Passenger Trains > Amtrak Train Status Descrepancy's and Good LSL Trip

I had an  interesting experience with Amtrak's train status feature on their web site. My friend and I rode the LakeShore Ltd. (only :35 late into Toledo) yesterday from Schenectady,NY.  I kept monitoring Albany arrival estimates so as to decide if we had enough time to board there or Schenectady where we were ticketed. No. 49 was due into Albany only a few minutes late. 449 was down about :50 minutes. BUT, they showed different departure times for each train number and different ARRIVAL times for each train number into Schenectady even though they are the SAME train. How difficult can it be for someone to realize they are the same train after Albany and can't possibly have different arrival times unless it takes the back end of the train that much longer to arrive than the front end. As for the trip it was good by Amtrak standards. Excellent car attendant who offered coffee or juice in the morning (I thought that was cut out and in fact told on No. 39 two weeks ago that he could no longer provide coffee in the sleepers...does the policy vary by train?).  Dining car crew was also very good. They worked hard, fast, and were friendly. Complete opposite of what I had on No. 29 and No. 30 just a few weeks ago. The only negative. Two of us were in a Viewliner roomette. My first time not alone. The toilet arranget was as expected. But I didn't realize there is NO community toilet in the car. So my female friend hoofed it to the first coach past the cafe (she should have just waited for me to finish) but ended up three cars back to find a working toilet. Remember the train had only been on the road for a few hours. And the one she found was in her words "gross." I've never encountered a "gross" airplane toilet so why are Amtrak's so often in that state?  But overall a good trip. My friend was a first time overnighter and found the experience to be "ok."  Good to know there are some excellent crews out there. But again, why such a vast discrepancy in service among crews? Also, PA use was very limited. A good thing. I would be remiss not to also report there were five Viewliners at the front of the train. A first for me. New bag No. 610228, three sleepers (with all up front due to the Boston section not running through), and the prototype diner (but I missed probably my last ride in a heritage diner on Amtrak). Sorry, no photos of this unique set up.

Amtrak's late train algorithm has lots of fun with combined trains. It has to do with how the system imagines the train will make up lost time. When the two sections of the same attached train are involved, they can be in nearly the same space but be "hours" apart.

Posted from Android

But that doesn't help when one is trying to figure out when the train will arrive! Of course each section arrived in Albany at different times But they departed together. I would think that could have been entered into the computer when the combined train departed.

Discrepancies happen...and if nobody notices, they remain in place to trip up the unwary.

Just this morning, Amtrak's train status system showed errors for two of the California Zephyrs on the road.

Both Train 6(13) and Train 6(14) were shown as being about fifteen hours late, when they were in
reality only about three hours and 1 1/2 hours late (never mind 6(12), the twenty-hour late wonder which
was really twenty hours late).

The error was reported to an Amtrak manager who has confirmed that it was caused by Amtrak's
automated train reporting system.

Which is to say, the computer screwed up, and it took a human to fix the error.

But another human wrote the automated software algorithm in the first place.

joemvcnj Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> But another human wrote the automated software
> algorithm in the first place.

Yes. The system treats the combined train as two separate trains.

It's fun to watch the recalculate function as a late train gets later. The system tries to bing it back on time to destination.

But, eventually it gives up and just adds time to the expected arrival.

Posted from Android

I have to agree with the restroom comment.  On an airplane you are usually only on it for a few hours and most people will "go" before or after the trip if they can.  On a rail trip it's not uncommon to be there for 8 hours or more.  I know my bladder doesn't have that capacity anymore.  Gee, getting older ain't for wimps.  The restrooms on Amtrak are generally as clean or cleaner than a lot of public restrooms but after a day, they can get a bit messy.  The one exception for me was a trip on the Empire Builder about six years ago.  It was a really late train and I was traveling coach.  We had probably the best coach attendant on Amtrak.  Three times along the trip I saw her cleaning the restrooms.  She also ran a sweeper through the coach two or three times a day.  Kudos to "Ms. Olivia."  BTW, I sent a letter addressed to Mr Boardman after the trip and commended her for such outstanding service.  

John

Auto Train does a quick clean up of the rest rooms during the FLORENCE SC crew and fuel update.

Posted from Android

Good to know about train status glitch - I guess the curse of Albany even extends to software! Any other insights or issues with Schnectady station? I've got family boarding 49 there next month.

Posted from iPhone