For about a month now, the scheduled times (in Amtrak's reservations system) of southbound trains into Washington, DC, seem to change every week. What is causing them to oscillate so much?
jb
jb
Why are scheduled times into WAS changing so much?
- Thread starter John Bobinyec
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June the Coach Rider
OBS Chief
As you don't say which trains, all trains have schedules. The scheduled times have not changed. They may be late, but the actual schedule times do not change. At least Amtrak trains do not.
As just one example. Train 2151 was scheduled into WAS at 11.59 a.m. on Wednesday, 4/17. For Thursday 4/18, Friday 4/19 and today 4/22, the scheduled time is 11.47 a.m. (You can check this using the STATUS tab).
Is there work going on down near DC which is prompting Amtrak to change the schedules so that the trains can be on-time?
jb
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Mackensen
Lead Service Attendant
I was on #132 yesterday and observed track work near the Maryland/Delaware border which caused a twenty-minute delay. Whether that's related is another matter.
I am not sure if I understand your question.
The official scheduled time, as printed in the timetable, does not change often, but of course it can .Many trains might change their official time over the months and years.
But I think you are looking at the actual time the train physically stopped each individual day That is just the normal traffic flow not an official change of schedule. I think the discrepancy you note is just a coincidence.
You might be due at work at 9 am On those days you arrive at 8.50 or 9.05 does not mean your schedule has changed.
My apology if I am not understanding you.
The official scheduled time, as printed in the timetable, does not change often, but of course it can .Many trains might change their official time over the months and years.
But I think you are looking at the actual time the train physically stopped each individual day That is just the normal traffic flow not an official change of schedule. I think the discrepancy you note is just a coincidence.
You might be due at work at 9 am On those days you arrive at 8.50 or 9.05 does not mean your schedule has changed.
My apology if I am not understanding you.
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The printed schedules are only mere "guidelines". The real day-to-day schedules are in Amtrak's reservations system. That's where they changed. And I'm talking about the scheduled times, not the actual times.
You see, in order to run Amtrak Status Maps accurately, I need accurate schedules. These schedule variations are being flagged as errors because everytime I change them to match Amtrak, they change the following week and are flagged as errors again.
I'm just curious as to what's going on, is all.
jb
June the Coach Rider
OBS Chief
anywhere I look on Amtrak.com scheduling, 2151 shows 11:47, that is what the schedule shows and that is what I get with random days scheduling from NY to WAS. so I am not understanding what you are seeing about changes to the scheduled time. The actual arrival time changes, but the scheduled time is not changing.
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The Acela scheduled arrivals into WAS appear to have become exceptionally dynamic. The scheduled arrival times change from week-to-week and even day-to-day. I'm guessing it is to account for construction projects, but it can sure be a challenge for anyone who tries to track arrivals.
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Yes, the scheduled arrival times were changing. The "standard" scheduled arrival at WAS is 11:47. However, last Tuesday and Wednesday (4/16 & 17), the scheduled arrival time was 11:59. I have seen multiple instances in the last couple of months where the scheduled arrival of Acelas into both WAS and BOS was shifted a few minutes earlier and later.
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For what it is worth I understand what you are asking and for what reason you are asking. I do not know the answer and I understand it is making your "work" more difficult. I want to thank you for your hard work with the status maps. I look at the maps several times a day and I appreciate what you do.
Me too. Especially during a Boring meeting.
Thanks, lots of us use John's site.For what it is worth I understand what you are asking and for what reason you are asking. I do not know the answer and I understand it is making your "work" more difficult. I want to thank you for your hard work with the status maps. I look at the maps several times a day and I appreciate what you do.
By the way the status maps are at http://dixielandsoftware.net/Amtrak/status/StatusMaps/
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The printed timetable is often out of date the minute it is printed because of changes that occur after production is signed off.
If you want to know the actual schedule a train will be following on a given day, check amtrak.com, not the printed timetable.
Sometimes, changes are planned and a new timetable is posted online, electronically. Sometimes not. It depends on the nature of the change, including how long it will last.
Schedules, particularly on the NEC, are frequently changed for trackwork that will have an expected impact on that train's performance. Therefore, trains may have time added. If the trackwork duration is short, odds are there won't be any new timetable published. However, since the trains in question are reserved, the passenger will get the correct time applicable to their train on the day they want to travel. If a change occurs, and the passenger has his/her contact information properly entered, then that passenger will get a notification of a change for that day.
It happens a lot more than people realize, especially on NEC trains, which is why it is better to not rely on the printed material which can be out of date.
In an ideal world, a new timetable would be uploaded onto the website every time there is a change, but it is a manual process that requires a lot of staff time to proofread and a subcontractor to actually do the layout, so resources are not always available to put a new timetable to reflect the actual schedule.
Nonetheless, whatever shows up in Arrow is the actual schedule. The reason for the change may not be obvious, but then again, most people riding don't really care about the reason (because they don't care about the previous day's schedule, or the next day's, only the day they're riding), they just want a reasonable estimate of when the train will get there.
Well I think your fifth paragraph sort of sums it up. Of course I have known for years that schedules and equipment can change without a new timetabe. Guess it happens a lott more than I realize, esp on the Corrider
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VentureForth
Engineer
...Which is all very interesting except for the fact that they don't apply this "ability" across the board.
For instance, when track work on the Sunrail project was affecting AutoTrain and the Silvers almost DAILY for weeks, the schedule never changed - online, offline, print, whatever. The trains simply ran late.
For instance, when track work on the Sunrail project was affecting AutoTrain and the Silvers almost DAILY for weeks, the schedule never changed - online, offline, print, whatever. The trains simply ran late.
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Once you start talking about off-network trains it gets more complicated. Having the train run late is bad for customers but might help Amtrak's bottom line if they can save money from logging delays caused by someone other than Amtrak. Based on my limited understanding off-network scheduling is a bit of a convoluted charlie foxtrot affair.
Off the NEC, Amtrak needs agreement from all of the host railroads in order to change schedules, even for trackwork.
If those hosts, for whatever reason, aren't forthcoming in their approvals, schedules can't change. That happens more than people might realize as well.
If those hosts, for whatever reason, aren't forthcoming in their approvals, schedules can't change. That happens more than people might realize as well.
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