What will happen if you get left behind at a smoke stop?

[dlagrua]

There is no reason to ever leave train side at any station stop. A 15 minute stop can turn into 5 minutes if the train is sharply behind schedule. Want to smoke? That's fine, but if you need a bathroom, they are on the train. Want a snack or drink? The lounge car and/or café/snack car should have them.

If you miss your train you will be charged for a seat or sleeper on the next train and expect to pay high bucket fare.

 

[calwatch]

I disagree. The conductor mentions the time to get back. If I have an hour in Albuquerque, I am not just going to sit on the train or look at the jewelry there, I am going to walk into town and check out those shops. Unless it's a "L" or "D" stop, the train can't leave early. Now if the train is behind schedule all bets are off... but servicing a train takes time. Even the EB waits at Havre for 20 minutes, regardless of how late it is, because you can't fuel a train in five minutes. Follow directions of the staff and you will be fine.

 

[DanaE]

I disagree. The conductor mentions the time to get back. If I have an hour in Albuquerque, I am not just going to sit on the train or look at the jewelry there, I am going to walk into town and check out those shops. Unless it's a "L" or "D" stop, the train can't leave early. Now if the train is behind schedule all bets are off... but servicing a train takes time. Even the EB waits at Havre for 20 minutes, regardless of how late it is, because you can't fuel a train in five minutes. Follow directions of the staff and you will be fine.

I disagree. The conductor will leave early if he/she sees nobody near the train... especially at smaller stations.

Last October, my train stopped at Richmond(RVR). The train was already running late and was trying to make up

time at the last few stops.(i.e. no smoke stops) Before we pulled into RVE, he conductor announced "my apologies

to the smokers, we will now finally give you a chance to smoke here at Richmond Staples Mill... we will leave in

exactly 25 minutes, so please don't wonder off too far" blah blah blah....

I remained in my seat, but my seatmate left the train. Less than 15 minutes later, the train started moving. I saw

my seatmate running back on the train. Perhaps the conductor meant 25 minutes from the time he made the

announcement, not 25 minutes from when the train came to a complete stop?

 

[Mark Del Monte]

I disagree. The conductor mentions the time to get back. If I have an hour in Albuquerque, I am not just going to sit on the train or look at the jewelry there, I am going to walk into town and check out those shops. Unless it's a "L" or "D" stop, the train can't leave early. Now if the train is behind schedule all bets are off... but servicing a train takes time. Even the EB waits at Havre for 20 minutes, regardless of how late it is, because you can't fuel a train in five minutes. Follow directions of the staff and you will be fine.

I disagree. The conductor will leave early if he/she sees nobody near the train... especially at smaller stations.

Last October, my train stopped at Richmond(RVR). The train was already running late and was trying to make up

time at the last few stops.(i.e. no smoke stops) Before we pulled into RVE, he conductor announced "my apologies

to the smokers, we will now finally give you a chance to smoke here at Richmond Staples Mill... we will leave in

exactly 25 minutes, so please don't wonder off too far" blah blah blah....

I remained in my seat, but my seatmate left the train. Less than 15 minutes later, the train started moving. I saw

my seatmate running back on the train. Perhaps the conductor meant 25 minutes from the time he made the

announcement, not 25 minutes from when the train came to a complete stop?

That leads me to my all time Amtrak travel tip and reminder. Where you see those 30 min breaks at major station stops make sure the train is on time. If the train arrives right on the departure time or after that 30 min break can be shortened or eliminated all together if the Conductor feels that is necessary or they get their station work done quicker. If the conductor calls an unofficial smoke break i.e. unplanned delay at a station or early to a station stand back far enough that you don't disturb others with your smoke but also keep an eye on your car attendant and or the conductors. If they get back on board you may want to play it safe and re board as well.

 

[Guest]

This is exactly what I have seen and heard hundreds of times. The only exceptions were double spotting the train or the conductor stops the train as in a late passenger.

If the accepted exception is that the conductor stops the train in this case, then that late passenger doesn't get left behind. Is that the point of this thread?

 

[AmtrakBlue]

This is exactly what I have seen and heard hundreds of times. The only exceptions were double spotting the train or the conductor stops the train as in a late passenger.

If the accepted exception is that the conductor stops the train in this case, then that late passenger doesn't get left behind. Is that the point of this thread?

