June 2023 by Dee R.
Not all, but MOST, Amtrak delays are NOT the fault of Amtrak, but CSX, the freight company that OWNS the train tracks and LEASES them to Amtrak. CSX is RESPONSIBLE for the UPKEEP, MAINTENANCE, and SAFETY of the rails. If CSX is running behind schedule or having rail or equipment problems, the majority of the time, Amtrak suffers the consequences: Passenger trains must yield, whether than means pulling to a side rail and to wait for a delayed CSX train to make way, or being stopped dead because a bridge is out or flooded (none of which are Amtrak's responsibility). Delays, especially protracted ones, can be stressful, upsetting, and frustrating, especially if it is emergency travel for a passenger, so perhaps this info can diminish the anger, if not the angst, of the situation. However, there are people who board a train and complain about every last thing, and if a situation happens to already be frustrating you are exacerbating the problem. So, do the rest of us a favor the next time you travel:FLY! P.S. I am not, nor is any family member or friend, an Amtrak employee or affiliated with the company in any way.
