Background: Trains and On-Time Performance Vary by Region

The atmosphere on Amtrak trains varies by region, and so does on-time performance.

Broadly speaking, the long-distance trains, especially in the west, have a more relaxed atmosphere and are more likely to fall beyond schedule. Shorter-distance trains generally run right on schedule and have a more serious, work-oriented atmosphere (this includes trains on the Northeast Corridor from Washington to New York City to Boston and on other heavily traveled corridors such as Chicago to Milwaukee, Los Angeles to San Diego, and Seattle to Portland).

Many people on the long-distance trains are traveling on vacation and many are retirees, so they aren't under work or time pressure. They're more inclined to watch the scenery, chat with their fellow passengers, and enjoy meals in the dining car or card games in the observation car.

Many people on the shorter-distance trains are commuting to work, traveling to work-related meetings, or going back and forth to college or appointments. They're more inclined to be typing on their laptops, talking on their cell phones, or reviewing documents, and they're not likely to engage in conversation unless the person sitting next to them initiates it.

On the shorter-distance trains, on-time performance is very good. If you're on a long-distance train, you should plan for the possibility that the train will be late. The chief culprit for delays is heavy use of the tracks for freight trains, which are prioritized by the railroads that own the tracks. Sometimes delays are caused by the weather (snow or flooding) or equipment issues. It should be kept in mind that delays are common for all modes of transportation; airlines have frequent snarls and postponements, and cars have traffic jams and road construction to contend with.

In my 25-day trip, with 17 different rail travel segments (the 12 segments I did with my Railpass plus five additional segments), I was on trains that were late three times: 5 hours late for the Empire Builder from Chicago to Seattle (which eventually stopped in Spokane, with buses to Seattle); 2 hours late for the Coast Starlight to Los Angeles; and 3 hours late for the Sunset Limited from Los Angeles to New Orleans. All of those were long runs in the west (each about two days long), which customarily have the most schedule-related issues. Everything else was on time or ahead of schedule.

Famous clock in lobby of
Grand Central Terminal
in New York City