Sunset times along train line

[PigeonPost]

At the risk of inducing high-school math/SAT flashbacks (a train leaves Chicago at...), does anybody know a simple way to determine when darkness falls along a particular train line on a particular date? Of course, I can look up the sunset time at a particular location, but a moving train presents another variable.

FWIW, I'm taking the Sunset Limited eastbound (No. 2) departing Los Angeles 3/23, but I'd love to know if there's generally a better way than just looking up sunset times at each station along a line. (Extra points for a darkness map I can overlay in CalTopo!)

 

[AmtrakBlue]

At the risk of inducing high-school math/SAT flashbacks (a train leaves Chicago at...), does anybody know a simple way to determine when darkness falls along a particular train line on a particular date? Of course, I can look up the sunset time at a particular location, but a moving train presents another variable.

FWIW, I'm taking the Sunset Limited eastbound (No. 2) departing Los Angeles 3/23, but I'd love to know if there's generally a better way than just looking up sunset times at each station along a line. (Extra points for a darkness map I can overlay in CalTopo!)

I use the sunrisesunset.com website when I'm getting ready to travel. I'm guessing that's the one you use also. I haven't searched for any "better".

Maybe this site (I'm trying to figure it out right now). www.suncalc.org

 

[DavidSh]

There are pretty good analytic formulas for computing the times of sunrises and sets, involving combinations of trigonometric functions. The dependence on longitude is linear, at 4 minutes of time per degree of longitude. The dependence on latitude is more complicated, and involves the time of year, but, unless you are going on the Alaska Railroad, you should be able to use linear interpolation, once you have the times for a couple of points at different latitudes, but near the relevant area. Mountains on the horizon will throw this calculation off.

On the other hand, figuring out where the train will be at any given time seems to be a hard problem.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Since you’re taking #2 when it leaves LAX 2-1/2 hours earlier, can you let me know if they’re serving dinner to sleeper pax? I’ll be taking it in April. Thanks!

 

[RalphCT]

Photographers often use The Photographer's Ephemeris (TPE) app. It shows sunset, sunrise, direction of each. You can select a specific date and location or have it determine where you are.

 

[PigeonPost]

Thanks for the help! @RalphCT, I'll check the TPE app out. @AmtrakBlue, I had run across suncalc, but haven't taken a deep dive yet. As @DavidSh rightly notes,

figuring out where the train will be at any given time seems to be a hard problem.

It feels like a fixed route and a predictable sunset would make for a simple solution, but nothing's ever really that easy. I'd love to be able to run queries like, I'm on Amtrak route X, on date Y - where will I be when the sun sets? But for my upcoming trip, perhaps I'll just look up the sunset times at stations, and maybe use the linear interpolation (thanks for the info!).

@AmtrakBlue, I'm curious about dinner on the earlier departure schedule too, but unfortunately, I mistyped - I'm actually taking the train on 4/23, so you might well find the answer first - but I'll let you know in any case. Sorry!

 

[AmtrakBlue]

@AmtrakBlue, I'm curious about dinner on the earlier departure schedule too, but unfortunately, I mistyped - I'm actually taking the train on 4/23, so you might well find the answer first - but I'll let you know in any case. Sorry!

No problem. I'll be on it before you, so I'll try to remember to let you know.

 

[slasher-fun]

It may not exactly answer the questions, but Trains Magazine has published in 2003 a rough "daytime/nighttime" map of Amtrak routes: https://www.trains.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/tm1103-amtrak-day-night.pdf (I guess most lines still run on about the same schedule 20 years later)

 

[JoeBas]

Thanks for the help! @RalphCT, I'll check the TPE app out. @AmtrakBlue, I had run across suncalc, but haven't taken a deep dive yet. As @DavidSh rightly notes,

It feels like a fixed route and a predictable sunset would make for a simple solution, but nothing's ever really that easy. I'd love to be able to run queries like, I'm on Amtrak route X, on date Y - where will I be when the sun sets? But for my upcoming trip, perhaps I'll just look up the sunset times at stations, and maybe use the linear interpolation (thanks for the info!).

