Passenger Trains > Nos. 48 and 50 (13th)

Rather late Friday morning probably because of the weather

# 48 left Chicago 65 mins. late at 10:35 pm. It was 2 hrs., 44 mins. late at Elkhart
Departed Bryan 3 hrs., 51 mins. late. ETA Cleveland 8:19 am(2 hrs., 44 late)

# 50 arrived Indianapolis 6:03 am vs. 11:50 pm scheduled time
ETA Cincinnati 9:24 am(3 hrs. , 17 mins. late)

Yes, Winter comes every year in the Midwest. And it's not even Winter yet. What happens when the really bad nasty stuff arrives? Probably another melt down like last year and I'm not referring to the snow!

It didn't look like winter was to blame for the delays to #50. This same route used by the Hoosier State is seeing a change right now with new business at Reynolds, IN. Additional business in the form of unit trains that push the limits of a branch line operation. CSX can improve the infrastructure with new rail, sidings and upgraded signals. Talk is we may see some of that in the nearer future.

The complaint seems to come back that improvements should have been done before the start of the additional trains to avoid Amtrak delays. Sounds good? Sure!

The questions still is who's gonna pay for it and what is fair. We are quick to make CSX the fall guy in this, but there is a simple thing called fair usage and payment for access. Amtrak does not pay it's way, they do not pay for fair usage. Expectations on this route exceed the investment applied, and everyone cries foul when the train is delayed. Put another way, you get what you pay for. Amtrak pays pennies on the dollar, and that is the service we get in return.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/14/14 12:27 by PC1974.

# 50 at White Sulphur Springs 5:22 pm( 5 hrs., 51 mins. late)

Estimated departure Charlottesville 8:20 pm vs. scheduled 2:58 pm

ETA NYP 2:02 am vs. scheduled 9:56 pm

When CSX sends out a train without enough power to make a hill and dies on the main, yes CSX is the fall guy.

Not to mention the first, less severe delay that was also due to a train dead on the main.