GPS That Will Route On Railroad Tracks

 

I have considered taking my family on a vacation and traveling via Amtrak. Is there any GPS or app that will route via the railroad? I assume that all will try to route via the regular roads. It would be sort of nice if one of them did do routing via the railroad tracks because it would show the next stop(s) on the rail line.

Use Amtrak POI

I doubt any GPS unit would do that. Your best bet would be to download the Amtrak stations list.

http://www.poi-factory.com/node/7456

When you look at that list on your unit, then it should show you what stations are coming up.

--
Garmin Nuvi 2450

.

Google Maps will let you select a route using trains, and it can show all of the stops on the route.

Amtrak's Track-a-Train

If you haven't see it, take a look at Amtrak's new "Track-a-Train". It shows the current GPS position of trains in their system.

Find it at: http://www.amtrak.com/train-routes and look for "Get Tracking Now".

It's pretty cool...

Off Road Mode, or Public Transit Mode

jfossy wrote:

I doubt any GPS unit would do that. Your best bet would be to download the Amtrak stations list.

http://www.poi-factory.com/node/7456

When you look at that list on your unit, then it should show you what stations are coming up.

If you downloaded the Amtrak and put in Off Road. My NUVI 2555LMT has a setting that I've had no need to use. Under Navigation, you can select Public Transportation, that includes options for Bus, Train, Metrorail, Tram & Trolley.

Now that I've seen that, Ifigured it was good to Uncheck all of those. I sure don't want it to plot a route down a rail line.

--
DriveSmart 65, NUVI2555LMT, (NUVI350 is Now Retired)

Thanks

I didn't know about that tool.

Rich7041 wrote:

If you haven't see it, take a look at Amtrak's new "Track-a-Train". It shows the current GPS position of trains in their system.

Find it at: http://www.amtrak.com/train-routes and look for "Get Tracking Now".

It's pretty cool...

--
Drivesmart 66, Nuvi 2595LMT (Died), Nuvi 1490T (Died), Nuvi 260 (Died), GPSMAP 195

What's the purpose of using

What's the purpose of using GPS to track trains? Since they pass stations along the way (and I mean equipment stations, not just stations where they pick up passengers) don't you know that a train is between 2 points just by knowing it passed one but not the other yet?

2595 has transportation

2595 has transportation that you can see where you go. now, you have to see if it is what you need. I think any gps can show you where you are. If you want a route I dont know if you can , I did not try. If
you can route to the rail you have to be careful after when you are not on tracks.

Point to point

I programmed Chicago to New York Amtrak route into my Magellan several years ago. The map page had two fields, the next stop and the "as the crow flies" distance.
That was fun.

--
1490LMT 1450LMT 295w

Did it

Used my 2595 on our Amtrak trip from FL to Northern VA in October.
Certainly didn't have to worry about U-turns or Right and left turns but it was very interesting to follow our progress and to get a real good idea where we were.
Also enjoyed keeping track of our speed !
A lot of people stopped by our seat to ask questions !

Next year we have a train trip from Albany>Phoenix via Chicago and back so will have the GPS ready to go and stuck on the train window !

Just a fun thing to do !

--
MrKenFL- "Money can't buy you happiness .. But it does bring you a more pleasant form of misery." NUVI 260, Nuvi 1490LMT & Nuvi 2595LMT all with 2014.4 maps !

you can also

MrKenFL wrote:

Used my 2595 on our Amtrak trip from FL to Northern VA in October.
Just a fun thing to do !

You can also use Amtrak's web site to track your train while on board. Did it last spring on our way to Boston for a conference in Woods Hole.

--
Illiterate? Write for free help.

Or . . .

Rich7041 wrote:

If you haven't see it, take a look at Amtrak's new "Track-a-Train". It shows the current GPS position of trains in their system.

Find it at: http://www.amtrak.com/train-routes and look for "Get Tracking Now".

It's pretty cool...

Here's another one: http://www.dixielandsoftware.net/Amtrak/status/StatusMaps/

Click on region on the map at top left.

On the next page, see what happens when you click on a train number square. Way cool.

Used Garmin on Amtrak trip

I used my Garmin on my Amtrak trip from NY to NC and it did do a lot of route corrections, but it was accurate with the position of the GPS. My Star Wars Tie Fighter icon was always on the railroad tracks in the display.