How Often Does This Happen: trains over 24 hours late?

[Todd]

Checking out the Amtrak live train map and strange things are happening with #7 (Empire Builder). First of all there are 4 trains for route #7 all on the track.

The 1/4 train is 33 hours late and motionless a few stops from Seattle, the 1/5 is 13 hours late, only a few hours distance behind the 1/4 train and cruising along.

How often are trains over 24 hours late?

How often does a train catch the daily train from the day before?

 

[CCC1007]

This is a very unusual situation for the Empire Builder, which during a "normal" winter may experience some delays, up to 6-12 hours, for a week or two in a season, with most being 2-4 hours late. This has been my experience, at least.

 

[moosejunky99]

Wow 32 hrs?!?

 

[moosejunky99]

Amtrak Advisory | Train Service Halted between Portland and Seattle guess this is why... bus bridge..

and this

UPDATE: Empire Builder Train 7 that departed Chicago (CHI) on 1/4 continues to hold at Wenatchee (WEN) due to severe weather conditions in the area and a disabled freight train ahead. A lengthy delay is expected. 7 from other day is going to catch that train.

 

[CCC1007]

Yeah, a derailment (of a freight train in the area) will do that.

Since the highways over the passes in the area are also closed, no bus bridge is possible.

 

[moosejunky99]

Yeah, a derailment (of a freight train in the area) will do that.

Since the highways over the passes in the area are also closed, no bus bridge is possible.

Wow i didn't know about the freight train derailment.. it just says disabled on twitter haha..

 

[CCC1007]

Wow i didn't know about the freight train derailment.. it just says disabled on twitter haha..

Between the derailments on the Lakeside and Scenic subdivisions, and a mudslide on the Seattle subdivision, BNSF hasn't been having a good week in that area...

 

[AmtrakBlue]

7(4), which eventually left Wenatchee, got stuck east of the tunnel and after a few hours had to back up to Wenatchee. The pax & crew were put into hotels, again.

 

[MARC Rider]

To answer the OP's original question, Trains being more than 24 hours late, while it does seem to happen with depressing regularity, is pretty rare. I've never had it happen to me, despite decades of Amtrak riding, and being on some really late trains.

 

[zephyr17]

Between the derailments on the Lakeside and Scenic subdivisions, and a mudslide on the Seattle subdivision, BNSF hasn't been having a good week in that area...

Neither has WSDOT. All the passes have been closed since Wednesday and are not expected to reopen until Sunday and I 5 was closed due to flooding around Chehalis on Thursday (reopened), leaving the Puget Sound region almost totally isolated.

 

[acelafan]

Checking out the Amtrak live train map and strange things are happening with #7 (Empire Builder). First of all there are 4 trains for route #7 all on the track.

The 1/4 train is 33 hours late and motionless a few stops from Seattle, the 1/5 is 13 hours late, only a few hours distance behind the 1/4 train and cruising along.

How often are trains over 24 hours late?

How often does a train catch the daily train from the day before?

ASMAD - Amtrak Status Maps Archive Database - Train History Search will let you do this search, if you restrict the dates to no more than about 1 year and the threshold for the number of minutes of delay.

For example, looking from Jan 1 2021 to Jan 8 2022, and for delays greater than 1440 minutes (24 hours) we have a winner with Southwest Chief #3 that departed Chicago on Jan 23, 2021. It departed 42 hours, 38 minutes late from Kingman, AZ before Amtrak stopped reporting its status.



Here is the full list of its performance:


That seems to be the only train that was more than 24 hours late in 2021. I have not checked other years but I know it has happened on a few occasions.

 

[Todd]

thanks for the data and link.

I purchased my cross-country loop tickets (first Amtrak experience) in April several months ago, and found the live map a few months ago and that is the strangest thing that I have seen. Even now, no trains on the Empire Line, and there will be none tomorrow it seems. Most of the trains are on the West Coast, though one Westbound #7 turned around in Minot today and headed back to Chicago.

 

[chrsjrcj]

Between Covid and winter storms this has probably been one of the worst winter seasons for Amtrak OTP/cancellation wise.

 

[me_little_me]

For example, looking from Jan 1 2021 to Jan 8 2022, and for delays greater than 1440 minutes (24 hours) we have a winner with Southwest Chief #3 that departed Chicago on Jan 23, 2021. It departed 42 hours, 38 minutes late from Kingman, AZ before Amtrak stopped reporting its status.

So when will it arrive? [key the Twilight Zone music and Rod Serling]

 

[SarahZ]

Someone on Reddit posted that their son is on #7 that left Chicago on 1/7 (I believe). They stopped at Minot and then decided to head back to Chicago.

If I were on that train, I'd get off in Minot, Fargo, or MSP and fly from there.

 

[moosejunky99]

this is 1 reason why i would not want to travel amtrak in the winter.

thanks mod for merge of the thread!!

 

[user 6862]

Quick question for the Empire Builder route.

If the train starts out but as above can't get through, is a full refund given if you are returned to CHI or even if the passenger decides to fly from where the train gets stuck?

 

[acelafan]

That's a very good question! I assume yes since Amtrak did not get you to your destination. But someone here must have experienced that and can verify.

 

[Cal]

this is 1 reason why i would not want to travel amtrak in the winter.

Trains being very late due to weather is fairly normal during winter, but never this bad. Personally, I'd take my chances.

 

[JC7648]

ASMAD - Amtrak Status Maps Archive Database - Train History Search will let you do this search, if you restrict the dates to no more than about 1 year and the threshold for the number of minutes of delay.

For example, looking from Jan 1 2021 to Jan 8 2022, and for delays greater than 1440 minutes (24 hours) we have a winner with Southwest Chief #3 that departed Chicago on Jan 23, 2021. It departed 42 hours, 38 minutes late from Kingman, AZ before Amtrak stopped reporting its status.

View attachment 26664

Here is the full list of its performance:

View attachment 26665
That seems to be the only train that was more than 24 hours late in 2021. I have not checked other years but I know it has happened on a few occasions.

Funny you mentioned the Southwest Chief 3, was looking into recent performance to preview my trip this summer, seems like the train that left on Jan 5 decided to stop reporting in Needles in solidarity? Wasn't able to find any info thru official Amtrak Channels on what heppened to it:

 

[Acela150]

Wow 32 hrs?!?

View attachment 26643

Man that ETA into EVR was way off. It was so off that it never happened.

 

[Cal]

Man that ETA into EVR was way off. It was so off that it never happened.

What did happen?

 

[CCC1007]

What did happen?

That set ended up backing up to Spokane, then detouring to Seattle via Portland.

 

[Acela150]

That set ended up backing up to Spokane, then detouring to Seattle via Portland.

This.

 

[Amtrak709]

I may have misread the tracker, but seems like last week on the days of that heavy snow storm in the northeast and Virginia, seems 92 Silver Star came somewhat close to catching up to previous day 92 in Virginia. Maybe someone on the forum knows the facts.