What should Amtrak change?

[jis]

Why not?
More and more cruise lines are switching from their current satellite internet provider’s to Starlink, for lower cost and better service…

At least then we will only hear complaints about Amtrak's inability to provide internet service in tunnels, canyons and forests, unless they do a hybrid modem/antenna pack which can choose between Starlink and terrestrial Cell signals dynamically., and equip all tunnels with leaky coax carried cell signals. Technically all that can be done, the question as usual boils down to funding.

Just doing Starlink would probably be a significant improvement at least in the flyover country of the west, specially where the rail alignment is far from highways.

 

[drdumont]

Why not?
More and more cruise lines are switching from their current satellite internet provider’s to Starlink, for lower cost and better service…

Oh, to be sure. I'm serious as a heart attack. Even though I am in the Dallas area, I got the RV package, set it up, and dispatched Frontier (nee' Verizon FiOS) to the scrap track. I did this on the recommendation of a couple of long distance RVers who praise it to the skies.

 

[drdumont]

At least then we will only hear complaints about Amtrak's inability to provide internet service in tunnels, canyons and forests, unless they do a hybrid modem/antenna pack which can choose between Starlink and terrestrial Cell signals dynamically., and equip all tunnels with leaky coax carried cell signals. Technically all that can be done, the question as usual boils down to funding.

Just doing Starlink would probably be a significant improvement at least in the flyover country of the west, specially where the rail alignment is far from highways.

The cost of tunnel Internet service when automobile traffic is not involved would be hideous. Not enough traffic to justify it. It was tried with the IMTS mobile phones installed on some of the Northeast Corridor, using highly ruggedized Motorola TLD-1100 radios. he game wasn't worth the candle, and the service was unreliable.
To date, the Starlink solution would appear to be the best bet.
Even if AMTRAK charged me a fee, presuming it were nominal, I would go for it..

 

[Michigan Mom]

If it further enriches Elon, no thanks, forevermore.

 

[MIrailfan]

Elevated tracks in heavy freight areas.

 

[MIrailfan]

Amtrak needs to reduce unprofitable routes

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2021/may/26/amtrak-loses-money-on-long-distance-routes-like-th/

This would be a win win. They would reduce losses, and equipment could be reallocated to other routes, and some of the crews as well.

 

[Bostontoallpoints]

Amtrak needs to reduce unprofitable routes

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2021/may/26/amtrak-loses-money-on-long-distance-routes-like-th/

This would be a win win. They would reduce losses, and equipment could be reallocated to other routes, and some of the crews as well.

Every Amtrak route with the exception of the Autotrain is unprofitable year after year. The Northeast Corridor has a $31 Billion repair backlog. So you would be reallocating all equipment to the Autotrain? I am old enough to remember all the Amtrak route reductions. Any money saved was temporary and far below projections. Equipment reallocations barely made a dent in inventory. Every route that is cut that is less revenue for Amtrak and less customers.

 

[b1xn00d]

The cost of tunnel Internet service when automobile traffic is not involved would be hideous. Not enough traffic to justify it. It was tried with the IMTS mobile phones installed on some of the Northeast Corridor, using highly ruggedized Motorola TLD-1100 radios. he game wasn't worth the candle, and the service was unreliable.
To date, the Starlink solution would appear to be the best bet.
Even if AMTRAK charged me a fee, presuming it were nominal, I would go for it..

There is no way to spend money on telecom equipment that even compares to the cost of track upgrades, and reliable internet so people can work remotely is the only way many Amtrak routes are ever going to get significant business from people who aren't retired, students, or Amish without significant increases in speed. The world has changed a lot since 2019, and Amtrak has a huge opportunity to take advantage of those changes.

Agree that Starlink seems like the obvious solution in places with spotty cell service. Giving money to egotistical billionaires is not so heinous a crime as keeping large numbers of potential Amtrak customers taking short-hop flights for want of internet access.