Bad summer on the Union Pacific

[Superliner Diner]

Just found out this fact as reported by Friends of Amtrak and the Texas Association of Rail Passengers....

Amtrak had another rough summer on Union Pacific tracks. The Texas Eagle, during the month of August, had an average 5-1/2 hours of UP-attributable delays on a daily basis during the month of August. And the Sunset Limited during the same month was delayed by the UP an average of 6.9 hours. The only reason the Sunset Limited's figure is higher is because it runs only three days per week.

Thanks, UP! :angry:

 

[Amtrak Watcher]

I used to do some contract work for a professional public safety organization in which the UP plays a significant role. In doing so, I routinely got to listen in on radio communications between the UP and Amtrak. It seemed the UP was constantly trying to accommodate Amtrak as best they can without completely screwing up their own operations. From what little I know it seems that the problem is confined in the west where there are so few tracks and the slightest problem propagates all over the system.

 

[Chatter163]

>>Amtrak had another rough summer on Union Pacific tracks. The Texas Eagle, during the month of August, had an average 5-1/2 hours of UP-attributable delays on a daily basis during the month of August. And the Sunset Limited during the same month was delayed by the UP an average of 6.9 hours. The only reason the Sunset Limited's figure is higher is because it runs only three days per week.<<

Having travelled on the Sunset Limited this summer, I know the delays well. My question is: Since we are talking averages, how does the Sunset's less frequent runs make its average figure higher than the Texas Eagle? Averages do not depend on all groups having the same number of items. :blink:

 

[Coach34135]

DONT I KNOW IT!! I was late 7 hours into LAX on the Sunset!

I wasn't like totally annoyed from the delays, I knew how the railroads worked and I didn't want to leave the train anytime soon...I loved it on there!

What the UP caused us in El Paso, they took forever letting us into the station and because of it, when we were ready to go our crew was going to go dead in 2 hrs so we sat for two hrs waiting for the replacements.

 

[Superliner Diner]

>>Amtrak had another rough summer on Union Pacific tracks. The Texas Eagle, during the month of August, had an average 5-1/2 hours of UP-attributable delays on a daily basis during the month of August. And the Sunset Limited during the same month was delayed by the UP an average of 6.9 hours. The only reason the Sunset Limited's figure is higher is because it runs only three days per week.<<
Having travelled on the Sunset Limited this summer, I know the delays well. My question is: Since we are talking averages, how does the Sunset's less frequent runs make its average figure higher than the Texas Eagle? Averages do not depend on all groups having the same number of items. :blink:

Chatter,

You may be right -- I am not sure how they arrive at that average, whether they divide by the number of days in the month (31) or the number of trips in the month (about 13). That could make a big difference in the average number of hours the trains are late (per day) when viewed on a monthly basis.