I emailed Amtrak Customer Service yesterday asking whether it was still possible to request a print version of their National Timetable through the website.
Their response this morning follows - NOTHING new here that we hadn't pretty much already figured out in the thread about the redesigned website. Apparantly they are still 'working on it'.
The response -
Dear David Pressley:
Thank you for contacting us.
Due to the redesign of our website, the ordering publications feature has been temporarily removed.
In the interim we have sent out a request for the brochures to be mailed to you.
We hope this information will assist you.
Sincerely, Susan E Amtrak Customer Service
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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It sounds to me, David, like they're saying "we haven't got 'em". I hope that is not true as I would like to have the hard-copy brochure or pamphlet, as well. I especially like the fold-out national map of all Amtrak train routes that is within the brochure.
You can download the map of Amtrak routes by going to the Amtrak website and clicking the orange "time tables" tab, at the top. Then click on "Amtrak System Timetable", in blue. You will get a long file of maps, timetables, etc. One of the pages is the system map of all Amtrak routes. If you click on the "papers" icon in the left, vertical margin you can print out just the system route map.
Richard
Posts: 1909 | From: Santa Rosa | Registered: Jan 2004
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Oh yes - I'm adept at finding what I need online BUT I still enjoy having the printed version for 'other things'.......such as comparing mileages vs. time allowed and whatnot.
I just prefer to have it 'in print' as opposed to spending even more time staring at the computer screen.
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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I agree, David. Nothing beats the printed version of anything. Especially newspapers. I like to quickly scan a timetable, or newspaper, to see what's new or interesting - then come back to read the 'good stuff'. Hard to do on the web.
Posts: 2397 | From: Camden, SC | Registered: Mar 2006
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Yes..there is something about the rustle of a newspaper, brochure, or pamphlet that is satisfying compared to looking at the computer screen. I don't subscribe to a newspaper because I don't like the quality of journalism that is out there, these days.I still like to pick up a local newspaper. if I go into a coffee shop for breakfast or lunch, for reading before the meal is served. I have stopped my subscription to "US News and World Report" because the format seems to be "themes" as opposed to a variety of news items..the way it used to be. The cost of a weekly news magazine (and subsctiptions to newspapers, as far as that goes) seems to really be exorbitant, in my opinion.
However, don't take away my subscriptions to "Trains", "Classic Trains" "Railfan and Railroad", "Passenger Train Journal" and "Model Railroader" magazines. That would be a real disaster!
Richard
Posts: 1909 | From: Santa Rosa | Registered: Jan 2004
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I loved that magazine and am hoping that they will be able to increase the 'reborn' PTJ up to six issues a year soon.
To be honest, I feel like I ought to get 10 extra years tacked on to my lifespan to make up for the decade PTJ was not being published.
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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The new timetable is available; I had a copy posted to me after leaving a message on their Contact Us site. It arrived last Friday and Amtrak also included current copies of the Empire Builder, Acela and New York by Rail magazines; also, which I had not seen before, an Amtrak guide for overseas users. I have always found their publications department very efficient in the past.
Posts: 168 | From: uk. northumberland | Registered: Jun 2007
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David -- who is publishing PTJ now? Do you have an address or a web site I can go to and subscribe? -- I subscribed back in the 70's, until they stopped publishing it the first time.
I'll check at AMTRAK-WPK this weekend to see if I can get a couple new system timetables.
Posts: 2428 | From: Grayling, MI | Registered: Mar 2002
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You'll notice Rich that they are also offering back issues of the reincarnated PTJ. You may want to sample one or more of those first.
Their website is not set up for on-line ordering BUT they will be happy to accept your order via telephone OR you can print out their order form and fax it to them with your credit information if you prefer.
I enjoy the new publication. It comes out quarterly so the 'news' they present usually consists of information I learned online weeks earlier. However, the paper stock is thicker than it ever was before and the photography is absolutely stunning. The map graphics are really first rate as well.
The articles in the new PTJ are well written and include a nice balance between 'the way it was' and 'the way it could be'. I'll add that I learn much from reading 'the way it was' articles. Their 'way it could be' tends to be overly optimistic and perhaps a little unrealistic.....
Not that there is anything wrong with dreaming big if you're going to bother with dreaming in the first place.
One note - the cover photo from the issue with the two NCDOT locomotives (2009:2) has had a bit of the Photo Shop applied. The locomotives are sitting at the NCDOT servicing facility in North Raleigh BUT the background has been altered to remove it's urban setting and replace it with the 'typical' appearance of rural Central North Carolina.
Don't those pine trees look all alike?
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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Although I've known Mike Schafer for pushing forty years, I don't subscribe simply because there is too much stuff piling up around here that does not get read. I've taken magazines over to the Hospital still in their delivery pack.
But I'll stand behind anything Mike is associated with as nothing other than QUALITY.
Speaking of Photo Shop, the techniques have been around for a while. There is a 1956 vintage ad for the Denver Zephyr that appeared in TRAINS (and I'm willing to bet general circulation publications as well) that depicted the DZ running on a three track main directly towards Pikes Peak. Oh, and a cowboy and cowgirl were on their oatburners to wave the train by.
Hello?
What was done is that the Zephyr equipment was stopped on a stretch near Lisle, IL (BNSF Chicago Sub or in railfanese "The Racetrack"); the mounts and models rounded up from wherever, and the company photographer had a "shoot'. Then the train photo was pasted atop a publicity shot of Pikes Peak resulting in a view not seen anywhere in real life (I think that view could have been emulated on the Rock Island as it approached Colorado Springs, but not the Q).
I guess when compared to what can be done today by a ten year old kid at a home computer, it looked like 'amateur night', but oh well, what's new.
Posts: 9979 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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Wow, got an email within the hour saying the timetable has been sent to me. Since I also ordered one via Gil's suggested method I may end up with two of them as he just got his today. That's OK, I can share with my friends who also use the train.
-------------------- Vicki in usually sunny Southern California Posts: 951 | From: Redondo Beach, CA | Registered: Aug 2006
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Last time I drove along the ex-Rock Island "three track main" heading towards Pike's Peak it was a single track with grass growing between the ties that looked like it was good for about 20 mph.
Posts: 1572 | From: St. Paul, MN | Registered: Dec 2002
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