Which stations are smoking breaks?

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Sbaitso

Train Attendant
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Jun 6, 2010
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I'm not a smoker, but I've always wondered how to tell which stops along a route are smoking breaks. There has been a time or two that I would like to get off the train and stretch my legs in the fresh air for a few minutes but I never know how to tell. Hopefully the answer isn't "listen for the announcement" because I have to say that I may hold the record for never having understood a single announcement on an Amtrak train. Too bad there isn't an award for that, I could use a few thousand AGR points. :giggle:
 
I'm not a smoker, but I've always wondered how to tell which stops along a route are smoking breaks. There has been a time or two that I would like to get off the train and stretch my legs in the fresh air for a few minutes but I never know how to tell. Hopefully the answer isn't "listen for the announcement" because I have to say that I may hold the record for never having understood a single announcement on an Amtrak train. Too bad there isn't an award for that, I could use a few thousand AGR points. :giggle:
A suggestion would be those stops which have a separate arrival and departure time. And if you do go out check with your car attendant how far you can stray.
 
The ones with seperate arrival & departure are the 'official' smoking stops however if the train isn't running to badly late the crew usually will allow someone to step off at just about any station, provided they stay near the door.

peter
 
Well aside from announcements, there is no way to tell really. Sure there are stops that list both and arrival and departure times, but there are others as well. Do you have a particular route you normally ride? I'm sure I could come up with most of the smoke stops along many of the routes.

For the Texas Eagle it's:

St. Louis

Little Rock

Longview

Dallas

Fort Worth

Temple

Austin

For the Sunset Ltd.:

Lafayette?

Beaumont

Houston

San Antonio

Del Rio

Alpine

El Paso

Tuscon

Palm Springs

Most of these are places I've at least been able to step off. If the train is late, I'm sure some smaller stops might be eliminated, especially if there's no crew change or checked bags to handle.
 
As mentioned, once I was on the Sunset Limited/Texas Eagle that arrived into Alpine, TX 1 hour EARLY
ohmy.gif
. Because trains can not depart until their scheduled departure time, we had an unscheduled smoke stop of 1 hour!
cool.gif
 
As mentioned, once I was on the Sunset Limited/Texas Eagle that arrived into Alpine, TX 1 hour EARLY
ohmy.gif
. Because trains can not depart until their scheduled departure time, we had an unscheduled smoke stop of 1 hour!
cool.gif
I believe Alpine is a smoke stop no matter what because that is a crew change point.
 
As mentioned, once I was on the Sunset Limited/Texas Eagle that arrived into Alpine, TX 1 hour EARLY
ohmy.gif
. Because trains can not depart until their scheduled departure time, we had an unscheduled smoke stop of 1 hour!
cool.gif
I believe Alpine is a smoke stop no matter what because that is a crew change point.
That may be true, but not for an hour. We were specifically told about the hour stop, and also the train blocked 2 grade crossings! Thus I doubt 1 hour is normal!
 
There are no "official" smoking stops in the schedule. Also, a separate arrival and departure time doesn't mean a heck of a lot. There are plenty of stations with extended dwells that only list one time in the timetable, and a few that are fairly short, but still show both of them.
 
There are no guaranteed smokestops. If the train is late, the smokestop can be cancelled. I've seen this happen on the Capitol Limited. On that train, the smokestops are Toledo, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and Cumberland, MD.

On trains south of Washington, Richmond Staples Mill is a smokestop.
 
Thanks to everyone for the information. I think the safest thing to do to make sure I make it to my destination is to just keep my butt on the train. :) I've just always wondered about how it worked and never could figure it out from the schedule.
 
if you want off the easiest thing to do is to ask the conductor or car attendant. Usually they'll tell you when you can get off. When you do take your ticket stub with you. That way you can prove you belong on that train.

peter
 
Thanks to everyone for the information. I think the safest thing to do to make sure I make it to my destination is to just keep my butt on the train. :) I've just always wondered about how it worked and never could figure it out from the schedule.
You really can't from the schedule, because most stops, even long ones, don't have both arrive and depart times. Also smoking/fresh air stops are subject to operational conditions, so if a train is late, you might not have one that you ordinarily would.

With that said, there are places where you are going to have a relatively long stop no matter how late the train is. Those are service stops and crew change stops. For example, Klamath Falls on the Coast Starlight.

The conductor will typically announce which stops are "fresh air" stops, as they call them now, that you can detrain for a few (or more minutes). The conductor will also usually announce if a stop is NOT a "fresh air" stop and that passengers should not detrain if that is not their stop.

