Ok to detrain in Spokane?

[MisterToad]

My wife and I will be traveling from Portland to Chicago in a sleeper on the Empire Builder. She has family in Spokane that we would like to see for the short time that the train is stopped there - they would of course meet us at the train station. Assuming that our train arrives in Spokane on time, would there be any problem for us to get off the train for the hour or so that we'll be there?

 

[jmbgeg]

My wife and I will be traveling from Portland to Chicago in a sleeper on the Empire Builder. She has family in Spokane that we would like to see for the short time that the train is stopped there - they would of course meet us at the train station. Assuming that our train arrives in Spokane on time, would there be any problem for us to get off the train for the hour or so that we'll be there?

Toad,

I see continuing passengers on the eastbound and westbound Empire Builder trains come in to the SPK station all the time when I am waiting to board so it must be ok. 8/28 leaves at 1:30. Here are the last five arrival times for 28.

2010-09-20: Scheduled: 12:13 am Actual: 11:46 pm Delay: 0 minutes

2010-09-19: Scheduled: 12:13 am Actual: 11:47 pm Delay: 4 minutes

2010-09-18: Scheduled: 12:13 am Actual: 12:42 am Delay: 0 minutes

2010-09-17: Scheduled: 12:13 am Actual: 11:59 pm Delay: 0 minutes

2010-09-16: Scheduled: 12:13 am Actual: 1:13 am Delay: 29 minutes

 

[jimhudson]

My wife and I will be traveling from Portland to Chicago in a sleeper on the Empire Builder. She has family in Spokane that we would like to see for the short time that the train is stopped there - they would of course meet us at the train station. Assuming that our train arrives in Spokane on time, would there be any problem for us to get off the train for the hour or so that we'll be there?

:hi: Since you are on the PDX-SPK section #28, your sleeper/coaches and the Sightseer Lounge will be switched to hook to the back of the SEA-SPK section #8. If there are no PVs on the train your sleeper will be the last car on the train resulting inalong walk to the diner and lounge but you will have privacy/no traffic until you get to MPS where a coach will be hooked up for the run to CHI! I have gotten off lots of times in SPK during the layover, as the previous poster said this train usually is early or close to on time so you should have plenty of time to visit but be sure and ask your SCa or Conductor and dont go too far away from trainside as they say! Have a great trip, fantastic route!

 

[MisterToad]

Thank you very much for the replies, jmbgeg and jimhudson.

 

[the_traveler]

If I'm awake in SPK when I pass thru, I have got off and went into the station many times.

 

[alanh]

You can almost always step off at a stop where there's a layover. Just be sure to be on board by the scheduled departure time. If the train is running late don't count on it leaving late.

 

[rtabern]

My wife and I will be traveling from Portland to Chicago in a sleeper on the Empire Builder. She has family in Spokane that we would like to see for the short time that the train is stopped there - they would of course meet us at the train station. Assuming that our train arrives in Spokane on time, would there be any problem for us to get off the train for the hour or so that we'll be there?

:hi: Since you are on the PDX-SPK section #28, your sleeper/coaches and the Sightseer Lounge will be switched to hook to the back of the SEA-SPK section #8. If there are no PVs on the train your sleeper will be the last car on the train resulting inalong walk to the diner and lounge but you will have privacy/no traffic until you get to MPS where a coach will be hooked up for the run to CHI! I have gotten off lots of times in SPK during the layover, as the previous poster said this train usually is early or close to on time so you should have plenty of time to visit but be sure and ask your SCa or Conductor and dont go too far away from trainside as they say! Have a great trip, fantastic route!

Just FYI -- they are done for the season hooking the MSP coach on the back of the Empire Builder...

 

[the_traveler]

I see continuing passengers on the eastbound and westbound Empire Builder trains come in to the SPK station all the time when I am waiting to board so it must be ok.

You might meet some strange characters at SPK - like jmbgeg!

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

If you enjoy "train stuff" then you'll likely enjoy watching the merging of the 2 segments, especially if you have a scanner to listen in with. If you stay back and keep safe, the crews generally don't mind. Plus that gives you a few good runs back and forth on the platform to help digest all that good Diner chow!

 

[JayPea]

Even though most of my Amtrak adventures begin and end in Spokane, I've never actually seen the switching procedure until last year on my way through Spokane enroute from Chicago eventually to Los Angeles. This was westbound, when they separated the two sections. That was fascinating to see. It was even more fascinating to see the shocked look on the faces of the Amtrak crew seeing somebody wide awake wandering around filming the whole procedure! :lol: I've never seen them joined eastbound. Usually there is plenty of time to get off the EB and wander around.

 

[jmbgeg]

I see continuing passengers on the eastbound and westbound Empire Builder trains come in to the SPK station all the time when I am waiting to board so it must be ok.

You might meet some strange characters at SPK - like jmbgeg!

That'll cost you... Long memory. <_<