Rail passenger tech

Some guys have apps on their phones that allow them to track the train speed from their seat. Is there an app for android that also collects gradient data? Like if you were a passenger on the Cap Ltd, can you track the gradient that the train climbs as, say, you ascend Sand Patch? Some app that in between button activated starts/stops, it tracks the distance and elevation changes over said linear distance?

Take a look at the My Tracks app; I've never used it for rail travel, but several times for road trips. It saves the info as a file, but not sure if you can monitor real-time.

On a related note, Amtrak has upgraded their app to display track numbers at stations. It will be rolled out at stations like Houston... this is not a joke.

Tadman wrote: ↑Sat Jun 13, 2020 8:33 am On a related note, Amtrak has upgraded their app to display track numbers at stations. It will be rolled out at stations like Houston... this is not a joke.

Words fail me.

Houston ( HOS ) really ? Amtrak is got to be kidding !

Since this is in Texas (where everything is huge), does this mean what would otherwise be Track 1 is Track 10?

...oh I'm going to get shot for that one...

STrRedWolf wrote: ↑Sun Jun 14, 2020 9:50 am Since this is in Texas (where everything is huge), does this mean what would otherwise be Track 1 is Track 10?

...oh I'm going to get shot for that one...

Groan

Yeah here's the article. A vast majority of these stations have only two tracks and one each day per direction.

"Penn Station will be the latest Amtrak destination to display real-time track and departure information within the app — the functionality will be added by July 2020. Existing stations with tracking information include:

Sacramento, Calif.
Berlin, Conn.
Meriden, Conn.
Wallingford, Conn.
Wilmington, Del.
Washington, D.C.
Jacksonville, Fla.
Carlinville, Ill.
Normal-Bloomington, Ill.
Aberdeen, Md.
Baltimore, Md.
BWI/Thurgood Marshall Airport, Md.
New Carrollton, Md.
Havre, Mont.
Omaha, Neb.
Rochester, N.Y.
Klamath falls, Ore.
Salem, Ore.
Philadelphia, Penn.
Austin, Texas
Houston, Texas
Richmond (Staples Mill), Va.
Tukwila, Wash."

https://thepointsguy.com/news/you-can-n ... mtrak-app/

Presumably , the feature for single track stations is the departure time.

Hold on, let me fix that quote...

Tadman wrote: ↑Sun Jun 14, 2020 8:29 pm Wilmington, Del.
Washington, D.C.
Baltimore, Md.
Philadelphia, Penn.

The only thing I can see this helping is folks getting over to the correct track on a two-track station in time to catch the train.

Take BWI. There's at least a 75% chance of somebody running at the last minute to catch the train that's southbound. Announcements are made well in advance, so there's time to get over there... but nobody is listening until the last minute... and it takes five to get over to the other side.

NYP? Maybe it'll help reduce crowding around the displays. But that station just needs to be reconstructed anyway.

It may help, but depends on if notifications are turned on for the app, and how it works out in practice.

STrRedWolf wrote: ↑Mon Jun 15, 2020 6:00 am

NYP? Maybe it'll help reduce crowding around the displays. But that station just needs to be reconstructed anyway.

I think that's the idea. Would also be useful in places like Chicago and LA.

In Europe, they have the platforms (terminal or en-route) scheduled out months in advance and the train-platform relationship is listed in the timetable and at the station. They also list the consist order on each platform on a poster.

It would be nice if they quit using that esoteric car numbering system and posted the consist order at stations, as most trains rarely deviate. The Chief is almost always P/P/Bag/Trans/Sleeper/Sleeper/Diner/Lounge/Coach/Coach. Instead of using "car 0351" they could use "car M".

This would be much nicer than the usual confusion of asking three car attendants where my seat/berth is.

It would be nice at Stamford and New Haven.

Tadman wrote: ↑Mon Jun 15, 2020 7:25 am It would be nice if they quit using that esoteric car numbering system and posted the consist order at stations, as most trains rarely deviate. The Chief is almost always P/P/Bag/Trans/Sleeper/Sleeper/Diner/Lounge/Coach/Coach. Instead of using "car 0351" they could use "car M".

How about a notification saying "Board train by track position E"? "Board train from 5th car from engines"?

“Proceed to position A to board coach 1.” Or “...business car A” or “sleeping car C” or for Acela, “FirstClass car 1.” Even if the crew is arbitrary about where they seat you, they’ll have to at least assign you a car before the train arrives.

Jeff Smith wrote: ↑Wed Jun 17, 2020 2:44 pm It would be nice at Stamford and New Haven.

It's almost a necessity at Ashland, Virginia