Amtrak Guest Rewards - Classic Ticket Stock

Just wondering, how common is the classic ticket stock now that they've pretty much put the standard all-white ticket into place?

Was just boarding at PAO and one of the QuikTraks issued me the classic stock, which I haven't seen in several years now. Granted, my travels have only taken me to a limited number of cities (PAO, PHL, MET, and NYP).

Other than the background color, what is the difference between "classic" stock and the new version. At least they haven't transitioned to those flimsy ones that the airlines use for boarding passes these days.

The "classic" tickets were on a heavier paper stock, just like the stock airlines used to have. Since I tend to stick tickets in my front pocket until needed, the classic tickets held up much better. While the newer Amtrak stock crumples easier, it sure holds up a lot better than the thermal paper airlines are using. My pockets manage to destroy those things between check-in and the gate.

The conductor this morning was actually a bit surprised that they were still issuing the old tickets. Either way, it's soon to be obsolete with the anticipated rollout of the e-ticketing on Keystone. RIP boarding cards! I really hope that they enable mobile devices to be scanned, though.

I really hope that they enable mobile devices to be scanned, though.

They do! From http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/Satellite?SnippetName=IBLegacy&pagename=am/AM_Snippet_C/SnippetWrapper&ibsref=eTicketingTDD:

If your smartphone receives e-mail and can open a PDF document, you can simply show the bar code on the phone screen to the conductor without printing it out.

They do! From http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/Satellite?SnippetName=IBLegacy&pagename=am/AM_Snippet_C/SnippetWrapper&ibsref=eTicketingTDD:

PDF works for now, but searching through email archives to find your ticket gets onerous quickly. It would be nice to actually integrate the barcode into the mobile app, like many of the airlines have done.

Also, I hope QT machines are still able to print out boarding cards of some sort. I don't always have easy access to a printer, and while the iPhone route usually works for me, sometimes I'm boarding the train at the end of a long day with a phone with a dead battery and my charger left at home...

Well yeah, they have to have regular BP's to account for people who don't have smartphones (although they've become a real rarity these days). The airline model seems perfect - have the quick (and time saving) solution for the passengers who want to use it, but also have the conventional QT/Check-In Desk to print it for the regular folks.

I'd really like it if they integrated it into the app as well. Granted, I choose to buy 40 individual tickets per month as opposed to a monthly pass, but at least it will make it easier for me to keep track of which ticket is for which date.