Capitol Limited & Lake Shore Limited Delays Summer/Fall 2014

[jis]

So looks like NS is still having a bit more problem than CSX of late, but nothing like the unmitigated disaster that they were before they were collectively shamed by AAR and somewhat threatened by STB.

 

[chicagorr]

I have heard NS may have shut off GE's auto router or movement planner dispatching system last week. Hence the general improvement in freight and passenger movement lately. But they haven't completely given up on it either as i understand it so that may create future problems in my opinion.

 

[jis]

I have heard NS may have shut off GE's auto router or movement planner dispatching system last week. Hence the general improvement in freight and passenger movement lately. But they haven't completely given up on it either as i understand it so that may create future problems in my opinion.

All rational indications are that they need to scrap it forthwith and fire the guy who decided to acquire it in the first place for incompetence. Just IMHO of course.

 

[John Bobinyec]

I have heard NS may have shut off GE's auto router or movement planner dispatching system last week. Hence the general improvement in freight and passenger movement lately. But they haven't completely given up on it either as i understand it so that may create future problems in my opinion.

All rational indications are that they need to scrap it forthwith and fire the guy who decided to acquire it in the first place for incompetence. Just IMHO of course.

I have a saying about software: You never find all of the bugs.

The dispatcher should ALWAYS have the right to override any automated dispatching system. If we don't, we end up with HAL or COLLOSUS (for you movie buffs).

I think the person who should be fired is the person who ordered the dispatchers to let the auto router to do whatever it wanted without intervention.

jb

 

[Bob Dylan]

Let's hope that whatever Moron was responsible for the HAL Dispatching System isn't ever hired by Amtrak!

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

There's a new Norfolk Southern commercial where 2 Engineers are discussing what they did on the line that day. Of course they forget to mention Tied Up Amtrak For 6 Hours!

 

[George K]

There's a new Norfolk Southern commercial where 2 Engineers are discussing what they did on the line that day. Of course they forget to mention Tied Up Amtrak For 6 Hours!

 

[neroden]

I have a saying about software: You never find all of the bugs.

The dispatcher should ALWAYS have the right to override any automated dispatching system. If we don't, we end up with HAL or COLLOSUS (for you movie buffs).

I think the person who should be fired is the person who ordered the dispatchers to let the auto router to do whatever it wanted without intervention.

As a programmer, I agree with John 100%.

 

[NW cannonball]

I have a saying about software: You never find all of the bugs.

The dispatcher should ALWAYS have the right to override any automated dispatching system. If we don't, we end up with HAL or COLLOSUS (for you movie buffs).

I think the person who should be fired is the person who ordered the dispatchers to let the auto router to do whatever it wanted without intervention.

As a programmer, I agree with John 100%.

Is there a GE product that should be reported at the old-time "RISKS to users of software" at catless?

 

[OBS]

FWIW, train 30 arrived in Wash DC yesterday with both a diner and lounge...

 

[benale]

I booked a round trip for points and to renew select from Martinsburg to Rockville yesterday. 30 was "only" 2 hours and twenty five minutes late, so I did make the trip. I didn't expect a sightseer car, and it was a welcome surprise. Weather was beautiful yesterday, so I didn't mind the wait at the Rockville station. 29 on the way back had the combined diner lounge. It was very crowded so I sat in my seat for the little more than an hour ride back to Martinsburg.

Boarding in Rockville instead of Union Station is certainly easier. No lines to stand in and no seat assignments.

 

[HockeyFan1972]

I have been hearing that it is hit or miss on the 29 or the 30 having a SSL. Looks like the times are working their way down to manageable lateness. Any word on types of cars the 29 and 30 were rolling today?

HF

 

[Ryan]

29(27) did not have one.

 

[pennyk]

30 that left Chicago on 10/27 and arrived in WAS today did not have one. It arrived almost 3 hours late.

 

[afigg]

Destination results for the Monday, October 27 departure CL and LSLs; all departed on time. Not a good run for any of the trains with all being 2 to 3 hours late. But the newly appointed Amtrak Blue Ribbon Panel for the Chicago Gateway Initiative is now on the case! Or will be if they publish their report in May (Should have a separate thread on the announcement).

