Amtrak changes website look

[acelafan]

Anyone find the fall system-wide timetable on the site? I can't find it. The old link doesn't work of course.

I've asked for the system-wide PDF timetable, what was the old link?

I could look it up, but being that it doesn't work, what is the point?

Depending on how it's set up you can sometimes reverse-engineer the latest URL.

 

[Murjax]

I think they removed the publications page that allowed you to order a free system timetable.

 

[Tony]

Works fine for me in IE7, Firefox 3.5.3 and Safari 4.x.x.

For me, all that really matters is if it works on my pc or not. That's the bottom line.

I had no problems with the old website, even with IE8.

Now, the new website doesn't work. And nothing changed on my end.

I really love these companies which feel a compelling need to fancy up their websites; take something that works, and create out of it something that is broken. What a way to run a railroad.

 

[Neil_M]

Wow, Amtrak new website really sucks! :angry:
It doesn't work!

I can enter (type) text into the "From" box, and the "To" box. but I cannot enter anything into the "Departs" box! It has today's date, and I can't change it. If I click on the calendar icon, nothing happens. However, the "Time" pull down works.

What do I do, if I don't want to travel today? :huh:

Doesn't Amtrak bother to test this first? If anyone is interested, I am running IE8.

Boy this really sucks. The old website didn't look as pretty, but it worked.

Sometimes altering the size of your font, making it smaller, works wonders with that type of entry box. Try it, it might work for you.

I use Safari and I had to drop down a font size or two to get the calender to work.

 

[Ryan]

Works fine for me in IE7, Firefox 3.5.3 and Safari 4.x.x.

For me, all that really matters is if it works on my pc or not. That's the bottom line.

I had no problems with the old website, even with IE8.

Now, the new website doesn't work. And nothing changed on my end.

I really love these companies which feel a compelling need to fancy up their websites; take something that works, and create out of it something that is broken. What a way to run a railroad.

It's absolutely impossible to test a website for every possible combination of browsers, operating systems, plugins and settings. It's not the website that's broken, it's the combination of website+your particular setup, which proves nothing.

Sorry to be so blunt, but you've really struck a nerve here - I'm a voluntary beta tester for a consumer electronics company, and spend lots of time using preproduction hardware and software. They have a fantastic staff that responds to issues and it's quite rewarding to see a product progress from very beta to ready for the market. However after launch, it's extraordinarily depressing to hear people like you complain about how poorly tested and implemented it is due to some obscure bug that only manifests itself in rare situations.

 

[Rumpled]

Date entry problems earlier today might have been due to the overall reservations problem.

Earlier I couldn't change the date, now I can.

Might want to go back and retry.

Hokinav

I feel you are partially correct. Can plan for every single combination, but they'd better get the vast majority of them correct.

Did you look at my screenshot?

I'm using IE 7.o on a 19" monitor and they have graphics covering their tabs - inexcusable!

 

[Ryan]

T'was fine on my work machine running IE7 (and all the other browsers I listed above) - personally, I think that IE (like damn near every other bit of software that Redmond turns out) is buggy as hell, but that's my own personal bias.

Further complicating the discussion is the fact that we're not talking about a static item here. Even on your computer it could be different from the time that you took the screenshot to the time that I looked at it, and fixing one bug that we didn't see could cause the bug that you observed.

 

[cpamtfan]

The system timetable is not on their website. They also have stopped downloading it down onto the pdf because it was just a big download that noone could easily print. If you need a schedule or something, your only option will be to use the seperate ones.

What I have noticed is that the pdfs aren't really fully loaded onto their website, and although that doesn't ruin it, it makes it a little longer.

I have not had too many bugs with the new site, and thats a big surprise since my computer (ala Vista ) is crappy.

 

[cpamtfan]

I think they removed the publications page that allowed you to order a free system timetable.

Yeah, I was wondering where that was, too. They still have a partial one on the Great American Stations website, but those haven't been updated yet(they have many a gap to fill). I'll write something to Amtrak and see if I can get an answer.

 

[cpamtfan]

I also noticed new route guides, but their bigger than the old ones with up to nine pages(ink costs alot now, so 9 pages is substantial!)!

I also noticed that they didn't update the CONO or TE menus, which have already been changed. And in the CCC vertual tour, there used to be the "all-day" menu, but that link is broken.

Amtrak should just try to fix the problems, but people could also help by emailed them directly.

 

[PaulM]

I thought we were supposed to see all the choices - even obscure ones for you know who? I did a test booking for KIN-PDX in January.
When I left the time as "anytime", I get just 2 choices:

1. KIN-BBY-ALB-CHI-PDX (on 27)
   
2. KIN-NYP-CHI-PDX (on the LSL and 27)
   

Before, I also got a choice of going via SEA on #7 and coming down on a Cascades.

When I change to "afternoon", I get the above 2 choices plus:

1. KIN-WAS-CHI-LAX-PDX (via the Cardinal, SWC and CS )
   
2. KIN-WAS-CHI-SAC-PDX (via the Cardinal, CZ and CS )
   

However, at no time did I get a choice that included the CL!