On the Coast Starlight, the "fresh air" stops are Portland, Eugene, Klamath Falls, Sacramento, Emeryville or Oakland (or both), San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara. Sometimes San Jose. On the Empire Builder, I think they are Spokane, Whitefish, East Glacier, Shelby, Havre, Williston, Minot, Fargo (if you are up), Minneapolis, Red Wing(?), Milwaukee. Not sure of the whole list on the Southwest Chief, but ones that definitely are are Flagstaff, Albuquerque, La Junta, Kansas City. Again, not sure of the whole list on the California Zephyr, but ones that are include Reno, Salt Lake City (again, if you are up), Grand Junction, Denver, Omaha, Ottumwa.

But don't get off at any of them unless the conductor announces you can.
 
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I am trying to convince my parents to take the Train from Newark NJ to Rocky Mount NC. My mother wants tio drive, and I know it is because she smokes. I could convince her to go if I KNEW the smoking stops, or if there were for sure stops she could get off quickly and get her fix. Please let me know!
 
Empire Builder

Spokane, WA

Whitefish, MT

Havre, MT

Minot, ND

Minneapolis, MN

Winona, MN

If the train is running on-time, then also;

Shelby, MT

Williston, ND

St. Cloud, MN

Milwaukee, WI
 
Karen--from Newark to Rocky Mount, there's definitely Washington (a 20-30 minute stop to change engines) and very, very likely Richmond (unless the train is really late). That comes out to about 2-3 hours between smokes.
 
SWC

San Bernardino

Flagstaff

Albuquerque

Raton

La Junta

Kansas City

Fort Madison

CS

Santa Barbara

San Luis Obispo

Salinas

San Jose

Oakland

Sacramento

Klamath Falls

Eugene

Portland

re: the EB, smoking on the platform is AGAINST THE LAW (Washington Clean Air Act) on any station platform in WA...
 
re: the EB, smoking on the platform is AGAINST THE LAW (Washington Clean Air Act) on any station platform in WA...
When did the part about no smoking on the platform go into effect? We arrived in Seattle on the EB at the King Street Station, and stood outside (on the platform) smoking in 2010, and nobody said anything. Maybe it's loosely enforced? :unsure:
 
If you were ON the platform, you could have been ticketed; I've seen it happen. If, however, you were over by the baggage area, you were not ON the platform...

I believe the law went into effect over 2 years ago. There are signs at nearly all stations indicating this; with the construction at SEA, the signs might be obscured.
 
I rode the CZ a few months ago. When we stopped at Grand Junction, somebody wandered off to explore and we ended up leaving him. I guess the allure of all those cutesy shops and restaurants was too much for him to resist.

I never wander farther than a 10 second sprint back to the train. The thought of being left, with all my stuff on the train scares me.
 
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If you were ON the platform, you could have been ticketed; I've seen it happen. If, however, you were over by the baggage area, you were not ON the platform...

I believe the law went into effect over 2 years ago. There are signs at nearly all stations indicating this; with the construction at SEA, the signs might be obscured.
We stepped off the train, and with our carry-on went over to the fence and lit up. Then we walked our carry-on down to the baggage area and stood outside the station finishing; but I figure we were within 10 feet of where the crew was unloading the inventory from the diner. I've always thought of that area as the platform --- outside the station, but just four steps from the train. In any case, there were no signs, nobody said anything, and we didn't get a ticket. :lol: :cool:
 
What about on the cardinal?
On the westbound run, based on my trip of two years ago: Indy, Cincy, Huntington, Charlottesville. I got off in CVS so probably the next and last spoke stop would be DC.

I may be wrong as I didn't need to pay attention to the smoke stops, on this run there was a deadheading coach behind the sleeper and I would go on the rear platform and light up. The on board crew was doing it as well although they were extremely paranoid that the operating crew might catch them.
 
I am trying to convince my parents to take the Train from Newark NJ to Rocky Mount NC. My mother wants tio drive, and I know it is because she smokes. I could convince her to go if I KNEW the smoking stops, or if there were for sure stops she could get off quickly and get her fix. Please let me know!
DC is definitely a smoke stop. You can almost count on Richmond as well. In Richmond typically 35-40 passengers are boarding and the lines are long. If you get off you can get in a quick smoke then get in line and get back on. Just keep an eagle eye on the Conductor or Car Attendant and make sure you beat them back on the train. Never walk more than 10-15 feet from the door to the car.
 
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