Smoke stops?

[crescent2]

Where are the usual smoke stops on the Crescent #19/20, Cap Ltd #29, and Cardinal #50?

Are all except the service stops usually omitted (as smoke stops, not for boarding passengers of course) if the train is running behind schedule?

I should know for the Crescent, but other than presumably Birmingham and Atlanta, I don't. Thanks

 

[offroad437]

If on time 19/20:

Meridian

Birmingham

Atlanta

Charlotte

greensboro

Lynchburg

Charlottesville

Washington DC

Baltimore Penn

Newark

They may add or remove based on the on time or behind schedule

 

[the_traveler]

Even if the train is late, the service stops and crew change points will still happen, thus a "smoke stop". However, they may reduce the time of the stop - say from 20 minutes down to 6 minutes! So listen to the crew.

 

[crescent2]

Thanks, all. Trying to give my friend a rough idea about expected smoke stops. And I want to check to see if there are any geocaches close enough to try to find while she's smoking.

She's going to bring patches just in case, although she wouldn't have a problem if she hadn't retired a few years ago. When she was teaching, she could not smoke at all until after she left school for the day and did fine with that. Now she's no longer on that schedule and is perhaps spoiled. (I'm spoiled too but not about smoking. LOL)

What about #29 and 50?

 

[Ziv]

I would be aware of the situation if you step more than a couple steps away from the train. I have seen two groups get "Duffill'ed" and I don't think it was an accident either time. Later on I realized the "All Aboaarrd!" was noticeably missing/muted both times.

 

[crescent2]

Ziv, I'm paranoid about getting left, so I wouldn't get out of sight of or far from the train, and would probably not even get off the train unless they said it was at least a 10-minute or so stop. Most of the stations I've checked so far don't have caches there, so I'll probably come up zero on that except during our layovers, where hopefully I can find at least one in each place.

I don't recall hearing "All aboard!" in a good many years. Maybe that's gone away?

 

[MattW]

Don't they normally sound the horn a minute or so before they pull out? I mean in addition to the "two to go" right before they start moving.

 

[the_traveler]

If it's a longer stop, yes they usually sound the horn. But the "last call" is the Conductor yelling "All Aboard!", which is the indication to get on board and for all attendants to close the doors! I would never be beyond easy reach of a door! (And remember that it doesn't necessarily have to be your car. You can walk through the train to reach your seat/room.)

 

[Silver Star rider]

The only time I may get off the train is at WAS where they change motive power, and usually heading south, because its a longer stop. Heading north, things tend to go faster.

Bruce-SSR

 

[Tennessee Traveler]

I think they sound the warning horn but I don't usually notice them. My sure fire way to not get left is always be aware of my sleeping car attendant while outside. When he heads toward the door I know I need to be back on board. Most of the SCA's I have been with seem to get to know us passengers and will keep us informed when to get back on.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

The only time I may get off the train is at WAS where they change motive power, and usually heading south, because its a longer stop. Heading north, things tend to go faster.

Bruce-SSR

Took the Cardinal to the gathering last year. Went into WUS and picked up a schedule (which I later found there were already schedules in my car) and then went downstairs to the food court and got an early lunch (no lines). Then still had time to hang around on the platform talking to another AUer.

 

[trainman74]

I don't recall hearing "All aboard!" in a good many years. Maybe that's gone away?

Last October on the SWC at the smoke stop at La Junta, the conductor did let out a big "ALL ABOARD!" at the appropriate time. A woman standing near me said something to the effect of, "Ohh, I'm so glad I got to hear that," as if she was expecting "all aboard" to be an essential part of the train experience.

 

[crescent2]

I don't recall hearing "All aboard!" in a good many years. Maybe that's gone away?

Last October on the SWC at the smoke stop at La Junta, the conductor did let out a big "ALL ABOARD!" at the appropriate time. A woman standing near me said something to the effect of, "Ohh, I'm so glad I got to hear that," as if she was expecting "all aboard" to be an essential part of the train experience.

But isn't it?? :giggle:

 

[Ziv]

I don't recall hearing "All aboard!" in a good many years. Maybe that's gone away?

Last October on the SWC at the smoke stop at La Junta, the conductor did let out a big "ALL ABOARD!" at the appropriate time. A woman standing near me said something to the effect of, "Ohh, I'm so glad I got to hear that," as if she was expecting "all aboard" to be an essential part of the train experience.

But isn't it?? :giggle:

I usually board before the last call, but now I am not sure how often I have heard the All Aboard. It seems like I heard it on the EB, and most of the time on CS, but I don't know. Another reason to take a trip on Amtrak!

We used to wander far and wide to find goodies like smoked whitefish and/or Beer 14 (not that I remember the good beer numbers any longer) when I was on the Trans-Siberian and THAT was enough to really make you paranoid about getting left behind.

