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I remember seeing a site to check a train's travel status awhile back...but can't remember what it is. Can anyone help me? Thanks in advance! Candy
RRRICH Member # 1418
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Of course we can help you, Candy! Check at amtrak.com -- on the home page (the page you get when you enter that link), on the lower right is a box which says "Train arrival and departure information" -- click there, and you've got it!! The next screen will ask you the city and "approximate" time of departure of the train you want, then the destination city. Don't worry if you don't know the scheduled departure of the train -- if you type in anything (other than a location in the NE), it will give you all the trains which depart that day for the city you mention.
Mr. Toy Member # 311
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If a computer isn't handy you can always call 1-800-USA-RAIL. They have a cool new voice recognition system that will ask you a series of simple questions. Just tell the computer what it wants to know and it will give you the train's status. It's like talking to the computer in Star Trek. You don't have to push any buttons.
------------------ Trust God, love your neighbor, and never mistake opinion for truth. -Mr. Toy
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RRRich and Mr Toy, Thank you both for your answers! I found the site quickly and utilized it immediately. I am also going to experiment with the amtrak phone number. We are due to leave Wed at 1 am and I want to get a feel for the travel status. I also wanted to tell the fellow who will be picking us up on our return how to know if we will be late. Thanks again! Candy
Konstantin Member # 18
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I recently discovered the voice recognition phone system. It really does work and is quite easy to use.
------------------ Elias Valley Railroad (N-scale) www.geocities.com/evrr
denver bob Member # 1664
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Just be careful if the Amtrak site indicates the arrival time is late. My son last Saturday evening checked the Amtrak site and it indicated the train was two and half hours late, my son left his home about an hour after the normal arrival time and the train had already arrived and was ready to depart. It was only about one and a half hour late and just made the train before it left. Somewhere it made up over an hour from what the site indicated.
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RRRICH Member # 1418
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Bob -- you are right. Use of the OTP stats takes some judgement, since many schedules do have "padding" in them, and trains do make up time enroute. It depends on how far away from the final destination you check the OTP -- if you check the OTP within 1 or 2 stations, you're probably going to get a pretty good estimate, yet if you check the OTP status of a train from this AM, several hundred miles (and several stations) away, which will arrive at your destination late this PM, then the train might either make up time or get even later.
It also takes a little skill in "knowing the routes" -- some of us know which trains are likely to make up time, and which aren't.
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