CL #29(10/27): arrived CHI 3 hours and 3 minutes late [departed CLE 23 minutes late]
LSL #49(10/27): arrived CHI 3 hours and 1 minute late [dep TOL 1 hour and 19 minutes late]

CL #30(10/27): arrived WAS 2 hours and 50 minutes late [dep TOL 2 hours and 20 minutes late]

LSL #48(10/27): arrived NYP 2 hours and 13 minutes late [dep TOL 1 hours and 2 minutes late, dep SDY 2 hours and 50 minutes late]

 

[Barciur]

Today's trains at PGH:

Pennsy #42

* PGH * * 1 730A * 730A Departed: on time
CL #30

* PGH 2 505A 2 520A 738A 753A Departed: 2 hours and 33 minutes late.
WHY would you do that? Or maybe there weren't any connecting passengers? But surely if there were any connecting passengers, holding the Pennsy for the additional 15 minutes wouldn't be that big of a deal.

Of course my rant is indeed moot if nobody was connecting at Pittsburgh, but I was under the impression that there was quite a bit of through traffic.

 

[Ryan]

Or they put the connecting pax on a bus to catch up to the Pennsy.

Or rerouted them through WAS if they were going to a destination where that made sense.

 

[Barciur]

Right, though it depends what you mean by making sense. Philly and New York? Or as far west as Harrisburg? The thing is that by current estimates you arrive in WAS at 3PM (an optimistic estimate probably). So your first chance to go north is at 4:02pm, which gets you to Philly at 5:52. That's 3 hours later than the Pennsy. Might not be as bad, but holding the Pennsylvanian just for the 15 minutes would mitigate any of that.

It gets more hairy with Harrisburg, as if you're going to WAS and then to HAR, as you're looking at the 8:35pm arrival as opposed to 12:55pm with the Pennsy. I'm really curious about their thinking and how do they decide if htey hold it or not.

 

[afigg]

Today's trains at PGH:

...

WHY would you do that? Or maybe there weren't any connecting passengers? But surely if there were any connecting passengers, holding the Pennsy for the additional 15 minutes wouldn't be that big of a deal.

Of course my rant is indeed moot if nobody was connecting at Pittsburgh, but I was under the impression that there was quite a bit of through traffic.

There was a claim made on trainorders.com, now that the Pennsylvanian is a state supported train, that PennDOT is not allowing Amtrak to hold the train for departure from PGH for any significant length of time to make connections from the CL. I can not verify that claim. It is possible that Amtrak has taken to busing passengers at Alliance to PGH when they are not sure if #30 will get to PGH by 7:30 AM. It is also possible that because of the extreme delays for the CL that there are a lot fewer people booking the connection because they have given up on it.

 

[jis]

In general I think it is a bad idea to arbitrarily hold corridor trains for connection from unreliable LD trains. That makes the corridor train unreliable too, making it less desirable to use them for those that depend on them to commute to work etc. Overall it might be cheaper to handle the missed connections by taxis, vans and buses than to lose ridership on the corridor trains.

 

[HockeyFan1972]

This is indeed an excellent topic. I am scheduled for the CL to the Pennsy coming up soon. THat is my concern is making the connection. I called AMTRAK and the gent who I spoke with said one of three things will happen:

1. They will bus you to the next station if there is time to catch the train.

2. They will bus you to either DC or Philly depending....

3. They will keep you on the CL and re route you thru DC to destination.

BUT he did say that the times were improving and that as the fall goes on, the traffic that is causing all the delays may lighten up???

Who knows. Actively watching the timetables being posted here to see if I need to do some thinking prior to travel.

HF

 

[Ryan]

I would be cautiously optimistic. What is your final destination?

 

[Barciur]

I'm connecting from the CL to Pennsy in a few days and ideally I'd take number 3 - I'm not time sensitive, I can arrive 6 hours later and will be fine. Would rather do that than the dreaded bus anyway. Why would they bus me to DC anyway?

 

[HockeyFan1972]

The city of brotherly love! In fact going to see my brother who lives in Allentown. So Pennsy gets in mid afternoon to Philly. I looked at taking the CL to Wash DC and then to Philly, and it got in at about dinner time. Further, price increase was a lot more compared to taking the Pennsy.

BUT: weird as it may seem, the way home is Philly to DC to CHI via the CL....and was cheeper then the trip going out! Odd to me, but whatever.

 

[HockeyFan1972]

Barciur,

Would be interested in a connection report from you when you travel. Save travels!