Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
purpose, by the way. He or she is required to operate right at the
speed limit and will regularly check the accuracy of the speedom-
eter in the cab using this same method.
If you're not interested in doing the math, here's a table that
will shortcut the process:
Time Between Mileposts Speed (mph)
2:00.0
30
1:43.0
35
1:30.0
40
1:20.0
45
1:12.0
50
1:00.0
60
:55.4
65
:51.4
70
:48.0
75
:45.0
80
There is another way to compute the train's speed, but it's a
lot less accurate. Count the number of “telephone” poles passing
by in a 15-second period and multiply that number by six. Most
of the time, that will give you a rough idea of the speed. (Inci-
dentally, those are not really telephone poles. They were origi-
nally installed by the railroad to bring electricity to its signals
and switches.)
Estimate Your Arrival Time
I enjoy figuring out whether we're gaining or losing time along
our route. It's quite easy to do since departure times for each stop
are listed on the Amtrak timetable. You can go to the Amtrak
Web site and print one out before you leave, or you can get one at
the station before you depart or from the train attendant or con-
ductor once onboard. You may even find one at your seat or in
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