Amtrak's Long-Distance Train Performance
February 2019
For the month of February 2019, the Bull Sheet has calculated that 39 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 37 percent.]
The average arrival of all long-distance trains in the survey period was one hour and 13 minutes late. [In the same month last year it was 55 mins late.]
The average arrival of the trains that were behind schedule was one hour and 59 minutes late. [In the same month last year it was one hour and 27 minutes late.]
The train with the best on-time performance in February 2019 was Auto Train (79 percent), and the train with the worst on-time performance was Crescent (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, terminated en route, or provided with ambiguous or unreliable data are typically excluded from the survey.
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 arrival at intermediate stations may differ.
Daily average long-distance train performance in February 2019 was as follows:
Date
Pct on-time arrival
Overall avg arrival
Avg arrival if late
Friday, February 1 32 %
55 mins late
1 hour, 20 mins late
Saturday, February 2 58 %
1 hour, 19 mins late
3 hours, 6 mins late
Sunday, February 3 53 %
1 hour, 8 mins late
2 hours, 27 mins late
Monday, February 4 52 %
59 mins late
2 hours, 2 mins late
Tuesday, February 5 67 %
19 mins late
57 mins late
Wednesday, February 6 32 %
54 mins late
1 hour, 20 mins late
Thursday, February 7 39 %
41 mins late
1 hour, 7 mins late
Friday, February 8 28 %
1 hour, 22 mins late
1 hour, 54 mins late
Saturday, February 9 37 %
2 hours, 9 mins late
3 hours, 26 mins late
Sunday, February 10 46 %
1 hour, 4 mins late
1 hour, 58 mins late
Monday, February 11 31 %
1 hour, 15 mins late
1 hour, 50 mins late
Tuesday, February 12 25 %
1 hour, 4 mins late
1 hour, 26 mins late
Wednesday, February 13 29 %
44 mins late
1 hour, 2 mins late
Thursday, February 14 37 %
1 hour, 29 mins late
2 hours, 20 mins late
Friday, February 15 32 %
1 hour, 14 mins late
1 hour, 50 mins late
Saturday, February 16 48 %
1 hour, 12 mins late
2 hours, 21 mins late
Sunday, February 17 51 %
1 hour, 13 mins late
2 hours, 30 mins late
Monday, February 18 47 %
53 mins late
1 hour, 41 mins late
Tuesday, February 19 50 %
1 hour, 6 mins late
2 hours, 12 mins late
Wednesday, February 20 27 %
1 hour 3 mins late
1 hour, 27 mins late
Thursday, February 21 29 %
1 hour, 28 mins late
2 hours, 4 mins late
Friday, February 22 44 %
57 mins late
1 hour, 43 mins late
Saturday, February 23 34 %
1 hour, 2 mins late
1 hour, 35 mins late
Sunday, February 24 39 %
2 hours, 7 mins late
3 hours, 28 mins late
Monday, February 25 19 %
2 hours, 48 mins late
3 hours, 28 mins late
Tuesday, February 26 28 %
1 hour, 38 mins late
2 hours, 15 mins late
Wednesday, February 27 22 %
44 mins late
56 mins late
Thursday, February 28 38 %
1 hour, 27 mins late
2 hours, 21 mins late
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Composite for February 39 %
1 hour, 13 mins late
1 hour, 59 mins late
Month of February - Five Year Comparison
Month
Pct on-time arrival
Overall avg arrival
Avg arrival if late
February 2019 39 %
1 hour, 13 mins late
1 hour, 59 mins late
February 2018 37 %
55 mins late
1 hour, 27 mins late
February 2017 40 %
50 mins late
1 hour, 24 mins late
February 2016 50 %
34 mins late
1 hour, 7 mins late
February 2015 38 %
1 hour, 1 min late
1 hour, 40 mins late
February 2019 Train-by-Train Performance
Train
Pct on-time arrival
Overall avg arrival
Avg arrival if late
Auto Train 79 %
11 mins late
51 mins late
California Zephyr 10 %
3 hours, 30 mins late
3 hours, 53 mins late
Capitol Limited 9 %
1 hour, 16 mins late
1 hour, 24 mins late
Cardinal 26 %
2 hours, 4 mins late
2 hours, 48 mins late
Carolinian 46 %
23 mins late
43 mins late
City of New Orleans 60 %
36 mins late
1 hour, 30 mins late
Coast Starlight 33 %
1 hour, 24 mins late
2 hours, 5 mins late
Crescent 5 %
3 hours, 3 mins late
3 hours, 14 mins late
Empire Builder 13 %
3 hours, 57 mins late
4 hours, 31 mins late
Lake Shore Limited 31 %
52 mins late
1 hour, 15 mins late
Maple Leaf 77 %
7 mins late
31 mins late
Palmetto 38 %
32 mins late
51 mins late
Silver Meteor 50 %
13 mins late
26 mins late
Silver Star 21 %
51 mins late
1 hour, 5 mins late
Southwest Chief 41 %
1 hour, 17 mins late
2 hours, 10 mins late
Sunset Limited 29 %
59 mins late
1 hour, 23 mins late
Texas Eagle 40 %
54 mins late
1 hour, 29 mins late
Vermonter 70 %
8 mins late
28 mins late
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