New train (40-41 Floridian) between Miami and Chicago via Washington DC

[John Bobinyec]

Wonder when Amtrak will get the 4 end stations onto their web site so Dixieland can give us those times?

We are confusing Transitdocs with Dixieland (software).

Transitdocs gets its data from a certain source at Amtrak. Amtrak hasn't updated that source yet to show all of the stations.

Dixieland gets its data from a different Amtrak source and shows all of the stations.

jb

 

[Stevenz]

Classic ... #40 is way past "Toledo"

View attachment 38293

I'm glad you put this up. It's confusing. I am contemplating/preferring to use the Floridian originating at ORD - PIT (sorry, all I know is IATA codes) for Thanksgiving travel. But according to the transitdocs map it only returns to Toledo. I'd like to say this can't be right, Toledo is a fine place, but I also can't take anything for granted! Any thoughts?
Thank you.

 

[OmahaRoad]

I'm glad you put this up. It's confusing. I am contemplating/preferring to use the Floridian originating at ORD - PIT (sorry, all I know is IATA codes) for Thanksgiving travel. But according to the transitdocs map it only returns to Toledo. I'd like to say this can't be right, Toledo is a fine place, but I also can't take anything for granted! Any thoughts?
Thank you.

As others have pointed out in posts above, it's a silly (though significant) data error. Yes, the Floridian is and will terminate in Chicago and Miami, not Toledo and Delray Beach, FL. No need to worry (unless you're worrying about IT errors, that is!)

 

[Fenway]

 

[trimetbusfan]

I'm glad you put this up. It's confusing. I am contemplating/preferring to use the Floridian originating at ORD - PIT (sorry, all I know is IATA codes) for Thanksgiving travel. But according to the transitdocs map it only returns to Toledo. I'd like to say this can't be right, Toledo is a fine place, but I also can't take anything for granted! Any thoughts?
Thank you.

As others in this thread has said, it does not terminate in toledo

 

[JuniusLivonius]

Transitdocs gets its data from a certain source at Amtrak. Amtrak hasn't updated that source yet to show all of the stations.

Last time I checked, Transitdocs gets it from the same source as Amtrak's map. They copied the API endpoints out of Amtrak's map page and there are tons of tools that do the same thing. It's an otherwise undocumented API but I hope Amtrak officially approves using it that way.

 

[Stevenz]

Thanks for your replies. It’s all as I thought but I am extremely risk averse about this particular trip as the return leg, ultimately to Milwaukee, would be on November 30th. Considerations:
1. First time on this train.
2. Weather could be a factor, per usual at thanksgiving.
3. I usually have a policy to not travel over thanksgiving, preferring to assume that degree of anxiety on things like bomb disposal, or swimming the Amazon River with a raw pork chop around my neck.
4. On December 3rd I need to be on a plane to New Zealand. I prefer to not start that trip in Toledo.
But I view the train as more reliable than flying and safer than driving in this case.

 

[acelafan]

Wonder when Amtrak will get the 4 end stations onto their web site so Dixieland can give us those times?

http://statusmaps.com/ goes to Dixieland, for example these links do show all the stations:

https://dixielandsoftware.net/cgi-bin/gettrain.pl?seltrain=40&selyear=2024&selmonth=11&selday=13

https://dixielandsoftware.net/cgi-bin/gettrain.pl?seltrain=41&selyear=2024&selmonth=11&selday=13

 

[west point]

Stand corrected meant to say transit docs and Amtrak's status map is missing last 4 stations

 

[OmahaRoad]

So, the Floridian is certainly off to a rocky start and has had bad luck (freight interference and Amtrak equipment issues). I'm taking the Floridian 9 days from now on Sunday, the 24th from RGH to CHI. What are the odds that these early kinks/issues will have been worked out to at least some extent by then? Bad luck is one thing...or I don't know, maybe it's mostly bad luck + Amtrak's classic mechanical issues?

I'm obviously prepared for some level of delay, but I am connecting to the Borealis in Chicago, and as such, really hope I don't miss it--have been looking forward to using the Borealis for the first time. Crossing my fingers for a delay of under 1.5 hours! I know I'll have the Builder as a backup but as somehow who advocated and hoped for the Borealis for years in MN, I really want to take it!

 

[Amtrak25]

I heard that a Floridian on Wednesday ran from Cumberland to Richmond with no functioning toilets. It seems Chicago forget to pump them during layover.

 

[Trogdor]

So, the Floridian is certainly off to a rocky start and has had bad luck (freight interference and Amtrak equipment issues). I'm taking the Floridian 9 days from now on Sunday, the 24th from RGH to CHI. What are the odds that these early kinks/issues will have been worked out to at least some extent by then?

Given that none of freight train interference, Amtrak mechanical problems, the equipment used, or the tracks operated over are exactly new, I don’t really see this as “kinks” to be worked out (though some elements, such as where the train gets en-route fueling/servicing, are perhaps new). The delays that train 40 sees aren’t really different than those experienced by train 92 on essentially the same schedule.

