by Anthony
Does anyone know the number of train sets that are used on each of the long distance trains? I would like to know if Amtrak could be using their equipment more wisely to have a better LD network.
Railroad Forums
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bdawe wrote: ↑Tue May 19, 2020 9:42 am Interesting. I've put this in a spreadsheet, and that gives us some quick statistics
Our champion train for utilization would appear to be the Zephyr, which if on schedule is on the move 86% of the time (not counting set-out cars are protect consists) and puts on 354,973 train miles per train per year
Our worst performers are the Capitol Ltd, which is in service only 49% of the time, and the Cardinal, which only puts on 178,776 train miles per year per train
Gilbert B Norman wrote: ↑Tue May 19, 2020 6:59 pm Not to take a thing away from the conscientious work Mr. Dawe has shared with the Forum, I must wonder if he holds a sixth sense that both The Canadian and the Ocean are "done for".I've never gotten that impression, though I am by no means tuned into Via Rail.
In short, if he chooses to ride any kind of LD train on this continent. he need venture "below the 49th" to do so.
west point wrote: ↑Tue May 19, 2020 7:12 pm When an Amtrak train takes 52 minutes to go 35 miles and is scheduled for 57 minutes there is a major problem. That is an example of the Crescent Slidell - New Orleans schedule and time to complete. Get rid of the slow sections and average speed will increase.This stretch requires crossing Lake Ponchartrain (?) on a very suspect single track bridge (at slow speed), and a back-up move (19 only) into the New Orleans terminal.
bdawe wrote: ↑Tue May 19, 2020 9:42 am Interesting. I've put this in a spreadsheet, and that gives us some quick statistics5/6 requires 6 sets of equipment, not 5. These sets spend overnight at each terminal, plus 2 nights on the road in each direction. Check the schedules; you will see that same day turns are not possible at either end.
Our champion train for utilization would appear to be the Zephyr, which if on schedule is on the move 86% of the time (not counting set-out cars are protect consists) and puts on 354,973 train miles per train per year
Our worst performers are the Capitol Ltd, which is in service only 49% of the time, and the Cardinal, which only puts on 178,776 train miles per year per train
John Laubenheimer wrote: ↑Wed May 20, 2020 1:03 amAs a local, please allow me to interject here. That is the end of the run and we see lots of padding, just like many long distance trains. They're frequently late anyway. There is also the causeway to deal with. The backup move is optional. The train can proceed right into the station. The NS connection to NOUPT is a straight shot. If they decide to back in, it's because the train was wyed first on Amtrak property. I would assume the wye-first move is preferred if the train is early, so as not to require an extra yard movement.west point wrote: ↑Tue May 19, 2020 7:12 pm When an Amtrak train takes 52 minutes to go 35 miles and is scheduled for 57 minutes there is a major problem. That is an example of the Crescent Slidell - New Orleans schedule and time to complete. Get rid of the slow sections and average speed will increase.This stretch requires crossing Lake Ponchartrain (?) on a very suspect single track bridge (at slow speed), and a back-up move (19 only) into the New Orleans terminal.