A Montanan’s Funny Tide Blunder and the Case for Train Tracking Apps

When I lived in Portland, Maine, I didn't have to tell people I was from Montana. I said hi to everyone on the street, and I gave myself away with one dumb question.

I worked in Portland but had to cross a draw bridge from South Portland to get there and occasionally, I'd be late for work because the bridge would go up right when I was trying to cross.

I asked my coworkers one day, "Why don't they adjust the boat schedule so it doesn't conflict with rush hour?"

They gave me blank stares and I realize now they were hoping I'd put two and two together just by asking the question out loud. But in my naivete, I waited and wondered. Someone finally said:

"It's based on the tides. They can't change the tides," and they laughed and laughed.

Growing up in landlocked Montana, something like that never occurred to me.

Transportation Schedules and Apps 

These days, if you need to know what time to be somewhere, you can hop on Google Maps and the congested streets will have red and yellow with estimated wait times. I was in Seattle last month and we downloaded an app to track the ferry schedule and book a spot.

In Missoula, you can use the Transit Mobile App to track the Mountain Line and UDASH which will send out rider alerts and other notifications. So here's an idea for a schedule or app that might be helpful.

Can we have an app or schedule so we'll know when the trains are coming through?

A Train Schedule App

This idea came up because I was talking to someone who lives in the Rattlesnake. They said they'd get stuck where Spruce Street meets Greenough Drive waiting for the trains to pass. Of course, if they'd known, they might have left the Rattlesnake via Van Buren Street instead.

FWIW: BNSF Railway does have the RailPASS app but according to the description in the Google Play store, it sounds like it's geared toward truck drivers.

Do you know of an app that shows the train schedules?

If there isn't one, maybe someone could design one. It could include routes all over Montana or the region, and users could search the schedules in their area.

If there isn't one, I'm guessing there's not enough demand for it, but it would still be nice.

Now check out these amazing driving skills on a truck driver in Missoula.