arrive/depart times on the CZ

[chezndave]

Hi all,

We are making headway on our planned trip across the USA this year but have noticed a odd thing.

Part of our trip will be from Chicago to San Fran stopping for a night in Glenwood Springs, the Amtrak site says that it arrives at 1.53pm but then leaves the next day at 1.53pm, is this correct or does it actally stop for a short while, (i did have visions of having to run alongside with our cases) :giggle:

 

[OBS]

Hi all,

We are making headway on our planned trip across the USA this year but have noticed a odd thing.

Part of our trip will be from Chicago to San Fran stopping for a night in Glenwood Springs, the Amtrak site says that it arrives at 1.53pm but then leaves the next day at 1.53pm, is this correct or does it actally stop for a short while, (i did have visions of having to run alongside with our cases) :giggle:

That is correct. At all but major stations and/or stations that are service stops, The arrival/departure are the same time. Meaning, ideally, the train only spends a few minutes in station and may arrive a minute or two before scheduled time.

 

[AlanB]

Technically the time shown in the Timetable or on Amtrak.com is the departure time, not the arrival time; unless the TT shows two times. Officially in the crew schedules, the train is due to arrive a minute or two before the departure time on the schedule.

Of course if the train is running late, then it will stop long enough to disembark any passengers and then pick up any passengers waiting to board; and then get back underway ASAP.

 

[chezndave]

Thank you for the replies,

I have a million more questions to ask in relation to planing our trip.

 

[Ryan]

Bring 'em on! That's what we do here!

 

[June the Coach Rider]

Thank you for the replies,

I have a million more questions to ask in relation to planing our trip.

Feel free to ask away. The train drops off and picks up passengers at most smaller stations at the same time, give or take a minute or two to get the passengers off before the new passengers get on. Usually the conductor and/or car attendants are at the doors to make sure you get in the right car.

 

[Tennessee Traveler]

I've ridden the California Zephyr through Glenwood Springs, CO, several times over the years. The stop in Glenwood Springs has always been a "fresh air" break stop meaning that through passengers may step off the train for a short period of time(less than 5 to 10 minutes) for brief exercise or smoke, etc. Glenwood Springs has a nice station with a museum inside so you will enjoy your overnight stay. Enjoy your trip.

 

[tomfuller]

FYI: Across the Colorado River and I-70 from the train station are two large old hotels and near them is the world's largest hot spring fed swimming pool. I didn't get off there but I did see someone swimming in the pool on Dec 17 2013. You might want to take the cable car up to Glenwood Cavern. There is a great bus service that not only covers the town but goes to Aspen as well.

 

[trainfan]

Be careful on those fresh air stops , last time I was on the zephyr we left a couple that were inside

The station , last time I saw them they were running down the platform waving !!!

trainfan

 

[George Harris]

Hi all,

We are making headway on our planned trip across the USA this year but have noticed a odd thing.

Part of our trip will be from Chicago to San Fran stopping for a night in Glenwood Springs, the Amtrak site says that it arrives at 1.53pm but then leaves the next day at 1.53pm, is this correct or does it actally stop for a short while, (i did have visions of having to run alongside with our cases) :giggle:

Somewhere in the timetable may be the statement to the effect that, when only one time is listed it is the departure time. The norm is that a train schedule is set up so that if it is runnign on time it will arrive at any given location 2 to 4 minutes before the departure time. For some stations, this can be as much as 10 minutes, an example of this being Fresno on the San Joaquin trains. Therefore, for a place like Glenwood Springs, it could be several minutes, so if the train leaves its previous stop on time, do not assume that the train will not get to Glenwood Springs until 1:53. It could arrive 3 to 5 or more minutes before that time.

 

[chakk]

Be careful on those fresh air stops , last time I was on the zephyr we left a couple that were inside

The station , last time I saw them they were running down the platform waving !!!

trainfan

If you miss the eastbound CZ this way, be aware that Greyhound runs a daily bus to Denver, which will get to Denver before the train does, so you can continue your Amtrak journey there.

The GSC station staff can advise you how and where to catch this Greyhound.

There is also a bus westbound from Glenwood Springs that leaves after the westbound CZ, but I think you would have to ride the bus all the way to Salt Lake City in order to catch up with your train again.

 

[chezndave]

Missing the train, good lord there will be no of that....

I have already told Him Indoors that we will be at the train station an hour before departure time to make sure that we dont miss it.

All the fab replies are making me even more excited for our trip. I will post our itinery for helpful tips, would this be the correct section to do so.

 

[Ryan]

Certainly!

 

[gmushial]

I've ridden the California Zephyr through Glenwood Springs, CO, several times over the years. The stop in Glenwood Springs has always been a "fresh air" break stop meaning that through passengers may step off the train for a short period of time(less than 5 to 10 minutes) for brief exercise or smoke, etc. Glenwood Springs has a nice station with a museum inside so you will enjoy your overnight stay. Enjoy your trip.

Likewise: the times through Glenwood Spgs - the stops have been for a total of 3 or 4 minutes at most: basically the time to let one or two passengers off or to pick up one or two. But not more than that, ie, if you get off the train, stay very near it and visible to a conductor... or simply don't get off. Just not worth getting left behind.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Glennwood Springs has been a 5-10 minute stop in my experience. Just enough time to get off the train and have a look around or sit on the grass and watch the passengers board. I don't think I've ever arrived a full hour before departure for an Amtrak train. I also haven't ever seen an Amtrak train leave the station before the scheduled departure time. You might have trouble checking luggage if you're don't arrive early, but missing the train entirely is unlikely, at least in my experience. I've arrived less than ten minutes before departure on several occasions and managed to board without issue.* Try doing that at an airport.

*Folks who are new to Amtrak should understand that arriving ten minutes before departure does not work at stations like Chicago where it can take five minutes just to reach the tracks. At which point you'll be informed that Amtrak refuses to allow ticketed passengers to approach the tracks a full five minutes before departure.

 

[chakk]

There is often quite a bit of checked luggage being offloaded or onloaded to the CZ at GSC. This will typically extend the dwell time to at least 10 minutes at the station.