I know Amtrak’s home page has a chance to check a train’s actual arrival and departure against what’s scheduled, but it only goes back a little way. Is there any large set of data on this?
My primary reason is that I’m taking a train trip, Chicago to DC, then DC to Orlando, in December, and I opted for the next scheduled train departing from DC instead of the later train.
My secondary reason is curiosity: I’d heard that Amtrak has better on-time performance than the airlines.
One place you could try is Amtrak’s website here: www.amtrak.com. Then select “Inside Amtrak.” Once you’ve doen that, select “other reports.” The on-time data might be contaned in the .pdf files located there.
Usually the trains that leave Chicago going east usually stay within a hour or so of being on time/late…bu.there are times, not often, when the train is 2 to 3 hours late…
However, its another story for trains that leave Chicago going west… sometimes they can be as late as 3 to 4 hours…but usually they are only an hour or two late.
The worst train for on time performance for Amtrak is the Sunset Limited, along the Gulf coast and the southwest part of the United States.
I would allow at least 3 hours between a scheduled arrival to a scheduled departure on the east coast… just to play it safe… Amtrak runs three trains from New York City to Florida, and I believe all three do Orlando… the Silver Star and Silver Meteor have sleeping accomodations, the Palmetto doesn’t… Amtrak also operates the Auto Train from just south of DC to just north of Orlando…
While Amtrak runs its NEC Acela trains and Metroliners pretty much on time, when Amtrak is at the mercy of the freight railroads dispatchers, its another story…
My SOP has been to look at the performance starting maybe a couple of weeks in advance of my trip. That gives me a sense of how the train is generally running. I the train is late every day, that may indicate track work on a segment of the run. On the other hand, on time or close to on time on most days, with some other intermittent long delays indicates possible equipment problems, grade crossing or pedestrian accidents and on and on.
My advise to Amtrak users. If you MUST be somewhere on a certain date, leave a day or two early.
Jay
From my recent observations the Capitol Limited usually runs on time or close to on time now that the freight is gone. However, it is Amtrak’s responsibility to make sure you make a legal connection, that is, there is enough time to transfer you and your checked luggage (if you have any) to the connecting train.
According to the present Amtrak schedule there are only two trains from Washington to Florida, the Silver Meteor and the Silver Star; the Palmetto only goes to Savannah, GA. The Auto Train runs from Lorton, VA to Sanford, FL, but it is only for people with cars, motorcycles,vans, etc.
I heard a funny story about the Auto Train when it first started up sometime back in the 1960’s. I don’t know how true it was; maybe it’s an urban legend, who knows? A couple of practical jokers rented a car in Washington using a “rent it here leave it there” car rental arrangement. They boarded the Auto Train in Lorton, VA, rode the it to Sanford, FL, and then they drove to Orland where they turned in the rental car. The odometer only showed 50 miles difference between check out mileage in Washington, and the turn in mileage in Orlando. Since it was a “rent it here leave it there” deal the clerk in the
turn- in counter was looking for a difference of 800 + miles; instead the odometer only showed 50 miles. The clerk was perplexed for a while, until the people turning the car in fessed up about taking it on the Auto Train. It seems the rental car people didn’t know about the Auto Train.
If you miss your connection, Amtrak will make every effort to get you equivalent space on the next train.
Once I was planning the Lake Shore from NY to Chi and then the Amtrak CZ to Denver with my sister planning to meet me at the station. I was to spend most of the day with her, overnight in her guest room, then the RGZ to Salt Lake City the next morning arriving on time for a business conference the day after, with a room reserved at the Zion Square hotel in SL guaranteed arrival in case the RGZ was late. Well, the Lake Shore was about four hours late into Chicago, missing the CZ connection. Amtrak said they would put me on the CZ, same accommodations, the next day (CZ was running daily at the time). That would have really fowled up my plans! What the crew chief on the Lake Shore arranged, finally, was a roomette on the Southwest Chief (still running with Heritage equipment if I remember, and so was the Lake Shore) to Raton, and then a bus connection up to Denver, which worked out fine. My sister Lillian was absolutely shocked to get a call from me telling her to meet me Greyhound instead of Denver Union! The Raton Amtrak depot was also used by Greyhound or it was close by, and there was also a supermarket handy to get vittles.
