Do freight trains on NS factor in to the delay?
December median delays between Meridian and ATL were for train 19 --2:03. Train 20 --- 1:38 however 2 were on time at ATL would have raised the median to 1:57.
Even the late shore limited at BUF only had 1:13 for Dec. or :51 for CLE. Also 1:01 for 48 at ALB
November host RR performance has Crescent end point arrivals dead last at 13%. Next worse RR was CSX at 31% for various trains. Best was the E Builder at 81%
At least train 20 will be able to leave ATL on time some days in Januarary and early February. That will occurr on Monday - Thursday nights Jan 6 - Feb 8 due to Crescent not going south of ATL on those days. Bus substitution will be provided instead .
https://www.amtrak.co able to m/services/contentService.alerts.routealerts.departDate-20180109.routeName-Crescent.html
From last report both ways Crescent loosing average of 3 hours south of ATL. Yesterday 20 lost 4:29 Anniston - ATL partially due to NS freight train interferrence.
OMG! both 19 and 20 made it thru the Meridian - ATL swamp essentially on time today .
Well #20 / 24 arrived ATL only 16 minutes late. Guess anything is almost possible. A check from Jan 01, 2017 show #20 only arrived ATL early 4 times. Great stats ? For information #19 arrived Meridian 8 times early from Jan 01.
oltmannd Birmingham remains in the ditch.
Birmingham remains in the ditch.
Oltmannd. Is it a cascading problem ?
1. Norris yard hump closed.
2. Inbound trains from all directions cannot get into the yard in an orderly manner.
3. Trains wait outside Norris tying up sidings.
4. Meets become very problematic due to passing on main tracks, backing in or out of sidings, waiting for freight to enter a long enough siding to proceed.
blue streak 1 Even on today Thanksgiving day both 19 & 20 have lost over an hour between Meredian and Atlanta. Only the Meteor 97 / 22 has lost an hour on CSX today on eastern RRs .
Even on today Thanksgiving day both 19 & 20 have lost over an hour between Meredian and Atlanta. Only the Meteor 97 / 22 has lost an hour on CSX today on eastern RRs .
-Don (Random stuff, mostly about trains - what else? http://blerfblog.blogspot.com/)
Norris yard in Birmingham is in the ditch (again). Delays could be related....
Situation not improved as of now. Median additional delays between Anniston <> ATL are running over 1 hour. However close looking has some delays on NS west of Mabelton. Additionl delays BHM <> Meridian on NS but usually more southbound.
July 11th last time #20 arrived ATL on time. Only 7 days less than 2:00 late ATL. Number 19 arrived NOL only one time less than 60 minutes late since July 11th and onlly 8 times arrived NOL less than 2:00 late since July 11th. But arrived Atlanta less than 60 Minutes late 22 days same time period.
Today Train # 19 lost 3:13 ATL - ATN
19 lost 5:55 ATL - Anniston. Most if not all came because a NS freight Macon - BHM; just west of Temple went in emergency then broke a knuckle not once but twice. Relief locos pushed freight out of way. Hopefully no additional delays to Meridian or crew will outlaw due to HOS. ETA NOL 0200 CDT.
Not sure why but 20 lost 3:30 ATN - ATL tonight now runing 5:00+ late.
Left ATL at 1:09 AM. This is going to interfeer with Carolinian at CLT for Cresent - Carolinian connections. Happened a couple weeks ago.
19 / 25 arrived ATL early was 1:53 late by Meridian. 20 / 26 left Meridian :10 late, Anniston 3:48 late, now scheduled ATL not before 11:00PM which is best case. More likely 11:30 PM ?
EDIT---- Arrived ATL 11:20 that is 3:45 late 19 will arrive NOL about 11:50 CDT.
Amtrak last week did very well south of Atlanta thru Thursday. Since then went back to old ways. Tonight 20 been sitting at least 30 minutes at Howell at 9:35PM and will be over 2:00 late at Atlanta.
EDIT lost 40 minutes ATN - ATL now 2:15 late.
Were freight trains getting in the way, track maintenance, derailment? what was the issue?
2 days before Cresent did loose some time but today back to same old same old. 19 lost :45 ATL - ATN & :59 additional BHM - Meridian. 20 lost 2:00 + Meridian - Anniston. NS what can you do ?
EDIT; 20 Left Atlanta 3:00 late. Now how much time can be made up to WASH and NYP ?
I will be on Amtrak 19 & 20 to NOL, LA on July 16, 2017 coming back July 22, 2017. I happy man in sleeping cars.
For the first time in over a month 19 arrived NOL only 19 minutes late which is considerd on time by Amtrak recogning. Train arrived Meridian on time but lost time to Laurel. 20 today lost :50 Meridian - Tuscaloosa and could not make up time even though only made schedule time Anniston - ATL . the 25 minute pad did not help.
Don thanks for the correction. Changed the post to reflect that. Old timer's brain loss ?
blue streak 1 The Amtrak monthly performance report ( MPR ) came out for May 2017 https://www.amtrak.com/ccurl/467/804/Amtrak-Monthly-Performance-Report-May-2017.pdf The Cresent was dead last for end point on time arrivals ( table E-2 ). Just 6.5 % trains arrived NOL / NYP on time ( 10 trains out of 62 ). It appears that NS is again at bottom of OTP only exceeded by its midwest meltdown August - October 2014. Surely auto router is not being used ? Just a glance at times for month showed 2 delay spots. Meridian <> BHM ( auto router ? ) and Anniston <> Atlanta. The latter almost all waiting for CSX to clear Howell interlocking. NOTE: CSX does not get charged for the delay but delay charged to NS as Freight train interferrence. North bound train 20 can often make up as much as 1 - 3/4 hours from Gastonia - Danville and WASH - NYP that may have allowed the 10 trains to arrive NYP on time or within 30 minutes. Did not find any NOL on time arrivals for MAY! Of course starting July 10th the WASH - NYP make up will not be available. Guess the LSL ( late shore limited ) is in danger of being dethroned ?
