Passenger Trains > LSL Chicago arrivals improving

Following is an update of the stats I've been keeping on the Lake Shore Ltd. (#49) at Chicago going back to July. All figures are averages.

4 hrs. late (July)
5 hrs. late (Aug.)
4 hrs. late (Sept)
6 hrs. late (Oct.1-14)- STB begins investigation 10/14
1' 42" late (Oct.15-23)
1' 50' late (Amtrak's estimate for today 10-24)

Joe

PS: don't know how other trains are doing; I've only been following #49. (my source is the Dixieland website)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/24/14 07:13 by floridajoe2001.

Almost normal. One hour of that is slow loading across New York State.

As of 11:15 am (EDT) # 29 due Chicago 11:48 am (3 hrs., 03 late)
# 49 due Chicago 12:16 pm( 2 hrs., 31 mins. late)
At least the return trains to DC and NY should be able to depart OT tonight

30 was only about 2 hours late getting into DC, but 29 was over 4 hours late to Chicago. I heard several announcements about freight traffic. I hope this is not the new normal.

"Slow loading?" Why? How about this....train enters station. Enough doors open for the anticipated (all reserved train) crowd. People board. Look for empty seats. Sit down. Once rolling, conductor collects tickets. High level platforms everywhere would also be plus but obviously only work where Superliner's aren't involved so west of Cleveland that wouldn't work.

If they ran the NEC like they run the LSL, NYP-WAS would take 6 hours.

andersonb109 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> "Slow loading?" Why? How about this....train
> enters station. Enough doors open for the
> anticipated (all reserved train) crowd. People
> board. Look for empty seats. Sit down. Once
> rolling, conductor collects tickets. High level
> platforms everywhere would also be plus but
> obviously only work where Superliner's aren't
> involved so west of Cleveland that wouldn't work.


They still scan tickets on the platform, so a short dwell turns into a long dwell.

(Management doesn't care. This has been going on for years. People have complained, without results.)

Not only the issue scanning tickets on the platform . . . which is ridiculous in and of itself . . . but this is a fixed consist train so the various sections of it stop at the same places every night. Yet, I have often been at Utica when no announcement of where people should be to board is made (same for 48 mid-day). I have watched people stand in line only to have their tickets scanned and then be told they need to walk as many as eight car lengths to get to where they will actually board. A simple diagram of the train showing placement of the various car numbers and a consistent opening of traps to allow boarding would help.

But, the public could also help! I consider the invention of wheeled suitcases to be the bane of travel existence because it allows people to travel with luggage they cannot lift, and forget about getting it up several stairs onto the single-level cars. If you can't lift it and carry it up those steps it is too large!



andersonb109 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> "Slow loading?" Why? How about this....train
> enters station. Enough doors open for the
> anticipated (all reserved train) crowd. People
> board. Look for empty seats. Sit down. Once
> rolling, conductor collects tickets. High level
> platforms everywhere would also be plus but
> obviously only work where Superliner's aren't
> involved so west of Cleveland that wouldn't work.

The point about wheeled luggage is an excellent observation. Esp when it goes up three or four steps, and maybe into an overhead bin.

I wonder if a message could be included with ticket confirmations about the difficulty some travelers will face with their carry-on steamer trunks?