Amtrak Performance Report for Six Months Ended March

[henryj]

I just know everyone is waiting for these numbers. I only look at the LD trains. Amtrak's performance reports for the six months ended March 2014 are finally out. Overall, Amtrak's operating loss is about 102 million. Cost recovery is 71%. Biggest losers are the CZ, 21 million; EB, 17.5 million; and the SWC at 14.5 million. Auto Train is the only one making any money so far although the CONO comes close. The Palmetto has fallen way behind and now is losing over 2 million. There are a whole slug of trains in the 7-8 million brackets. Then of course the Cardinal and Sunset are three times a week and lose 2.9 and 6.6 respectfully. Total revenues are 248.5 million. Total operating costs are around 350.2 million. And of course Amtrak's total costs are 546.2 million if you want to believe those, showing a loss through half the year of almost 300 million. All numbers are from Amtrak's own reports. Sorry if your favorite train is a big loser.

 

[Ryan]

[citation needed]

 

[battalion51]

Don't forget the Palmetto was suspended three days a week in the month of March, and was detoured Northbound another. That certainly didn't help its cause. The EB has certainly had its share of issues as well that are impacting revenue.

 

[henryj]

Ryan, you are such a bore. I believe I took care of that. But if it's not enough for you, just the fact that it irritates you enough to post on here makes it all worth while.

[citation needed]

 

[Acela150]

IINM The Auto Train has been the only LD train that has been able to turn any amount of profit.. Even if it's a penny. It constantly sells out.

 

[neroden]

Not being able to run on time -- or worse, being cancelled with short notice -- is brutal for revenues.

The NEC-Southeast and NEC-Chicago service groups continue to be head and shoulders above the western transcontinentals in financial performance, despite wretched on-time-performance from CSX. This is unsurprising.

I would like to understand what's going on with the Coast Starlight better, as it has more potential than the California-Midwest trains, and hasn't gotten hit with as many delays and disruptions as everything else... but it seems to have been doing poorly lately.

 

[Ryan]

just the fact that it irritates you enough to post on here makes it all worth while.

While I appreciate your honesty, you're not even doing that. I'm not irritated in the least.

I did take the opportunity to do some analysis of my own. By my count, the big winners are the Auto Train, Crescent and Cardinal, each making just enough money to cover costs. The LSL is close, but just barely misses covering her costs.

The big losers are the Sunset Limited and the Texas Eagle, each losing about 13 million.

 

[henryj]

Ryan, I am glad to see someone else analyzing these trains. You are welcome to ‘bend’ the numbers any way you wish, and I am sure others do the same, including Amtrak. Recently Amtrak published a report showing ‘operating profits(loses)’ and my analysis pretty much agrees with theirs. Currently Amtrak’s own reports show the Crescent and the LSL losing 23.2 and 18.4 million through March. I calculated operating loses at 7.3 and 7.9 million respectfully. The Cardinal I calculated had operating loses of 2.9 million. Amtrak shows 8.5 million. The Eagle and the Sunset I calculate had operating loses of 3.7 and 6.6 million. Amtrak shows them losing 15.8 and 19.9. So I feel my operating loses better track what Amtrak’s reports show. As for the other question about the Coast Starlight, Amtrak shows it brought in 7.4 million in sleeper revenue which is fourth behind the CA, EB and SWC. This despite it having three sleepers in the consist. It’s coach revenue comes in third tied with the SWC and it has four coaches. The train has high labor, maintenance and fuel costs to contend with. Even so I calculate it’s operating loses at 8.2 million which is in the middle with many of the other LD trains. Amtrak says it lost 30.7 million. It’s percent recover of operating costs is 71% which is the Amtrak average for these trains. There is no way for these trains to ever break even given their cost structure unless Amtrak finds a way to cut labor and maintenance costs, by far the biggest costs for any LD train. Playing with food service and amenities is just a drop in the bucket.

 

[neroden]

OK, so for some reason, the Coast Starlight is running with unusually low ticket yields, which compensates for its relatively large consist and high ridership. Hmmm. Well, that answers my question.