The May 2017 performance report has been released: https://www.amtrak.com/ccurl/467/804/Amtrak-Monthly-Performance-Report-May-2017.pdf
System-wide ridership was up about 1.7% year over year, with real solid gains on the NEC (somewhat offset by a pretty big loss by the Palmetto) and Keystone, and also the Michigan lines. California corridors were okay to positive (San Joaquins lost a tiny bit, but the others went up), Heartland Flyer and Vermonter did real well.
Auto Train had a decent month, Coast Starlight was doomed from the start of the month due to the bridge closure. Not sure what happened to the Piedmont and Carolinian, but they were both off pretty significantly. Double-digit losses for the Hoosier State, Missouri River Runner, and Cascades. Lake Shore Limited had a down month in Coach/Business, but sleeper riders were up.
The way things have been going lately with OTP, it was only a matter of time before one of the host freight railroads completely broke out of its OTP chart again, and congratulations to Norfolk Southern for doing it in May. And thanks in no small part to NS, OTP system-wide was a dismal 70%. Ouch. MetroNorth is not helping much either with significant delays happening on their tracks as well because of commuter train interference.
The Expenses per Seat Mile (CASM) Metric is sticking out to me as being VERY good for the last few months. In May, it was 3 cents per seat mile below budget, which when spread across over 1 BILLION seat miles nationwide, accounts for about $30 million in savings in the month of May alone. Year to date CASM is flat compared to last year, so this might be worth looking at in the next several months to see if it continues.
System-wide ridership was up about 1.7% year over year, with real solid gains on the NEC (somewhat offset by a pretty big loss by the Palmetto) and Keystone, and also the Michigan lines. California corridors were okay to positive (San Joaquins lost a tiny bit, but the others went up), Heartland Flyer and Vermonter did real well.
Auto Train had a decent month, Coast Starlight was doomed from the start of the month due to the bridge closure. Not sure what happened to the Piedmont and Carolinian, but they were both off pretty significantly. Double-digit losses for the Hoosier State, Missouri River Runner, and Cascades. Lake Shore Limited had a down month in Coach/Business, but sleeper riders were up.
The way things have been going lately with OTP, it was only a matter of time before one of the host freight railroads completely broke out of its OTP chart again, and congratulations to Norfolk Southern for doing it in May. And thanks in no small part to NS, OTP system-wide was a dismal 70%. Ouch. MetroNorth is not helping much either with significant delays happening on their tracks as well because of commuter train interference.
The Expenses per Seat Mile (CASM) Metric is sticking out to me as being VERY good for the last few months. In May, it was 3 cents per seat mile below budget, which when spread across over 1 BILLION seat miles nationwide, accounts for about $30 million in savings in the month of May alone. Year to date CASM is flat compared to last year, so this might be worth looking at in the next several months to see if it continues.