Amtrak's Long-Distance Train Performance
October 2018
For the month of October 2018, the Bull Sheet has calculated that 34 percent of Amtrak's named long-distance trains arrived at their final destination on time or earlier. [In the same month last year it was 31 percent.]
The average arrival of all long-distance trains in the survey period was 49 minutes late. [In the same month last year it was 55 minutes late.]
The average arrival of the trains that were behind schedule was one hour and 15 minutes late. [In the same month last year it was one hour and 20 minutes late.]
The train with the best on-time performance in October was City of New Orleans (79 percent), and the train with the worst on-time performance was Capitol Limited (5 percent).
A train is considered late whenever it arrives at its final destination behind schedule, even if only by a minute. Sufficient padding is incorporated into long-distance train schedules to eliminate the need for grace allowances in showing a train arriving on time when it is actually late. Amtrak routinely reports trains arriving on time if they are nominally late, within certain guidelines, but the Bull Sheet survey conveys realistic parameters reflecting actual performance.
Trains arriving ahead of schedule are shown 'on time,' with no extra credit given to offset other arrivals that are late. Trains that are canceled, truncated or provided with ambiguous or unreliable data are typically excluded from the analysis.
This survey was compiled by the Bull Sheet's statistical department comprehending actual performance as reported for each affected train on Amtrak's website. Data only apply to arrival at final destination; average arrivals at intermediate stations may differ.
Individual train performance in October 2018 was as follows:
Train
Pct on-time arrival
Overall avg arrival
Avg arrival if late
Auto Train 69 %
26 mins late
1 hour, 25 mins late
California Zephyr 32 %
1 hour, 6 mins late
1 hour, 37 mins late
Capitol Limited 5 %
1 hour, 34 mins late
1 hour, 39 mins late
Cardinal 50 %
39 mins late
1 hour, 18 mins late
Carolinian 36 %
32 mins late
50 mins late
City of New Orleans 79 %
16 mins late
1 hour, 15 mins late
Coast Starlight 53 %
21 mins late
46 mins late
Crescent 8 %
1 hour, 20 mins late
1 hour, 28 mins late
Empire Builder 34 %
39 mins late
59 mins late
Lake Shore Limited 16 %
55 mins late
1 hour, 5 mins late
Maple Leaf 42 %
19 mins late
33 mins late
Palmetto 37 %
24 mins late
38 mins late
Silver Meteor 53 %
26 mins late
55 mins late
Silver Star 20 %
48 mins late
59 mins late
Southwest Chief 24 %
1 hour, 8 mins late
1 hour, 29 mins late
Sunset Limited 22 %
2 hours, 17 mins late
2 hours, 56 mins late
Texas Eagle 8 %
2 hours, 10 mins late
2 hours, 22 mins late
Vermonter 29 %
19 mins late
27 mins late
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Monthly performance in 2018
Monthly performance
Pct on-time arrival
Overall avg arrival
Avg arrival if late
January 2018 35 %
1 hour, 5 mins late
1 hour, 41 mins late
February 2018 37 %
55 mins late
1 hour, 27 mins late
March 2018 39 %
57 mins late
1 hour, 32 mins late
April 2018 37 %
47 mins late
1 hour, 15 mins late
May 2018 26 %
1 hour, 7 mins late
1 hour, 30 mins late
June 2018 19 %
1 hour, 27 mins late
1 hour, 47 mins late
July 2018 20 %
1 hour, 33 mins late
1 hour, 56 mins late
August 2018 21 %
1 hour, 26 mins late
1 hour, 50 mins late
September 2018 29 %
1 hour, 6 mins late
1 hour, 33 mins late
October 2018 34 %
49 mins late
1 hour, 15 mins late
Year to date 30%
1 hour, 7 mins late
1 hour, 36 mins late