How do trains make up for lost time?

[Chris142]

My mother in law is taking a train to visit us. The train was delayed 3 hrs in Texas. But is still scheduled to arrive here in Ca at the original time @4a.

Why is it not 3 hrs late? They can't make up that much time by going faster can they?

 

[CKN]

I would think not-unless they have additional stops and are going to cancel them-doesn't seem likely since there are passengers who may want to get off the train.

 

[nthach]

In the US, passenger train service almost always shares right of way with freight service that takes precedence over Amtrak. The few exceptions to the rule are commuter service and train systems with their own tracks(like the Amtrak Acela and the train systems run by NJ Transit/SEPTA/NYCMTA that provide commuter service outside of the subway).

if it’s anything like buses, there is no fix for running behind. Now, for “running hot”, the train makes a stop at a station for a longer time.

 

[daves87rs]

Sure it will be late..

 

[Jetronic]

My mother in law is taking a train to visit us. The train was delayed 3 hrs in Texas. But is still scheduled to arrive here in Ca at the original time @4a.

Why is it not 3 hrs late? They can't make up that much time by going faster can they?

They reduce the times they are stopped in stations. If they are on time, stops are longer. Now, 3 hours is a lot of time to make up.

Can't speak for trains in US, but the maximum speed a train is allowed to go depends on it's stopping distance. If all cars have brakes the stopping distance is less than if there's unbraked cars in the mix and the top speed can be higher. There's also maximum speeds on sections of the line of course

 

[earlyre]

all i can say is ...go ahead and assume it will be late...as soon as you do, it will be on time, and she'll be waiting at the station/ you'll get an angry 4am phone call...

I'd still be there at the scheduled time....and bring a book.

 

[Food Scientist]

Maybe they built a delay into the schedule?

 

[Snagglefoot]

It’s 3:22 in Cali as I write this. Are you at the station?

 

[mrsilv04]

It's 4:05am in California. Let us know what happened.

 

[Cujet]

Airlines often sandbag their arrival times. Thereby incorporating some predicted or usual delays

 

[bullwinkle]

Amtrak has a lot of "flag" stops that they can do a quick stop & go, or even skip if there's no passengers boarding or disembarking, so they can make time back up. Which they tend to lose again here in Cincinnati because they can't get through the Queensgate yard, even in the middle of the night!

 

[opus1]

In the US, passenger train service almost always shares right of way with freight service that takes precedence over Amtrak. The few exceptions to the rule are commuter service and train systems with their own tracks(like the Amtrak Acela and the train systems run by NJ Transit/SEPTA/NYCMTA that provide commuter service outside of the subway).

if it’s anything like buses, there is no fix for running behind. Now, for “running hot”, the train makes a stop at a station for a longer time.

And those exceptions seem to be few and far between in the Chicago area. I commuted downtown on the BNSF line for years and it seemed like every day the *same* trains were delayed due to 'freight train interference' -- and this was pre-virus where the schedule hadn't changed for years so I don't know why those trains were a surprise to the dispatchers, but it appears they were. Towards the end, I started calling it the Burlington Nowhere because that's where it seemed like you were going, and not very fast.

 

[Chris142]

It's 4:05am in California. Let us know what happened.

My wife drove to Ontario.
..75miles or so 1 way last night to get a room for the night. Train must have had more trouble as it is 5:33 now and it is still in Arizona.

I have to be @ work at my new job @7:00 and my wife has an important interview @8a.

 

[PimTac]

I don’t know how accurate this is.


https://www.amtrak.com/services/maps.trainlocation.html

 

[wpod]

I don’t know how accurate this is.


https://www.amtrak.com/services/maps.trainlocation.html

Planes are much better. I love the take off and landing.

 

[dlundblad]

I’d let the mother in law wait.

 

[Chris142]

I don’t know how accurate this is.


https://www.amtrak.com/services/maps.trainlocation.html

It seems to be broke

 

[PimTac]

It seems to be broke

I am not surprised.

 

[spackard]

You can try asking on the chat window for more info on the Amtrak.

The westbound is the #3 train.

I rewound - it heads out of there at 21:47 MST.

 

[Fattylocks]

Saw a PBS show about commuter train service in Japan.
Engineer tried making up lost time by running over the speed limits and braking hard into the stations. Didn't end well.