Passenger Trains > I'm in a Coast Starlight Sleeper and I Count ...

... 7 MIFI type devices ​including mine ​and the Parlor Car's WIFI (the ​​next car) all of which I could connect to if I had the password.

Amazing!
​Marty​ Bernard

Go and ask the Parlour Car attendant. for the password.

Sometimes its posted on sign behind the bar.
 

try "starlight14"

Dave

I misspoke myself, it is "starlight14".
 My point is that it would not have been too long ago when there were no devices. 

And now with GPS on my tablet I know where I am (no trying to see a station sign) and the weather outside the car.

And last night I had dinner on the SW Chief with a fellow passenger who had a device in his pocket which could triangulate off three satellites and tell us how fast we were going -- 83 mph.

Marty Bernard



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/25/15 20:10 by MartyBernard.

When I was on the Starlight (earlier this year) I downloaded a speedometer ap to my iPhone.   It was already dark outside at dinner time.  One of the passengers at our table noticed that the train had slowed down.  It was so dark outside it was hard to tell.  I put my phone on the table and showed him that yes, we've slowed down to 50 mph (80 kph).  

Aint technology grand?

Larry 

Larry020 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> When I was on the Starlight (earlier this year) I
> downloaded a speedometer ap to my iPhone.   It
> was already dark outside at dinner time.  One of
> the passengers at our table noticed that the train
> had slowed down.  It was so dark outside it was
> hard to tell.  I put my phone on the table and
> showed him that yes, we've slowed down to 50 mph
> (80 kph).  
>
> Aint technology grand?


>
> Larry 

This isnt quite railroad related but 3 weeks ago we bought a GMC Sierra which seems to be an iPad on wheels with more bells and whistles and info sharing than most mere mortals need--just runnung the A/C requires an advanced engineering degree---i am sure if we had a wine cellar we could control the temp while traveling on the freeway at 70 mph.. Jeez. 
C

Carol Voss
Bakersfield, CA

CarolVoss Wrote:

i am sure if we had a wine cellar we
> could control the temp while traveling on the
> freeway at 70 mph.. Jeez. 
> C

You mean it didn't come with a wine cellar already in it?  Those dirty guys ....

KC

GRNDMND Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> CarolVoss Wrote:
>
> i am sure if we had a wine cellar we
> > could control the temp while traveling on the
> > freeway at 70 mph.. Jeez. 
> > C
>
> You mean it didn't come with a wine cellar already
> in it?  Those dirty guys ....
>
> KC

for another 10K, probably could get one!  There is even a switch to raise and lower the gas and brake pedals!, and Xerius XM even lists what is playing!, the instruction manual is over an inch thick. We need to put our grandkids in it fir a day and they will figure out everything for us. Carl says " call home" and the lady asks which number? (Home, fax, cell) all if which came  from the connection with the iphone contacts list. Ipad on wheels. 
C

Carol Voss
Bakersfield, CA

I used the iPhone app on our EB trip crossing eastern Montana.  Didn't seem like we were going very fast but we were often above 50 despite it being a June trip.  

The bad part is when you rent a car and get the complicated controls.  You really don't want to learn a new vehicle loaded details just for a short time.

Bob

When I was on the Starlight recently, the Parlour Car's Wi-Fi point would ask for the password continually. In other words, I would enter it and immediately be asked for it again. The attendant said this was because we were in an area with no cell service. I would expect to be connected to the Wi-Fi network and not have internet access if there was no cell service; I would not expect the Wi-Fi router to ask for the password over and over again. Would someone knowledgeable about such things comment?
 

I usually do pretty well with technology, but last time I rented a car I had the darnedest time opening the fuel tank door.

Posted from iPhone

I have DeLorme mapping software on my laptop and an inexpensive GPS connected to it via a USB port.  I set it up on the pull down tray on my cross country Amtrak trips and know exactly where I am, how fast we're going, and in what direction.  It's fascinating.

Stan Praisewater

rantoul Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The greatest entertainment is looking out the
> window.

Agreed, but since no one can do it every second, getting a preview of upcoming attractions from Google Earth is pretty cool.  Also fun at night to know what's out there even when you can't see it.

Dave

Sounds like I need to add a few things to my tablet since that's my traveling internet companion anyway, and Carol, I know that GMC Truck's a nice one though!

robj Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The bad part is when you rent a car and get the
> complicated controls.  You really don't want to
> learn a new vehicle loaded details just for a
> short time.
>
> Bob

Yeah, tell me about it. Sometimes, I rejoice when the "Manager's Special" at a rental car agency is the simplest car in the lot with roll up windows. I can actually focus on driving the darn thing. I've become pretty good at finding the auxiliary audio jack, then selecting AUX input on the sometimes-too-fancy audio systems (for my scanner).

I am sorry that you had a bad experience.
We were very impressed with our crew on the Coastal.
The attendant was so helpful to get our grand children on the internet to do their homework.

Last time I rode the Adirondack up to Montreal, there was a point where we were winding along the rocky shore of Lake Champlain and every single person in the dome lounge (20 plus people) was working a mobile device. Not one person was looking out the window. 

As as a geologist and scenery aficionado, it pained me to see that. But my kids do that all the time. 

MartyBernard Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I misspoke myself, it is "starlight14".
>  My point is that it would not have been too long
> ago when there were no devices. 
>
> And now with GPS on my tablet I know where I am
> (no trying to see a station sign) and the weather
> outside the car.
>
> And last night I had dinner on the SW Chief with a
> fellow passenger who had a device in his pocket
> which could triangulate off three satellites and
> tell us how fast we were going -- 83 mph.
>
> Marty Bernard

I love the Starlight. The only way to travel. Speed picture taken on a Talgo.

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Taken while on the Surfliner goin thru the base. MotionX GPS app on iPhone 

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