Amtrak's Long-Distance Train Performance
February 2016
For the month of February 2016, the Bull Sheet has calculated that 50 percent of Amtrak's named long-distance trains arrived at their final destination on time or earlier. (In the corresponding month in 2015, it was 38 percent.)
The average arrival of all long-distance trains in the survey period was 34 minutes late. (In the corresponding month in 2015, it was one hour and one minute late.)
The average arrival only of those trains that arrived behind schedule was one hour and seven minutes late. (In the corresponding month in 2015, it was one hour and 40 minutes late.)
A train is considered late whenever it arrives at its final destination behind schedule, even if it arrives late by just one minute. Sufficient padding is incorporated into long-distance train schedules to eliminate the need for grace allowances by showing a train arriving on time when it is actually nominally late.
Trains arriving ahead of schedule are shown 'on time,' with no extra credit given to offset late arrivals in other instances.
This was compiled by the Bull Sheet's statistical department comprehending actual performance as reported for affected train on Amtrak's website.
Individual train performance over the course of the month of February 2016 was as follows:
Train
Pct on-time arrival
Overall avg arrival
Avg arrival if late
Auto Train 48 %
46 mins late
1 hour, 29 mins late
California Zephyr 48 %
56 mins late
1 hour, 48 mins late
Capitol Limited 54 %
12 mins late
26 mins late
Cardinal 52 %
23 mins late
49 mins late
Carolinian 35 %
51 mins late
1 hour, 19 mins late
City of New Orleans 57 %
21 mins late
49 mins late
Coast Starlight 83 %
11 mins late
1 hour, 2 mins late
Crescent 26 %
1 hour, 18 mins late
1 hour, 46 mins late
Empire Builder 87 %
7 mins late
52 mins late
Lake Shore Limited 51 %
39 mins late
1 hour, 18 mins late
Maple Leaf 47 %
13 mins late
24 mins late
Palmetto 35 %
49 mins late
1 hour, 16 mins late
Silver Meteor 24 %
1 hour, 6 mins late
1 hour, 27 mins late
Silver Star 18 %
46 mins late
56 mins late
Southwest Chief 83 %
17 mins late
1 hour, 40 mins late
Sunset Limited 60 %
29 mins late
1 hour, 11 mins late
Texas Eagle 38 %
35 mins late
57 mins late
Vermonter 32 %
14 mins late
21 mins late