Tracking Trains

[AMTRAK-P42]

As some of you may remember, I posted a thread about being allowed to take the rail trip of my dreams, which is being given to me as a graduation present from my parents. Well I finally depart tomorrow on my 2 week rail adventure. (If you want to view the topic about the trip itself, you can view it here). I also posted in that thread some questions about where to take my day trip out of Chicago, and thanks to your help, I ended up deciding on CHI-SPI and back in Business class on the Ann. R).

As some background before I get to my post, I just wanted to remind yall that I make a hobby out of tracking trains, especially when I'm on them. Also, Just remember that I really love traveling on a late train, whether it’s the fact that you get to see scenery normally covered by darkness, or just see a town at a different time of day, or simply the fact that you end up getting to spend more time on the train, I find a late train extra enjoyable. Now im not playing ignorant, I know the later the trains are and the more often there late, the worse it is for Amtrak and its business. I know this, but I guess you could say im making the best out of a bad situation.

Now this brings me to my post. As I did last year, I tracked the trains I am going to be on for a couple of months prior to departure. What I have here is some data for the following trains (which I have submitted to Amtrak). On each tracking sheet, I marked the latest and most on-time arrivals. Those sheets which show 2 or more “Most on time” means there was a tie.

These trains are #19, #1, #14,#8, and #5. This is how the trip looks:

#19 ATL-NOL-Sleeper-Room001, Car 1910

#1 NOL-LAX-Sleeper-Room006, Car 0130

#14 LAX-SEA-Sleeper-Room003, Car 1431

#11 SEA-PDX-Sleeper-Room 005, Car 1131 (Yea, i know its a 4 hour trip, but I was able to get this room for $56.00 so I went for it)

#508 PDX-SEA-Business Class

#8 SEA-CHI-Sleeper-Room004, Car 0830

#303 CHI-SPI-Business Class

#304 SPI-CHI-Coach

and finally...

#5 CHI-SLC-Sleeper-Room 009-Car 0531

______Here you go with the data:

The first track sheet is for the Southbound Crescent (#19) Arrival into New Orleans, LA:

