Amtrak Passengers Can Now Track Trains Thanks to GPS Tracking
9 Oct 2013The newest GPS tracking development allows passengers of Amtrak trains to track their location in real time.
Global positioning systems (GPS) technology is developing and advancing almost constantly. What began as a way to provide navigation information to the military and then civilians is now letting researchers, businesses, consumers and travelers all over the world find out information they need through GPS tracking technology. One of the most recent developments is specifically for travelers of Amtrak trains, which transverse across the United States.
Amtrak travelers are able to look at an interactive train tracking locator map from their own electronic device and find information about their current train. This will include current and upcoming location, the time of arrival and other relevant information. This means travelers who are waiting for their train or wondering when they will reach their destination, will all have the most accurate timetables possible.
How Amtrak Train Tracking Works
Monitoring is accomplished through sensors embedded into the train tracks at different stops throughout the country, which send train location data via GPS tracking devices installed on each Amtrak train.
As the train passes over these sensors, it sends data to the interactive maps. Google Maps has integrated their information with the Amtrak GPS system, so the train’s location and data is sent to the Google Maps Engine that users have on their devices.
The GPS tracking data isn’t quite in real time, but very close. The information must go from the track’s sensors to Google Maps, and then be available for travelers. Users of this system are able to search for the 300 Amtrak trains every day by the train name or number. Users and travelers who want to check in on a train’s status will do so from the Amtrak.com website, which is working in cooperation with the Google Maps interface.
And since Amtrak has noted that finding out their train’s status is the second most popular activity from their website, they expect it will be a very popular piece of technology. This is only second to buying tickets for their trains.
“This tool creates a new platform for sharing information with our customers, and Amtrak will continue to add helpful layers onto this map such as local travel and tourist information to provide passengers a one-stop location for all their travel needs. This map joins several recent technology-related offerings that have improved the customer experience and changed how Amtrak does business, ultimately changing and enhancing the way customers travel with us,” said Matt Hardison, Chief Marketing and Sales Officer for Amtrak, told reporters.
The GPS tracking system being added to Amtrak will accompany other technological advancements, including the new mobile apps, eTicketing, and better Wi-Fi on the trains. It is all making Amtrak one of the most popular forms of transportation throughout the United .
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