This thread is about people who get off the train at a stop with intention to get back on. A late passenger would be someone just arriving at the station to start their trip.

 

[benale]

This happened to me several years ago. I as going from Philly to Florence,SC. I was half asleep when the train made a smoke stop in Fayetteville. I woke up after the train had been in Fayettteville ten minutes and assumed we just stopped. I got off the train, went inside the station to stretch,came out and the train was rolling down the tracks. Next train was at 1:30AM. It was now 2PM. All my stuff was on the seat. I called Amtrak. They said they would take all my stuff out of my seat in Florence and leave it at the counter. I took a Greyhound bus to Florence, a taxi to the train station and picked up my belongings and finally got to my motel.

 

[gmushial]

Sounds like passengers will be (clueless) passengers: in May on the CZ #6 coming into Reno on the PA there was an announcement that yes the train would be in the station long enough for a smoke break, but not long enough for passengers to go upstairs to the casino - with the anecdote that on that crew's last run they had a passenger that had to buy a $500 cab ride to catch up with the train in Winnemucca - they had ventured into the casino and had gotten left behind; and on the CZ #5 (19) a week and half ago had a passenger get left behind in Grand Junction - seems he couldn't make up his mind w/re the overwhelming selection at the little store (in the station)... in this case the train sat on the main line five miles west of town and waited for the store owner to drive him + his kid back to the train, making a late CZ even later [and making him one angry dude for the rest of the trip - seems he thought that the train should have waited for him; that the passengers should have held the train for him; that the crew should have known that he couldn't decide btwn potato chips or corn chips etc... while leaving most of the passengers annoyed with him for making the CZ fifteen minutes even later].

 

[leemell]

This is exactly what I have seen and heard hundreds of times. The only exceptions were double spotting the train or the conductor stops the train as in a late passenger.

If the accepted exception is that the conductor stops the train in this case, then that late passenger doesn't get left behind. Is that the point of this thread?

Your comment has little to do with my remark you quoted. I was talking about the usual procedure the operating crew uses in departing the station, conductor tells engineer to highball, the engineer blows the horn twice to let everyone know the train is about to move, releases the brakes and applies the throttle.

 

[getbent]

We left someone behind last week on the CZ at the stop in Galesburg. They told us, "We have 3 minutes. Don't leave the platform. Turn 'em and burn 'em, folks." We were down in the lounge when another employee came in right after the stop to say we left someone behind. I asked what happens now and he said she was on her own. Later they came through the car and gathered her belongings.

My thoughts were that they told us how long we had and not to wander off. Two pretty easy to follow rules.

 

[Ispolkom]

A late passenger would be someone just arriving at the station to start their trip.

Or a deceased person whose remains are being transported in the baggage car.

 

[George Harris]

With all the anti-noise ordinances, don't count on the two toots actually happening. Not to mention that usually by the time the two toots happen the doors are already closed.

 

[gmushial]

We left someone behind last week on the CZ at the stop in Galesburg. They told us, "We have 3 minutes. Don't leave the platform. Turn 'em and burn 'em, folks." We were down in the lounge when another employee came in right after the stop to say we left someone behind. I asked what happens now and he said she was on her own. Later they came through the car and gathered her belongings.
My thoughts were that they told us how long we had and not to wander off. Two pretty easy to follow rules.

A thought that ties to this topic, the "lounge lizard" thread, and the "question" I raised above (if summer passengers aren't of a different genre than those of the rest of the year) - I wonder if per passenger, or even passenger-mile, if the number of left-behinds isn't larger in the summer than the rest of the year [thinking that the summer customers represent the tapping of a different strata of society (given what appears to be different nominal behaviors then vs what one sees during the other three seasons)]?

 

[AmtrakBlue]

How about this? Rather than different social-economics, maybe it's because more people travel in the summer than in the other seasons?

 

[gmushial]

How about this? Rather than different social-economics, maybe it's because more people travel in the summer than in the other seasons?

That's why I asked my question in the context of "per passenger" or "per passenger-mile": so as to normalize the statistics. [last week's CZ was my first summer one, and admittedly such represents but a single data point, but they sure seemed to represent a different lot... mindful that from a single data point it's tough to make bold comments.]