Equipment problems are equipment problems. And while Viewliners have never been scheduled on two-night trips before now, neither Chicago nor Miami can claim that this is the first time they’ve seen that equipment before. Nor are the trains in different slots requiring some major change to the servicing plan at their respective endpoints.

The only folks that would really be unfamiliar are the WAS-based OBS crews working to Chicago, and the conductors working between Toledo (or Pittsburgh?) and WAS. For everyone else, it’s the same as they’ve done a thousand times before. Just with a different train number.

 

[OmahaRoad]

Given that none of freight train interference, Amtrak mechanical problems, the equipment used, or the tracks operated over are exactly new, I don’t really see this as “kinks” to be worked out (though some elements, such as where the train gets en-route fueling/servicing, are perhaps new).

Upon further reflection, "kinks" wasn't the right word! Mostly, it has seemed like the Floridian has been even later, on average, than the Star had been leading up to the change (and has faced more problems like the toilet pumping mentioned above). Looking at the ASMAD archive, the average delay for 91 and 92 at their termini from Sept. 1 to the last day of the Star was roughly 1 hr.

41's average arrival delay in MIA is so far is almost twice as much as the Star, and though 40 has been better (about the same as 29), today's 3 hr 25 min late arrival in CHI was pretty unfortunate. Crossing my fingers, selfishly, that things will improve in the next week! I know that many said "the Floridian will be an OTP disaster" and I hope that isn't ultimately the case.

 

[Amtrak25]

Just another run-thru case where it works on paper, not in reality, given whatever happens on the the Class I's.

 

[Qapla]

When looking at the OTP and delays of 40/41 south of WDC, it is good to compare it to the delays of 97/98 and 52/53 not what 90/91 used to have. I have noticed some late 40/41 trains on transitdocs but both the Meteor and Autotrain were also delayed. Some of the delays 40/41 has experienced are not due to the "kinks of a new train", they are the delays common to the route and experienced by other trains on the same tracks.

Granted, there have been some days when 40/41 ran late while 97/98 ran with less delays.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

When looking at the OTP and delays of 40/41 south of WDC, it is good to compare it to the delays of 97/98 and 52/53 not what 90/91 used to have. I have noticed some late 40/41 trains on transitdocs but both the Star and Autotrain were also delayed. Some of the delays 40/41 has experienced are not due to the "kinks of a new train", they are the delays common to the route and experienced by other trains on the same tracks.

Granted, there have been some days when 40/41 ran late while 97/98 ran with less delays.

97/98 are the Meteor, not the Star
91/92 were the Star and are the trains “replaced by” 40/41

 

[BlackDiamond]

97/98 are the Meteor, not the Star
91/92 were the Star and are the trains “replaced by” 40/41

Basically Qapla is saying you can compare 40/41 to 97/98 and 52/53 to see what kinds of delays other trains besides 40/41 are getting on the same stretch of RR

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Basically Qapla is saying you can compare 40/41 to 97/98 and 52/53 to see what kinds of delays other trains besides 40/41 are getting on the same stretch of RR

And, basically, I'm correcting his calling the 97/98's the Star.

BTW, 91/92 and now 40/41 do not travel the same tracks as 97/98 and 52/53 it's whole route. 40/41 goes through inland SC whereas the other trains go closer to the coast.

So his post is misleading in a few ways.

 

[Qapla]

Sorry for the confusion - I did fix the typo

Also, as for their routes being different through the Carolinas, while this is true, the delays often happen while the trains are in Florida where they all three travel on the same tracks.

All I was trying to point out is that 40/41 is often not the only delayed train on a given set of tracks, indicating the problem is not necessarily with the train since it often affects other trains on the same tracks.

For instance, todays map shows

So, since 97 is delayed 4 hours and 41 is only delayed 1½ hours, it would seem to indicate the delays are track route related in Florida, not a "train" issue.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Sorry for the confusion - I did fix the typo

Also, as for their routes being different through the Carolinas, while this is true, the delays often happen while the trains are in Florida where they all three travel on the same tracks.

All I was trying to point out is that 40/41 is often not the only delayed train on a given set of tracks, indicating the problem is not necessarily with the train since it often affects other trains on the same tracks.

For instance, todays map shows
View attachment 38316
So, since 97 is delayed 4 hours and 41 is only delayed 1½ hours, it would seem to indicate the delays are track route related in Florida, not a "train" issue.

97 is delayed due to a fatal trespasser strike this morning. It was running on time till then.
41 is delayed due to unforeseen crew delays which may be related to 97 needing to be recrewed

 

[PaTrainFan]

Second time this week (I believe) the Floridian has been hamstrung by a bridge issue in Chicago.

 

[Qapla]

I like it that, finally, we have an eastern train that has two trains showing each day on the train map like some of the west coast trains have