Train Numbers

[retired teacher]

Are the train numbers assigned to you by Amtrack posted on the sides of the train car?

 

[the_traveler]

Do you mean the sleeper car numbers (such as 0331), then yes they are!

 

[Guest]

Are the train numbers assigned to you by Amtrack posted on the sides of the train car?

The numbers are there on the side of the car but remember they are not always accurate. Sometimes they "forget" to change them when a train set is being made up or there is a run through train. (ie train #22, the Eagle that runs from SAS-CHI would have #2220 on the revenue sleeper,the train is then run through to NOL as the City of New Orleans,train #59, but the number is not changed on the sleeper.This happens often on the western trains, you might see #28/04#/#06 etc. cars on any other train that runs Superliner equipment.)

 

[p&sr]

Are the train numbers assigned to you by Amtrack posted on the sides of the train car?

In all my travels by Rail, I've never had to worry about Train Numbers. I just go by destination and (scheduled) departure time. At most Stations, trains don't come by very often, and if it is heading in the right direction, it is probably your train. At large Stations (like New York City, Washington DC, and Chicago), I just ask (at the appropriate time of day) "Is this the Train to Boston?", or "Which Track is for the Train to Chicago?". Of course this information (Destination and Track Number) is usually displayed in some prominent place. I just enjoy asking while actually stepping on board, just to avoid surprises.

The Train Crew will sometimes direct you to a specific car depending on your destination. The only time a specific car needs to be considered in advance would be in case of Sleeping Car reservations. Then any member of the Crew can direct you to the proper car, just by looking at your Tickets. So it's really no problem at all.

 

[inspiration100]

My last trip from chicago gave me a nightmare even though I knew it couldn't be possible, they had the Capitol Limited route and guide in my sleeper and everyone else's through the car. So I quickly jumped off and asked what the heck was going on. I know the CL is a viewliner whereas the Chief is superliner so I figured someone made a big booboo, and I was right. Thank goodness the people who put the routes in the sleepers arn't the engineers or we wouldn't have clearence lol.

 

[the_traveler]

My last trip from chicago gave me a nightmare even though I knew it couldn't be possible, they had the Capitol Limited route and guide in my sleeper and everyone else's through the car. So I quickly jumped off and asked what the heck was going on. I know the CL is a viewliner whereas the Chief is superliner so I figured someone made a big booboo, and I was right.

Wrong!

The CL is a Superliner, while the LSL and Cardinal are Amfleet/Viewliners!

 

[WMJ_NJ]

Out of New Orleans after boarding #20 to New York, I noticed all the route guides were for the City of New Orleans. The Car Attendant had no idea how they even got on the train.

Bill

 

[AlanB]

Out of New Orleans after boarding #20 to New York, I noticed all the route guides were for the City of New Orleans. The Car Attendant had no idea how they even got on the train.

Bill

My guess is that someone in New Orleans loaded the wrong guides onto the train and the person distributing them didn't pay any attention. And that assumes that they even knew the difference between the two trains.

 

[inspiration100]

Danget, your right traveler (as always). I was almost sure the CL was viewliner, but it is superliner! So that could have been a disaster :giggle: . The last time I took the CL was when I was 8, which is over 11 years ago. Has anyone here ever gotten on the wrong train and only found out at the next stop?

 

[LA Resident]

Danget, your right traveler (as always). I was almost sure the CL was viewliner, but it is superliner! So that could have been a disaster :giggle: . The last time I took the CL was when I was 8, which is over 11 years ago. Has anyone here ever gotten on the wrong train and only found out at the next stop?

Let's try this again.

A slight twist on the question: Last year the wife of a guy boarding the Surfliner north from Irvine to LA didn't get off in time. The doors shut and the train started moving. She screamed madly at the conductor, who was coming down the stairs but he told her she'd have to get off at Santa Ana (the next stop about 10 minutes away) and find her way back.

She didn't like the answer so she turned around and pulled the red emergency brake lever and we screeched to a halt. The conductor told her she was not to move until Amtrak/local police arrived, but she went out the door anyways (the drop was only a couple of feet at that point).

Boy, was the conductor teed off! Not to mention the rest of us cooling our heels while brakes were reset and other safety stuff done for the next 15 minutes.

And the husband? I think he hid out in the bathroom until LA!

 

[the_traveler]

Train, no - but plane in a way!

(I know all the trains better than the crew!

)

I was diverted on another flight from DTW-SEA-LAS. Somehow me bags made the flight directly from DTW-LAS. Thus my luggage arrived in LAS before I did! (Usually, it's the other way around!

