Keeping in touch with NFL football while on the train?

[user 1561]

Hello there, new member here, though I've been lurking for months.

I'm from England, and I'm visiting the USA for 3 weeks in November/December, on a football trip + sightseeing. Detroit for Thanksgiving match v. Green Bay, then San Diego (by plane), back to Chicago (by Amtrak), and Green Bay to finish. I'll be on the SW Chief on Thursday evening 29th November when the Packers are at Dallas. Is there any way of getting score updates/listening to commentary on the game? I don't have a laptop, so I'm pretty much restricted to radio.

DSR.

 

[Chatter163]

Portable TV--signal comes and goes, but usually you can get a station showing a football game.

 

[eliyahu]

I'm from England, and I'm visiting the USA for 3 weeks in November/December, on a football trip + sightseeing. Detroit for Thanksgiving match v. Green Bay, then San Diego (by plane), back to Chicago (by Amtrak), and Green Bay to finish. I'll be on the SW Chief on Thursday evening 29th November when the Packers are at Dallas. Is there any way of getting score updates/listening to commentary on the game? I don't have a laptop, so I'm pretty much restricted to radio.

the best way to keep up with the NFL on the long-distance trains -- at least that we've been able to find -- is sirius satellite radio. if you have any family/friends here in the states with a subscription (and spare receiver), that would be my vote. amazingly we've almost always been able to get signal after a little trial and error on the train, and we get every single game (usually two broadcasts each, one for the home team network and one for the visiting team's radio network). you could also take along an old MW radio and as the train goes in and out of towns tune around until you find something, although i imagine it would be fairly rare given the route.

the other option is via your cell phone. there are various services available to text your mobile on a regular basis with score updates. we've never bothered because of our radio, but it's still a good option if you have nothing else available.

-- eliyahu

waterbury, ct

 

[battalion51]

If you have access to a Cell Phone with Text Messaging just text the name of the team you want, like Miami Dolphins, to 44636 and it will spit the score back to you. There's no charge except for standard text messaging rates. This applies to all Professional Sports and College teams.

 

[user 1561]

Thanks for that, but none of them are really practical. I don't have a portable TV and English ones have a different picture system, so there's not really much point buying them; I don't have access to Sirius satellite radio; and my cellphone doesn't work outside the UK (in fact, it doesn't work at all at the moment ) so that won't work. (Mind you, I could always upgrade )

I was really hoping for some sort of national sports radio, digital or analogue, that would broadcast it throughout - I take it you don't have that? Ah well, there's always the option of wandering up and down the train looking for someone that HAS got one of the above. Thanks for the advice.

 

[AlanB]

I was really hoping for some sort of national sports radio, digital or analogue, that would broadcast it throughout - I take it you don't have that? Ah well, there's always the option of wandering up and down the train looking for someone that HAS got one of the above. Thanks for the advice.

Just to be clear, we are not Amtrak here on the forums. We're just a bunch of people who like Amtrak and like helping out others who have questions about Amtrak. But we have no control over Amtrak and no influence on Amtrak.

And no, Amtrak does not have any sort of broadcast service that would give you the scores.

 

[eliyahu]

I was really hoping for some sort of national sports radio, digital or analogue, that would broadcast it throughout - I take it you don't have that? Ah well, there's always the option of wandering up and down the train looking for someone that HAS got one of the above. Thanks for the advice.

nope. no bbc five here, i'm afraid (on the plus side, no license fees). most NFL teams have their own 'broadcast networks' where game coverage is simulcasted on multiple MW stations in a given region, but going from california to illinois, you'd be hard pressed to find more than a few stations to tune to as the train moves down the road that carries the game you're interested in.

that being said other passengers may be able to help you out. on one of our trips on the texas eagle northward, the lounge car attendant had a sirius receiver with him and announced updated scores over the PA system. i've also seen sleeper attendants with more recent mobiles giving sports updates as well. best of luck keeping up with the game!

-- eliyahu

waterbury, ct

 

[MrFSS]

The thing to really do on these long distance train rides is - turn everything off - forget about the world - enjoy the scenery - converse with other nice people on the train - or, even read a book! What will be more important a year from the trip - the ballgame score or the memories of the trip?

 

[PRR 60]

The thing to really do on these long distance train rides is - turn everything off - forget about the world - enjoy the scenery - converse with other nice people on the train - or, even read a book! What will be more important a year from the trip - the ballgame score or the memories of the trip?

Depends on the game...

One option is ESPN Radio. That is a national broadcast from ESPN that is carried by a network of local affiliates across the country. The complete listing is HERE.

The affiliates do not carry ESPN Radio programming all day, every day. However, on Sundays I am willing to bet that most do. ESPN Radio has NFL talk and game updates throughout the day on Sunday while the games are being played. If you are close to one of the affiliates, then you should be able to keep up with the important news of the day: the NFL scores. You can always read a book. There are only 17 Sundays in the regular season, and four more for the playoffs! Priorities, priorities.

 

[user 1561]

Thanks everyone. I'll take a radio and see what I get. Actually it may not be too bad, because it's the Thursday match, kick off 5.30 Pacific Time if I've read the time zones correctly, so I'll still be in California (round about San Bernardino) when it finishes. I must remember to order a late dinner! It'll be dark by 6.30 pm when the train leaves presumably, so I might not miss much scenery, and I've got a roomette.

I've been on three European rail holidays (England to Austria, Switzerland, and Italy) but never a straight line journey this far before - I always stopped overnight in hotels. I was planning on the California Zephyr for this one, but the NFL planners messed up the fixture list - neither San Francisco nor Oakland at home on the relevant weekend! How inconsiderate can they get?