $427, it's $125 with amsnag.


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## Guest (Aug 29, 2010)

PetalumaLoco said:


> I'm not getting good answers. On 5/1/11, #6 EMY to CHI, bedroom price is $985. Amsnag says $267, which happens to be the roomette price.
> 
> Also looking at 30 for the 5/3/11, also lists the roomette and bedroom prices as the same. The bedroom should be $427, it's $125 with amsnag.


The prices have already gone up, they fluctuate rapidly on this train (and LD trains it seems with the increased popularity!)I get a bedroom price of over $1100 for this date.

Based on what Ive seen when the bedrooms are sold out, which is true on most days, the roomette price will be shown across the board on all offered rooms! I found this to be true on the Texas Eagle which I just booked for the Gathering, Im pretty sure it applies to all trains! Paul probably can answer this better than I but this is a fantastic tool, lots of work and we appreciate it!


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## PetalumaLoco (Aug 29, 2010)

Guest said:


> PetalumaLoco said:
> 
> 
> > I'm not getting good answers. On 5/1/11, #6 EMY to CHI, bedroom price is $985. Amsnag says $267, which happens to be the roomette price.
> ...


OK, I'm not understanding what you're saying, there are at least 8 bedrooms open on #6 for that date.


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## Guest (Aug 29, 2010)

:blush: Apologies, I used 5/11/11 as a date! I see now what you mean, the roomette and bedroom prices are shown as $267, if thios were true we would all book the bedroom over the roomette! The Family bedroom seems to be priced correctly! Paul will need to address this, I dont have a clue why this is! Sorry! :help:


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## PetalumaLoco (Aug 29, 2010)

Guest said:


> :blush: Apologies, I used 5/11/11 as a date! I see now what you mean, the roomette and bedroom prices are shown as $267, if thios were true we would all book the bedroom over the roomette! The Family bedroom seems to be priced correctly! Paul will need to address this, I dont have a clue why this is! Sorry! :help:


Okie doke! If it were a month earlier we could write it off to April Fools.


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## PaulM (Aug 29, 2010)

PetalumaLoco said:


> I'm not getting good answers. On 5/1/11, #6 EMY to CHI, bedroom price is $985. Amsnag says $267, which happens to be the roomette price.
> 
> Also looking at 30 for the 5/3/11, also lists the roomette and bedroom prices as the same. The bedroom should be $427, it's $125 with amsnag.


That ain't good. I notice that bedrooms now equal roomettes on all trains and all dates I tried.

I'll take a look at it. In the meantime I'm taking it down until I determine whether it is fixable or not. In the latter case I'll have to chalk it up to "What do you want for nothing, your money back?


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## PetalumaLoco (Aug 29, 2010)

PaulM said:


> PetalumaLoco said:
> 
> 
> > I'm not getting good answers. On 5/1/11, #6 EMY to CHI, bedroom price is $985. Amsnag says $267, which happens to be the roomette price.
> ...


OK. Really appreciate what you're doing, it's just so slick and a time saver!


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## Dovecote (Aug 29, 2010)

PetalumaLoco said:


> OK. Really appreciate what you're doing, it's just so slick and a time saver!


Ditto on the timesaver. I recently made a reservation for the Auto Train. Your program quickly posted the low bucket rate for a 10 day period I was looking for. Once I found the date showing the low bucket, I booked the reservation on the Amtrak website (and the prices matched as well). Thanks again for sharing this program to the Forum.


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## sunchaser (Aug 30, 2010)

It seems to be having an issue right now. I'm getting "The requested URL /amSnag/amSnag.php was not found on this server."


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## PetalumaLoco (Aug 30, 2010)

sunchaser said:


> It seems to be having an issue right now. I'm getting "The requested URL /amSnag/amSnag.php was not found on this server."


Check post #29, he pulled the program.


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## AlanB (Aug 30, 2010)

Guest said:


> I found this to be true on the Texas Eagle which I just booked for the Gathering,


Um, not to be a party pooper, but one needs to be a registered member in order to sign up for the Gathering, or you must be the guest of someone who is a member. Perhaps you do fall into one of those categories, but otherwise if you don't, then you should know that you will need to register in order to have access to pertinent info posted in a forum that is hidden to all but registered members who have indicated that they plan to attend the Gathering.

Without that info, you won't know what's going on or where to meet the group on certain days.

So if you're not already a member here, please hurry up and join!


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## PaulM (Aug 30, 2010)

PetalumaLoco said:


> sunchaser said:
> 
> 
> > It seems to be having an issue right now. I'm getting "The requested URL /amSnag/amSnag.php was not found on this server."
> ...


It's back up.


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## sunchaser (Aug 30, 2010)

PaulM said:


> PetalumaLoco said:
> 
> 
> > sunchaser said:
> ...


