Amtrak's Timetables Now Showing the Days of the Week They Operate

[TinCan782]

https://www.amtrak.com/train-schedules-timetables

 

[jiml]

Those portray a scary suggestion of longevity.

 

[brianpmcdonnell17]

Those portray a scary suggestion of longevity.

Especially considering that no updated schedules have been provided for the corridor and state-supported trains.

I also noticed that the update was somewhat sloppy, with connections being listed that are no longer possible as well as the schedule not being updated for Silver Service stops within Florida.

 

[Lonestar648]

I tried to check scheduling departing on a valid date, but kept getting invalid date, then said error, reboot my browser. I was trying to go AUS to WAS which should have worked going. On line is just too hard to work with. Wanted to get my friend to visit who will not fly, but if this difficult to schedule wouldn’t want her to have a problem.

 

[niemi24s]

Try departing Austin on a Friday. Worked OK for me.

But I see two discrepancies in the Northbound TE timetable:
• Arrow shows it departing LAX on We, Fr & Su as opposed to the previously announced Tu, Fr & Su
• The new timetable shows it departing AUS at 9:31am on Tu, Fr & Su and arriving CHI at 1:52pm on those same days. That's 280mph!!

 

[sttom]

I don't see the run days being put on the schedule being that big of a deal. Some people are not going to use the internet for whatever reason. It would more than likely anger more of the public to not have the run days than to have them.

 

[brianpmcdonnell17]

I don't see the run days being put on the schedule being that big of a deal. Some people are not going to use the internet for whatever reason. It would more than likely anger more of the public to not have the run days than to have them.

Yeah, I think in general it's a good thing that the run days are easier to find. It's just somewhat concerning that the schedules were posted so quickly whereas other trains that have had consistent reduced service since March have not. There's also no mention of them being temporary schedules.

 

[sttom]

Yeah, I think in general it's a good thing that the run days are easier to find. It's just somewhat concerning that the schedules were posted so quickly whereas other trains that have had consistent reduced service since March have not. There's also no mention of them being temporary schedules.

Other than the run days, did the schedules even change? Updating an InDesign file with run days would take maybe an hour for all the long distance trains. It would take much longer for other departments to sign off on the changes. Not sure why they wouldn't for the other services, unless the states have something to do with it. Which wouldn't surprise me since some have modified schedules and some don't.

 

[brianpmcdonnell17]

Other than the run days, did the schedules even change? Updating an InDesign file with run days would take maybe an hour for all the long distance trains. It would take much longer for other departments to sign off on the changes. Not sure why they wouldn't for the other services, unless the states have something to do with it. Which wouldn't surprise me since some have modified schedules and some don't.

For most state-supported services, it would just be a matter of deleting columns, since most of the trains still operating remain on their original schedules. The states may have some input, but I can't imagine why virtually every state with state-supported services which oppose providing accurate schedules. The pdf NEC schedules have also not been modified, and that is certainly within Amtrak's control.

 

[sttom]

For most state-supported services, it would just be a matter of deleting columns, since most of the trains still operating remain on their original schedules. The states may have some input, but I can't imagine why virtually every state with state-supported services which oppose providing accurate schedules. The pdf NEC schedules have also not been modified, and that is certainly within Amtrak's control.

Come to think of it, I wouldn't be shocked if the first thought of Amtrak's management back in April was "furlough the marketing staff" and whatever person that has updated the schedules is just some random person who doesn't normally work on it.

 

[caravanman]

Just for fun, I tried booking a test trip from New York to Sacramento this November. Today, the website offers these options:

Mon: No service available
Tues: No Service available
Wed: 1 option offered: Lakeshore- Empire Builder (to Portland)- Coast Starlight arriving SAC 6.15am Sunday morning.
Thurs: No service available
Fri: Multiple service options
Sat: No service available
Sun: Multiple service options.

