Amtrak – Not the worst on-time performance (OTP)

[Woodcut60]

Today in Swedish newspapers, an article on proposed high-speed rail in Sweden, and a comparison of OTP:

Average Late Arrivals, 2008-2015

On-Time Performance (Percentage of trains that are not more than five minutes late upon arrival)

Japan - 99

Spain - 98

South Korea - 94

France (TGV) - 92

France/England (Eurostar) - 91

Italy - 87

Germany - 79

USA - 77

Sweden - 66

Source: Swedish Transport Administration

 

[JoeBas]

This is unacceptable!!! America should be #1 at EVERYTHING!!! This is just more socialist European propaganda. Quick, someone get Mica on the phone! We've got to get America great at being bad again!

 

[2sk21]

By a miracle on my recent transcontinental trip from New York to Seattle, all three of our trains arrived right on the dot so those didn't help in this particular contest

 

[MisterUptempo]

Today in Swedish newspapers, an article on proposed high-speed rail in Sweden, and a comparison of OTP:

Average Late Arrivals, 2008-2015

On-Time Performance (Percentage of trains that are not more than five minutes late upon arrival)

Japan - 99

Spain - 98

South Korea - 94

France (TGV) - 92

France/England (Eurostar) - 91

Italy - 87

Germany - 79

USA - 77

Sweden - 66

Source: Swedish Transport Administration

I guess the question I'd ask is "How late is late?" In this case, late is anything arriving more than five minutes after scheduled arrival time. Using that definition, a train arriving hours late is viewed no differently than one arriving 10 minutes late, but it could be the difference between having to hustle to make a connection and missing that connection completely. Do we know what percentage of Swedish trains fall into the "sort of late, but nothing I can't live with" category, as opposed to the "I'd have done better by walking" category?

 

[PaulM]

I recently rode 9 trains in the UK (5 intercity's and 4 locals), Eurostar London to Paris, Thalys Paris to Amsterdam, a Netherlands IC, Deutsche Bahn ICE from Amsterdam to Frankfurt, and numerous s-bahns (locals) in the Frankfurt area. The only late one, and that 5 minutes at that, was an s-bahn on a Sunday, due to track maintenance I suppose.

 

[railiner]

I was a bit surprised somewhat at those results...surprised to see Spain near the top, and Germany near the bottom...goes counter to my personal stereotypes of a culture being "laid back", or obsessed with perfection...

Very enlightening....

I wonder how the "punctual" Swiss made out?

 

[Seaboard92]

DBAG has done really poorly the last few trips I've been in Europe. I've been on a five hour late train from Bruxelles to Köln. I've had a lot of missed connections as well, and cancelled trains.

 

[WoodyinNYC]

Today in Swedish newspapers ... a comparison of OTP:

Average Late Arrivals, 2008-2015

On-Time Performance (Percentage of trains that are not more than five minutes late upon arrival)

Japan - 99

Spain - 98

South Korea - 94

France (TGV) - 92

France/England (Eurostar) - 91

Italy - 87

Germany - 79

USA - 77

Sweden - 66

Source: Swedish Transport Administration

I'd like to think that the USA OTP number for 2015 is better than it was in 2008, but I wouldn't bet my paycheck on it.

(btw Is this Amtrak only, or LIRR, VRE, MARC, etc. as well?)

Interesting info from Sweden, thanks!

 

[Anderson]

I have to wonder how many of Spain's trains are longer-haul ones versus, say, DB (which in the era covered was still running a lot of CNL trains). IIRC Sweden also has quite a few longer-distance trains (not to mention more troublesome winter weather than most of the other guys...as we all know, there's nothing like a good blizzard to completely bork OTP). Even if you don't have to deal with private ownership of tracks, it's a lot easier to keep a train within 5 minutes of scheduled arrival if it's only a two-hour run than a 16-hour overnight trip.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

DBAG has done really poorly the last few trips I've been in Europe. I've been on a five hour late train from Bruxelles to Köln. I've had a lot of missed connections as well, and cancelled trains.

The only time I've been late on DB is when there was police action or a fatality/suicide. Any missed connections were picked up by the next train a few minutes to an hour later. On Amtrak no police action or fatality is required to become hours late and the next connecting train could be days later still.

 

[Thirdrail7]

I'd like to think that the USA OTP number for 2015 is better than it was in 2008, but I wouldn't bet my paycheck on it.

(btw Is this Amtrak only, or LIRR, VRE, MARC, etc. as well?)

Interesting info from Sweden, thanks!

This is a valid question. Is this Amtrak or EVERY passenger rail operator in the country? If it is the latter, I would say 77% is better than I expected.

 

[StriderGDM]

My guess is since they're discussing HSR, they may only be considering Acela.

And for Japan, I'm guessing they're rounding down.

Japan's on-time numbers are really astounding.

 

[MikefromCrete]

My guess is since they're discussing HSR, they may only be considering Acela.

And for Japan, I'm guessing they're rounding down.

Japan's on-time numbers are really astounding.

I'd said 99 percent is pretty good. 100 percent would be impossible.

 

[bmjhagen9426]

As for South Korea, their OTP number is accurate for high speed trains, but for conventional/regional trains, may not be accurate as they are slower and often wait at larger stations for high-speed trains. However, the OTP for Korean subway/metro system is generally has great punctuality, but delays often happen during rush hour (not to mention the jam-packed trains to the point where you barely have a room to stand, and sometimes people have to get off and wait for the next train, not a great news if you want to go foaming on a particular type of trainset).

 

[Acela150]

This is unacceptable!!! America should be #1 at EVERYTHING!!! This is just more socialist European propaganda. Quick, someone get Mica on the phone! We've got to get America great at being bad again!

This made me laugh. If you can't laugh at this somethings wrong with you.

 

[Woodcut60]

I've tried to find more information on the website of the Swedish Transport Administration, but unfortunately I could not find answers to your more detailed questions above. It is reasonable to assume though, that they were discussing the high-speed trains in those countries, i.e. the Acela as far as Amtrak is concerned. Although, compared to the Spanish, Japanese, and French trains, Acela is not really a 'high-speed train'. More a 'higher-speed train'.

 

[Woodcut60]

This is promising. But we have to wait five years...

 

[Acela150]

There's a well in depth topic about the Acela II Procurement. Let's not cross threads.

 

[Metra Electric Rider]

Many of Sweden's delayed trains can be traced back to one big bad, major, major, major, bottleneck - the approach to Stockholm C from the south where all the commuter, regional and long distance trains converge into two tracks (think the Hudson tunnels - Stockholm is equally prominent in Swedish railroading, 80% of all train journeys originate at Stockholm C). The two tracks are currently maxed out at 24/tph in each direction, 16 of those spots being for commuter trains. Once Citybanan (Stockholm City Line - central Stockholm is called, has been for ages, Stockholm City) currently under construction, opens next year, which will break out the commuter rail into it's own tunnels with a new underground station beneath T-Centralen (the main subway station where all subway lines interchange) rather than adjacent to the mainline station, some of the delays will be eliminated.

 

[Woodcut60]

Wow, Metra Electric Rider, you are knowledgeable about Swedish railroads. Impressive. Commuters in the Stockholm area are really looking forward to the completion of the project to get rid of this major bottleneck in downtown Stockholm.

 

[Metra Electric Rider]

I know far too much about Sweden....