Schedules

[GG-1]

Aloha

Please dont start a flame war about Amtrak performance!!

Does anyone know of a source, possibly a spread sheet format, showing the scheduled and actual arrival of the different routes. At the moment I am interested in the 6 California Zepher.

What I want to study is the varables relating to both early and, as we all cry about, late performance. I wonder if day of week departures have similar results or other patterns.

Mahalo

Eric

 

[battalion51]

I'm sure one exsists, but it's probably in the Amtrak Computer System inaccesible to all of us. My best advice, create your own.

 

[engine999]

The only ones I have seen are the monthly averages. You could create your own charts now in excel or word, by entering the data every week. The Zephyr may have better otp next month because it will be taking an alternate route that takes less time and it will make less stops.

 

[battalion51]

But remember there are certain days it takes the detour, but other days when it runs it's regular route. It's an odd little thing they did, but these are the geniuses at Amtrak and UP we're talkin about.

 

[Anthony]

I don't even think those monthly averages are supposed to be made public? :unsure:

 

[AlanB]

I don't even think those monthly averages are supposed to be made public? :unsure:

I don't know about the past, but Amtrak as of this year has started releasing those number publicly. You can now find a whole bunch of stats, both financial & OTP on Amtrak's website. So far only January & February have been posted, but one has to believe that the trend will continue.

The reports can be found here.

 

[Anthony]

Cool, thanks for the link Alan

 

[National Limited]

Yes, the monthly reports are very interesting reading. I find it encouraging to know that around 60% of late trains are caused by the host railroads. Makes me wonder if the host railroads worked to get Amtrak through on time what the OT performance would look like. I was also suprised to find that Acela is making a fairly sizable profit (which I assume is above the rails)! Sad to see how much money some of the other routes loose.

By the way, I noticed that the reports assign different route numbers for all the trains that differ from the train number. Why aren't they the same?

 

[PRR 60]

I find it encouraging to know that around 60% of late trains are caused by the host railroads.  Makes me wonder if the host railroads worked to get Amtrak through on time what the OT performance would look like.

It should be noted that Amtrak is the one assigning blame to the host railroads for 60% of the delays. I would be curious to hear the host railroad's side of the story.

 

[Guest]

I know the real reason the trains are late.

Aliens.

Little green men from Mars get great pleasure from making the trains run late. They particually like making the Sunset Limited late because it runs so close to Roswell, NM. However, the Empire Builder runs nowhere near Roswell, so it runs on time.

/tin foil hat

 

[National Limited]

PRR 60--a very good point. While I don't completely understand all the inforatmion in the two reports presently available online I think they "itemize" the reasons for delays. You may have a better understand of some of the information included in the report or the way the information is presented and thus could provide a clarification of their 60% host railroad OT performance problems. I'm very curious to know if this 60% figure is honest and accurate.

 

[IceColdMintJulep]

You would thing that is at least in the ballpark.

 

[Yellowstonetim]

I have been tracking the daily ontime performance of the California Zephyr - both directions - for the past few months. I will try to compile the information and share it with you.

To me, ontime percentage does not mean very much, so I track it myself. Ontime or 30 minutes late doesn't matter to me. 30 minutes, 1 hour, 3 hours or 7 hours late DOES matter. I will try to post how often in the days I recorded the information (about 26 days a month) the train was 1, 2, 3, 4, hours late, etc.

I am not sure how soon I can post this, but hopefully this week.

 

[Yellowstonetim]

California Zephyr Arrival Performance for April and May.

Note that this will be between Chicago and SACRAMENTO, not Emeryville. Emeryville is close enough that performance will be similar.

May

Chicago to Sacramento (Arrival Stats for 21 days this month)

Posted Arrival time: 2:39 PM

Early/on time: 0

to 2:59 - 0

3:00 to 3:59 - 2 (Under 1-1/2 hours late)

4:00 to 4:59 - 5 (Under 2-1/2 hours late)

5:00 to 5:59 - 5 (3-1/2)

6:00 to 6:59 - 6 (4-1/2)

7:00 to 10:00- 3

Sacramento to Chicago (Arrival Stats for 22 days this month)

Posted Arrival time: 3:32 PM

Early/ontime: 7

to 3:59 - 3 (less than 30 minutes late)

4:00 to 4:59 - 3 (Under 1-1/2 hours late)

5:00 to 5:59 - 5 (Under 2-1/2 hours late)

6:00 to 6:59 - 2 (3-1/2)

7:00 to 8:00 - 1 (4-1/2)

9:00 to 10:00- 1

My theory is this: For train travel, when you know that times cannot and will not be exact and plan accordingly, late up to a few hours is not a big deal. You plan connections accordingly. But, beyond two hours things are more inconvenient and beyond 4 hours problems start to happen.

I am perfectly happy with long distance train travel that arrives within 2 hours of it's scheduled time. Beyond that it depends, however extra time on the train and more meals are fine with me.

I am leaving this afternoon from Harrisburg, PA on the Three Rivers to Chicago. If all goes well, it will arrive about an hour late, so I can have a leisurly breakfast and don't arrive too early! B)

 

[Yellowstonetim]

I forgot April.

Here is the California Zephyr's Arrival Performance for the month of April.

APRIL

Chicago to Sacramento (Stats for 23 days)

Arrival time 2:39 PM

Early/on time: 1

3:00 to 3:59 - 6 (Less than 1-1/2 hours late)

4:00 to 4:59 - 7 (Less than 2-1/2 hours late)

5:00 to 5:59 - 4 (3-1/2)

6:00 to 6:59 - 1 (4-1/2)

7:00 to 7:59 - 1 (5-1/2)

8:00 to 9:00 - 3

Sacramento to Chicago (Stats for 22 days)

Arrival time 3:32

Early/on time: 8 (WOW!)

to 3:59 - 5 (Less than 30 minutes late)

4:00 to 4:59 - 5 (Less than 1-1/2 hours late)

5:00 to 5:59 - 3 (>2-1/2)

6:00 to 6:59 - 0

7:00 to 7:59 - 1