Thanks Paul. I didn't check time on the posts about you pulling it down before I put that last post. Too tired last night. :blink:


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## Guest (Aug 30, 2010)

PaulM said:


> I had some time on my hands, so I developed a website that retrieves coach and sleeping car fares for a given origin and destination and a range of up to 30 days. You will get all connections, So, for example, if you try CHI to LAX on a day the SL runs, you will get 5 connections with as many as 3 segments per connection.
> 
> I had fun testing it with several recent examples. I didn't know there were so many types of sold out: -- trains, other options, seats, rooms, and each type of room separately.
> 
> Try it out at https://creditcontrolservice.sslpowered.com/amSnag/


Inquiriry: When doing test bookings for the Texas Eagle from STL-FTW after The Gathering

on some days the Family Room and Bedrooms are shown as NA (not available), other days as SO

(Sold Out) and on other days have prices shown! How can a Superliner Sleeper not have a Family Room "available", does this mean that an employee is using it or some other non-revenue pax? I have seen OBS using the Family Room, have even been put there myself a couyple of times by cool SCAs when no-one was using it! Any ideas??


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## AlanB (Aug 30, 2010)

Guest said:


> Inquiriry: When doing test bookings for the Texas Eagle from STL-FTW after The Gathering
> 
> on some days the Family Room and Bedrooms are shown as NA (not available), other days as SO
> 
> (Sold Out) and on other days have prices shown! How can a Superliner Sleeper not have a Family Room "available", does this mean that an employee is using it or some other non-revenue pax? I have seen OBS using the Family Room, have even been put there myself a couyple of times by cool SCAs when no-one was using it! Any ideas??


Very simple.

On days that there is a run through sleeper to the Sunset, aka 421/422, the only sleeper for train #22 is the Trans/Dorm. Trans/Dorm's don't have family rooms. So the only family room would show up on train 421/422, but NA would be correct for 21/22.

On day with no run through sleeper, then train #21/22 gets the sleeper and a family room would appear either for sale or as sold out depending on conditions.


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## Guest (Aug 31, 2010)

For what thruway buses does this work? The San Francisco-EMY shuttles show up, so do construction substitute buses, but apparently the NY airports don't work.


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## PaulM (Aug 31, 2010)

Guest said:


> For what thruway buses does this work? The San Francisco-EMY shuttles show up, so do construction substitute buses, but apparently the NY airports don't work.


I'm guessing that NY airports are not served by Amtrak Thruway buses. If you put points A and B into Amtrak's fare finder, and buses show up, then they should show up in Amsnag as well.


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## AlanB (Aug 31, 2010)

Amtrak has no Thruway buses that serve NY airports. Amtrak does serve Newark Airport directly on the corridor via selected trains. But otherwise you have to deal with a private service to reach any other airports in the NY area.

Amtrak provides a phone number to a local service in the time table, but that's the extent of things. Amtrak doesn't sell tickets to those buses.


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## Guest (Sep 1, 2010)

AlanB said:


> Amtrak has no Thruway buses that serve NY airports. Amtrak does serve Newark Airport directly on the corridor via selected trains. But otherwise you have to deal with a private service to reach any other airports in the NY area.
> 
> Amtrak provides a phone number to a local service in the time table, but that's the extent of things. Amtrak doesn't sell tickets to those buses.


It seems to work now.


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## Eric S (Sep 1, 2010)

AlanB said:


> Amtrak has no Thruway buses that serve NY airports. Amtrak does serve Newark Airport directly on the corridor via selected trains. But otherwise you have to deal with a private service to reach any other airports in the NY area.
> 
> Amtrak provides a phone number to a local service in the time table, but that's the extent of things. Amtrak doesn't sell tickets to those buses.


Amtrak.com does seem to let you enter JFK Airport or LaGuardia Airport as destinations and will presumably sell tickets as well. Perhaps they actually are Amtrak Thruway connections.


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## PetalumaLoco (Sep 1, 2010)

Eric S said:


> AlanB said:
> 
> 
> > Amtrak has no Thruway buses that serve NY airports. Amtrak does serve Newark Airport directly on the corridor via selected trains. But otherwise you have to deal with a private service to reach any other airports in the NY area.
> ...


I swear my daughter flew into 1 of those airports and made an Amtrak connection.


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## jacorbett70 (Sep 30, 2010)

Check this out. Groundhog day is supposed to be in February but it is coming up on 11/7. I got it with three different city pairs.

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l76/jacorbett70/AmSnag11-7.jpg


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## PaulM (Sep 30, 2010)

jacorbett70 said:


> Check this out. Groundhog day is supposed to be in February but it is coming up on 11/7. I got it with three different city pairs.
> 
> http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l76/jacorbett70/AmSnag11-7.jpg


Thanks for the head up. I'll look into it. In the meantime if a date range includes 11/7 to 11/8, you will have to break it into two queries.


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## PaulM (Oct 1, 2010)

jacorbett70 said:


> Check this out. Groundhog day is supposed to be in February but it is coming up on 11/7. I got it with three different city pairs.
> 
> http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l76/jacorbett70/AmSnag11-7.jpg


Fixed. Transition from daylight savings time fouled up the date calculation.


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## Guest (Sep 18, 2011)

Will this page be up again any time soon? I tried to use it recently and it's just a "not found" page now.


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## RRrich (Sep 18, 2011)

Guest said:


> Will this page be up again any time soon? I tried to use it recently and it's just a "not found" page now.


worked fine for me at http://biketrain.netfirms.com/amsnag/amSnag.php


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