Silver Star south bound OTP

[LDCarr]

My wife and I will be taking the Silver Star from NC to Miami in May. I have been following status maps for several weeks now. It seems like the Silver Star south bound is very consistently 4 hours late. I realize it has been close to on time a few times. Anyone have information, thoughts or observations about why it is this late so often?

 

[pennyk]

I would not say that the Star is consistently 4 hours late. There have been some instances in the last few weeks where there were trespasser incidents affecting all of the Florida trains. There have been instances due to flooding in SC where the Silvers were under slow orders. When I traveled from ORL to KIS recently, the Star was early. I guess I was lucky.

 

[Thirdrail7]

A review of 91's MIA OTP from 9/1/15 to 11/30/15 does not show a consistent pattern of 4 hour+ late arrivals. Granted, there are a nice batch of them but anything can delay a train.

 

[afigg]

A review of 91's MIA OTP from 9/1/15 to 11/30/15 does not show a consistent pattern of 4 hour+ late arrivals. Granted, there are a nice batch of them but anything can delay a train.

The average for both the past month and the past 3 months is for the Star #91 being about 1 hour and 30 minutes late into Miami, well short of 4 hours. Consistent in that aspect. #91 has arrived at Miami > 3 hours late 4 times in the past month with just 2 of those > 4 hours late. Poor on-time performance, but hardly routinely 4 hours late.

Another way to look at the pattern is the chart for average delay by station for the past 2 months for #91. Shows the bigger delay jumps are from ALX to RVR to RMT (Alexandria to Rocky Mount), then SOP to DNK, then from KIS to SBG (Kissimee to Sebring). The latter KIS to SBG could be due in part to SunRail congestion and track projects. RVR Staples Mill to Rocky Mount is a well established segment for delays.

 

[Seaboard92]

I live just south of Canden and the train normally passes by at exactly 0100 if on time. And usually it's pretty close. Pm me the day and I'll wave to you

 

[LDCarr]

Thanks for your responses. "Routinely" was probably not a good choice of words for me to use. My unscientific observations over a short time were causing me concern. Fortunately we will be on vacation and there is no real deadline for arrival time. Arriving in Miami between 6:00 and 7:00 and getting a rental car and getting out of town to a hotel is more managable than arriving between 8:00 and 9:00. I will continue to monitor to get a sense of OTP. In the end I realize it will be controlled by events at that particular time.

 

[afigg]

Thanks for your responses. "Routinely" was probably not a good choice of words for me to use. My unscientific observations over a short time were causing me concern. Fortunately we will be on vacation and there is no real deadline for arrival time. Arriving in Miami between 6:00 and 7:00 and getting a rental car and getting out of town to a hotel is more managable than arriving between 8:00 and 9:00. I will continue to monitor to get a sense of OTP. In the end I realize it will be controlled by events at that particular time.

Re-reading your post, your Silver Star trip will be in May. I think on-time performance in November & December provides little guidance to what the on-time performance is likely to be in May as track work season will be well underway by then. CSX track maintenance projects along the route could add routine delays on weekdays come April and May.

 

[Cho Cho Charlie]

Thanks for your responses. "Routinely" was probably not a good choice of words for me to use. My unscientific observations over a short time were causing me concern. Fortunately we will be on vacation and there is no real deadline for arrival time. Arriving in Miami between 6:00 and 7:00 and getting a rental car and getting out of town to a hotel is more managable than arriving between 8:00 and 9:00. I will continue to monitor to get a sense of OTP. In the end I realize it will be controlled by events at that particular time.

Having taken the Silvers for a long time (decade+), I always have backup plans for it arriving late, to varying degrees. To me, its just being prudent.

Though, I add a bit of humor in that on one trip, we arrived early, and for that, I had no backup plan.

 

[Seaboard92]

I've ridden the Silvers for the last 15 years. And the latest I've ever been is three hours. But that was equipment defects on the Auto Train so we set a locomotive out for them. Or delays in Washington with the engine change. And I'm like you I've arrived an hour early into New York once and didn't know what to do with my extra time