Auto Train “pass-thru timetable?”

[Lithonia Operator]

I know one can find most anything on the web.

Has anyone ever seen a timetable showing approx when the Auto Train passes thru locations along its route?

[BaltACD]

Nominally - AutoTrain departs either Lorton or Sanford at 4 PM daily and arrives at their destination at 9 AM when On Time.

Historically the trains depart Origin about 20-30 minutes AHEAD of their scheduled times and CAN arrive destination about a hour ahead of the schedule time.  Needless to say, like anything else they can be late.

The Maximum Track Speed for AutoTrain is 70 MPH as opposed to 79 MPH for other passenger trains account the braking systems on the auto racks that the train carries.

When working 3rd trick in Jacksonville and leaving the office in the 0630 neighborhood I would frequently see AutoTrain passing through town on my way home.

[BaltACD]

Looking at Dixieland today 12/24 - Amtrak has cancelled both #52 & #53 the North and Southbound Autotrains.  If they run on 12/25 they SHOULD depart On Time.

[Lithonia Operator]

Thanks, Balt.

[Overmod]

I am tempted to say you need to 'build' this as a useful resource, by opening one of the 'trackers' and periodically capturing the location and timing...

... in fact it ought to be easy to write code that would extrapolate station GIS to the timing, and generate a 'schedule' directly from the data (or statistical/averaged harvested data) ... that would not only give you 'stations at a glance' but a semi-predictive guide to a given train's arrival at a particular location further up...

Keep in mind that Auto-Train runs a bit like a train ferry: it only goes between the two terminals as far as any public schedule is concerned.  That's why you'd need to capture ad hoc tracking to get valid data.

[blue streak 1]

Here is link for the times for the Meteor.  Notice how close the end times are for it as for Auto Train at approximately 19 hours each end station. Kissimee and half way between  ALX and WASH.  Northbound I would add 2 hours for each station.  add 4 hours for  southbound.  Those will give you a ball part guess estimate.

Overmods way is probably more precise but this is quicker.  You can actually click on each train number and scroll down to see the location about every 4 - 6 minutes.  Tomorrow would be a great day if there are no delays.  Do it at about 0700 - 0900.

 

Amtrak 98 (12/25) (transitdocs.com)

Amtrak 97 (12/24) (transitdocs.com)

[SD70Dude]

Just like any freight train, CSX probably has an internal schedule for the Auto Train that would show times for many locations along the route, though this of course would only be available to employees with certain inside access.  

On CN we would call this a "Train Service Plan", and it is included at the end of each train journal.  

[BaltACD]

SD70Dude

Just like any freight train, CSX probably has an internal schedule for the Auto Train that would show times for many locations along the route, though this of course would only be available to employees with certain inside access.  

On CN we would call this a "Train Service Plan", and it is included at the end of each train journal.  

The only internal times that CSX publishes for AutoTrain are their On Time Departure and Arrival at their origin and destinations.  AutoTain is only measured on a single checkpoint - its arrival at destination.  Allowances are made for delays that are solely Amtrak responsibility.  Last I was aware of, the single checkpoint had the potential to generate a payment from Amtrak in excess of $11K for each trip AutoTrain was handled within the contracted tolerance when the overall CSX On Time Performance was calculated as being better than 90% for the month.

[Lithonia Operator]

Thanks all. I've come to realize that my seeing the Auto Train when I'm going to be photographing betw Pembroke and Fayetteville NC (tomorrow, and maybe on some other days) in early afternoon is very, very doubtful. But if the NB one ran super late, maybe ...

[BaltACD]

Both Northbound and Soutbound have a crew change at Florence and the locomotives also get refueled at Florence.  Florence is the only STOP for the train.