#19 New Orleans Arrival Status Book

Date-------Late---------On Time------------------Early

24-Mar-06 1h 58m

25-Mar-06 1h 15m

26-Mar-06 3h 39m

27-Mar-06 N/A

28-Mar-06 0h 12m

29-Mar-06 Terminus ATL

30-Mar-06 Terminus ATL

31-Mar-06 Terminus ATL

1-Apr-06 1h 10m

2-Apr-06 2h 38m

3-Apr-06 5h 37m

4-Apr-06 1h 8m

5-Apr-06 1h 26m

6-Apr-06 3h 25m

7-Apr-06 2h 3m

8-Apr-06 3h 21m

9-Apr-06 4h 14m

10-Apr-06 1h 6m

11-Apr-06 3h 27m

12-Apr-06 4h 40m

13-Apr-06 3h 47m

14-Apr-06 3h 14m

15-Apr-06 0h 59m

16-Apr-06 1h 22m

17-Apr-06 2h 49m

18-Apr-06 7h 1m

19-Apr-06 3h 46m

20-Apr-06 7h 16m <--Latest

21-Apr-06 7h 5m

22-Apr-06 3h 18m

23-Apr-06 N/A-Atleast 5 hours

24-Apr-06 1h 17m

25-Apr-06 1h 42m

26-Apr-06 2h 12m

27-Apr-06 0h 33m

28-Apr-06 2h 21m

29-Apr-06 3h 18m

30-Apr-06 0h 33m

1-May-06 2h 20m

2-May-06 1h 2m

3-May-06 2h 38m

4-May-06 1h 33m

5-May-06 1h 15m

6-May-06 1h 40m

7-May-06 0h 38m

8-May-06 1h 40m

9-May-06 0h 30m <--Most On Time

10-May-06 3h 10m

11-May-06 0h 36m

12-May-06 2h 47m

13-May-06 1h 8m

14-May-06 0h 43m

15-May-06 1h 13m

16-May-06 0h 17m

17-May-06 1h 40m

18-May-06 1h 39m

19-May-06 1h 50m

20-May-06 2h 10m

21-May-06 0h 45

22-May-06 1h 49m

23-May-06 2h 7m

24-May-06 1h 39m

25-May-06 0h 43m

26-May-06 2h 10m

27-May-06 2h 43m

28-May-06 1h 3m

29-May-06 0h 56m

30-May-06 0h 43m

31-May-06 2h 39m

1-Jun-06 0h 30m <--Most On Time

2-Jun-06 3h 20m

3-Jun-06 2h 33m

4-Jun-06 2h 57m

5-Jun-06 2h 0m

6-Jun-06 0h 47m

7-Jun-06

The second is for the Westbound Sunset Limited (#1) into LAUPT:

#1 Los Angeles Arrival Status Book

Date-------Late---------On Time------------------Early

26-Mar-06 1h 58m

29-Mar-06 1h 22m

31-Mar-06------------------------------------------0h 1m

2-Apr-06 0h 36m

5-Apr-06 4h 6m

7-Apr-06--------------------------------------------0h 8m

9-Apr-06 3h 22m

12-Apr-06 2h 33m

14-Apr-06 2h 8m

16-Apr-06 3h 43m

19-Apr-06 2h 25m

21-Apr-06 1h 24m

23-Apr-06 8h 27m-Broken rail in TX

26-Apr-06 11h 56m

28-Apr-06 5h 48m

30-Apr-06 0h 30m

3-May-06 2h 3m

5-May-06 7h 15m

7-May-06 2h 55m

10-May-06 0h 9m

12-May-06 2h 37m

14-May-06 3h 42m

17-May-06 9h 41m

19-May-06 6h 8m

21-May-06 6h 5m

24-May-06-----------------------------------------0h 45m <---Most On Time

26-May-06 3h 2m

28-May-06 4h 23m

31-May-06 12h 32m <----Latest

2-Jun-06 3h 50m

4-Jun-06 1h 58m

7-Jun-06

9-Jun-06

The third is for the Northbound Coast Starlight (#14) into SEA (If anything this def. proves that the starLATE is keeping its name!):

