Not to single anyone out here, but again I see people talking about changing the schedule to reflect reality. This doesn't work, is not at all easy to make it happen, and hasn't worked in the past.
First, the "reality" for the EB changes from day to day, and it is different for the eastbound & westbound. Forgetting for a moment the desire to try to maintain connections (which currently Amtrak has largely abandoned), it is probably not practical for scheduling to set two differing schedules. Even with the extra trainset, something that Amtrak cannot maintain year round, trains are still going out late due to late arrivals.
Second, changing any schedule for the EB involves 3 different RR's that all must agree to the new schedule. It is already near impossible to get one host to agree to a new schedule; much less get 3 to do so. And Amtrak still must worry about capacity at CUS, as well as conflicts in Portland & Seattle.
Finally, we know from history that changing the schedule doesn't help. Back in the early 2000's, Amtrak managed to get UP & CSX to change the schedules to reflect "reality"; or so they thought. Amtrak added 10 and 1/2 hours of padding into the Sunset Limited's schedule, 8 hours for UP and 2-1/2 for CSX. And most of the padding for CSX was simply to provide a cushion going westbound so as to not deliver the Sunset to UP out of it's slot.
It didn't help! The train still consistently late by at least 10 hours; and at times it was a day or two late. UP basically just gobbled up that extra time and still ran the Sunset late. When there is too much traffic, padding doesn't help. You can't leave a station early, and no matter what you will still encounter delays further down the track.
There are only two ways to fix this problem. One would be to take BNSF to court and enforce the contract with major penalties; penalties that would hit profits on freight movements hard. Two, BNSF goes on a crash program to double track the entire line.
Changing the schedule only ensures that the train will arrive hours later than it currently does and that it will still be late.
First, the "reality" for the EB changes from day to day, and it is different for the eastbound & westbound. Forgetting for a moment the desire to try to maintain connections (which currently Amtrak has largely abandoned), it is probably not practical for scheduling to set two differing schedules. Even with the extra trainset, something that Amtrak cannot maintain year round, trains are still going out late due to late arrivals.
Second, changing any schedule for the EB involves 3 different RR's that all must agree to the new schedule. It is already near impossible to get one host to agree to a new schedule; much less get 3 to do so. And Amtrak still must worry about capacity at CUS, as well as conflicts in Portland & Seattle.
Finally, we know from history that changing the schedule doesn't help. Back in the early 2000's, Amtrak managed to get UP & CSX to change the schedules to reflect "reality"; or so they thought. Amtrak added 10 and 1/2 hours of padding into the Sunset Limited's schedule, 8 hours for UP and 2-1/2 for CSX. And most of the padding for CSX was simply to provide a cushion going westbound so as to not deliver the Sunset to UP out of it's slot.
It didn't help! The train still consistently late by at least 10 hours; and at times it was a day or two late. UP basically just gobbled up that extra time and still ran the Sunset late. When there is too much traffic, padding doesn't help. You can't leave a station early, and no matter what you will still encounter delays further down the track.
There are only two ways to fix this problem. One would be to take BNSF to court and enforce the contract with major penalties; penalties that would hit profits on freight movements hard. Two, BNSF goes on a crash program to double track the entire line.
Changing the schedule only ensures that the train will arrive hours later than it currently does and that it will still be late.