Posted on 06/21/2010 9:08:10 AM PDT by Willie Green
UK based Nomad Digital says that it has recently been awarded a contract with train builder Talgo to deliver and operate a wireless broadband and live passenger information system on all Talgo's trains servicing their cross border route from Vancouver, Canada through Seattle, Portland and Eugene, Oregon. The project forms part of a train refurbishment programme that Talgo are undertaking.
This new contract follows the launch of the passenger Wi-Fi service on the Amtrak Acela fleet on the 1st March 2010 and earlier contracts in Utah and New Mexico. The deployment will use Nomad's aggregation technology to make use of the simultaneous bandwidth available on all 3G networks (including a Canadian 3G network for trains en route to Vancouver).
The Nomad passenger information system allows passengers to view real-time information about their journey on screens in each carriage. Passengers will be shown the current train position on a map with updated schedule information such as the time to the next station. The system also provides text feeds, video and GPS location-triggered content, with audio via the train's PA system.
Nigel Wallbridge, Nomad's Executive Chairman, said: "This is another significant milestone for us in the North American market. In a few short years on-train Wi-Fi has become the norm for rail operators and Nomad's systems are proving to be the preferred solution to deliver a first class service on all types of route. We are particularly excited to be introducing our next-generation passenger information system for the first time in the North American market."
Funny, I live in this area (Seattle). No one really flies between YVR, SEA, and PDX. It’s a 3 hour drive, at most. If you are on one of those flights, it’s because you’re typically coming in from an overseas flight, or you needed to be there TODAY and return TODAY.
I’ve flown SEA to PDX twice, but that was for a morning meeting in PDX with clients connecting in PDX, and I had an afternoon meeting already scheduled. 30 minutes through the airport, 30 minute flight, I’m there and meeting in just over an hour. Turn around, head back (with 30+ flights a day between those two cities, it’s pretty much just walk on via standby at any time) in time to make my lunch appointment.
But if you’re not going to drive, and do not have to be there and back in just 3-4 hours, the better option is actually the bus.
The buses to Portland and Vancouver all have wifi on-board, and have had wifi for at least two years. It’s plastered all over the sides of those buses - free wifi.
Oh, and the buses are typically 1-2 hours FASTER between any of those destinations.
Oh, and the buses are cheaper; AMTRAK from Seattle to BC is $35, and Greyhound is $25.
Oh, and the buses are more fuel efficient per passenger mile.
Oh, and when we have mudslides over the tracks (a regular occurrence in the soggy Northwest) the buses still run; the trains have to wait for 48 hours after the slide has been cleared.
Oh, and AMTRAK regularly shuffles passengers off to the bus when the trains are broken down, or the tracks are blocked by that mudslide, or there is any number of problems.
So I guess you can say that AMTRAK is finally responding to what their competition has had for the last few years. Now if they could just become as fast, low cost, energy efficient and reliable as a bus, they might actually have something to talk about!
Oh, and the buses are cheaper; AMTRAK from Seattle to BC is $35, and Greyhound is $25.
Only $10 difference???
Hey, that's not bad!!!
Have you ever seen the onboard restroom on a Greyhound bus?
It ain't a very pretty sight, I can tell you that right now!
No thanks.... Amtrak accomodations are much more spacious and comfortable... the extra $10 is well worth it.
The train is slower, less fuel efficient, more expensive, and less reliable than the bus. And you worry about the the bathroom...
Hey, the plane has even better accommodations (at last in first class), and my car is great, with multiple rest stops along the way!
The train is slower, less fuel efficient, more expensive, and less reliable than the bus. And you worry about the the bathroom..
If you prefer to conduct your toe-tapping in the cozy confines of a Greyhound porta-potty, that's fine by me. It's just another good reason why less confused folk should take the train instead.
Completely ignore the fact that the train is slower, more expensive, less efficient, and - at least for the runs you linked about - you stand a good chance to get shuffled to a bus for half the year (when mudslides or accidents close the track, a regular occurrence October through March).
But at least you have a big toilet to sit on for half that time, eh Willie?
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