EB to CONO connection

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Kenneth

Service Attendant
Joined
Oct 14, 2011
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107
Location
Southern Illinois
Do you think the connection from EB to CONO at Chicago is reliable? There is a 4 hour layover, if things are on time. This would be on May 2nd.

I was coming home on the CZ, but it is now been moved 2 hours later into Chicago. Leaving me only an hour. That is to close for my comfort.
 
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When is the new arrival time in CHI for the CZ? On the currently posted schedules the CZ arrives 65 minutes ahead of the EB (January 12 version).

It looks like Arrow is getting its spring revamp today.

Where are you coming back from?

I got off the CZ in Galesburg at noon on 3/18. There may still be a bus connection to southern IL from Galesburg
 
Coming from Seattle, Washington. It was about 3pm arrival in CHI. It is now on my ticket for 5:50pm. I can leave from STL or Carbondale, IL. Latest train out of CHI is the CONO at 8:05. The last STL train is about 7pm
 
Given the unreliability of the Empire Builder's performance, I would say this is a tenuous connection at best. Even the BNSF has downgraded its premium trains' status between Chicago and the Northwest. That should be a clue about on time performance. You're probably better off staying a day in Chicago--quite a bit to see there--and continuing your trip the next day. A lot less angst, too, wondering if you'll make the connection, especially, if you leave the starting gate three hours late.
 
Yes, the eastbound EB is unreliable. However, looking at the last month's performance, the average delay is 2 hours (making a 6PM arrival. In fact, on only 2 days did the train arrive after 8PM (departure time of CONO). Other than that day, the latest arrival is 7:19.

Here's the last 45 days of connection data:

Screen Shot 2015-04-05 at 7.20.01 AM.png
 
Thanks for that interesting connection info for 8/59. I fear, though, that with the construction season coming into full swing, on time arrivals in Chicago for # 8 are going to deteriorate as they did seriously last year. Big doings up on the Northern Transcon in North Dakota, don't ya know......
 
Big doings up on the Northern Transcon in North Dakota, don't ya know......
Yeah, I should look at last year's connections and see how bad it was.

Here's April 1 2014 through July 1 2014

http://juckins.net/amtrak_status/archive/html/connections.php?date_start=04%2F01%2F2014&date_end=07%2F01%2F2014&a_train_num=8&c_train_num=59&station=Chi&sort_dir=DESC

Not too optimistic.

Looks like about 50 missed connections during those 3 months.

Here's the OTP for #8 during that period:

http://juckins.net/amtrak_status/archive/html/history.php?train_num=8&station=Chi&date_start=03%2F01%2F2014&date_end=07%2F01%2F2014&sort=schAr&sort_dir=DESC&limit=&co=gt&limit_mins=
 
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