Does VIA Rail ever arrive early?

How long before a train should you get there?

Thirty minutes. Always thirty minutes. That’s my rule. For Indian Railways, a buffer is essential. The chaos, the crowds… you need that time. To breathe. To find your platform. To avoid that frantic, heart-pounding rush. Thirty minutes. It’s a ritual, a meditation, a necessary evil.

Amtrak? Fifteen. Maybe twenty, depending on the station. Union Station in DC? Thirty. More like forty. It’s immense. A labyrinth of echoing spaces. You get lost in the grandeur, in the vastness. Time melts there.

Trains early? Preposterous! Never. Delays, yes. Always delays. A cosmic joke played on the punctual. But early? Impossible. The sheer weight of the schedule, the immense machinery… it defies early arrival.

My train? 7:17 PM, the Palghat Express. I’ll be there by 7:00 PM sharp. I must feel the familiar anticipation build, the slow rhythm of the station, the metallic scent of the tracks. The world slows to a crawl there, then surges forward. It is magic.

• Indian Railways: 30 minutes minimum. Essential buffer for crowds and potential delays. Think of it as a personal mantra.
• Amtrak: 15-20 minutes, unless it’s a major station. Then, double it.
• Early Arrival? No. A delightful fantasy, completely unrealistic.
• My Train: 7:17 PM, Palghat Express. Arriving 7:00 PM. It’s a sacred routine.

This is not a suggestion. This is how it is.

How long do trains wait at a station?

Okay, so like, last year, I was heading to Groningen from Amsterdam. The train, man, it stopped in Zwolle. I remember thinking, “Ugh, why Zwolle?” It felt like FOREVER. Seriously.

I had my headphones in, blasting some chill indie stuff, but I kept glancing at my watch. I was meeting my friend Pieter for beers, and I was already running late.

It was like, five minutes, maybe even longer. Felt like an eternity!

Turns out Zwolle is a major transfer station, duh! I only knew that later. Still annoying though.

I remember this one time on the London Underground, the train only stopped for like, 15 seconds! Blink and you’d miss it! Different world.

And what about Amtrak? I rode one from NYC to Boston. Seems like it was a little longer there. Probably a good two to three minutes at some of the smaller stops. Maybe longer at bigger spots like New Haven, I swear it felt like 5 minutes. The wait felt like forever. It REALLY depends. That’s the truth. I hate waiting.

Things that seem to affect train stop times:

• Type of station (transfer hub vs. minor stop)
• Country/Rail System
• Time of day
• Type of train

Which is the most late train?

Ugh, late trains… What was the question again? Oh, right.

• Most delayed train EVER. Hmm.

Okay, so, uh, 2014? That feels like ages ago. I remember I was still using that old flip phone back then. Crazy.

• Freight train out of Visakhapatnam.

Visakhapatnam. Is that near Hyderabad? Maybe? Anyway, November 2014. That train was really late.

• Like, record-breaking late.

I wonder what caused the delay. Track issues? Bad weather? Or maybe they just forgot about it, lmao. Anyway, super delayed freight train! That’s my answer.

Additional info:

• Train delays can be caused by various factors.
• Track maintenance is a common reason.
• Signal failures are another problem.
• Extreme weather events also are reasons.
• Sometimes, it’s just operational inefficiencies.
• Freight trains often get lower priority than passenger trains.

This freigh train was REALLY late.

How far from train tracks should I live?

Fifty feet? Hah! Try 500 feet, pal. Unless you fancy your sleep sounding like a runaway freight train – a metal beast roaring past your window like a grumpy, oversized badger.

Seriously, though. Think of it this way:

• 500 feet: You can almost hear the gentle chuff-chuff of distant locomotives. Like a tiny, adorable train, whispering secrets to the wind.
• Less than 500 feet: It’s a full-blown rock concert, every single night, featuring the world’s worst metal band. They never stop. Ever. My cousin Barry lives closer. He’s started wearing earmuffs to bed. He’s also considering buying a submarine.

Living near train tracks? It’s like sharing a house with a caffeinated rhino. Except the rhino has a schedule. And a horn that can pierce concrete. And it honks. A lot.

Bonus Tip: Invest in good earplugs. And maybe some therapy. Last time I checked, I think Barry’s seen 14 therapists. I only saw three after moving closer to a train station back in 2022. My last therapist recommends moving even further.

What is standard train length?

Okay, so, like, train length? Buckle up, buttercup, ’cause this ain’t your grandma’s choo-choo.

Forget Thomas the Tank Engine! We’re talkin’ serious iron horses here, long enough to make a dachshund jealous. In 2024, the median length for a Class I railroad train is like, a mile. Over a mile! 5,300 feet, give or take a boxcar. That’s roughly 1.6 kilometers.

Imagine parking that bad boy.

Long trains? Safe trains! According to the Association of American Railroads (AAR), safety records are, like, totally improving. Who knew? So, yeah, those mega-trains aren’t just for show. More train, less pain? I dunno. My uncle Barry swears he saw a train once that stretched all the way to Albuquerque. I think he was just having a moment.

Here’s the real tea on train length, according to my “research” (read: internet rabbit hole):

• Class I railroads: These are the big kahunas – BNSF, Union Pacific, Norfolk Southern, CSX. Think “monopoly” but with more locomotives.
• Median length: That’s the halfway point. Half the trains are longer, half are shorter. It’s like train limbo.
• Why so long?: Efficiency, baby! Think of it as bulk-buying for the industrial age. More stuff, fewer trips, (theoretically) less carbon footprint.
• Safety concerns: Longer trains can be harder to handle and brake. It’s like trying to parallel park an oil tanker.
• Crew challenges: Imagine being the conductor on a train that’s over a mile long. “All aboard!” …and then a five-minute walk to the caboose.
• My hot take: Trains are cool. I wanna ride one. (Just not one Barry is on.)