GPS Device for use on Long Distance Trains

[Alice]

My car Garmin is like trainman's, doesn't need to be that close to the window. My unit has an antenna in the AC cord, which might be the reason. When using the battery it needs a good sight-line to some satellites.

I also agree with anumberone, use it everywhere even to go places you know about.

I didn't look up your model, but some Garmins can be loaded with locations you specify, and you can even set alarms when you are within a certain distance. Red-light cameras are a popular load. I load rail crossings when I'm loafing driving between northern and southern California.

 

[Asher]

Before I had a smartphone, I would use a Garmin car GPS on the train, and I didn't need to have it suction-cupped to the window -- being near the window was sufficient. (It worked fine sitting on the a tray table, or even just in my lap.)

I've used a garmin 76 a lot for off roading following routes making routes and keeping tracks. But, as the train man said, a car GPS works good on a train if you just want to see where you are. And also look around and see how far nearby towns are from your location and what they have to offer, parks, museums, gas stations. All that stuff is preloaded.
Plus, when you get to where you are going, it will get you to where you want to go. A smart phone works good to, smaller screen tho-

 

[TinCan782]

Here's a couple of photos of my GPSMAP64st in "action" on the SWC (LAX>CHI) last October...

 

[railiner]

I'm more intrigued by the paper chart in background....

 

[Alice]

I'm more intrigued by the paper chart in background....

Oh yes! Paper maps and atlases that show a wider area and more detail enhance a gps immensely. Or maybe I should say the gps enhances the map? The Altamont Press timetables are great for following along a route but are pricey so I only have California.

 

[Eric in East County]

The route map we use when we travel from San Diego to Toledo (via the Pacific Surfliner, SWC and Capitol Limited is made up of pages copied from various volumes of Steam Powered Video’s Comprehensive Railroad Atlas of North America.

 

[Asher]

Here's a couple of photos of my GPSMAP64st in "action" on the SWC (LAX>CHI) last October...
View attachment 17281View attachment 17282

What map do you have loaded in your garmin, the standard base map.. Does it cover the whole US
I like that section of your menu that gives the time for sunset. I kept a close eye on sunset in the winter, it gets dark fast in the mountains.

 

[jiml]

I'm more intrigued by the paper chart in background....

Ditto!

 

[TinCan782]

I'm more intrigued by the paper chart in background....

http://www.djcooley.com/

 

[TinCan782]

What map do you have loaded in your garmin, the standard base map.. Does it cover the whole US
I like that section of your menu that gives the time for sunset. I kept a close eye on sunset in the winter, it gets dark fast in the mountains.

USA OSM Topo Routable (free)
There is a limit (NOT memory/storage) as to how much you can load on the microSD card. Maps are made up of "tiles"...there is a numeric limit so, I install only enough map to cover the route. I also pre-load more than one card to swap out at different parts of longer trips.
http://www.gmaptool.eu/en/content/usa-osm-topo-routable

 

[Cho Cho Charlie]

Before I had a smartphone, I would use a Garmin car GPS on the train, and I didn't need to have it suction-cupped to the window -- being near the window was sufficient. (It worked fine sitting on the a tray table, or even just in my lap.)

My experienced with a "car GPS" is that they are typically set up to round-off their currently calculated GPS coordinates to, and therefore snap-to, the nearest roadway. I remember attempting to use my Palm OS (yes that old) based portable GPS, and it would correctly follow the shown railroad tracks, until we got anywhere near a road. Then snap over to the road, and desperately attempt to keep on the road until it finally gave up and return to the railroad tracks.

 

[zephyr17]

Speaking of snap to, just for fun I turned on my Waze app when riding the Maple Leaf somewhere south of Albany in 110 mph territory. It snapped to the nearby highway and alerted me that I was speeding...

 

[jiml]

My experienced with a "car GPS" is that they are typically set up to round-off their currently calculated GPS coordinates to, and therefore snap-to, the nearest roadway. I remember attempting to use my Palm OS (yes that old) based portable GPS, and it would correctly follow the shown railroad tracks, until we got anywhere near a road. Then snap over to the road, and desperately attempt to keep on the road until it finally gave up and return to the railroad tracks.

Exactly, and sometimes with a warning that you were leaving the mapped area.

 

[jebr]

Honestly, unless you're wanting some more specific features, a cheap smartphone (bought used off of eBay or Swappa, or perhaps a deal on a prepaid one from a retail store that doesn't require activation) paired with a mapping app (I've used maps.me before, though OSMAnd, HERE Maps, and Google Maps also work) is probably the cheapest route. Just make sure to download the maps for offline viewing before leaving home. I also use Ulysses Speedometer to see what speed we're going (it'll overlay onto the map view as well.)

 

[Chey]

It's been a long time since I used it but I have an iPad Mini that still has GPS HD by MotionX. I loved that I could leave it on tracking and when done just email a GPX file that I could then import into my mapping program (MapPoint) on my laptop. I think there was some concern that MotionX needed to update it from 32-bit to 64-bit in order to function correctly with an IOS update (long since passed, many updates since then). I guess they must have, the program still seems to be functioning. I only used it for my train trips but I'll guess I'll test it in the car later.