#14 Seattle Arrival Status Book

Date-------Late---------On Time------------------Early

23-Mar-06 4h 12m

24-Mar-06 N/A

25-Mar-06 3h 56m

26-Mar-06 2h 3m

27-Mar-06 2h 15m

28-Mar-06 5h 54m

29-Mar-06 Cancelled in Portland

30-Mar-06 8h 19m <----Latest

31-Mar-06 4h 4m

1-Apr-06 6h 55m

2-Apr-06 6h 31m

3-Apr-06 5h 30m

4-Apr-06 7+ Hours-Cancelled in Portland

5-Apr-06 5h 43m

6-Apr-06 4h 49m

7-Apr-06 5h 37m

8-Apr-06 4h 50m

9-Apr-06 4h 40m

10-Apr-06 4h 9m

11-Apr-06 6h 53m

12-Apr-06 4h 26m

13-Apr-06 6h 15m

14-Apr-06 4h 2m

15-Apr-06 3h 40m

16-Apr-06 5h 23m

17-Apr-06 3h 32m

18-Apr-06 6h 51m

19-Apr-06 4h 49m

20-Apr-06 4h 45m

21-Apr-06 4h 59m

22-Apr-06 4h 2m

23-Apr-06 Cancelled in Portland

24-Apr-06 3h 44m

25-Apr-06 3h 38m

26-Apr-06 5h 26m

27-Apr-06 5h 33m

28-Apr-06 5h 43m

29-Apr-06 4h 49m

30-Apr-06 4h 35m

1-May-06 2h 45m

2-May-06 1h 55m

3-May-06 4h 50m

4-May-06 7h 2m

5-May-06 4h 39m

6-May-06 1h 38m

7-May-06 3h 7m

8-May-06 1h 2m <---Most On Time

9-May-06 3h 56m

10-May-06 11h-Cancelled in Portland

11-May-06 7h 2m

12-May-06 4h 20m

13-May-06 6h 11m

14-May-06 4h 5m

15-May-06 4h 15m

16-May-06 8h 3m

17-May-06 7h+-Cancelled in Portland

18-May-06 3h 53m

19-May-06 4h 32m

20-May-06 3h 53m

21-May-06 3h 57m

22-May-06 4h 40m

23-May-06 9h+Cancelled in Portland

24-May-06 3h 53m

25-May-65 3h 52m

26-May-06 7h 21m

27-May-06 5h 30m

28-May-06 3h 53m

29-May-06 3h 39m

30-May-06 4h 54m

31-May-06 4h 50m

1-Jun-06 4h 55m

2-Jun-06 5h 37m

3-Jun-06 3h 52m

4-Jun-06 3h 39m

5-Jun-06 3h 55m

6-Jun-06 6h 8m

7-Jun-06

The fourth is for the Eastbound Builder (#8) into CHI:

