Question about Washington D.C. Station Stop

[Pierce Dickens]

Hi,

First long trip on Amtrak tomorrow - on the Palmetto from Savannah to New York. Does anyone have any idea of how long the station stop at Union Station in Washington D.C. will be, and if I would be allowed off and back on the train?

Thanks in advance.

PDickens

 

[the_traveler]

You can get off, but I would not leave the platform or trainside. The stop length is to switch from a diesel locomotive to an electric one. Once it is complete, the train can leave. In Washington it is departure only (passengers can get off but nobody can board at WAS), so the train can depart at any time - especially if it's late.

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

I would step off and walk up to the front to watch the engine changeover; it is quite interesting. Just be sure to not get in the way

 

[SubwayNut]

I road the Palmetto (got in Charleston and off in DC) and as I got off to leave the train they announced that the train has no fixed departure time (we arrived a good nearly half-hour early) and will leave as soon as the engine change is complete since its discharge only from Washington northwards. "If you leave the platform, you do so at your own risk" Since the train isn't recieving passengers in DC no announcements are even made for reboarding in the station and the train appears only on the Arrival and not the Departure Monitors!

You will also be allowed to leave the train (albeit briefly) during the crew changes in Florence, SC and Richmond, VA. On my trip they also let us step off in Rocky Mount because of padding and we were a few minutes early into that station.

None of the stops on the Palmetto are close enough to anything (like vending machines) where you can buy something to eat. I'd recommend bringing as much food as you can since all the train has is a Northeast Regional-style cafe car with just microwaveable food.

 

[Acela150]

I would step off and walk up to the front to watch the engine changeover; it is quite interesting. Just be sure to not get in the way

Ditto that.. Standing 5 feet away from the train is a good distance.

 

[Rule G]

Take your valuables with you if you get off the train.

1. They could turn up missing when you got back to your seat.

2. You will have them with you if you miss your train.

Everyday in Washington, someone comes running down the escalator with a McDonald's bag in hand and sees their train's markers leaving the station.

 

[John Bobinyec]

I would step off and walk up to the front to watch the engine changeover; it is quite interesting. Just be sure to not get in the way

Be sure not to get left, either.

Back in the day, when the Silver Star (92) was carrying RoadRailers (trucks) on the back, it stopped in Washington as per usual. My daughter and I got off and walked up to the head-end to watch the engine change. It was taking longer than usual to cut the diesels off. Next thing you know, they started pulling out!!!! I flagged them down. It was lucky that they stopped the train in time and they allowed us to get back on the train. Evidently, the engines were to be changed at Philadelphia on that particular day.

So, if you wander up to the front, keep your eyes on what the train crew is doing. If they start closing up the doors, you'll have to sprint back to an open door.

jb

 

[the_traveler]

Take your valuables with you if you get off the train.

1. They could turn up missing when you got back to your seat.

2. You will have them with you if you miss your train.

Everyday in Washington, someone comes running down the escalator with a McDonald's bag in hand and sees their train's markers leaving the station.

I would not leave the platform at all. If you do, it is totally at your own risk anyway. So I do not take my things with me. (Purses and wallets - most people carry them even if they go to the dining car or café. But I personally do not take my computer or GPS or ... if I just step off the train to the platform.) I do not even take my coat with me in Southern California if I am getting some fresh air on the platform after arriving on the CS from SEA or via a connection from ND.

 

[Alexandria Nick]

There was a single time that I've been on a train in WAS that the crew announced that we had time to run into the station to get supplies. I have no idea why, to be honest.

 

[The Davy Crockett]

The Regionals will not leave WAS before their scheduled departure time, but the OTs (Overnight Trains) and DTs (Daytime Trains) that are 'discharge only' in WAS can leave whenever they are ready. Therefore it is possible to go 'upstairs' at WAS from the Regionals - if they are on time or early - but I would not do it with trains that are 'D' (discharge only)! :excl:

EDIT: AND I would give myself a cushion of at least 10 minutes with the Regionals.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Going south on 51 we were told what time the train would be leaving. I had plenty of time to go in & get an early lunch to bring back to the train. It helped that it was too early for the lunch crowd in the food court.

 

[Meat Puppet]

Southbound I always get off to get pizza, booze or Mcdonalds inside the station, its usually a 30 min stop for the Silvers and Crescent. I Make sure you have your ticket you will need it to get back down to the platform. I usually have my food before the train even starts boarding southbound passengers so I usually have to stand in line.

Northbound I wouldnt try it.

 

[the_traveler]

South/westbound the trains always have a set departure time. It's only northbound that the LD trains are "D" only, meaning that can depart anytime once the engine change is complete. Local passengers are not carried.

 

[SubwayNut]

I've never had a SB layover in DC (only northbound, just once) but when I've gone into the station on other longish layovers in ALB, my most frequent layover stop, HAR and PHL (on the Pennsylvanian), stations that have gate dragons checking tickets I've always just cut the line of boarding passengers saying I'm re-boarding to the gate agents – They don't seem to mind at all, and half the time don't ask for my ticket stub – and am able to go back down to the platform even if general boarding hasn't begun yet.

Is WAS stricter? You couldn't re-board through the VRE/Exit concourse area (claiming that it was where you got off the train initially)?

 

[AmtrakBlue]

I've never had a SB layover in DC (only northbound, just once) but when I've gone into the station on other longish layovers in ALB, my most frequent layover stop, HAR and PHL (on the Pennsylvanian), stations that have gate dragons checking tickets I've always just cut the line of boarding passengers saying I'm re-boarding to the gate agents They don't seem to mind at all, and half the time don't ask for my ticket stub and am able to go back down to the platform even if general boarding hasn't begun yet.

Is WAS stricter? You couldn't re-board through the VRE/Exit concourse area (claiming that it was where you got off the train initially)?

I didn't see any gate agents when I returned, from getting my lunch, to board the Cardinal. And there was no line. I don't know if I got back before boarding started or not. I did think to check the gate # at the top of the escalator so I could be sure I returned to the right platform/train.