IP: Trains Ain't Planes, it's plain to see: [risks] Risks Digest 21.51

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

> Date: Wed, 20 Jun 2001 10:19:12 -0400 (EDT)
> From: Daniel P Dern <ddern () world std com>
> Subject: Trains Ain't Planes, it's plain to see
>
> Usually, I do my work-related travel between Boston and New York by
> plane, but I've been meaning to try train again, especially Amtrak's
> allegedly-faster Accela.
>
> So I call the company travel office to make reservations.  (I already
> know which trains -- whatever the rail equivalent of "flights" is --
> I want.)  An e-mail confirmation shows up a few minutes later, with a URL
> pointing to an itinerary.
>
> The itinerary showed the correct train numbers and arrival times.  No
> departure times.
>
> And had me going between (something like, IIRC) Aptco Test, Texas and
> someplace in Arkansas.
>
> I called the travel group back; they called Amtrak.  My reservation's
> correct, but when the AmTrak system passed info to the next system, it tried
> to parse City Codes as Airport Codes.
>
> More obvious than the "metric vs. English" glitch, but still shows that just
> because two programs _can_ talk to each other doesn't mean they've agreed on
> what they're saying...  Fortunately, if I get on a southbound train from
> Boston (traveling at n miles an hour accompanied by a parrot with a balloon
> tied to one foot) it'll be hard to miss arriving in New York.
>
> Daniel Dern, Executive Editor, Byte.com <ddern () world std com>



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