LD Trains, Most Popular Stops/City Pairs

[Philly Amtrak Fan]

FY 2017 Update:

They now include the western LD trains so thanks to the Rail Passengers Association for the hard work!

I'm going to exclude the Palmetto since they are inflated by intra-NEC traffic:

By city:

New York: LSL: 122,620, SM: 92,003, SS: 64,741, Crescent: 54,017, Card: 15,851

Philadelphia: SM: 28,157, SS 22,917, Crescent: 14,473, Card: 7,798

Washington: CL: 122,333, Crescent: 59,559, SS: 45,262, SM: 43,721, Card: 22,145

Chicago: LSL: 173,556, TE: 166,555, SWC: 151,602, CL: 144,625, EB: 145,071, CZ: 135,355, CONO: 132,860, Card: 46,081

Los Angeles: CS: 104,052, SWC: 97,918, SL: 47,739, TE: 11,142

By Train:

Silver Meteor (341,406): NYP: 92,003, ORL: 82,729, WAS: 43,721, JAX: 39,384, North Charleston 33,592, MIA 33,184

Silver Star (373,372): TPA: 106,534, NYP: 64,741, ORL: 46,102, WAS: 45,262, Richmond 39,840, Raleigh 39,194

Lake Shore Limited (388,722): CHI: 173,556, NYP: 122,620, Albany: 82,429, Syracuse: 48,918, Rochester: 46,346, BUF: 43,707, BOS: 33,594, CLE: 33,579

Capitol Limited (231,214): CHI: 144,625, WAS 122,333, PGH 56,593, TOL 26,292, CLE 19,472

Cardinal (112,439): CHI: 46,081, Charlottesville: 25,233, WAS: 22,145, IND: 16,659, NYP: 15,851

Crescent (258,880): ATL: 76,196, NOL: 59,637, WAS: 59,559, NYP: 54,017, Birmingham: 41,702

City of New Orleans (255,435): CHI: 132,860, NOL: 97,083, Memphis: 72,334, Jackson: 47,840, Champaign: 39,141, Carbondale: 26,473

Texas Eagle (345,679): CHI: 166,555, STL: 87,909, Ft. Worth: 51,547, DAL: 47,007, Normal: 37,197, San Antonio: 36,193, Austin: 34,026, Springfield, IL: 33,922, Longview: 33,443

Southwest Chief (363,272): CHI: 151,602, LAX: 97,918, Kansas City: 79,176, Albuquerque: 74,293, Flagstaff 38,977

California Zephyr (415,348): CHI: 135,355, DEN: 135,162, Reno: 69,904, Emeryville: 63,207, SAC: 54,632, Glenwood Springs: 44,925, SLC: 40,163

Coast Starlight (438,781): Portland: 109,668, LAX: 104,052, SEA: 97,849, SAC: 60,691, Oakland: 43,940, San Jose: 43,282, Santa Barbara: 41,261, Eugene: 40,706

Empire Builder (454,465): CHI: 145,071, MSP: 89,994, SEA: 68,440, Portland: 62,759, Whitefish: 56,754, Spokane: 49,321

Sunset Limited (98,649): LAX: 47,739, Tucson: 25,137, NOL: 23,642, San Antonio: 19,931, Houston: 19,400

It's interesting seeing all of the Chicago trains (east and west) ranked. The LSL is the most popular LD out of Chicago. I have a feeling it won't be in FY 2018 with the repair work though. The SWC is the most popular west coast train (I don't consider the TE a west coast train and only 11,142 take the "TE" to LAX.

The TE gets a lot of non Chicago Illinois traffic despite other options in the state.

 

[brianpmcdonnell17]

The TE gets a lot of non Chicago Illinois traffic despite other options in the state.

Despite the Lincoln Service having four frequencies daily, two are in the morning and two are at night, so the TE provides an important mid-day option. This may not be the case as much once the additional frequencies are added to the line and the speeds are increased (not for the TE).

 

[Philly Amtrak Fan]

More LD station data:

Busiest stations (LD passengers only): https://www.railpassengers.org/site/assets/files/1038/sectors-3.pdf

Chicago is 1st, followed by New York, DC, LA, and Sanford. New Orleans is 6th, then Portland, Seattle, Philly, and Denver, the highest with just one LD train. Why is Sanford listed but Lorton not?

NOL: CONO: 97,083, Crescent: 59,637, SL: 23,642

Portland: CS: 109,668, EB: 62,759

SEA: CS: 97,849, EB: 68,440

ORL (11th): SM: 82,729, SS: 46,102

SAC (12th): CS: 60,691, CZ: 54,632

Richmond (14th): SS: 39,840, SM: 23,620

Emeryville (15th): CZ: 63,207, CS: 38,087