It's pretty obvious that they didn't tamper with the formula for arriving at the possible routes between A and B.

 

[PaulM]

Doesn't Amtrak bother to test this first? If anyone is interested, I am running IE8.
Boy this really sucks. The old website didn't look as pretty, but it worked.

I don't worry so much about the bugs because they will be fixed. I'm more disappointed that many of the design flaws haven't been addressed.

 

[Trainmans daughter]

So you can't order publications anymore? I will miss the Timetables, Vacations, and America publications.

Also, I entered a trial trip from SAC to DC, and wasn't permitted to upgrade to a family bedroom on both trains. I could either upgrade on the CZ or the CL. but not both. Anyone else have this problem, or is it just me? Maybe I'll try again tomorrow when I'm sober. (Just kidding, sort of).

 

[Long Train Runnin']

Maybe I'm wrong (it happens :lol: ) but on the old site you could only book 10 months in advance right? The new site lets you book 11 months out. I could have sworn it was 10 before.

Thanks

 

[Ryan]

No, it was 11.

 

[Guest]

Works fine for me in IE7, Firefox 3.5.3 and Safari 4.x.x.

Just to clarify, you have no problems at all manually typing a date into the Departs text box?

 

[Ryan]

Works fine for me in IE7, Firefox 3.5.3 and Safari 4.x.x.

Just to clarify, you have no problems at all manually typing a date into the Departs text box?

No, when I click it the calendar opens up.

 

[MrFSS]

Works fine for me in IE7, Firefox 3.5.3 and Safari 4.x.x.

Just to clarify, you have no problems at all manually typing a date into the Departs text box?

No, when I click it the calendar opens up.

Isn't that what is supposed to happen? Pick a date from the calendar and you don't have to type it in.

 

[Ispolkom]

Works fine for me in IE7, Firefox 3.5.3 and Safari 4.x.x.

Just to clarify, you have no problems at all manually typing a date into the Departs text box?

No, when I click it the calendar opens up.

Isn't that what is supposed to happen? Pick a date from the calendar and you don't have to type it in.

Another way to put it is that you can't type it in. That means that if you're booking a sleeper 11 months out you have to click the arrow key 10 times and then click on the date, rather than just enter the date. I understand what they've done, but it's not an improvement to me.

 

[MrFSS]

Works fine for me in IE7, Firefox 3.5.3 and Safari 4.x.x.

Just to clarify, you have no problems at all manually typing a date into the Departs text box?

No, when I click it the calendar opens up.

Isn't that what is supposed to happen? Pick a date from the calendar and you don't have to type it in.

Another way to put it is that you can't type it in. That means that if you're booking a sleeper 11 months out you have to click the arrow key 10 times and then click on the date, rather than just enter the date. I understand what they've done, but it's not an improvement to me.

I see what you are saying. I had never tried to type a date in and have always used the calendar.

 

[Ryan]

I can see where both would be usable, but Tony's complaint (as I understood it) was that the calendar wasn't coming up, making the website completely unusable to book travel for a day other than today. That certainly isn't the behavior that anyone else has reported seeing.

 

[printman2000]

I also do not see anything about how many rooms are left. Anyone lead me to it?

 

[PetalumaLoco]

I also do not see anything about how many rooms are left. Anyone lead me to it?

Book 1-8 pax on the CZ, EMY to CHI on 11/2/09. Pick Family Bedroom or Bedroom; "Hurry, only 2 rooms left" appears in the heading above that train, to the right of "estimated".

Dennis

 

[Guest]

I also do not see anything about how many rooms are left. Anyone lead me to it?

While booking an upcoming trip when it was time to put in Buy Rooms, a "Only2 rooms left @ this price message" appeared when I entered the

number of rooms to match the number of passengers, however you still cant find out which rooms are available @ this price, they are still assigned by random choice on the computer, an agent has to be contacted to change your assigned room> Not too much of an improvement here IMHO but a work in Progress, do like the graphics and other features! Surely improvements and bugs out will come! :unsure:

 

[the_traveler]

Works fine for me in IE7, Firefox 3.5.3 and Safari 4.x.x.

Just to clarify, you have no problems at all manually typing a date into the Departs text box?

No, when I click it the calendar opens up.

Isn't that what is supposed to happen? Pick a date from the calendar and you don't have to type it in.

Another way to put it is that you can't type it in. That means that if you're booking a sleeper 11 months out you have to click the arrow key 10 times and then click on the date, rather than just enter the date. I understand what they've done, but it's not an improvement to me.

I see what you are saying. I had never tried to type a date in and have always used the calendar.

Before, if you wanted July 14, you could chose "July" on the drop down list, and "14" on the drop down list. Now you have to advance the calendar over and over until you get to July. It wouldn't be a problem for tomorrow or next week, but it's a lot of clicking for a date 7 or 9 months out!