194 is coming to New York all the way from Newport News. From Newport News to D.C. the track is owned by CSX, not Amtrak. CSX is supposed to give priority to Amtrak trains, but that doesn't always happen. Amtrak trains are often forced to follow slow freight trains for miles and miles. I rode train 66 last night, which runs the same route as 194, and we were stuck behind a freight train east of Richmond. We were 45 minutes late once we got around it, but didn't lose anymore time from there on. Other things that cause delays such as broken down trains blocking the track, signal problems, and speed restrictions due to track problems are also more common on CSX track than on the Northeast Corridor. Amtrak knows about situations like this (they deal with many of them), and they try to work with freight railroads like CSX to find solutions. Sometimes they alter schedules to avoid conflicts between freight and passenger trains. There is a limit to what Amtrak can do, and sometimes they are at the mercy of CSX. 194 runs on a relatively tight schedule north of D.C., so it has few opportunities to make up time.