The STB to Consider Amtrak’s OTP.
I just finished sending some testimony into the Surface Transportation Board. That agency is undertaking a review of regulations regarding Amtrak’s on-time performance … or “OTP” as the insiders say. Most people just shrug when it comes to Amtrak trains running late, as though there’s nothing that can be done about it. Besides, so the train is late … what’s the big deal?
Well, I’ll tell you what—and it’s what I told the STB—a late train, even the possibility of a specific train running late, has cost me personally a lot of money over the years. Here’s why:
Obviously, I have to fly whenever I leave Hawaii, but I try to minimize my actual time in the air. So I usually fly to the west coast and take Amtrak from there. Twice a year I attend meetings of the National Association of Railroad Passengers. I’m on the board of directors and it’s my responsibility to attend.
The next NARP board meeting is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 10th, in Washington, DC. In a perfect world—a world in which Amtrak trains run on time in the same way the trains in Europe do—this would be my itinerary for getting to that meeting:
Wed., April 6 — fly from Maui to Los Angeles
Thurs., April 7 — depart Los Angeles on the Southwest Chief at 6:15 p.m.
Fri., April 8 — on board the Chief
Sat., April 9 — arrive Chicago at 3:15 p.m.; depart Chicago on the Capitol Limited at 6:40 p.m.
Sun., April 10 — arrive Washington at 1:50 p.m.; attend board meeting at 4:00 p.m.
But can I take a chance on a 3-hour-25-minute connection in Chicago, from the Chief to the Capitol Limited? It’s certainly possible, but as I’m posting this at not quite 5:00 p.m., Hawaii time, the eastbound Chief just left Raton, New Mexico, and it was two hours and 5 minutes late.
Even if I do make that connection in Chicago, what if the Capitol Limited is late getting into Washington? It’s running on time at the moment, but it has arrived on schedule just 40% of the time over the past 12 months.
The solution to my dilemma is clear: I have to leave here on April 4th, two days earlier that what should be a valid itinerary. That will get me to Chicago on the 6th and I will spend that night in a hotel, taking the Capitol Limited the next evening, getting to Washington on Saturday instead of Sunday.
Unfortunately, there’s a very real possibility that either the Southwest Chief or the Capitol Limited—or both trains— will be late, and that means adding two days to my itinerary which will cost me an additional $700-$800 for two additional nights in hotels, one in Chicago and one in Washington. And there will also be some additional restaurant meals.
That’s the reality. And that’s why the Surface Transportation Board needs to take the issue of Amtrak’s OTP seriously. Yes, of course it’s an over-simplification … but they need to decide what has priority: people or all those toaster ovens from China.
Hard to believe that despite all the promises for being received of passenger trains, the Class 1s have only walked from any priority dispatching of passenger trains since 1971. My last trip on the remnant of the “Super Chief” in February, 1973 took me from LA to Chicago, making a perfect/timely connection with the “Broadway Limited to Washington. How possible is that anymore..??? And we wonder why does Congress look at the long distance network today as merely serving wealthy, retired, white men, not in any rush, when who else could afford the extraordinary extra costs incurred just to connect between two routes?
Although Amtrak is a state operation enterprise, which should not be mandating anything upon private carriers, just as GM cannot mandate anything re interstate highways, the lack of Amtrak holding the Class 1s to the letter of their legal agreements has clearly brought us to the brink of this inevitable deteriorated service level. Amtrak needs a new CEO who is clearly respected by the Class 1s, FRA, and DOT.
As we re-evaluate Amtrak, its CEO, and Board–before 1 October 2016, perhaps its time to study the economic model that the Class 1s feel has not properly covered their full direct costs for precious slots and dispatching. And in fairness, we should also discover negligent actions by Amtrak that contributed to the increased costs incurred by the Class 1s; i.e., why some Class 1s do not hide the point how they do not consider Amtrak to be a “real railroad.”
As I have preached recently, we have but one last opportunity to get this entire scenario right!
I am sure your story is multiplied many times over. In 2014 I travelled from Washington by the Cardinal to Chicago then by the Empire Builder to Seattle with a 4 night stopover in Glacier National Park. Being warned I stayed overnight at a Travelodge in Chicago (my accommodation needs to be cheaper $150 plus dinner and breakfast) As it turned out not necessary and I had spent 4 nights in Chicago in 2010. I did not know about the terrible late running of the Empire Builder and booked 3 nights at B&B on the San Juan islands. I was also not aware of the distance from Seattle to the ferry wharf but if the train had been on time I would have made it. On discovering how things were I made a very cheap booking at a motel near SEATAC (where the ferry bus departed) for $75. It was July 3. I informed the B&B ($180 per night) I might not make it the first night. The train was running 4 hours late and I thought my night was to be in the cheap motel but, as I told my sad story to the Coach attendant, the lady in the next compartment overheard me and told me her husband was meeting her in Everett and they lived near the ferry terminal. Thanks to their kindness I did arrive at the B&B about 10pm and “only” lost the $75. However it does make one consider if rail travel in the USA is worthwhile.
Just plan for being late, I guess. I don’t “connect” anymore–I “overnight” routinely.