06-04-2014, 06:59 PM
Bill in NC wrote:
Unfortunately Amtrak only owns rail in the NE USA.
Everywhere else their trains are at the whim of freight rail, which takes priority.
Our last trip from here to DC (under 6 hours by car), which should have taken 8 hours by train, took 11 hours out & 13 hours back.
No wrecks, just getting stuck a good chunk of the time behind 15 mph freight trains.
/Mr Lynn
The freight roads get penalized if they hold up Amtrak passenger rail more than a certain percentage of the time. This rule was honored in the breach for a long time, but reportedly has gotten better in the last couple of years. I don't have any stats, but that's my impression from reading Trains regularly.
Getting stuck getting behind, or waiting for freights caused long delays on Via's Canadian on CN running from Toronto to Vancouver when we took that train back in '08. But that trip, on beautifully maintained '50s stainless-steel cars (with dome cars!) is one I'd take again in a heartbeat. Heck, I liked watching the freights almost as much as the scenery,
/Mr Lynn