Amtrak on Twitter?

[fillyjonk]

I see that the Northeast Corridor runs have a Twitter feed to update people on train status, service disruptions, etc.

I think this is an EXCELLENT idea (I use twitter for some things, and it's a good way to get quick info). Does anyone know if the other regional runs have this planned? I mean, even if they have a couple hundred followers it would seem to be worth it.

Also: the Amtrak webpage doesn't seem to post weather disruptions any more? I go to the "Service Alerts" section and all they have is info on stuff like trackwork...no cancellations due to bad weather and such. It would be nice if there was someone who could be on top of that and post.

 

[Tumbleweed]

Not twitter, but if you send a text to 41411 with the words "amtrakstatus station code train number" you will get a status report back in a few seconds.....

example: amtrakstatus oma 6

 

[AlanB]

The Northeast Twitter is relatively new, maybe 2 or 3 months, and essentially is the test bed for Amtrak. If it is successful, then it will probably be expanded to other areas. If not, then it will end on the NEC. I'm not sure just what measure of success Amtrak will use to decide if it is indeed a success.

I don't recall if there was any indication in the press release that they might actually consider Tweets for the long distance trains.

 

[PRR 60]

I guess I would wonder why Amtrak does not concentrate on posting timely alerts on their web page before moving to Twitter? Twitter is nice for those using twitter, but the website would reach a larger audience, and most people would go there first to see if there are problems. I know that many of us look to NJ Transit and SEPTA for information concerning the status of Amtrak operations having found that Amtrak's own site is often useless when there are problems.

Amtrak should use Twitter as a supplementary means of getting ops info to customer, not the primary means.

 

[AlanB]

I guess I would wonder why Amtrak does not concentrate on posting timely alerts on their web page before moving to Twitter? Twitter is nice for those using twitter, but the website would reach a larger audience, and most people would go there first to see if there are problems. I know that many of us look to NJ Transit and SEPTA for information concerning the status of Amtrak operations having found that Amtrak's own site is often useless when there are problems.

Amtrak should use Twitter as a supplementary means of getting ops info to customer, not the primary means.

While I don't disagree with you, the simple reason is that a webpage requires a computer guru to be around/on standby at all times. Anyone in CNOC with a computer can be taught to Tweet, and the Tweet is more instantaneous. A webpage requires visiting the actual Amtrak site, which of course requires either a computer or a smart phone. Anyone with a cell phone, smart or not (the phone that is), can receive a Tweet.

So for something like the recent fire in the AEM-7 at Wilmington, a Tweet actually makes more sense than creating a webpage.

For something like the current flooding situations Amtrak should be doing both, a Tweet & a webpage.

For something like the track work in Illinois for the HSR, Amtrak should only be doing a webpage.

Put another way, a disruption under say 4 hours or so should be Tweeted only. A disruption over that should see a Tweet & a webpage.

And what Amtrak probably should also do is to integrate their Twitter feed(s) into a webpage. That way even the "under 4's" that only get Tweeted would either show up in order or perhaps as a ticker on a page on the site; giving us the best of both worlds.

 

[Traingeek]

The Northeast Twitter is relatively new, maybe 2 or 3 months, and essentially is the test bed for Amtrak. If it is successful, then it will probably be expanded to other areas. If not, then it will end on the NEC. I'm not sure just what measure of success Amtrak will use to decide if it is indeed a success.

I don't recall if there was any indication in the press release that they might actually consider Tweets for the long distance trains.

It has only been around about a month. I think success for them is that it gets a good number of followers. It is already over a thousand followers and have been good for me (I use the NEC daily via MARC). Many disruptions are only an hour or two, so they can't get an update up for too long on something like cantenary down.

 

[Eris]

Amtrak: http://twitter.com/#!/Amtrak

Amtrak California: http://twitter.com/#!/Amtrak_CA

Pacific Surfliners Status: http://twitter.com/#!/PACSurfliners