 

[tomfuller]

Our thanks to all of you who responded to our inquiry about GPO devices suitable for taking along on a long-distance train trip. We finally decided upon a Garmin GPSmap64st, which was already on our “short list.” (The clincher was the photo posted by FrensicPic showing the external antenna that he uses with his unit when he travels.) We’ll be using it on our trip next summer and will let you know how it worked out for us. Thanks again.



Eric & Pat

Once you get your unit, sign on to geocaching.com and see what geocaches are in your area. Go and try to find a couple (small to large) to familiarize yourself with the functions of the unit.

 

[piedpiper]

My experienced with a "car GPS" is that they are typically set up to round-off their currently calculated GPS coordinates to, and therefore snap-to, the nearest roadway. I remember attempting to use my Palm OS (yes that old) based portable GPS, and it would correctly follow the shown railroad tracks, until we got anywhere near a road. Then snap over to the road, and desperately attempt to keep on the road until it finally gave up and return to the railroad tracks.

Setting your car gps to either bicycle or walking mode usally keeps the gps on the railroad tracks

 

[mcropod]

Setting your car gps to either bicycle or walking mode usally keeps the gps on the railroad tracks

After I'd read advice from this forum about using travel aids, I took my unused Garmin car GPS with me when I visited North America to ride the rails a few years ago, together with its suction mount. I bought a USA/Canada map chip, and everything worked well. I also set it for walking, but even then, it defaulted to the road when within fifty or so metres of one, meaning I too was told many times that I was exceeding the speed limit, not least on an air leg as I travelled to my final NA destination.

I did have a companion Michelin paper map, though, to help me pinpoint where I was in the broader scheme of things.

 

[piedpiper]

After I'd read advice from this forum about using travel aids, I took my unused Garmin car GPS with me when I visited North America to ride the rails a few years ago, together with its suction mount. I bought a USA/Canada map chip, and everything worked well. I also set it for walking, but even then, it defaulted to the road when within fifty or so metres of one, meaning I too was told many times that I was exceeding the speed limit, not least on an air leg as I travelled to my final NA destination.

I did have a companion Michelin paper map, though, to help me pinpoint where I was in the broader scheme of things.

View attachment 17304View attachment 17305View attachment 17306

Turning off all notifications ie speed warnings etc helps alot. all I leave on is speed and time, also zooming in helps icon stay on the tracks

 

[oregon pioneer]

Thanks for all the good advice I am finding here. Like the OP, I use a simple phone with a prepaid plan. I do, however, have a hand-me-down Garmin that I use in my car. I may take it with me next time! Will only need to purchase a 117V to 12V adapter with a socket. With the phone and iPad, that fills up my little three-receptacle extension cord, LOL.

 

[AG1]

The three car Garmin GPS I have owned all had an "off road" setting that eliminates the jumping to the nearest road. Go to "settings", then " navigation", then choose "off road" instead of "fastest route".

 

[Chey]

... GPS HD by MotionX. I loved that I could leave it on tracking and when done just email a GPX file that I could then import into my mapping program (MapPoint) on my laptop. I think there was some concern that MotionX needed to update it from 32-bit to 64-bit in order to function correctly with an IOS update (long since passed, many updates since then). I guess they must have, the program still seems to be functioning. I only used it for my train trips but I'll guess I'll test it in the car later.

Unfortunately it really did need that update and never got it.

“GPS Tracks” is one I’ve enjoyed.

Thank you! That's exactly what I wanted! I got It and it does what I want so far. Will the "fitness" setting keep it on the train tracks and off the roads, or do I select "other" for that?

 

[Chey]

There’s some really great apps you can buy for your smart phone that will do it all. Elevation, speed, etc.

“GPS Tracks” is one I’ve enjoyed.

It's excellent - I downloaded it today - thank you so much for the recommendation!

 

[piedpiper]

We’re thinking about buying a GPS device to take with us on our cross-country train trips. We’re thinking in terms of a basic, stand-alone unit that doesn’t have a lot of extra “bells and whistles” that we’ll probably will never need or use.

We’d appreciate hearing from those of you who use GPS devices while traveling on long-distance trains with suggestions on which GPS unit(s) we should be considering. We’d also like to know more about how you get maximum enjoyment from your GPS device while traveling across country by train.

Eric & Pat

You should consider a TomTom(I know they are usually dismissed) however a very decent refurbished model can be found on ebay for under $50. Most TomToms show all railroad tracks even those abandoned lines. And since rail lines don't tend to move like roads(ha-ha) the older models will work quite nicely. I use a TomTom One version 4, happy hunting.

 

[Eric in East County]

We ended up buying a used Garmin Nuvi 2797 on eBay. (We chose this particular model because it has a large screen which is easy to read.)

We used it on last year’s trip and it more than met our expectations. In addition to showing our train’s speed & direction of travel and displaying the names of the small towns as we were passing through them, it identified nearby freeways and highways and even came up with the names of the narrow dirt roads running alongside the right-of-way.

We’re looking forward to using it again on this year’s trip.