#8 Chicago Arrival Status Book

Date-------Late---------On Time------------------Early

24-Mar-06----------------------------------------0h 13m

25-Mar-06----------------------------------------0h 9m

26-Mar-06----------------------------------------0h 18m

27-Mar-06----------------------------------------0h 9m

28-Mar-06----------------------------------------0h 16m

29-Mar-06 0h 9m

30-Mar-06 1h 4m

31-Mar-06 0h 44m

1-Apr-06 0h 33m

2-Apr-06 1h 30m

3-Apr-06 0h 53m

4-Apr-06 0h 41m

5-Apr-06-----------------------------------------0h 18m

6-Apr-06-----------------------------------------0h 9m

7-Apr-06 0h 22m

8-Apr-06---------------------------------------- 0h 9m

9-Apr-06---------------------------------------- 0h 25m

10-Apr-06 ---------------------------------------0h 14m

11-Apr-06 0h 53m

12-Apr-06 ---------------------------------------0h 12m

13-Apr-06 0h 45m

14-Apr-06---------------------------------------0h 7m

15-Apr-06 ---------------------------------------0h 3m

16-Apr-06 ---------------------------------------0h 26m

17-Apr-06 0h 7m

18-Apr-06 0h 20m

19-Apr-06 12h 24m <--Derailment Delay <---Latest

20-Apr-06 N/A

21-Apr-06 N/A

22-Apr-06---------------------------------------0h 17m

23-Apr-06---------------------------------------0h 34m

24-Apr-06---------------------------------------0h 12m

25-Apr-06---------------------------------------0h 18m

26-Apr-06---------------------------------------0h 20m

27-Apr-06 0h 45m

28-Apr-06-------------------------------------- 0h 18m

29-Apr-06---------------------------------------0h 25m

30-Apr-06---------------------------------------0h 27m

1-May-06----------------------------------------0h 26m

2-May-06----------------------------------------0h 3m

3-May-06----------------------------------------0h 17m

4-May-06----------------------------------------0h 23m

5-May-06----------------------------------------0h 10m

6-May-06 3h 18m

7-May-06----------------------------------------0h 1m

8-May-06----------------------------------------0h 20m

9-May-06----------------------------------------0h 27m

10-May-06--------------------------------------0h 11m

11-May-06--------------------------------------0h 9m

12-May-06--------------------------------------0h 4m

13-May-06--------------------------------------0h 22m

14-May-06--------------------------------------0h 23m

15-May-06 0h 43m

16-May-06--------------------------------------0h 15m

17-May-06--------------------------------------0h 5m

18-May-06--------------------------------------0h 24m

19-May-06--------------------------------------0h 10m

20-May-06 0h 19m

21-May-06--------------------------------------0h 35m <--Most On Time

22-May-06 0h 28m

23-May-06 0h 33m

24-May-06 0h 25m

25-May-06 0h 5m

26-May-06--------------------------------------0h 15m

27-May-06--------------------------------------0h 4m

28-May-06 0h 56m

29-May-06 0h 28m

30-May-06 0h 33m

31-May-06 0h 4m

1-Jun-06 0h 26m

2-Jun-06----------------------------------------0h 24m

3-Jun-06----------------------------------------0h 18m

4-Jun-06----------------------------------------0h 35m <--Most On Time

5-Jun-06----------------------------------------0h 28m

6-Jun-06 0h 26m

7-Jun-06

The fifth and final track sheet is for the Westbound California Zephyr (#5) into Salt Lake City, UT:

#5 Salt Lake City Arrival Status Book

Date-------Late---------On Time----------Early

23-Mar-06---------------------------------------1h 12m <-----Most On Time

24-Mar-06---------------------------------------0h 10m

25-Mar-06---------------------------------------0h 53m

26-Mar-06---------------------------------------0h 58m

27-Mar-06---------------------------------------0h 36m

28-Mar-06---------------------------------------0h 48m

29-Mar-06 0h 22m

30-Mar-06---------------------------------------0h 25m

31-Mar-06 1h 25m

1-Apr-06 0h 43m

2-Apr-06 0h 16m

3-Apr-06----------------------------------------0h 19m

4-Apr-06----------------------------------------0h 48m

5-Apr-06 1h 21m

6-Apr-06----------------------------------------0h 18m

7-Apr-06 1h 1m

8-Apr-07----------------------------------------0h 18m

9-Apr-06----------------------------------------0h 56m

10-Apr-06 0h 6m

11-Apr-06--------------------------------------0h 24m

12-Apr-06 0h 8m

13-Apr-06 --------------------------------------0h 36m

14-Apr-06 1h 15m

15-Apr-06------------------------------------- 0h 28m

16-Apr-06 9h 21m <----Derailment Delay. <---Latest

17-Apr-06 --------------------------------------0h 50m

18-Apr6-----------------------------------------0h 59m

19-Apr-06--------------------------------------0h 58m

20-Apr-06--------------------------------------0h 50m

21-Apr-06--------------------------------------0h 22m

22-Apr-06 --------------------------------------0h 27m

23-Apr-06--------------------------------------0h 28m

24-Apr-06--------------------------------------0h 53m

25-Apr-06 0h 9m

26-Apr-06 --------------------------------------0h 18m

27-Apr-06--------------------------------------0h 21m

28-Apr-06 0h 23m

29-Apr-06--------------------------------------0h 25m

30-Apr-06 --------------------------------------0h 33m

1-May-06 N/A--Service Disruption

2-May-06 1h 17m

3-May-06 0h 21m

4-May-06---------------------------------------0h 3m

5-May-06---------------------------------------0h 39m

6-May-06---------------------------------------0h 52m

7-May-06 1h 21m

8-May-06 0h 19m

9-May-06---------------------------------------0h 53m

10-May-06-------------------------------------0h 45m

11-May-06-------------------------------------0h 48m

12-May-06-------------------------------------0h 17m

13-May-06 0h 26m

14-May-06 N/A--Service Disruption

15-May-06 0h 52m

16-May-06 0h 8m

17-May-06 0h 11m

18-May-06 2h 34m

19-May-06-------------------------------------0h 3m

20-May-06-------------------------------------0h 57m

21-May-06-------------------------------------0h 50m

22-May-06-------------------------------------0h 23m

23-May-06 3h 8m

24-May-06 0h 35m

25-May-06-------------------------------------0h 31m

26-May-06-------------------------------------0h 28m

27-May-06-------------------------------------0h 23m

28-May-06-------------------------------------0h 47m

29-May-06-------------------------------------0h 54m

30-May-06-------------------------------------0h 26m

31-May-06-------------------------------------0h 48m

1-Jun-06 0h 6m

2-Jun-06 0h 26m

3-Jun-06---------------------------------------0h 6m

4-Jun-06 0h 6m

5-Jun-06

So in conclusion, the only 2 trains which seem to hold their own are the Empire Builder and California Zephyr. The sunset is horrible 95% of the time, and the both the Crescent and Starlate are running 100% late records.