While I understand that not everyone wants to travel NYP to SAC, it is currently a pretty poor incentive to first time users to board a train in America!
There may be more options if we know to break our journey overnight in Chicago for example, but will the average newbie just see the "no service available" and walk away?

 

[niemi24s]

There's also a discrepancy in the Northbound Crescent:
• Arrow and the new timetable shows it departing NOL on Tu, Th & Su
• The previous 3X "schedule" showed it departing NOL on Mo, Th & Sa

 

[brianpmcdonnell17]

There's also a discrepancy in the Northbound Crescent:
• Arrow and the new timetable shows it departing NOL on Tu, Th & Su
• The previous 3X "schedule" showed it departing NOL on Mo, Th & Sa

Since the reduced schedule started I took the northbound out of Atlanta on a Tuesday, so it appears the new timetable and Arrow are accurate (which is what I would have expected anyway).

 

[niemi24s]

I recall using the previously published 3X schedule for the Crescent (both ways) in a search for missing Roomette and Bedroom buckets. The search was done a few weeks ago using Arrow, covered the period of early October out to mid-January, 2021 and I recall getting positive booking results using the old 3X schedule of the Northbound Crescent for NOL departures on Th, Sa & Mo. Here are both the original 3X Crescent schedule and the new timetable showing changes in two of the three departure days from NOL.

If all that is true (and I'm not mistaken) there may be a few travelers who actually booked a Crescent trip departing on a day that is no longer valid. What a thrill it must be to have planned and booked a trip after navigating the initial 3X schedule only to be told by Amtrak that you can't depart on the day and must now start planning all over again!

But maybe I'm wrong about all this? I kinda hope so!

BTW, just noticed Arrow now displays this...

...if you try booking on an invalid departure date.

 

[flitcraft]

BTW, my sad emoji was that Amtrak has made it so difficult to travel LD trains that only the hardiest of train aficionados are likely to do so. Your post, niemi2s, was extremely useful, and I thank you for it.

 

[niemi24s]

Since the reduced schedule started I took the northbound out of Atlanta on a Tuesday, so it appears the new timetable and Arrow are accurate (which is what I would have expected anyway).

Do you recall the date when you obtained your booking/ticket?

 

[brianpmcdonnell17]

Do you recall the date when you obtained your booking/ticket?

It was the train that New Orleans October 13th; I bought the tickets on October 4th but I remember searching and seeing the current schedule about a week before that when planning the trip.

 

[niemi24s]

Guess my recollection was flawed.

But there still does seem to be a difference between the earlier 3X schedule posted here and the current one as shown in Post #14. Maybe the change made something work out better.

 

[Willbridge]

I recall using the previously published 3X schedule for the Crescent (both ways) in a search for missing Roomette and Bedroom buckets. The search was done a few weeks ago using Arrow, covered the period of early October out to mid-January, 2021 and I recall getting positive booking results using the old 3X schedule of the Northbound Crescent for NOL departures on Th, Sa & Mo. Here are both the original 3X Crescent schedule and the new timetable showing changes in two of the three departure days from NOL.
----------------------------
If all that is true (and I'm not mistaken) there may be a few travelers who actually booked a Crescent trip departing on a day that is no longer valid. What a thrill it must be to have planned and booked a trip after navigating the initial 3X schedule only to be told by Amtrak that you can't depart on the day and must now start planning all over again!

But maybe I'm wrong about all this? I kinda hope so!

BTW, just noticed Arrow now displays this...

...if you try booking on an invalid departure date.

I mentioned this phenomenon a while ago in one mind-boggled thread or another. The same day-switching occurred in the 1990's attempt at tri-weeklies. Inside the organization it develops pressures for changes to better schedule crews, station staffs, and make favored connections. So it takes a while to settle down.

The comment above about laying off the marketing people is astute. Throughout their history there have been repeated layoffs in that department, which explains some missed opportunities. Failures to get print matter out or websites updated are a clue to internal disorganization or political interference. (I've been through the transit industry equivalent.)