Amtrak's Long-Distance Train Performance
September 2020
For the month of September 2020, the Bull Sheet has calculated that 52 percent of Amtrak's named long-distance trains arrived at their final destination on time or earlier.
The average arrival of all long-distance trains in the survey period was 32 minutes late.
The average arrival of just those trains that were behind schedule was one hour and six minutes late.
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 conveys more realistic parameters reflecting actual performance (on time, or it is late).
Trains arriving ahead of schedule are simply 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 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 will generally differ.
Traffic in September was somewhat impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, and by storms along the Gulf Coast. A number of trains that would ordinarily operate were either truncated or did not run at all. The averages reflected in this survey period are not typical by historical standards, but they are presented nevertheless as a matter of record.
Average daily long-distance train performance in September 2020 was as follows:
Date
Pct on-time arrival
Overall avg arrival
Avg arrival if late
Tuesday, September 1 36 %
28 mins late
44 mins late
Wednesday, September 2 38 %
40 mins late
1 hour, 4 mins late
Thursday, September 3 34 %
51 mins late
1 hour, 18 mins late
Friday, September 4 40 %
1 hour, 3 mins late
1 hour, 45 mins late
Saturday, September 5 48 %
59 mins late
1 hour, 53 mins late
Sunday, September 6 67 %
28 mins late
1 hour, 24 mins late
Monday, September 7 70 %
17 mins late
56 mins late
Tuesday, September 8 57 %
25 mins late
58 mins late
Wednesday, September 9 41 %
53 mins late
1 hour, 30 mins late
Thursday, September 10 46 %
49 mins late
1 hour, 31 mins late
Friday, September 11 55 %
1 hour late
2 hours, 13 mins late
Saturday, September 12 54 %
24 mins late
52 mins late
Sunday, September 13 62 %
28 mins late
1 hour, 14 mins late
Monday, September 14 48 %
14 mins late
27 mins late
Tuesday, September 15 54 %
12 mins late
26 mins late
Wednesday, September 16 69 %
14 mins late
46 mins late
Thursday, September 17 58 %
21 mins late
48 mins late
Friday, September 18 52 %
26 mins late
54 mins late
Saturday, September 19 59 %
25 mins late
1 hour, 1 min late
Sunday, September 20 70 %
30 mins late
1 hour, 41 mins late
Monday, September 21 72 %
11 mins late
42 mins late
Tuesday, September 22 55 %
17 mins late
38 mins late
Wednesday, September 23 47 %
40 mins late
1 hour, 16 mins late
Thursday, September 24 38 %
25 mins late
41 mins late
Friday, September 25 48 %
18 mins late
35 mins late
Saturday, September 26 62 %
17 mins late
45 mins late
Sunday, September 27 63 %
19 mins late
52 mins late
Monday, September 28 30 %
50 mins late
1 hour, 11 mins late
Tuesday, September 29 48 %
34 mins late
1 hour, 5 mins late
Wednesday, September 30 47 %
38 mins late
1 hour, 10 mins late
. .
.
.
Composite for Month 52 %
32 mins late
1 hour, 6 mins late
Five-year comparison for September . . .
5-year comparison
Pct on-time arrival
Overall avg arrival
Avg arrival if late
. .
.
.
September 2016 38 %
41 mins late
1 hour, 6 mins late
September 2017 34 %
49 mins late
1 hour, 14 mins late
September 2018 29 %
1 hour, 6 mins late
1 hour, 33 mins late
September 2019 36 %
49 mins late
1 hour, 16 mins late
September 2020 52 %
32 mins late
1 hour, 6 mins late
September 2020 Train-by-Train Performance . . .
Train
Pct on-time arrival
Overall avg arrival
Avg arrival if late
Auto Train 73 %
20 mins late
1 hour, 15 mins late
California Zephyr 45 %
55 mins late
1 hour, 40 mins late
Capitol Limited 28 %
41 mins late
57 mins late
Cardinal 48 %
22 mins late
43 mins late
Carolinian 68 %
16 mins late
50 mins late
City of New Orleans 92 %
4 mins late
48 mins late
Coast Starlight 62 %
28 mins late
1 hour, 12 mins late
Crescent 40 %
33 mins late
56 mins late
Empire Builder 65 %
20 mins late
56 mins late
Lake Shore Limited 47 %
19 mins late
36 mins late
Maple Leaf [no data]
.
.
Palmetto 35 %
26 mins late
41 mins late
Silver Meteor 53 %
25 mins late
52 mins late
Silver Star 33 %
39 mins late
59 mins late
Southwest Chief 53 %
44 mins late
1 hour, 35 mins late
Sunset Limited 19 %
1 hour, 47 mins late
2 hours, 12 mins late
Texas Eagle 40 %
58 mins late
1 hour, 45 mins late
Vermonter [no data]
.
.
Composite for Month 52 %
32 mins late
1 hour, 6 mins late
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