 

[battalion51]

If on time 19/20:

Meridian

Birmingham

Atlanta

Charlotte

greensboro

Lynchburg

Charlottesville

Washington DC

Baltimore Penn

Newark

They may add or remove based on the on time or behind schedule

I'm no expert on the Crescent, but I have a hard time believing Baltimore and Newark are smoke stops. Going northbound the train is discharge only, so they'll be letting people off if it's their stop, and then be on the move.

The same could be said for Greensboro and Lynchburg. Neither of those stops are crew changes or big enough stops that they'd be there normally for more than five minutes. Now that's not to say if you're running on time or early that you might not be able to get one in, but I wouldn't plan on it. At the end of the day it's all at the Conductor's discretion, and don't forget you'll go through six different Conductors between New York and New Orleans, and they'll all probably have a different level of discretion.

 

[crescent2]

Thanks. I know at some of the shorter stops they don't usually let people get off. The times we've ridden, they are in Anniston less than five minutes unless someone needs the lift or something, and then they aren't there much longer. I don't think I've ever seen anyone get off and back on the train there. But I could be wrong; I never made a point to check for sure.

Also, during the night would they want passengers to get off the train at a stop? I expect my friend will be snoozing; she's a morning not a night person in any case.

Out of curiosity, where are their service and crew change stops? SIX conductors? I wouldn't have guessed that many.

 

[Thirdrail7]

Generally, any place in the public timetable that has an arrival and departure time listed for the same station are allowable smoking stops subject to station regulations. In other words, if you look at a corridor schedule, a through train at NYP has an arrival and departure. However, smoking is no longer allowed in NYP.

Not that it stops anyone.

 

[chakk]

I have to believe that both Lynchburg and Greensboro are smoke stops, given that they are in the Heart of Tobacco Road country.

 

[the_traveler]

They may be, but they're in the middle of the night!

 

[MattW]

I don't recall Greensboro and Lynchburg being smoke stops. I think the Lynchburg stop is only 5 minutes, and Greensboro is the middle of the night and also only 7 minutes long. North of Atlanta, I'd say the best you can count on is Charlotte and Washington.

 

[offroad437]

If on time 19/20:

Meridian

Birmingham

Atlanta

Charlotte

greensboro

Lynchburg

Charlottesville

Washington DC

Baltimore Penn

Newark

They may add or remove based on the on time or behind schedule

I'm no expert on the Crescent, but I have a hard time believing Baltimore and Newark are smoke stops. Going northbound the train is discharge only, so they'll be letting people off if it's their stop, and then be on the move.
The same could be said for Greensboro and Lynchburg. Neither of those stops are crew changes or big enough stops that they'd be there normally for more than five minutes. Now that's not to say if you're running on time or early that you might not be able to get one in, but I wouldn't plan on it. At the end of the day it's all at the Conductor's discretion, and don't forget you'll go through six different Conductors between New York and New Orleans, and they'll all probably have a different level of discretion.

When we rode it last year they let us smoke at all those. Maybe it was out the norm but I guess if they get stuck for any reason they let you. It was snowing and we were way off the time table.

 

[FriskyFL]

It's truly sad to be so chained to a self-destructive addiction.

 

[Bob Dylan]

As an ex-smoker ( I was an addict for 35 years) I prefer the new terminology coming into use on Amtrak LD Trains,

" Fresh Air Stop!" Instead of Smoke Break!

I wish all smokers the best of luck in quitting, it can be done if you really want to quit!

 

[andersone]

having survived two radical head neck surgeries for cancer, with all the rad, chemo and a trache to show for it, I hope anyone who has the desire to stop smoking can find a way to stop,,,,,, and although my buddy DI lights up all the time next to me in the golf cart, I would hope nobody has to go through what I have been fortunate enough to survive,,,,,,

 

[crescent2]

FF, yes, it is. But apparently once addicted, it's difficult to give up. Both my parents smoked but finally quit after related health problems set in. (I never wanted to even try it; I'd heard them complain about how hard it is to quit, I guess.) Hubby also used to smoke but quit cold turkey. My friend wants to quit also but isn't quite to the point of doing it. She says this train trip may help her finally get the motivation she needs to kick the habit.

Although I feel as though I can't get my breath around smoke, I don't have hard feelings toward smokers (unless they're plain rude with it), because I understand that it is a very difficult habit/addiction to break. They have my sympathy.

My other friend who smokes says she has no desire to quit because she enjoys it too much. She, too, was a teacher and had to go all day without smoking before she retired. She also says she could not now manage a LD train trip.

Yes, Jim, it certainly can. Close family members have done it.

Andersone, I'm so glad you came through your ordeal successfully. I believe smoking was the root cause of my parents' health problems and shortened their lives.