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

Have a good trip. I will pass by the station about 7:15 tomorrow morning on the Marta #23 bus on the way to work. Will think about you and hope again you have a good trip.

 

[AMTRAK-P42]

Have a good trip. I will pass by the station about 7:15 tomorrow morning on the Marta #23 bus on the way to work. Will think about you and hope again you have a good trip.

Thanks Bill. Keep an eye on Atlanta while im gone .

 

[AmtrakFan]

Have a fun trip

 

[jccollins]

Tracking #5 into Salt Lake City isn't quite a fair analysis of the train. Try tracking it into Reno, Nevada about twelve hours further down the line and you'll see that it averages 4-6 hours late, every day. The stats into SLC make it look almost as good as the Empire Builder!

 

[AMTRAK-P42]

Tracking #5 into Salt Lake City isn't quite a fair analysis of the train.  Try tracking it into Reno, Nevada about twelve hours further down the line and you'll see that it averages 4-6 hours late, every day.  The stats into SLC make it look almost as good as the Empire Builder!

Yea thats very true, but since I wasnt going all the way, I only tracked to where I was going. I know they tend to loose 3-4 hours or more every trip over donner, etc, but at least the Zephyr is really good west into SLC! .

BTW Jc, I emailed Doras to see if she'd be up that late for her, , knowing of course that #14 into EMY is to late. Oh well, I hope since im starting at U of R in the fall, ill see some more of her. Oh and check out this photo I found over on railpictures.net (I emailed her a copy) http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=98141.

 

[jccollins]

That makes sense. The Zephyr is entirely another story eastbound, though, since it loses quite a bit of time over the double-tracked Donner Pass (California) and our eastern Nevada desert.

Nice picture of Doras. Yup, she makes it into quite a few of those. A few times I rode through Emeryville on the Capitol Corridor trains I've heard the conductors yell, "Hi, Doras!" over the outside PA speakers and then she'd wave to us all. I bet she'll be up when 14 rolls through; if she knows you're on it she might come down to the station, too, since she lives right next door. Quite a few times when I've e-mailed her in the past I've gotten responses around 11pm-midnight.

 

[RailFanLNK]

When will you be rolling through Lincoln NE? What day?

 

[AMTRAK-P42]

When will you be rolling through Lincoln NE? What day?

June 21st.

 

[RailFanLNK]

I'm on vacation that week. If I'm around I would love to say "hi" if its not too late for you to de-board for a few minutes. #5 arrives around 12:15am. Let me know if that is too late. I have an Amtrak shirt I just bought so you could pick me out in one second! Enjoy your trip!

 

[Eddie]

I can see from your table that the NOL to LAX train that I arrived early on into LAX on 24 May was indeed a rare thing...The crew couldn't seem to believe it either!

Ed B)

 

[AMTRAK-P42]

Well guys, just got back from my trip. I will have to post all the pictures (I have over 300!) and all the storys in the coming days, but me and my girlfriend just broke up and right now I just need to sleep. . Oh well, I guess timing IS everything.... :unsure:

P.S. Here is just the overview in terms of OTP:

#19-2 hours late

#1-13 minutes late(!!! I know, it was insane)

#14-4 hours late

#8-2 Hours late (!!! also very unusual, interesting storys here as well)

#5-On Time

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

Welcome back. Hope the trip went well. Sorry about the break-up.

I had wandered when you would get back.

 

[Everydaymatters]

Welcome back. Looking forward to reading more about your travels.

Looks to me like Amtrak should be more realistic when writing up their schedules.