# what does Amtrak do if you oversleep and miss you stop?



## Lomas (May 25, 2013)

what does Amtrak do if you oversleep and miss you stop?

for example, if my final destination is Philadelphia, but I don't wake up until the train pulls into New York Penn Station?


----------



## the Other Mike (May 25, 2013)

You are appointed "car cleaner for a day". 

Well, actually, I have no clue


----------



## Ryan (May 25, 2013)

It's referred to as a "carry by" and they put you on the next train headed back the other way.

IIRC, there's a whole section in the Blue Book talking about how to handle it. If nobody's posed it when I get to my computer later this morning, I'll look it up.


----------



## Cho Cho Charlie (May 25, 2013)

Good way to only pay for a ticket to Philly, when you really wanted to go to NYC.


----------



## benjibear (May 25, 2013)

From my experiance, when you are treveling at night, they are very good to alert you that your stop is coming up. During the day it is not as good, but the conductors do walk through and tell you when your stop is next. I would think in sleeper it should be a non-issue because I am sure the SCA should know and let you know. I guess if you fall asleep after your told or are just having a stupid moment and don't get off, there could be a problem.

What if the next train is not until the next day? Would they drop you at the next station even if it is small in the middle of nowehere, or do they take you to the next larger station?


----------



## Ryan (May 25, 2013)

Here's what the Blue Book has to say.



> Carry-Bysa) Passengers must not be carried beyond their ticketed destination. If a passenger is inadvertently taken beyond their destination, the operating crew may issue authorization for return travel to the proper destination.
> 
> b) Return Travel Arrangements
> 
> ...


Looks like there is some discretion on where to make the change, but you're on your own if it's hours or days until the next train.


----------



## Bob Dylan (May 25, 2013)

Ryan: A couple of times on the Texas Eagle there have been Carry Bys between Taylor and Austin and since there is only One Train a day in each Direction the Carry By Passenger was taken back to Taylor in a Taxi Paid for by Amtrak! :help: Not sure what Kind of Paper Work is involved when this happens but I do know that the Agents have a Petty Cash Drawer so that could be the Method used to Pay, and some Amtrak/Government Approved Form (Revised! :giggle: )is used to cover the Disbursement!


----------



## June the Coach Rider (May 25, 2013)

The manifest lists where everyone gets off, on many of the trains I have traveled, there have been announcements at a stop for Ms. so and so to exit the train and the car attendant is then responsible for getting that person off. Not so sure how they do that at the larger stops when there are several people getting off, but in coach I have seen the attendant walk quickly thru the car checking to make sure each person that was to get off got off.

I am sure there are times when this happens, but I have been waken up probably every night by the conductor coming thru and waking up travelers at their stops. People want to get to their location, so once awakened usually are getting their stuff together so the chance to fall back to sleep is not as common as you would think. There are even times when names have been called over the intercom for people who were suppose to get on and they have not collected their tickets. So even though it may not seem like it, in coach, they really do keep on top of where everyone is getting off. Thus the reason for the different cars for different stops.


----------



## BCL (May 25, 2013)

It's only happened to me once on Capitol Corridor. I'd intended to stop off at OAC and take BART to get home. I mentioned it to a conductor, who said it was OK just to get off wherever. I was thinking maybe Berkeley where my wife could pick me up, but asked if Richmond was OK since I could also take BART from there.

What I'd like to know is if I could pay some differential for an intentional carry by. Maybe I have a ticket I want to extend but don't have the time to modify my reservation (or I got a AAA discount). Or perhaps I'm using a 10-ride ticket and I just want to extend one ride a little bit longer.


----------



## Ashland Train Enthusiast (May 25, 2013)

June the Coach Rider said:


> The manifest lists where everyone gets off, on many of the trains I have traveled, there have been announcements at a stop for Ms. so and so to exit the train and the car attendant is then responsible for getting that person off. Not so sure how they do that at the larger stops when there are several people getting off, but in coach I have seen the attendant walk quickly thru the car checking to make sure each person that was to get off got off.


I think it varies depending on whether or not it's a Corridor train or an LD, but on an NER I was riding a couple of weeks ago coming back into WAS, we were held briefly at NCR while the conductors were looking for an individual who was supposed to have detained at BWI. The individual happened to be sitting right across from my wife and I, so I was able to overhear a good chunk of the conversation; he was apparently a first-time rider and was un-clear of where he was supposed to get off (kept reiterating to the conductor that he was supposed to get off in "Maryland," so I'm not sure if there was something else going on there), but the conductor (actually, I think it was an assistant) was on their radio and made a remark about putting him on the next northbound regional back to BWI to someone as he was helped off the train.

If you miss your stop on a once daily route, or heaven forbid on the Cardinal or Sunset Limited, then as far as I know all bets are off; Amtrak may try to get you back if it's a reasonable distance as mentioned above, but if not, anyone know if you would be responsible for your own accommodations until the return train the next day or two?

