Timekeeping on 19/20

[west point]

20/27 lost 3:30 additional ATN - ATL. Left ATL 5:00 late at 1:10 AM this morning

 

[GaSteve]

20/27 lost 3:30 additional ATN - ATL. Left ATL 5:00 late at 1:10 AM this morning

Account of extreme freight interference just outside of ATL, mainly NS, and then the crew went dead on the clock.

 

[Triley]

And now 19 is leaving late due to 20's late arrival.

 

[GaSteve]

And that's 19 is leaving late due to 20's late arrival.

Estimating out at 10 PM, 2 hours down.

 

[GaSteve]

And that's 19 is leaving late due to 20's late arrival.

Estimating out at 10 PM, 2 hours down.

Actually departed at midnight. Currently 4.5 hours down.

 

[acelafan]

And that's 19 is leaving late due to 20's late arrival.

Estimating out at 10 PM, 2 hours down.

Actually departed at midnight. Currently 4.5 hours down.

It took 49 minutes for the station stop in ATL this morning. Seems like a long time. Maybe they couldn't depart due to NS traffic?

 

[GaSteve]

And that's 19 is leaving late due to 20's late arrival.

Estimating out at 10 PM, 2 hours down.

Actually departed at midnight. Currently 4.5 hours down.

It took 49 minutes for the station stop in ATL this morning. Seems like a long time. Maybe they couldn't depart due to NS traffic?

Could be, although that train can hardly ever can do that stop in the allotted time.

 

[west point]

And that's 19 is leaving late due to 20's late arrival.

Estimating out at 10 PM, 2 hours down.

Actually departed at midnight. Currently 4.5 hours down.

It took 49 minutes for the station stop in ATL this morning. Seems like a long time. Maybe they couldn't depart due to NS traffic?

Could be, although that train can hardly ever can do that stop in the allotted time.

 

[Thirdrail7]

ATL is a crew change and servicing stop so it takes time, particularly if things are out of order.

 

[west point]

To expand on 3rd rail's post. It is potable water servicing, all under car inspections, brake check, minor maintenance and occasionally water for the locos. To top it off the number of boarding's and exits thru a very difficult station access does not help. A one time only a suburban station not built for LD.

 

[offroad437]

To expand on 3rd rail's post. It is potable water servicing, all under car inspections, brake check, minor maintenance and occasionally water for the locos. To top it off the number of boarding's and exits thru a very difficult station access does not help. A one time only a suburban station not built for LD.

I’ve also been onboard when we were extremely late and took on fuel. Guess it is a rarity but possible fuel stop.

 

[GaSteve]

To expand on 3rd rail's post. It is potable water servicing, all under car inspections, brake check, minor maintenance and occasionally water for the locos. To top it off the number of boarding's and exits thru a very difficult station access does not help. A one time only a suburban station not built for LD.

I’ve also been onboard when we were extremely late and took on fuel. Guess it is a rarity but possible fuel stop.

Both correct, but the scheduled dwell time of 25 to 30 minutes is obviously too short.

 

[DennisInGeorgia]

Here's another related issue: We're on 20 next week and im consistently seeing it arrive in ATL after 9pm. The diner closes at 9pm supposedly although it has been kept open as a courtesy before. Is there a set time when the crew HAS to close to set for breakfast? Trying to determine the ETA that makes it necessary to stop at a Subway enroute to the station sine there is absolutely nothing within walking distance any more. Help?

 

[west point]

Track your train on one of the apps. Once it leaves Anniston, AL (ATN) calculate that it will arrive ATL no later than 45 additional minutes late from Anniston. Bu remember that checked baggage time is 45 minutes before schedule ATL departure time or 25 minutes less than ATN delay. So if it leaves ATN 25 minutes late ( there is 25 minutes schedule pad ATN - ATL ) ( ATL ETA is based on no schedule pad ) you must check bags 45 minutes earlier than schedule departure. That is check bags not in bag check line. Confusing ? Note also no pets on any Amtrak train if trip is scheduled for more than 7 hours.

 

[offroad437]

Today it lost almost 6 hours between Atlanta and Aniston. The onetime percentage must be close to 0% this summer.

 

[GaSteve]

Today it lost almost 6 hours between Atlanta and Aniston. The onetime percentage must be close to 0% this summer.

That problem was a broken down freight 50 or so miles south of ATL.

 

[offroad437]

Today it lost almost 6 hours between Atlanta and Aniston. The onetime percentage must be close to 0% this summer.

That problem was a broken down freight 50 or so miles south of ATL.

They just can’t win lately. When they doing good and looks like they may just get in early something breaks and they get stuck.

 

[GaSteve]

Today it lost almost 6 hours between Atlanta and Anniston. The onetime percentage must be close to 0% this summer.

Arrival at NOL was 0330, 6.6 hours down. To their credit, the NOL station team got the train turned and it left only an hour down this morning. I'll bet WAS couldn't have turned it that fast.

 

[GaSteve]

Today it lost almost 6 hours between Atlanta and Anniston. The onetime percentage must be close to 0% this summer.

Arrival at NOL was 0330, 6.6 hours down. To their credit, the NOL station team got the train turned and it left only an hour down this morning. I'll bet WAS couldn't have turned it that fast.

Last night's 19 was 3 hours late into NOL account another broken down freight in Alabama, but the NOL station team was up to the task and 20 is out on time this morning.

 

[offroad437]

Still not doing good but getting better. Been averaging a little over 1.5 hours late into Nola

 

[west point]

Still not doing good but getting better. Been averaging a little over 1.5 hours late into Nola

 

[Thirdrail7]

Arrival at NOL was 0330, 6.6 hours down. To their credit, the NOL station team got the train turned and it left only an hour down this morning. I'll bet WAS couldn't have turned it that fast.

That's hardly conclusive since WAS has many more trains to contend with and if 20 arrived WAS 6 hours late, it would arrive at the beginning of rush hour. By the time it was unloaded and ready to depart for the yard, it would be the middle of rush hour, where you have the MARC and VRE commuter train coming out of the same tracks that you would need to wye 20 for 19. That's in addition to the Amtrak trains. Plus, a late approach to the S&I facility would either knock another train out of its slot or result in a late spot for 20 if they chose to start working on one of the many trains that originate or turn in WAS.

I'm not recalling NOL having a rush hour period, two commuter services and 60 or so Amtrak trains passing through its facility. On a good day, NOL has maybe 10 moves? A comparison is ill-advised and inappropriate.

 

[offroad437]

We have 2 maybe 3 (SL) trains in one day in Nola all of which will spend the night.

 

[jis]

As Thirdrail said, that would all add upto maybe 10 or so moves. Comparing that with Ivy City is just ludicrous. NOL is a tiny station with tiny operations compared to Washington Union Station and Ivy City.

 

[GaSteve]

We have 2 maybe 3 (SL) trains in one day in Nola all of which will spend the night.

19/20 is not a SL train and turns every night on a pretty tight schedule. The Sunset, which is a SL train spends the night on the 3 days per week it operates.. CONO is a Superliner trains and spends the night every night.

Keep in mind that WAS has many more employees than NOL.

Most of the time, trains terminating at NOL are wyed and backed in for arrival.