CZ schedule change

[IceColdMintJulep]

We just got a phone call from Amtrak to inform us of schedule changes on the CZ for our trip leaving SLC on 5 JUL to SFP and returning 8 JUL. We now arrive in EMY at 4:49pm (was 5:09) and get on the bus at 5pm arrrive at SFP at 6:10 (was 6:35). On the way back we leave SFP 20 min earlier at 7:30am and arrive in EMY at 8:45am and depart on the CZ at 9:15am (was 9:35) and arrive in SLC at 3:15am (was 3:35). Basically they moved the schedule up about 20 minutes for reasons they couldn't say, I would assume dispatching and I would assume this means an earlier CHI departure, but she didn't know off hand.

 

[IceColdMintJulep]

PS I checked the site, and amazingly its updated (not the PDF though) and it does leave earlier from chi (30 min earlier)

 

[saxman]

Well I guess the new schedule is about to come out. Any other changes that anyone knows of?

 

[battalion51]

Silver Service should be changing, I'm trying to get my hands on the new schedule. From what I can tell on the reservations site it looks like 97 will be an hour later than it is now, at least down south.

 

[MrFSS]

Where in the "chain of command" at Amtrak would scheduling decisions and changes be made? By committee? Just curious as to how it happens.

Wonder if the public has any effect on schedules from letters, calls, etc.

 

[battalion51]

I know for the NEC there is a scheduling guy who looks at the trends in ridership, on time, track capacity, drawbridge openings, and what slots Metro-North/CSX will allow them to have outside their territory. As far as other trains go its largely up to the corporate supervisors, area superintendents, the host railroads, and the other superintendents that have trains that it connects with.

 

[Trogdor]

The Empire Builder is departing Chicago a whopping FIVE MINUTES LATER starting in April. Arrival is five minutes earlier.

I don't think customer comments or requests will be all that effective in getting a long-distance train's schedule changed (unless it was a really massive effort).

Amtrak has to work the fine line between serving the largest population centers at the best hours while also maintaining connections at both ends of the route. For example, run the eastbound Zephyr too much later, and it misses the eastbound trains out of Chicago. Have it leave Chicago to much later westbound, and it might get to California too late for something (though what, I'm not exactly sure).

And while it's not exactly New York Penn Station, Chicago Union Station has a decent number of Metra trains going in and out during rush hour, so that is also a factor in determining the departure and arrival times of the long-distance trains.

It's not as simple as someone at Amtrak saying "let's run a train at time X." They have to negotiate with the freight railroads to ensure that there will be adequate capacity at the times necessary to give the train more than a snowball's chance in hell at making it over the road on time (hence the significant change to the Sunset Limited's schedule last month).