ON TIME (average?)

[picnic42]

We are embarking on an "Out West" trip in July of this year. This will be a 5 train excursion. Our first leg will start at Cincinnati OH on the Cardinal, heading to Chicago.

The Cardinal departs Cincy at 1:23 AM and arrives in Chicago at 10:05 AM. Our next train will be the Southwest Chief departing Chicago at 3:00PM. This will give us about 5 hours between connections.

My question is:

Is there a way I can check the average times the Cardinal arrives in Chicago? How often it is LATE? I need to determine if there is a risk or how big a risk there is at missing the Southwest Chief. My sister will be boarding this same train in Ft. Madison Iowa, and will be traveling along with us. I need to make that departure time in Chicago.

If we miss the SWC... my sister has to cancel her res and take the next rain the following day, meeting my wife and I. We all have rooms so we may not be able get rooms on the next days trains at short notice.

If the Cardinal is often late... and the risk of missing the SWC is high... I will need to drive to Chicago to make the SWC on time!

Can anyone offer any info on the Cardinal... Southwest Chief connection???

Thanks in advance

Ralph & Peggy

 

[Allypet]

Check out these two websites.

http://www.amtrak.com/historical-on-time-performance

http://www.amtrakdelays.onlineschedulingsoftware.com/

 

[seat38a]

The joke by the LSA on Sunset Limited was "Anything Under 8 Hours" is considered "On Time" for Amtrak. We expected the worst, but we got into New Orleans ON TIME! (As Scheduled) It was funny, watching everyone scramble in the dinning car. Dinner service had to be started earlier than usual and even then, and even then there were only two seating because of being on time. When the train is exactly on schedule, the crew don't seem to know what to do. They seem to count on the extra time they get from being delayed.

 

[Acela150]

The Cardinal-SWC connection is Guaranteed. Meaning Amtrak will get you on the SWC same day and if not they will put you on the next one and pay for your hotel and food.

As of late the Card has been doing well into CHI and you ask me you have nothing to worry about.

The more you worry, the less enjoyable the trip will be. So yet again.. Don't worry.

 

[VentureForth]

5 hours is pretty doable from the Cardinal to the SWC. That being said, I wouldn't prepay for any excursions in Chicago! I have made the Capital Limited to Texas Eagle with the same buffer and wound up only having time to walk down the street for a hot dog.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S3 using the Android Amtrak Forums mobile app

 

[picnic42]

Thanks Folks! I appreciate your replies...

I knew the connection was guaranteed... but if we missed that SWC... my sister would have to change her res and so would my wife and I. And very possibly not getting rooms, on such short notice.

Thanks again!

Ralph & Peggy