~ DCTE


----------



## oregon pioneer (May 25, 2013)

One time Hubby and I were awakened by the conductor, frantically, as the train was slowing down for our stop at Topeka (middle of the night). "You gotta get up, it's your stop!" Where was the SCA who had proimised we would be awakened? SCAs have to sleep some time, I know, but they are supposed to assure that the one in the next car is covering, or something. Anyway, luckily, we made it off with all our stuff!


----------



## Alexandria Nick (May 25, 2013)

I once had the opposite problem. It turns out that they use the same policy in that situation:

It was 2004 and I was in Altoona. It was about 1:15 in the afternoon and I was waiting for my westbound Pennsylvanian for Pittsburgh. So a train comes in and without really paying a lot of attention (it was my first Amtrak trip so I was pretty fired up), I climb on board.

Except it turns out that the eastbound Three Rivers was running about 45 minutes late and arrived at the same time the Pennsylvanian was scheduled to arrive. Looking back, I'm surprised I was the only person that did this. I discovered this in under two minutes and immediately found the conductor. I asked if I could just get off at the next stop, because I could easily get a friend to drive down to Huntingdon from State College. She said to hang on and disappeared.

Minutes later, a different person shows up and says "come with me." Seconds later, I was practically hanging out the door of the car while this guy yelled (the wind was screaming through that open door) that they'd held the eastbound Pennsylvanian at Tyrone. He also said this actually happened a lot, because of how close the two trains were. I think there was only about 40 minutes between them on the timetable.

So, and looking at the time table, less than eight minutes after accidentally boarding the Three Rivers, it makes an unscheduled stop at Tyrone, where the Pennsylvanian has been held and I get to change trains by walking a few car lengths on what I can only describe as boulder sized ballast on the NS Pittsburgh Line. I, of course, count the Three Rivers and Tyrone in my travel list.


----------



## chakk (May 25, 2013)

oregon pioneer said:


> One time Hubby and I were awakened by the conductor, frantically, as the train was slowing down for our stop at Topeka (middle of the night). "You gotta get up, it's your stop!" Where was the SCA who had proimised we would be awakened? SCAs have to sleep some time, I know, but they are supposed to assure that the one in the next car is covering, or something. Anyway, luckily, we made it off with all our stuff!


Several years ago, my stepson (then an early teen) fell asleep on an SF Bay Area commuter train (then, operated with Amtrak crews, but not an Amtrak-branded service) and was carried by his stop. The conductor woke him when got into the next fare zone and put him off at the next stop. I got a phone call from the police chief in this very chi-chi town politely asking me if I could come down to the station to pick him up.

Don't think there was any talk of putting him on the next train going in the opposite direction at railroad expense to return him to our nearest station -- he probably would have fallen asleep again and wound up 25 miles north at the end of the line.


----------



## chakk (May 25, 2013)

Alexandria Nick said:


> I once had the opposite problem. It turns out that they use the same policy in that situation:
> It was 2004 and I was in Altoona. It was about 1:15 in the afternoon and I was waiting for my westbound Pennsylvanian for Pittsburgh. So a train comes in and without really paying a lot of attention (it was my first Amtrak trip so I was pretty fired up), I climb on board.
> 
> Except it turns out that the eastbound Three Rivers was running about 45 minutes late and arrived at the same time the Pennsylvanian was scheduled to arrive. Looking back, I'm surprised I was the only person that did this. I discovered this in under two minutes and immediately found the conductor. I asked if I could just get off at the next stop, because I could easily get a friend to drive down to Huntingdon from State College. She said to hang on and disappeared.
> ...


Very interesting. Did they actually STOP the train your were on? Or have you step across to the open vestibule of the Pennsylvanian as the Three Rivers coasted past?


----------



## lepearso (May 25, 2013)

It happened to me in 2006 on the Lake Shore Limited.

I did not get off at Cleveland - I was half asleep at the time and did not realize what the attendant said to me. I thought he was simply verifying that I was indeed a Cleveland passenger. His verification was an instruction that this was my stop and to get my things and detrain. I clearly did not understand what he said. I woke up, saw nothing but thick vegetation outside the window, and did not see or realize we were sitting in the station until we started moving again.

The attendant was miffed that I didn't get off the train, but took me immediately to see the conductor in the lounge car. The conductor was most helpful. We discussed my options at length. I offered to get off the train at Erie and we talked about that, but when he learned that I had a reserved rental car, he told me to call the rental company and change my reservation to Buffalo, NY, which I did. He then told me to stay with the Amtrak crew and that he would have the hotel shuttle that transports the crew take me over to the car rental office at the Buffalo airport. He gave the hotel driver detailed instructions on who I was and what I needed. Before I left, he made double-sure that my car rental reservation was valid so that I would not be stuck in Buffalo when I was supposed to be in Cleveland.

