anir dendroica
OBS Chief
- Joined
- Jan 2, 2009
- Messages
- 507
Given the abysmal (20-50%) OTP of the Empire Builder in the winter, it would seem prudent to build some additional time into the schedule to allow for unavoidable delays (snow removal, low-temperature speed restrictions, frozen couplers/brake lines) while still enabling the train to arrive at most stations on schedule. For example, this January #7 arrived Seattle <30 minutes late on 11 days, from 0:30 to 3:30 late on 9 days, and over 3:30 late on 3 days. (The remaining eight days were service disruptions with no data available, mostly due to mudslides causing termination at Spokane or Everett.) Thus lengthening the schedule could have increased OTP from an abysmal 48% to a more acceptable 87% (ignoring disruption days; with them these would be 35% and 65%).
Here's a possible abbreviated timetable. #7/27S and #8/28S is the current "summer" schedule, while #7/27W and #8/28W would be a possible winter schedule, in operation from Nov. 1 until March 31.
Station #7/27S #7/27W #8/28S #8/28W
CHI 215P 215P 355P 1000P
MKE 355P 355P 215P 815P
MSP 1115P 1145P 750A 120P
FAR 335A 435A 313A 813A
MOT 906A 1006A 942P 215A
HAV 304P 430P 132P 600P
WFH 916P 1116P 746A 1146A
SPK 215A 445A 130A 500A
SEA 1025A 215P 440P 800P
PDX 1010A 200P 445P 800P
Pros:
Better winter OTP
Maintain connection from 27 to 11 in Portland
Better connection window 14 to 28 in Portland
Cascades/Columbia River in daylight on 7/27
More mountains (Kootenai River, Flathead Tunnel) in daylight on #8
Better departure time for Fargo on #8
Similar afternoon-evening schedules CHI-MSP and MSP-CHI
#28 leaves PDX after dinner: fewer complaints about lack of a diner until Spokane
Cons:
No same-day connection from #8 to eastern LD trains (but this is so frequently missed that it ought not to be guaranteed in the winter anyway)
Shorter service window in Chicago (which Amtrak could solve with more night-shift workers, presumably cheaper than a sixth trainset)
Wee hours #8 departure from Minot
All in all, I think there are more advantages than disadvantages, and Amtrak riders are less concerned about total travel time (if they wanted to go fast they would fly) and more interested in predictability and making connections. It would work even better with a second daily MSP-CHI and CHI-MSP train, as the morning departure from MSP would reliably make it to CHI in time to make connections with eastern trains.
Mark
Here's a possible abbreviated timetable. #7/27S and #8/28S is the current "summer" schedule, while #7/27W and #8/28W would be a possible winter schedule, in operation from Nov. 1 until March 31.
Station #7/27S #7/27W #8/28S #8/28W
CHI 215P 215P 355P 1000P
MKE 355P 355P 215P 815P
MSP 1115P 1145P 750A 120P
FAR 335A 435A 313A 813A
MOT 906A 1006A 942P 215A
HAV 304P 430P 132P 600P
WFH 916P 1116P 746A 1146A
SPK 215A 445A 130A 500A
SEA 1025A 215P 440P 800P
PDX 1010A 200P 445P 800P
Pros:
Better winter OTP
Maintain connection from 27 to 11 in Portland
Better connection window 14 to 28 in Portland
Cascades/Columbia River in daylight on 7/27
More mountains (Kootenai River, Flathead Tunnel) in daylight on #8
Better departure time for Fargo on #8
Similar afternoon-evening schedules CHI-MSP and MSP-CHI
#28 leaves PDX after dinner: fewer complaints about lack of a diner until Spokane
Cons:
No same-day connection from #8 to eastern LD trains (but this is so frequently missed that it ought not to be guaranteed in the winter anyway)
Shorter service window in Chicago (which Amtrak could solve with more night-shift workers, presumably cheaper than a sixth trainset)
Wee hours #8 departure from Minot
All in all, I think there are more advantages than disadvantages, and Amtrak riders are less concerned about total travel time (if they wanted to go fast they would fly) and more interested in predictability and making connections. It would work even better with a second daily MSP-CHI and CHI-MSP train, as the morning departure from MSP would reliably make it to CHI in time to make connections with eastern trains.
Mark