@AmtrakBlue, I'm curious about dinner on the earlier departure schedule too, but unfortunately, I mistyped - I'm actually taking the train on 4/23, so you might well find the answer first - but I'll let you know in any case. Sorry!

You're making the potentially very large mistake of assuming the train is on time... which in the real world is often not the case.

 

[tomfuller]

As I remember it, the Sunset Limited leaves Los Angeles at 10PM (after the Coast Starlight arrives) which is long after sunset. You'll catch a sunrise between Yuma and Maricopa.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

As I remember it, the Sunset Limited leaves Los Angeles at 10PM (after the Coast Starlight arrives) which is long after sunset. You'll catch a sunrise between Yuma and Maricopa.

Though from today to May ?10? the Sunset Limited is departing around 7:30 pm.

 

[Shanson]

I wouldn't count on a dinner meal, but a call to Amtrak to verify might be in order.

 

[Bob Dylan]

I wouldn't count on a dinner meal, but a call to Amtrak to verify might be in order.

Much better Food available in LA than what the Diner serves on the Sunset Ltd( even though it has "Traditional Food Service").

For convienece,I'd just go to Philipe, or one if the Mexican Joints across the Street from Union Station in the "Olvera Village."

 

[AmtrakBlue]

I wouldn't count on a dinner meal, but a call to Amtrak to verify might be in order.

I contacted someone I trust and he said they will have modified dinner service out of LAX.

 

[zephyr17]

I wouldn't count on a dinner meal, but a call to Amtrak to verify might be in order.

1. Aside from quoting fares and securing space, Amtrak reservations agents tend to be pretty ignorant of the ground truth of conditions and services onboard, especially on the LDs. Go ahead and call, but I wouldn't be 100% confident of the answer.
2. My semi-educated guess is it won't be. Partly through bureaucratic inertia because the train isn't normally stocked for 3 dinner services, and partly because while 7:30 is within service hours, it is late. Amtrak goes both ways on that, there's dinner out of Chicago on the CONO, but no breakfast out of Emeryville on the CZ.

Personally, I'd assume no dinner service, but would hope to be pleasantly surprised.

 

[joelkfla]

1. Aside from quoting fares and securing space, Amtrak reservations agents tend to be pretty ignorant of the ground truth of conditions and services onboard, especially on the LDs. Go ahead and call, but I wouldn't be 100% confident of the answer.
2. My semi-educated guess is it won't be. Partly through bureaucratic inertia because the train isn't normally stocked for 3 dinner services, and partly because while 7:30 is within service hours, it is late. Amtrak goes both ways on that, there's dinner out of Chicago on the CONO, but no breakfast out of Emeryville on the CZ.

Personally, I'd assume no dinner service, but would hope to be pleasantly surprised.

A bit off topic, but since you broached the subject: Is there dinner out of CHI on the Cardinal, departing at 5:55pm?

 

[jis]

A bit off topic, but since you broached the subject: Is there dinner out of CHI on the Cardinal, departing at 5:55pm?

Whenever I have traveled on it there has been.

 

[Asher]

On an Amtrak train the best way to see when sunset falls along a route is to look out the window. Schedules are sometimes wishful thinking.

 

[Bob Dylan]

A bit off topic, but since you broached the subject: Is there dinner out of CHI on the Cardinal, departing at 5:55pm?

Yep, you eat once you're in Indiana ( rolling through on Eastern Time, but your Rez is for Central Time!)

 

[TinCan782]

Yep, you eat once you're in Indiana ( rolling through on Eastern Time, but your Rez is for Central Time!)

I recall it was like that on the Cap Limited too. Confusing!

 

[Railspike]

Looks like the SL/TE is leaving LAX at 7:30 PM through May.

Anyone know if dinner is served out of LAX since it leaves at 7:30?

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Looks like the SL/TE is leaving LAX at 7:30 PM through May.

Anyone know if dinner is served out of LAX since it leaves at 7:30?

Yes. And it was delicious.

 

[Railspike]

Yes. And it was delicious.

Good to know. Thanks