Sam1 blue streak 1 Sam1If I was an Amtrak scheduler, I would tighten up the schedule to reflect the changed conditions. But my boss would probably squelch the idea, saying in a professorial manner that it is only a matter of time before the recession is over and the freight traffic returns, thus necessitating again the need to lengthen the schedule Any bets on UP's reaction to this schedule reduction? Maybe more siding when freight traffic picks up? It's hard to know. Amtrak should give it a go. It should tighten up the schedule of the Eagle and the Sunset Limited at least. If it could shave an hour off the running time of the Eagle, it would result in more convenient departure and arrival times in San Antonio. If I remember correctly, the Sunset Limited used to leave LA at 10:30 p.m, with a San Antonio arrival of approximately 5:00 a.m. on the second day, and arrival into New Orleans in the neighborhood of 7:00 p.m. If Amtrak could restore this schedule or something like it, it could eliminate the overnight layover in San Antonio before connecting with the north bound Eagle.
blue streak 1 Sam1If I was an Amtrak scheduler, I would tighten up the schedule to reflect the changed conditions. But my boss would probably squelch the idea, saying in a professorial manner that it is only a matter of time before the recession is over and the freight traffic returns, thus necessitating again the need to lengthen the schedule Any bets on UP's reaction to this schedule reduction? Maybe more siding when freight traffic picks up?
Sam1If I was an Amtrak scheduler, I would tighten up the schedule to reflect the changed conditions. But my boss would probably squelch the idea, saying in a professorial manner that it is only a matter of time before the recession is over and the freight traffic returns, thus necessitating again the need to lengthen the schedule
Any bets on UP's reaction to this schedule reduction? Maybe more siding when freight traffic picks up?
It's hard to know.
Amtrak should give it a go. It should tighten up the schedule of the Eagle and the Sunset Limited at least. If it could shave an hour off the running time of the Eagle, it would result in more convenient departure and arrival times in San Antonio.
If I remember correctly, the Sunset Limited used to leave LA at 10:30 p.m, with a San Antonio arrival of approximately 5:00 a.m. on the second day, and arrival into New Orleans in the neighborhood of 7:00 p.m. If Amtrak could restore this schedule or something like it, it could eliminate the overnight layover in San Antonio before connecting with the north bound Eagle.
The current schedule of the Sunset is very close to that of the original SP Sunset Ltd. It seems to work well, but I am not on the inside loop.
The thing to remember here, is that passengers don't gripe and do have a decent travel experience when they get to their end point or connection on time, regardless of enroute dwells. The idea is to ensure on time performance and protect the connections that support each train. That is being done, and the train performance demonstrates that. I am certain that our conductors hear very little griping about enroute dwells, but they do get positive comments about arriving on time. I know I hear it from detraining passengers, the "thank you's". I know I have never heard a passenger complain about an extended station dwell, except when it made them late at their endpoint, or miss their connection train.
Sometimes Amtrak cannot win for losing. Or is it losing for winning?
Last year Numbers 21 and 22 were notorious for being late at their end points and practically every point in between. The major reason, as cited by Amtrak on-board personnel, was freight traffic congestion. But most of the freight traffic congestion, I presume, has eased because of the recession. And this has helped improve Number's 21 and 22 on-time performance record. But it has set up another problem.
I have been in Fort Worth on two occasions during the past month. I had time to slip over to the Tarrant County Transit Center to have a look at Numbers 21 and 22. On both occasions the trains were approximately 30 minutes early. This means that Number 21, which is scheduled for a 45 minute service stop in Fort Worth, spent 75 minutes in the station, whilst Number 22, which is scheduled for a 22 minute stop in Cow Town, spent 52 minutes there.
I suspect that many of the passengers, who probably are keen to get home to points south of Fort Worth, wonder why the train spends so much time in Fort Worth. They probably want to get under way. It does not take 75 minutes to service Number 21.
If I was an Amtrak scheduler, I would tighten up the schedule to reflect the changed conditions. But my boss would probably squelch the idea, saying in a professorial manner that it is only a matter of time before the recession is over and the freight traffic returns, thus necessitating again the need to lengthen the schedule.
Train 21 has an impressive on time performance record arriving at its San Antonio endpoint. For the previous month, No. 21 was late only once, and that was for 13 minutes. That is 97 percent on time, folks, and that would have been unheard of just one year ago.
The same claim cannot be made for No. 22 at Chicago, however, as it was on time only 14 days out of the same 4 weeks, an OTP of only 46 percent. The numbers at Marshall, TX seem to be much better, though, keeping OTP in the 90 percent range, so the trouble is probably due to weather and operational issues north of there.
Information on your favorite train can be had at www.amtrakdelays.com
Figures for Apr has AMTRAK finally catching up on their monthly overhauls. Bear had 16 cars out ( 1 above original FY09 plan but 17 below FY 09 total) . Beech Grove 14 (4 above but -14 for year) .
Long distance total riders up 5.6%. The only route down was the Empire Builder (-16.4%) . The Sunset up 25% , Starlight up but non-meaninfull, East coast - Florida trains including Palmetto almost 75,000 Passengers and with Auto train 96,000+ passengers even with the CSX trackwork. An average of over 385 passengers on each train. Wonder if a restoration of the Palmetto; Savannah to Florida is called for?
Short distance riders + 1.3%. NEC -8.9% with ACELA -15.2 %. SD down was for all trains in the North east + NY except Eathan, Vermonter, and Adarondiac. (puzzling?), Cascades (-5%) and Carolinian ( - 27.2% due to CSX trackwork.) SD ups were Chicago services + Missouri River, San Joaquin, LAX coastal services. The Wash - Newport News up 13% but may be high for delayed Carolinian northbound Passengers taking that train.. Piedmont up 20% or 1000+ for month.
Train delays NEC much improved. All SD improved on times except Carolinian due to CSX trackwork. Slowest routes Michigan 50% On Time, Carolinian 51%. 70%s -- Cascades, Hoosier, Piedmont. Over 90% -- Capitols, Heartland, Hiawathah, Pennsylvanian, San Joaquins City of New Orleans, Crescent, But the Southwest Chief came in at a booming 95% (guess the double track really works)
Revenue was 18.6 Million less than last year. Expenses 8.4 Million less. Projected net loss for FY 09 41.7 million more.. Passengers were 97.7% of 2008 and RPM 99.1% of 2008. Available seat miles 101.1%. I suspect that the long distance increase of passengers almost ofset the loss of short distance passengers and left an average trip length of 206 miles vs. 203 in 2008. Ticket yield 1.3 cents less per mile and expenses .3 cents per mile more. Locos out of service 16% and car 14% the same as 2008. One stat that I consider is 2.3 train miles per gallon vs 2.4 for 2008. There can be no comparsion because train consists may have been different and none of these stats in this paragraph were furthur broken down.
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