National Timetable to be Released

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Why reach for a rack? You can have em all in iBooks and apps!
Well, as for me, I loooove reading through the national timetable in hardcopy and imagining myself on a trip! ^_^
Right on, I enjoy leafing through the hardcopy. I hope they remain for a long time, but I guess we're up against those who stare at their phones all day long, even when you're trying to talk to them face to face.
 
Why reach for a rack? You can have em all in iBooks and apps!
Well, as for me, I loooove reading through the national timetable in hardcopy and imagining myself on a trip! ^_^
Right on, I enjoy leafing through the hardcopy. I hope they remain for a long time, but I guess we're up against those who stare at their phones all day long, even when you're trying to talk to them face to face.
I have to have my hard copy too. On the odd, very rare occurrence when the Internet is down on my computer and my phone is dead,how am I going to plan and dream about future trips?? Gotta have that hard copy!! :lol:
 
Who needs the internet?? Just save it as a pdf, and it's available anytime. I actually do have a hard copy, but use my ipad's much more often, just me I guess. As long as they have one I suppose!
 
At least when you have a hard copy you don't have to squint to see Trains listed in the timetable.
Ben Franklin Invented something to help with this problem,it was in all the Papers! They are are called Reading Glasses! :giggle:
 
At least when you have a hard copy you don't have to squint to see Trains listed in the timetable.
Ben Franklin Invented something to help with this problem,it was in all the Papers! They are are called Reading Glasses! :giggle:
I couldn't see it in the papers, all I see are headlines since my arms got too short to read!

;) :p :giggle:
 
That's one of the nice things about electronic copies of publications. We can adjust the font size. Of course, that can mean a lot of scrolling. :(
 
At least when you have a hard copy you don't have to squint to see Trains listed in the timetable.
Ben Franklin Invented something to help with this problem,it was in all the Papers! They are are called Reading Glasses! :giggle:
I couldn't see it in the papers, all I see are headlines since my arms got too short to read!

;) :p :giggle:
I think Ben called them spectacles, not glasses!!
 
At least when you have a hard copy you don't have to squint to see Trains listed in the timetable.
Ben Franklin Invented something to help with this problem,it was in all the Papers! They are are called Reading Glasses! :giggle:
I couldn't see it in the papers, all I see are headlines since my arms got too short to read!

;) :p :giggle:
I think Ben called them spectacles, not glasses!!
I was thinking the same thing, but didn't want to date myself. :p
 
Why reach for a rack? You can have em all in iBooks and apps!
Well, as for me, I loooove reading through the national timetable in hardcopy and imagining myself on a trip! ^_^
Right on, I enjoy leafing through the hardcopy. I hope they remain for a long time, but I guess we're up against those who stare at their phones all day long, even when you're trying to talk to them face to face.
How about those that stare at their phones for a 'real-time, virtual reality' view of what they can see just by looking up..... :rolleyes: :D
 
Why reach for a rack? You can have em all in iBooks and apps!
Well, as for me, I loooove reading through the national timetable in hardcopy and imagining myself on a trip! ^_^
Right on, I enjoy leafing through the hardcopy. I hope they remain for a long time, but I guess we're up against those who stare at their phones all day long, even when you're trying to talk to them face to face.
How about those that stare at their phones for a 'real-time, virtual reality' view of what they can see just by looking up..... :rolleyes: :D
True this! ;)
 
At least when you have a hard copy you don't have to squint to see Trains listed in the timetable.
Ben Franklin Invented something to help with this problem,it was in all the Papers! They are are called Reading Glasses! :giggle:
I already wear glasses. :) But at times the font on my phone can be WAYYYYYYYY to small.
 
The format change is an improvement.

HOWEVER. The Northeast Corridor timetable, and the Virgnia Service timetable, both suffer from the multiplicity of "certain days of the week only" schedules.

I think it would be wise for Amtrak to start printing separate Weekday, Saturday, and Sunday schedules for the NEC. Or at least separate Weekday and Weekend schedules. There is too much divergence.

#83/#93, the train which goes to Newport News only on Fridays; #196/136, which goes to Springfield only on Fridays; #658, the Keystone which only operates on Fridays; and #134, which only operates on Thursdays and Fridays -- why? -- these could probably remain in the weekday schedule.

But there are just too many "Mo-Fr", "Sa", and "Su" columns. It's confusing. And that's before you get to the footnotes saying "This train stops at different times on Saturdays and Sundays".

There are only four "Daily" train columns in the Southbound NEC schedules: the Carolinian, the Pennsylvanian, and #67 (which is listed twice!).

There are only four "Daily" train columns in the Northbound NEC schedules, too: the Pennsylvanian again, #198, and #66 (which is also listed twice).

Accordingly, it really wouldn't make the NEC timetables much longer if the Weekday and Weekend timetables were separated; it might add two pages total. Separating weekend from weekday for the Virginia timetables would require a few more pages, but I think it would be worth it....
 
To clarify, the improvement I was referring to was to separate out the Virginia services.

"Leafing through" the timetable, I see that several other services would benefit from separate weekday and weekend timetables. The Downeaster certainly would, with every single train different between weekdays and weekends. So would the Keystone Service, with the same situation on every train except the Pennslyvanian. Even the Empire Service would benefit substantially, although it at least has some trains which run at the same time every day.

Someone at Amtrak should take a look at the timetables on page 49 for the NJT Atlantic City Service, as that format should be copied for a lot of their other trains.

---

I also note that Amtrak has now defined "medium-distance train" as a concept, distinct from "corridor service", and given it the color yellow. Interesting.
 
The Capitol Corridor schedule has always been different for weekday vs. weekend, and it seems like the NEC and Downeaster could use that treatment. But if only one or two trains differ, like the Surfliner, it is less necessary.
 
As I was browsing the new Timetable, there is a mention of BC passengers being able to use the Lounge in CHI.
I have it from a very good source that this was done at the insistence of the State of Illinois.
That has been brought up in the Forum before. We all know the state wanted that, and they got it. It is just not known yet. That's why I posted the little fact.
 
I also note that Amtrak has now defined "medium-distance train" as a concept, distinct from "corridor service", and given it the color yellow. Interesting.
I don't quite understand what "Medium-Distance Train" mean. Originally I thought it was the long distance trains that were not overnight (and no sleepers), but I've found a couple instances that contradicted that. I don't think it really matters much though.
 
Wonder how long it will take the Biz Class Pax that use the Lounge to complain about the "Slow" Internet? And the Line to the Small Bathrooms will probably result in some Unhappiness also! Hopefully he New Lounge will be Larger and have Bigger Restrooms and the WIFI Problem will be Solved! (Look for this N ew Lounge by 2020 @ the rate Amtrak Operates! :rolleyes: )
 
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