The Amtrak monthly performance report ( MPR ) came out for May 2017
https://www.amtrak.com/ccurl/467/804/Amtrak-Monthly-Performance-Report-May-2017.pdf
The Cresent was dead last for end point on time arrivals ( table E-2 ). Just 6.5 % trains arrived NOL / NYP on time ( 10 trains out of 62 ). It appears that NS is again at bottom of OTP only exceeded by its midwest meltdown August - October 2014. Surely auto router is not being used ?
Just a glance at times for month showed 2 delay spots. Meridian <> BHM ( auto router ? ) and Anniston <> Atlanta. The latter almost all waiting for CSX to clear Howell interlocking. NOTE: CSX does not get charged for the delay but delay charged to NS as Freight train interferrence. North bound train 20 can often make up as much as 1 - 3/4 hours from Gastonia - Danville and WASH - NYP that may have allowed the 10 trains to arrive NYP on time or within 30 minutes. Did not find any NOL on time arrivals for MAY! Of course starting July 10th the WASH - NYP make up will not be available.
Guess the LSL ( late shore limited ) is in danger of being dethroned ?
Just a clarification. Auto router is just a regular "stacked route" tool. I think the thing you want to refer to is "movement planner".
It, most assuredly, is not the problem.
NS can code delays internally due to foreign trains blocking the route, but Amtrak does not differentiate.
The Cresent was dead last for end point on time arrivals ( table E-2 ). Just 6.5 % trains arrived NOL / NYP on time ( 10 trains out of 63 ). It appears that NS is again at bottom of OTP only exceeded by its midwest meltdown August - October 2014. Surely movement planner is not being used ?
Just a glance at times for month showed 2 delay spots. Meridian <> BHM ( movement planner ? ) and Anniston <> Atlanta. The latter almost all waiting for CSX to clear Howell interlocking. NOTE: Amtrak does not charge CSX the delay but delay charged to NS as Freight train interferrence. North bound train 20 can often make up as much as 1 - 3/4 hours from Gastonia - Danville and WASH - NYP that may have allowed the 10 trains to arrive NYP on time or within 30 minutes. Did not find any NOL on time arrivals for MAY! Of course starting July 10th the WASH - NYP make up will not be available.
EDIT: Changed post per Oltmann
blue streak 1 Tonight's 20 arrived at Howell at 8:01PM and left at 9:11 arrived Atlanta station 9:24. Not much delay today for 19 and 20 BHM <> MEI but they have been taking 1/2 to 1 hour most days this month. This last week 19 & 20 did not take much delays ATN <> ATL.
Tonight's 20 arrived at Howell at 8:01PM and left at 9:11 arrived Atlanta station 9:24. Not much delay today for 19 and 20 BHM <> MEI but they have been taking 1/2 to 1 hour most days this month. This last week 19 & 20 did not take much delays ATN <> ATL.
Sounds like a regular occurence. Perhaps drop service beyond ATL or bus the remaining passengers?
C&NW, CA&E, MILW, CGW and IC fan
conrailmanI could not find the Cost$$$ route to Dallas, TX for Amtrak 19 & 20. on the pages.
It's not in there it was in a seperate article back when they were looking at running a test train over the route (but could not raise the funds). Amtrak didn't want to pay out of it's budget for a test train and so requested either the states along the route pay for it or the Casinos (maybe that was a test). Nobody came up with any money. So no test train and they went with the estimates of NS and KCS.........and that was that.
Now on the OKC to KC route. Not sure who paid for the test train but after running it they are like "Hey, wait a mininute these costs for startup have to be way out of the ballpark". Track and infrastructure both in great shape on OKC to KC route just need a few more sidings and some signaling related changes. However OK and KS are dirt poor when it comes to state budgets compared to other states. Primarily because they are agricultural states.
I think a lot of these railroad cost estimates are nothing more than the tendency of a private corporation to shake the money tree when it sees a in part Federal organization approach them and should be viewed as such until the facts prove otherwise.
Anyhow, in the above study.....interesting reading on how the reconfiguration of the Texas Eagle and Sunset Limited, brought in more money to the bottom line..........who would have thought that?
CMStPnP conrailman Where did you hear Texas has written off extension of the Crescent?? When did Texas said that in last 2016 or in 2017?? 2016 Rail plan below: Chapter 3 on the link below...........interesting reading and remember it is the state DOT and excludes regional trains planned/forecasted by local transit authorities for the most part. http://www.txdot.gov/government/reports/texas-rail-plan.html
conrailman Where did you hear Texas has written off extension of the Crescent?? When did Texas said that in last 2016 or in 2017??
2016 Rail plan below:
Chapter 3 on the link below...........interesting reading and remember it is the state DOT and excludes regional trains planned/forecasted by local transit authorities for the most part.
http://www.txdot.gov/government/reports/texas-rail-plan.html
I could not find the Cost$$$ route to Dallas, TX for Amtrak 19 & 20. on the pages.
conrailmanWhere did you hear Texas has written off extension of the Crescent?? When did Texas said that in last 2016 or in 2017??
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