Early Arrival, Get Off Immediately?

Advertise with us
shop deals on amazon
Shop deals on ebay
Amtrak Unlimited Discussion Forum

Help Support Amtrak Unlimited Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Status
Not open for further replies.
nirtak

nirtak

Train Attendant
Joined
Feb 28, 2017
Messages
27
I'm traveling on the Coast Starlight this summer, then transferring to the California Zephyr. This morning, the train arrived 55 minutes early, at 5:20 am. if a train arrives way ahead of schedule, are you required the get off immediately? If I'm asleep, how am I supposed to know that the train is running that far ahead of schedule? I would prefer to wake up 1/2 before it's time to get off and sleep longer.
 
The Conductor or SCA normally wake you up about 45 minutes prior to arrival. You could (I guess) ignore the wake up call, but if you do not depart the train before it leaves, it will be considered a pass by, and the Conductor can get in trouble for it.
 
It largely depends on the stop, the circumstances and what you requested. Unless otherwise noted, in general you will be expected to disembark upon arrival. There were a few instances where the timetable allowed you to remain on the train if the train arrived early. This generally applied to final terminals.

I can see you arrived at through stop (SAC) early. Under normal circumstances, they'd expect you to disembark upon arrival.

You can always ask the attendant to wake you "x" amount of time prior to the stop. However, that time can fluctuate based upon operating conditions.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
caravanman said:
Even though the train arrived early, it will not depart untill the correct time, so you can relax about having to jump off in your pyjamas :D
Click to expand...
Personal experience with this situation at the same station and on the same train in question proved differently, alas. Arriving nearly an hour early, my SCA gave a five minute warning and expected my bedroom vacated on arrival. Pajamas were still being worn, needless to say.
 
Regardless of what the SCA wants, just take your time... You won't be carried off to the next station before time.

If the SCA wakes you in plenty of time and it suits you to get off early, all well and good. Just seems no need to "panic" at the early arrival. ;)

Ed.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
A very interesting topic....

As mentioned, unless the timetable specifically states that accommodations may be occupied until a specific time (usually for set-out sleepers, like the former "Executive.." on the Night Owl, or early arrival at a trains terminus; there is no promise to permit occupancy beyond a reasonable amount of time at ones destination station.

In other words, you are paying for the distance you occupy it, rather than the time you occupy it....if the train is delayed, you get to occupy it longer.

If it were me, I would not take a chance of oversleeping by catching a few more winks... In most cases, I would be thrilled to arrive at my destination early.

I could see the TAS being anxious to get you off, and not worry about you oversleeping. He or she would like to get their job done, and sometimes prepare for a new occupant (even for a day portion, it happens).
 
caravanman said:
Even though the train arrived early, it will not depart untill the correct time, so you can relax about having to jump off in your pyjamas :D
Click to expand...
Minor point: while that's true for most stops, those stops coded D or L (preceding the time in the timetable https://www.amtrak.com/train-schedules-timetables) are allowed to depart early:

• "D Stops only to discharge passengers; train may leave before time shown."

• "L Stops to receive and discharge passengers; train may leave before time shown."
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Oops, sorry. I'll be in a roomette.

Hmm... where do I find the timetable? I booked online and don't recall seeing a D or L after the times. I'm a newbie and this is my first train ride.

I've been looking at the track record for the CS, and it rarely arrives on time during the weekdays, which is when I'll be traveling, on Wednesday. Is this attributed to having to share the rail with freight trains and giving them the right-of-way? I have noted on the weekend the train runs more or less in time or early.
 
Though the train will not depart prior to the published departure time, the OBS staff wants all departing passengers off before the Conductors start boarding passengers. The stairs and aisles do not allow for two-way traffic.The OBS staff also has to check the space/room to have it ready for the boarding passengers. It is expected that everyone will leave upon arrival, early, on time, or late.
 
nirtak said:
Oops, sorry. I'll be in a roomette.

Hmm... where do I find the timetable? I booked online and don't recall seeing a D or L after the times. I'm a newbie and this is my first train ride.

I've been looking at the track record for the CS, and it rarely arrives on time during the weekdays, which is when I'll be traveling, on Wednesday. Is this attributed to having to share the rail with freight trains and giving them the right-of-way? I have noted on the weekend the train runs more or less in time or early.
Click to expand...
Technically passenger traffic should get right of way. That's a completely crazy subject that's been discussed to death here.

Sacramento only has a scheduled arrival time. If it's late they'll probably take off as soon as possible. I arrived early. Oakland-Jack London has a schedule arrival and departure time. That's where they restock.
 
In general the staff will try to get you off reasonably quickly upon arrival, but my experience is that there is less of a rush if the train is early. They still want you out the door fairly quickly, but they don't need you waiting at the door when you arrive.

The 30-45 minute wakeup call generally proves to be excessive for me as long as I can "boot up" quickly...but I also dress quickly.
 
niemi24s said:
caravanman said:
Even though the train arrived early, it will not depart untill the correct time, so you can relax about having to jump off in your pyjamas :D
Click to expand...
Minor point: while that's true for most stops, those stops coded D or L (preceding the time in the timetable https://www.amtrak.com/train-schedules-timetables) are allowed to depart early:

• "D Stops only to discharge passengers; train may leave before time shown."

• "L Stops to receive and discharge passengers; train may leave before time shown."
Click to expand...
The Coast Starlight schedule shows no D, L, or R (Stop only to receive passengers).

Neither does the California Zephyr, Southwest Chief, Texas Eagle, Sunset Limited, or Empire Builder.

Am I missing something.
 
KmH said:
Am I missing something.
Click to expand...
Yes. Those 6 trains have a total of 26 D's and R's. Hint: they're usually found near the ends of the routes and the code precedes the time..

Trivia Q: What's the only train in the Amtrak System Timetable that has D, L and R coded stops? :p
 
Last edited by a moderator:
caravanman said:
Regardless of what the SCA wants, just take your time... You won't be carried off to the next station before time.

If the SCA wakes you in plenty of time and it suits you to get off early, all well and good. Just seems no need to "panic" at the early arrival. Ed.
Click to expand...
In my experience if you don't disembark when the SCA tells you to then before long the Conductor will come along to see what the problem is. Unless I'm mistaken Conductors can have you forcibly hauled off the train if they so choose. I have no idea if they'd actually do that or not but I'd probably refrain from testing them if I could avoid it. My advice is to set the alarm to get up early and be ready to detrain upon arrival. If there is one thing Amtrak staff don't seem to have much humor about it's sticking around after you've arrived at your destination.
 
If it is in opposite directions, the Adirondack. If its in the same direction I don't know, but will pretty soon i hope.

Lots of D+R situations on the LD and Medium D trains NYP to WAS
 
Thanks for the responses. I'll keep my fingers crossed the trains run on schedule. I hate getting up early.
 
nirtak said:
Thanks for the responses. I'll keep my fingers crossed the trains run on schedule. I hate getting up early.
Click to expand...
Then don't ever take the westbound Sunset Limited into L. A.! The timetable used to promise that sleeping car passengers could remain in their accommodations until 6:30 a.m. (scheduled arrival was at 5:35), but this promise was widely ignored by sleeping car attendants wanting to go off duty a few minutes earlier. After a few years of seeing this observed in the breach more often than not, Amtrak quietly withdrew the promise. Now you're kicked out the door the minute the train arrives...even if that's 4:30 in the morning!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Latest posts

Back
Top