Yes, if you do miss your connection, Amtrak does a great job of getting you on the next train. However, if you have deluxe accomodations planned for the entire trip, more than likely you’'ll be riding in a coach car instead of a deluxe sleeper on the next train. Of course, Amtrak does refund the difference in price…
On the east coast there is always another train, but west of Chicago most trains are daily trains… Amtrak will attempt to send you in the general direction, such as the California Zephyr and Southwest Chief, but if you miss the Chief which is usually the last train out of Chicago going west, they will put you up in a motel for the night…so that you can catch the next day’s train… Also, keep in mind that if you miss the Empire Builder, there is no bus service on much of that route…its Amtrak only…
East of Chicago Amtrak operates the Three Rivers, Lake Shore Limited, and the Capitol daily. I believe its the Three Rivers which is the last train out of Chicago heading east. If you miss one train they will put you on another, and have the Acela/Metroliner finish your trip to either DC, Philadelphia, and/or New York City…
And lately the Sunset Limited’s schedule has been changed significantly, losing its connections in almost every city except San Antonio where it switches cars with the Texas Eagle. Today one must planned a night in a hotel in Los Angeles for a connection to the Coast Starlight and New Orleans for a connection with the Crescent, I’m not sure about Jacksonville connections to the Silver trains anymore…
For you newcomers to Amtrak, don’t be the old ladies I have seen many times complaining to the conductor that they will be arriving late to a wedding. It seems in today’s world of air flight, people think they can board a train in Montana and get to Florida today, or overnight, when in fact, its a three night trip from Montana to Florida, a night thru North Dakota, a night in Indiana and Ohio, and a night in Virgin
The Auto-Train story is definitely NOT an urban legend. It was the concoction of no less than David P. Morgan and longtime colleague George Weiss. The whole practical joke was mentioned in a “Second Section” column in an issue of TRAINS in around 1973.
FYI, the original Auto Train started service after Amtrak’s inception, I’m not sure of the exact date.
Don, the Three Rivers no longer operates, which is why I had to go to Philadelphia via the Capitol Limited to Washington, D.C., earlier this month (no regrets there–I’d never been on the old B&O east of Pittsburgh before, and the scenery and action were both great!).
I do have a story about that, though. I’d heard that the timekeeping on the Capitol could be several hours off, so I intentionally booked a later connection from Washington to Philadelphia. We were on time out of Connellsville, but a couple of hours late into DC, due to track work and heavy freight traffic on both sides of Cumberland. However, I was able to catch an earlier train to Philadelphia (no doubt the one Amtrak would have booked me on), and had no problem just taking my ticket to an agent and getting it changed out.
In March we took the Cardinal from Philly to Chicago planning to connect with the Texas Eagle. Due to an unfortuante accident in Indiana, the Cardinal arrived about 5 hours late. Amtrak’s response was excellent.
We were met by a Red Cap in Chicago, who took us and our luggage to a private waiting room. Those who had possible connections that day were rerouted first while those of us who had to take a train the next day waited.
When it was our turn, Amtrak was able to confirm us on the Texas Eagle the next day with with same accomodations. They provided us with a room in an excellent hotel and cash for taxi’s and meals. As a result, I was sitting in a Chicago restauraunt when Illinois won the NCAA basketball tourney. That is an experience I will never forget.
dd
I knew the Pennsylvanian stopped running all the way to Chicago, I didn’t know that the Three Rivers was killed. I rode the Three Rivers just a few years ago, that’s how I saw Horseshoe Curve…
Usually the trains run within an hour of being on time in the east, its another story in the west… But like road construction on the highways, you’ll never know when trackwork can delay and slow a train down… I suggest a three hour interval doing connections with Amtrak, just to play it safe…