Everything worked out just fine. In a way, I'm glad I had that entire experience. It certainly gave me a good impression of Amtrak.


----------



## SarahZ (May 25, 2013)

I trust no one, so I set the alarm on my phone, even if it's the middle of the day. My boyfriend sleeps 90% of the time we're on the train and only wakes for meals, and I doze off while reading sometimes. Whenever we travel, I set my phone's alarm to go off 30 minutes before we're supposed to stop and don't turn it off until we're getting ready to de-train (just in case I hit snooze and fall asleep again).


----------



## Alexandria Nick (May 25, 2013)

chakk said:


> Alexandria Nick said:
> 
> 
> > I once had the opposite problem. It turns out that they use the same policy in that situation:
> ...


They stopped and I had to walk two or three car lengths. I've long wondered what, if anything, was announced on the Pennsylvanian as to why they were stopped there so long. I figured at least a few of the minutes were because the Three Rivers was at the platform in Altoona.


----------



## oregon pioneer (May 25, 2013)

Sorcha said:


> I trust no one, so I set the alarm on my phone, even if it's the middle of the day. My boyfriend sleeps 90% of the time we're on the train and only wakes for meals, and I doze off while reading sometimes. Whenever we travel, I set my phone's alarm to go off 30 minutes before we're supposed to stop and don't turn it off until we're getting ready to de-train (just in case I hit snooze and fall asleep again).


Well, after the experience in Topeka, I do set my watch alarm. Better to get up even hours earlier than necessary (if the train is late, which the LD trains often are), than to oversleep and miss our stop!


----------



## SarahZ (May 26, 2013)

oregon pioneer said:


> Sorcha said:
> 
> 
> > I trust no one, so I set the alarm on my phone, even if it's the middle of the day. My boyfriend sleeps 90% of the time we're on the train and only wakes for meals, and I doze off while reading sometimes. Whenever we travel, I set my phone's alarm to go off 30 minutes before we're supposed to stop and don't turn it off until we're getting ready to de-train (just in case I hit snooze and fall asleep again).
> ...


Yeah, I'm completely paranoid about oversleeping.  I even set two alarms for work.


----------



## SubwayNut (May 26, 2013)

I had a classic runby of a New Haven-bound passenger forgetting to get off on my last Acela trip. The conductor ended up arraging for an unscheduled stop at the Shore Line East Station in Branford a short wile later. Then some warning light went off in the locomotive and we were delayed ten more minutes. I even managed to get off and get a photo of the open Acela door in the Branford Station! Other than that quick stop it was an uneventful Acela trip.


----------



## Cho Cho Charlie (May 26, 2013)

Sorcha said:


> I trust no one, so I set the alarm on my phone, even if it's the middle of the day. My boyfriend sleeps 90% of the time we're on the train and only wakes for meals, and I doze off while reading sometimes. Whenever we travel, I set my phone's alarm to go off 30 minutes before we're supposed to stop and don't turn it off until we're getting ready to de-train (just in case I hit snooze and fall asleep again).


There are also location based alarm apps for phones. I use the android GPS Alarm. There are others too. Regardless if the train is early or late, you can set it, for example, to wake you when are you 5 miles away from your station.


----------



## SarahZ (May 26, 2013)

That's a good idea! I use the half-hour buffer to allow for rolling in early, but the location-based alarm would be even better. If we're late, I can get more sleep.


----------



## Reno89502 (May 26, 2013)

This happened to me about 10 years ago going from LAX to KCY. I was woke up by the attendant saying Kansas City next, but fell back asleep. Next thing I know I look out the window and see downtown KC passing by. I panicked and grabbed my things and went to locate a conductor. After I found one, he looked out the window, saw where we were, and called the head end and told them to stop. He then radioed the station and asked the road foreman to hop in his truck and come down and get me. (We were in the trench that runs east out of Union Station.). We waited for about 5 minutes, and then the foreman showed up and gave me a ride back to the station. They were all real nice about everything. Also, I could tell that nobody came directly to my seat to wake me up because my seat check was still there.


----------



## MARC Rider (May 26, 2013)

OK, here's a joke told to me by an old-timer. (this pre-dates Amtrak.)

Guy tells his sleeping car attendant, "I'm getting off in Toldedo, make sure to wake me up in time. I've got an important business meeting."

The guy wakes up and looks out the window and sees he's passing though Elkhart. Naturally, he gives the SCA a thorough reaming and goes off in a huff to complain to the conductor.

Then one of the other sleeping car attendants says in sympathy to the first, "Boy that guy sure chewed you out."

The first attendant say, "Well, it wasn't half as bad as the guy I put off in Toledo!"

(This is somewhat amusing to me because I travel to Toledo semi frequently. I've never had a problem with an SCA forgetting to wakw me up in time.)


----------

