General questions boarding late trains

[user 6862]

If you turn up at the station to be told you your LD train is 1+ hours late, is it a safe bet that you can disappear from the station for that amount of time? Also, if you are booked in sleeper and will miss the meal(s) you paid for is there an alternative provided or are you just unlucky?

These questions have probably been asked a lot of times but my browser wont allow me to search the forum, sorry.

 

[Ryan]

No, the train can make up time. You can use one of the train trackers on the web to see the train’s physical location and make an educated decision from there on how long you can wander off for.

You get meals for the time you are onboard. Bad luck if a late train makes you miss a meal, good luck if it adds a meal later in the journey.

Edit: on the search, just use google. Include the term “site:discuss.amtraktrains.com” and it will only return results from this forum. Works great.

 

[pennyk]

Last October, the Silver Meteor 98 was delayed due to a freight derailment south of Orlalndo. I was aware of that fact before leaving home to board in Orlando. Lunch is ordinarily served to passengers boarding in Orlando, but it was obvious that I would miss lunch on the train. I ate lunch at home and delayed my arrival at the Orlando station based on the estimated arrival. The Orlando station staff had purchased pizza which was served to all passengers waiting in the station. Some was still available by the time I arrived. I believe every station handles this differently. I spoke to a passenger who boarded late in KIS, who was not offered any lunch option at the station.

Because that train kept losing time, we were delayed about 6 hours arriving in NYP. Passengers were served lunch on the train the second day, which ordinarily is not served.

Twice in the past, when 98 was late, sleeper passengers were given vouchers to purchase lunch at a cafe across the street from the station.

I have been on 97 boarding in WAS, when it has been delayed and dinner will be missed. The sleeper passengers in the Club Acela were provided cash compensation to purchase dinner in the station and were permitted to bring their food into the lounge and eat it there (which is ordinarily not permitted).

I am not sure I would venture too far from a station if the train was only delayed an hour. The answer to whether you will be provided an alternative meal is "it depends."

 

[user 6862]

Superb answers, thank you both.

From memory Amtrak train time changes when time zones are crossed, so meal times are in the current time zones?

Sorry if that's a dumb question, but having travelled last year on the Trans Siberian Express crossing 7 time zones, train time is always Moscow time where ever you are. They are forced to keep the diner open all day and only close overnight, very confusing.

 

[ParanoidAndroid]

I think so, except for some trains like the Capitol Limited, which crosses into Eastern Time on the first evening, yet the diner car operates on Central Time the whole evening. Perhaps the same with Cardinal #50 as well.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

The scheduling of meals relative to time zones varies by route and progress made or delays incurred before meal time.

 

[bratkinson]

The scheduling of meals relative to time zones varies by route and progress made or delays incurred before meal time.

And subject to dining car staff whims, it sometimes seems.

I always ask the dining car staff at dinner time what time do they open in the morning per what time zone. Some will quote 6:30 AM the 'old' time zone and others the 'new' time zone. And the Sunset Limited into LAX? Breakfast only if they're running quite late!

 

[chakk]

The dining car steward on every LD train announced over the train PA what times meals would start when a time zone would be crossed during that meal’s hours.

Sent from my iPhone using Amtrak Forum

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

I know they were served in the current time zone on the EB last fall, because I got to the dining car at what I thought was 5:00 p.m. because my phone hadn't changed the time zone, and when I got to an empty dining car and asked the LSA "Is it 5:00 yet?" he said "It is somewhere, but not here!"

Anyway, the serious answer is the same as everyone has said above--it can vary, so just ask the OBS crew on each train.

As to your other question, I wouldn't wander too far for too long, even if they say the train is delayed an hour. I've had them say that and the train suddenly gets an extra burst of energy and shows up, say, 40 minutes late instead of an hour.

 

[Lonestar648]

You definitely want to know exactly where the train is located when you see it is late. Only then can you make an educated guess about wandering off. Trains do make up time, just like they can lose additional time. Meals are included when you are on board and the DC is open. No compensation for missed meals.

 

[user 6862]

Thank you

MRD, do you think they learn these sharp answers at Amtrak training school? Heard similar smart/funny answers from Amtrak staff from time to time too, have to add always said with good humour.

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

Thank you

MRD, do you think they learn these sharp answers at Amtrak training school? Heard similar smart/funny answers from Amtrak staff from time to time too, have to add always said with good humour.

I think he came up with it all on his own, and yes, he said it with a smile and good humor. It was actually one of the best dining crews I've ever had--polite, efficient, friendly, and with a good sense of humor.

 

[Seaboard92]

It all depends if you know where the train is. I regularly take 92 the silver star and 98 the Silver Meteor from the Carolinas to the northeast. Generally I follow the ASM maps to decide when I actually go to the station. Now if the train is in the immediate area of the station I would definitely be there. Anything under a 30 minute run time I'll be at the station.

Another example one time I was on a late 91 coming from Washington DC. I went to union station once it left Baltimore knowing I had a good hour. It all depends where the train is.