SELECTED ON-TIME PERFORMANCE 12/921 THROUGH ??????

No change in what we have seen in the past.

The computer program continues to show trains arriving at a station prior to their departure from the preceding station as with
#58 (14th) "City of New Orleans" at NBN and #30 (15th) "Capitol Limited" at Elyria.

Also, continued repeated lengthy delays to the eastbound "Capitol Limited" and "Lake Shore Limited" between CHI and TOL.

Unresolved signal system problems on the DET Corridor involving the on-board apparatus which result in a 59 mph speed limit.

Not to forget the inability of NS to move the "Crescent" in a timely fashion south of ATL.

And so it goes, on and on, and the Amtrak BOD takes no exception to the obvious failures of its management team.

You don't cover the Silver Service & Palmetto & Autotrain, but the worst (among many) hangups seem to be just north of Savannah. Of course, that's the second busiest container seaport on the East Coast. The Autotrain in either direction departs with an estimated arrival about two hours early, and then often doesn't make it on scheduled time.

I don't know if equipment problems are getting worse, but on December 8, the southbound Crescent had to reverse back into WAS from south of the tunnel to get a new locomotive.

Enhanced enforcement of passenger priority in dispatching was removed from the infrastructure bill that passed into law. The freights may have been emboldened by that win, and there's the ongoing logistics crisis, and Christmas supplies.

The Crescent #19 many days is now taking a crew delay in ATL. That is because @20 crew arrives so late that HOS required break kicks in. Took a 2 hour departure delay the other day. There was no info by Amtrak even acknowledging the delay.

Anybody notice the complete meltdown on the DET Corridor yesterday?

Apparently, there was no successful effort to minimize the delays to the trains after the trespasser fatality at Dowagiac, so all 6 trains were effected, and that included annulling #350 & #355 between DER and PNT.

A competent response by both the emergency responders and the host railroad would have reduced -- if not eliminated -- the successive delays as well as provided a relief engineer if required. Even recovery from a complete dismemberment of the trespasser should not have frozen train operations for that length of time.

(Note: the foregoing remarks are based on past personal experiences.)

west point wrote: ↑Fri Dec 17, 2021 7:54 am The Crescent #19 many days is now taking a crew delay in ATL. That is because @20 crew arrives so late that HOS required break kicks in.

Mr. West Point, might you or anyone know the crew district involved? I assume it is of length to require full rest.

Now you have dropped "a hint or two" around here that you could well be an airline pilot. If so, you surely know of flights CX'd account "no crew"; be they Officers, Attendants, or both. It's happened to me; and I'm only (pre COVID) an occasional leisure flyer.

The Crescent south of ATL is covered by a crew district in Meridian Mississippi. So, with #20 arriving ATL the crew needs a full HOS break before going south on #19. Also, a very late #19 at NOL the crew needs a HOS break in NOL to return on #20 the next day.

All the delays ATL south both ways are having the total enroute times over 16 hors. Crew problems abound.

IMO Amtrak needs to just change #20 departure back to 0600 - 0700. that just makes all these crew problems go away and makes ATL, Taccoa, and Gainesville times more useable,

west point wrote: ↑Fri Dec 17, 2021 11:10 pm The Crescent south of ATL is covered by a crew district in Meridian Mississippi.

Isn't it wonderful how in railroading, things work so well "on paper". Real life? well.......

Gilbert B Norman wrote: ↑Sat Dec 18, 2021 9:18 am

west point wrote: ↑Fri Dec 17, 2021 11:10 pm The Crescent south of ATL is covered by a crew district in Meridian Mississippi.

Isn't it wonderful how in railroading, things work so well "on paper". Real life? well.......

Correct. The only thing Meridian has is it is a two - direction crew district. However, NOL does not work if NS delays even 30 minutes enroute. Really would require a 28 layover in MEI. ATL would end up just as a 1 direction district. Still a lay - over in Meridian. CLT - ATL has CLT district big covering Crescent and all the CLT crew originations.

Now if ATL ever got all the planned regional things might change. Fat chance. If only NS could quit delaying everything would change. NS seems incapable of getting its trackwork up to handling all the traffic delays would be reduced for both Amtrak and freight. If enough shippers complain then maybe NS will be required to make the route fluid.

Then we have a big unknown with the CP - KCS merge. Who knows? If I were NS wait to see what happens to traffic but have expansion plans ready if more traffic comes to Meridian.

Crescent #19 is already so late that arrival best time is 0117 in NOL. That is enough late that #20 is going to be at least a few minutes late leaving NOL this Sunday.

Now # 19 estimated NOL at 0137. That is just 50 minutes Slidell to NOL whereas schedule padding is at one hour 40 minutes. # 20 probably 1000 NOL departure instead of 0915. Crew delay. What I find disturbing is that Amtrak did not post any tweets on #19s lateness once it left south of ATL.

The tweet desk seems to go to sleep for third shift.

#20 left NOL at 1104 today 1:49 late. What is interesting is there is not any tweets from Amtrak even acknowledging that #20 would be late departing NOL. To further the problem there has not been any tweet saying that # 20 is now running 2;212 late. Is Amtrak trying to hide these problems from higher ups? There are 3 possible solutions IMO.

1. Have the Meridian crews lay over for a day. That means a layover of about 36 hours for Meridian crews.
2. Change the crews to NOL and have them lay over at Meridian ~ 27 hours.
3. Move the departure at NOL from 0600 - 0 0700 Then then NOL crew can lay over MEI 30 -32 hours or more based on #19's abysm Isable on times south of ATL. That would mean very crew problems MEI <> ATL making #19 able to leave ATL on time . As well would improve CLT crews out of ATL going into CLT.

Does anyone know if NOL a crew base covering the CNO or Sunset? If so, that would limit number of new crews

west point wrote: ↑Sun Dec 19, 2021 2:50 pm There are 3 possible solutions IMO.
1. Have the Meridian crews lay over for a day. That means a layover of about 36 hours for Meridian crews.
2. Change the crews to NOL and have them lay over at Meridian ~ 27 hours.
3. Move the departure at NOL from 0600 - 0 0700 Then then NOL crew can lay over MEI 30 -32 hours or more based on #19's abysm Isable on times south of ATL. That would mean very crew problems MEI <> ATL making #19 able to leave ATL on time . As well would improve CLT crews out of ATL going into CLT.
Does anyone know if NOL a crew base covering the CNO or Sunset? If so, that would limit number of new crews

Mr. West Point, all I could foresee with any of the assignments proposed would be:

* Double Lodging; raising considerably the costs of the mandated crew rest.

* Constant "bidding off" followed by forced assignment of "younger hands". No one would be experienced in the handling of the trains, for as soon as they could hold something else, "they gone". There would need be a Road Foreman constantly riding as the inexperienced crews would need supervision in the handling of the trains. Remember, this is a "hilly" profile at least between Atlanta and Birmingham.

* Start "Reloing" crews and you're looking at relocation payments under New York Dock.

Further, question must be raised if the "Reasonable and Practical" test would be met. That language is included in many a labor agreement I reviewed with regard to establishing terminals. Not a good situation, I agree Mr. West Point; but the only way out would be more positions on the Extra Board. On Amtrak, all those positions have Guarantees, which could make things "costly out the roof".

Finally, "they ain't dumb @ One Mass". I knew enough of 'em "along the way" to vouch for that statement.