City of New Orleans on time performance?

[caravanman]

Hi Folks,

Is there a website or somewhere that I can check the average on time/late running of the Chicago to New Orleans train.

I am interested in it's usual arrival time into New Orleans itself?

Thanks,

Ed 

 

[John Bobinyec]

You betchum.  It's https://juckins.net/amtrak_status/archive/html/home.php

jb

 

[caravanman]

Thanks for that, it looks like train 59 arrives over 30 mins early on average. 

Ed

 

[Anthony V]

Thanks for that, it looks like train 59 arrives over 30 mins early on average. 

Ed

It arrives 30 mins early on average? That really, REALLY surprises me, especially considering it runs on CN tracks, which is the railroad most hostile to Amtrak (from my observations).

 

[acelafan]

The 30 minutes early value surprised me, too.  In fact, for the past 60 days it arrived an average of 38 minutes early, and 42 minutes early (median value).

I never would have guessed that.

 

[VTTrain]

That flabbergasts me.  

 

[JRR]

When we rode it this summer it was about 30 minutes early. I didn’t know that it usually is.

 

[acelafan]

I wish 19 and 20 were like that.  

 

[tim49424]

I wish 19 and 20 were like that.  

OTP looks pretty bad on 19.  It looks like I'll have a late night Monday on my first trip on the Crescent coming in to New Orleans from Charlottesville....hopefully not one of those 5 AM arrivals!

 

[railiner]

Maybe its time to remove some of the padding from the CONO schedule, if it is consistantly coming in so early?

 

[dgvrengineer]

There must be a lot of padding northbound into Chicago.  I have been watching it recently and it will be 30 minutes to an hour late into Homewood and still arrive early or on time into Chicago. 

 

[manchacrr]

The CONO has one of the best on-time records in Amtrak's system. It consistently arrives at major stations enroute on time or early. For how horribly CN treats VIA Rail's Canadian (usually hours late), the exact opposite can be said of CN's treatment of the City of New Orleans. Living in Louisiana, I have taken the CONO many times to/from Chicago and have arrived at my destination on time or early about 85-90% of the time. On the occasions that the train has arrived late, it was usually extraordinary circumstances, such as frozen switches in the winter or a freight breakdown ahead of us.

There is also a fair amount of padding in the schedule. For example, the CONO can be an hour late into Hazlehurst, MS, and still arrive in Jackson, MS, on time. The same can be said for the padding into Memphis, TN, and Chicago as well.

 

[tim49424]

A week ago I arrived into Chicago a couple hours late on the CONO. Freight congestion was horrible from the get go.

 

[railiner]

CONO padding?   

Just compare now

https://www.amtrak.com/content/dam/projects/dotcom/english/public/documents/timetables/City-of-New-Orleans-Schedule-050818.pdf

with 'then'   

http://www.streamlinerschedules.com/concourse/track1/cityneworl194706.html

 

[ehbowen]

CONO padding?   

Just compare now

https://www.amtrak.com/content/dam/projects/dotcom/english/public/documents/timetables/City-of-New-Orleans-Schedule-050818.pdf

with 'then'   

http://www.streamlinerschedules.com/concourse/track1/cityneworl194706.html

Good comparison. In fairness, at that time the ICC had not issued/enforced the 79 mph speed restriction, and the Illinois Central passenger mainline was a racetrack in just about every sense of the word.

 

[Thirdrail7]

CONO padding?   

Just compare now

https://www.amtrak.com/content/dam/projects/dotcom/english/public/documents/timetables/City-of-New-Orleans-Schedule-050818.pdf

with 'then'   

http://www.streamlinerschedules.com/concourse/track1/cityneworl194706.html

Good comparison. In fairness, at that time the ICC had not issued/enforced the 79 mph speed restriction, and the Illinois Central passenger mainline was a racetrack in just about every sense of the word.

Additionally, let's not forget the loss of train "ownership" along the route, the loss of additional routes which cause congestion and the fact those railroads generated a lot of crippling expenses to keep their trains moving.  Expenses, that would not be generated these days.