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enviro5609

Train Attendant
Joined
Jun 10, 2021
Messages
77
Location
New York
Hi all,

Just posting an introduction. I'm an attorney who works in the public sector. Public infrastructure and services are both a professional and personal interest of mine-- although my work has nothing to do with trains specifically.

I've never really considered Amtrak for long distance travel until the pandemic. Now, with work from home, it just makes more sense to travel in a sleeper. I can work en route, save a vacation day, and not deal with the airport/TSA. In a way the extra cost pays for itself. I wish Amtrak would take notice and market this better. Work from home is here to stay, for many.
 
The only downside of Amtrak as a WFH solution is that there's no WIFI on the trains, and on the Western routes, long stretches will little or no cell coverage either. Myself, I see that as a way to unplug for awhile in a world that expects us to be 24/7 365 available, but it might cramp your style if work requires Internet access.
 
Yes, I'm east coast based, and all of the long distance trains I've been on have had WiFi/decent enough cell reception during working hours-- at least on the first day. Its enough to send and receive emails, which is all I really need. I haven't tried to do a zoom/video call on it, but I also can just use my work phone as a mobile hotspot if necessary. The onboard WiFI is shared throughout the whole train, so it can bog down if too many people are on it.

I do imagine it is worse out west. Didn't realize there was no WiFI at all on those trains. But I think it would behoove Amtrak to figure that out-- even if its just lower-bandwidth satellite service like on an airplane. Access to email and voice are really the make or break features for WFH.
 
Last edited:
Cal said:
Eastern LD trains minus the CONO and CL have WiFi on board. Not sure how well it works though
Click to expand...
I am surprised that the Capitol Limited doesn't have WiFi since most of the other Eastern trains apparently do. I've only taken it twice, but given the endpoints of Chicago and DC, I would have assumed a clientele that would have wanted it. I'm on the CL in a few days hence, but won't care one way or the other. Fortunately, I can and have told my employer that when I'm out of town, I'm out of range...
 
Onboard wifi is spotty at best. Usually I mix Amtrak wifi with my T-Mobile LTE, but you can't count on anything reliable. Remember even east coast trains go through some valleys and fields where there is no coverage. Amtrak wifi is just rebroadcast cell service from various vendors, so no more reliable than your own phone. Fun watching business types asking the conductor to reset the wifi, the smart conductors just say sure, and punch random buttons a few times and walk on.

I remember when Amtrak had "pay phones" in the corner of some cars. Never worked very well (just cell service repeaters) and fun watching people swearing at them.

Personally, I just used the time to do my expense reports (no service needed).

On far west trains, try to grab your email as you pass through a corn town. You have about 90 seconds of 3g if you're lucky.
 
If I recall correctly WiFi was tried on the Southwest Chief around 2016 or 2017 and the password would be posted in the sleeping car. I seem to recall that it didn't work more times than it did work but it was helpful when it worked.

I understand that this was a project headed by Amtrak management on the west coast. With a change of management, the project was abandoned after a year or two. Corrections and further information would be welcome.
 
I was on one of those SWC trains with wi-fi, in December 2015. It worked OK when there weren't too many others online. The attendant was responsible for keeping the hotspot functioning (rebooting when necessary) and also had to take it with them when they left the train at the end of the trip, just one more thing for them to do. It only worked when the train was near a highway with cell service, so you had to pay attention and catch it when you could.

Our attendant said it was a "pilot program" and I was disappointed later when it went away instead of being expanded.
 
flitcraft said:
I am surprised that the Capitol Limited doesn't have WiFi since most of the other Eastern trains apparently do.
Click to expand...
It's basically a matter of equipment. They put the main WiFi equipment (the cellphone connection) into the Amfleet cafes, and repeaters in the Amfleets and Viewliners; they have not put the equipment in the Superliners.
 
neroden said:
It's basically a matter of equipment. They put the main WiFi equipment (the cellphone connection) into the Amfleet cafes, and repeaters in the Amfleets and Viewliners; they have not put the equipment in the Superliners.
Click to expand...

I wonder if the double-decker configuration of the Superliners causes reception issues in some locations? Being Amtrak, if it didn't work for everyone, then they wouldn't have it for anyone...
 

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