 

[gmushial]

Snarky post: might being left behind at a smoke stop, be a tough love version of smoke cessation ? ... did I really say that ?? ;-(

 

[Meat Puppet]

So what is the official policy if you get left behind at a smoke stop on a LD train? You get to ride the next days train without an additional fee? Or you have to buy a new ticket?

 

[roomette]

So what is the official policy if you get left behind at a smoke stop on a LD train? You get to ride the next days train without an additional fee? Or you have to buy a new ticket?

No new ticket is required. However, you are not allowed to wear flip flops or set your room in night time configuration and you must tip 20% of the menu prices in the diner.

 

[zephyr17]

So what is the official policy if you get left behind at a smoke stop on a LD train? You get to ride the next days train without an additional fee? Or you have to buy a new ticket?

No new ticket is required. However, you are not allowed to wear flip flops or set your room in night time configuration and you must tip 20% of the menu prices in the diner.

And you can't sleep in the lounge.

 

[Phil S]

Last year, when the Zephyr was running EARLY (a rare occurrence) and we had 45 minutes to kill in Denver I joked that it would be funny to fly to Omaha and rejoin the train there. Although it would have cost an arm and a leg to get there, the last flight out of Denver left at 9 pm or so and you could do it.

Couple years ago I got off #6 in GSC to catch a connecting Greyhound bus to Vail. Another passenger going to Chicago got off in GSC to use the in-station restroom and stretch the legs. Didn't hear the re-boarding call and was stranded. I explained to this person that my bus would continue past Vail to Denver where it would definitely catch up to the train. So, this person bought a ticket from Greyhound in GSC to Denver, and (I presume) did catch up to the train. A rather expensive lesson ($50 or so?) about not wandering off when the conductor clearing announces over the P.A. to all passengers before arrival into GSC to not wander off while the train is in the station. Similar announcement is made by other conductors on the CZ at all of the other daytime smoke stops. No announcments over the P.A. during the night-time.

Not all that expensive. Last year (I think) #11 left somebody in Eugene.. .She didn't even have her wallet with her (so goes the tale) but somehow she hired a cab, who for $250 or so, managed to get to one of the USFS road crossings way the hell up the west side of the Cascades (well past West Fir). Train stopped for her, she got on, and all was cool after that. Possibly apocryphal. But EUG is famous for sucking people into shops and the 5th St market and.....Well, it's all so predictable all you can do is laugh.

 

[Aaron]

But EUG is famous for sucking people into shops and the 5th St market and.....Well, it's all so predictable all you can do is laugh.

I was on #11 a couple of months ago and saw a young couple running up to the train as it departed EUG. They had styrofoam takeout containers in their hands, and were coming from roughly the direction of the 5th Street Market. Obviously thought they had enough time to head down there and grab something from one of the little cafes. They didn't. I'm sure, though, that they had plenty of time to finish their meal while they were waiting for the next day's #11.

 

[SarahZ]

Snarky post: might being left behind at a smoke stop, be a tough love version of smoke cessation ? ... did I really say that ?? ;-(

But not everyone who gets off the train is a smoker. I always go outside during smoke stops because I want some fresh air and the chance to really run around and stretch my legs (especially if I've been cooped up in a roomette).

I'd say it's a good way to enforce paying attention to the conductor and not being stupid. They announce the stops and how much time you have a few times, and they warn everyone to stay near the train and listen for the "All Aboard". If you think you're special enough that the warnings don't apply to you, then I'm all for tough love.

 

[fairviewroad]

Ironically it's probably the non-smokers who are more prone to "wandering" since if you stay trainside you get treated

to carcinogenic fumes from the cigarette-addicted. Not that that's an excuse for getting left behind, of course. My

wife, who rarely leaves the train, has let it be known that if I'm ever left behind at a stop she will simply enjoy the rest

of the trip on her own, and will see me back home. That's some powerful motivation right there! :giggle:

 

[SarahZ]

I avoid the smoke by walking a bit farther away (or upwind), but I still stay within eyesight of the car attendants.

Maybe I'm just lucky, but I've traveled LD several times, and I've never seen any smokers near the door to my car. They're always 20-30 feet away.

 

[Ziv]

Most smokers i have seen on my LD trips have been pretty good about stepping away from the car and congregating in one or two easy to avoid spots. I dont smoke but I think the bias against smokers is a bit over the top.