)

 

[hello]

Yes ...... our first Amtrak ride was to be from Anaheim to San Francisco ... this was in the late 80's/early 90's. We wanted to take the Coast Starlight from LAX for the view of the ocean ... but it was not to be. When we checked in at Anaheim (which I don't think is the same station as now) the clerk was truly unpleasant ... I had asked her where the numbers for the correct train would be (I know ... a newbie question) and asked where to stand for the train ... she kept yelling " just go outside and it will be the next train". Well we went outside, and we got on the next train and we went the wrong way! The conductor discovered it when he came to get our tickets. He was very apologetic about the employee, they arranged for us to be bussed to Santa Barbara, where we waited for hours for the next puddle jumper that stopped everywhere. Needless to say we NEVER saw the ocean, but we also NEVER got on a train again without asking an employee FROM THE TRAIN if this was the correct train!

 

[Chatter163]

Danget, your right traveler (as always). I was almost sure the CL was viewliner, but it is superliner! So that could have been a disaster :giggle: . The last time I took the CL was when I was 8, which is over 11 years ago. Has anyone here ever gotten on the wrong train and only found out at the next stop?

Let's try this again.

A slight twist on the question: Last year the wife of a guy boarding the Surfliner north from Irvine to LA didn't get off in time. The doors shut and the train started moving. She screamed madly at the conductor, who was coming down the stairs but he told her she'd have to get off at Santa Ana (the next stop about 10 minutes away) and find her way back.

She didn't like the answer so she turned around and pulled the red emergency brake lever and we screeched to a halt. The conductor told her she was not to move until Amtrak/local police arrived, but she went out the door anyways (the drop was only a couple of feet at that point).

Boy, was the conductor teed off! Not to mention the rest of us cooling our heels while brakes were reset and other safety stuff done for the next 15 minutes.

And the husband? I think he hid out in the bathroom until LA!

Not that old urban legend again...... hboy:

 

[AlanB]

Danget, your right traveler (as always). I was almost sure the CL was viewliner, but it is superliner! So that could have been a disaster :giggle: . The last time I took the CL was when I was 8, which is over 11 years ago. Has anyone here ever gotten on the wrong train and only found out at the next stop?

Let's try this again.

A slight twist on the question: Last year the wife of a guy boarding the Surfliner north from Irvine to LA didn't get off in time. The doors shut and the train started moving. She screamed madly at the conductor, who was coming down the stairs but he told her she'd have to get off at Santa Ana (the next stop about 10 minutes away) and find her way back.

She didn't like the answer so she turned around and pulled the red emergency brake lever and we screeched to a halt. The conductor told her she was not to move until Amtrak/local police arrived, but she went out the door anyways (the drop was only a couple of feet at that point).

Boy, was the conductor teed off! Not to mention the rest of us cooling our heels while brakes were reset and other safety stuff done for the next 15 minutes.

And the husband? I think he hid out in the bathroom until LA!

Not that old urban legend again...... hboy:

On a Surfliner, that's not even possible. A passenger can't open the doors, at they are electronicly controlled. One could in theory open the door of a Superliner car, but not a Surfliner car.

That said, there are indeed cases where a passenger who missed their stop pulls the emergency brake. Happens all the time on trains in fact, commuter and Amtrak.

 

[PerRock]

Danget, your right traveler (as always). I was almost sure the CL was viewliner, but it is superliner! So that could have been a disaster :giggle: . The last time I took the CL was when I was 8, which is over 11 years ago. Has anyone here ever gotten on the wrong train and only found out at the next stop?

Let's try this again.

A slight twist on the question: Last year the wife of a guy boarding the Surfliner north from Irvine to LA didn't get off in time. The doors shut and the train started moving. She screamed madly at the conductor, who was coming down the stairs but he told her she'd have to get off at Santa Ana (the next stop about 10 minutes away) and find her way back.

She didn't like the answer so she turned around and pulled the red emergency brake lever and we screeched to a halt. The conductor told her she was not to move until Amtrak/local police arrived, but she went out the door anyways (the drop was only a couple of feet at that point).

Boy, was the conductor teed off! Not to mention the rest of us cooling our heels while brakes were reset and other safety stuff done for the next 15 minutes.

And the husband? I think he hid out in the bathroom until LA!

Not that old urban legend again...... hboy:

On a Surfliner, that's not even possible. A passenger can't open the doors, at they are electronicly controlled. One could in theory open the door of a Superliner car, but not a Surfliner car.

That said, there are indeed cases where a passenger who missed their stop pulls the emergency brake. Happens all the time on trains in fact, commuter and Amtrak.

I highly doubt that the would make it so that a passenger cannot open the doors. Usually for Electric doors there is:

a) a manual override ability (usually an small switch somewhere near the door)

b) door control pannel (might be hidden, but usually near the door as well)

peter

 

[AlanB]

I highly doubt that the would make it so that a passenger cannot open the doors. Usually for Electric doors there is:

a) a manual override ability (usually an small switch somewhere near the door)

b) door control pannel (might be hidden, but usually near the door as well)

peter

The manual override usually requires more than one step and included breaking glass to get to it or turning several rings to open the panel. Hardly something that the passenger would be able to do while the conductor is standing there. And if he/she left her alone, then they are to blame.

The door control panel would require a key to operate it, assuming that she even knew what door to open.