How Often Do Folks Get Left Behind?

Saw a lady get left behind in Savannah. I was just platform loitering when the Silver Star came through. They normally have about a 5 minute layover and it's a designated smoke stop - so long as they are on schedule. This lady decided that the restroom in the terminal was nicer than the one on the train, and when she came out, all she saw were two red tail lights switching onto the main.

She wasn't very happy.

Though I never heard of it happening, and I haven't seen it myself, I would imagine that ABQ would have some left-behinds. It's a LONG station break (close to an hour) and easy to wander downtown to a local eatery. Doesn't take much to get slow service and miss out.

Spokker said:

Tony said:

How do non-ticketed, non-passengers, get on a train to just say "goodbye"? Possibly it is just the trains I have travelled, but there is always some Amtrak person checking tickets (sometimes collecting, sometimes not) before allowing anyone on board.

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The long-distance trains are like this. For shorter routes, such as the Pacific Surfliner, you just hop on and they check your ticket after you are seated. If you don't have a ticket they kick you off at the next station.

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So, there are actually people who need to come on board the train, for a very passionate and emotional "good bye", to someone who is only traveling, say, 10 miles away?

I got left behind in Anaheim heading to LA. The train stopped way down the designated platform and I hustled down there. The very front door was open..I thought it was a conductor's door or something, so made my way down the train looking where I should enter. I never saw ONE attendant and NO other door was ever open. So I started hustling back to the open door at the front and the train pulled away. Mind you, I was pounding on doors and waving, etc., but no door opened. I still can't figure out what really happened. I ended up having to take a cab (100 counting tip) to LAX to catch my long distance train.

Here's one of the best missed train scenes Hollywood ever filmed (and a good look at the pre Amtrak Northeast Corridor as well):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QVJg5Otqf8...feature=related

Truth be told, these people should be bloody well left behind. It is wrong to delay hundreds of people so that one can make their train as a result of that persons discourtesy.

Just yesterday, I left 3 people behind. At 3 different station stops, no less!

The middle left-behind was the most interesting. We arrived at the station, I made the exterior announcement, opened the doors, made a final announcement, closed the doors, checked the platform, highballed the train. My engineer kicked off the brakes, we started rolling (it's a slow roll, there's a grade crossing at the end of the platform) and here she comes, running through the parking lot to the train. By now, we're occupying the crossing, and going too fast to safely stop. This idiot drops her briefcase, starts pounding on the doors and windows, and starts screaming at the train to stop. Well, sorry, honey, you're early for the next train...which will be there in 3 hours.

I double-checked with Julie (because this was an unstaffed station) and according to the GPS and Julie, we dp a minute late.

(The other 2 left-behinds were less dramatic. One was still in the station when the doors closed and we highballed. I didn't see him inside the station. The other was still parking when we arrived. I guess she thought we were going to wait for her to gather her stuff and mosey on over to the platform. Um, no.)

Travel light!

And be at your station early.

~BJG

lthanlon said:

When I rode the Empire Builder from Chicago to Seattle in October, I asked our sleeping car attendant how often inattentive passengers are left behind at station stops and smoke breaks. It happens all the time, he said. I've ridden both the EB and the California Zephyr several times in the past couple years and have never seen this happen -- although during my last EB trip, some visitors who got on at Columbus, WI, wound up getting a trip to Portage, WI. (The engineer apparently couldn't stop the train, despite public-address requests by the conductor.)
Have you more experienced travelers seen anyone get left behind? Can the train ever stop and back up? (I'm guessing not.)

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On Surfliners, you won't see car attendants.

I cannot fathom there would have been no-one else on the platform boarding that train, nor would there have been anyone exiting the train. Particularly at Anaheim, home of Disneyland, Knott's Berry Farm, Angels Stadium, and in the heart of Orange County.

Travel light

~BJG

njulian said:

I got left behind in Anaheim heading to LA. The train stopped way down the designated platform and I hustled down there. The very front door was open..I thought it was a conductor's door or something, so made my way down the train looking where I should enter. I never saw ONE attendant and NO other door was ever open. So I started hustling back to the open door at the front and the train pulled away. Mind you, I was pounding on doors and waving, etc., but no door opened. I still can't figure out what really happened. I ended up having to take a cab (100 counting tip) to LAX to catch my long distance train.

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i got left behind one morning in back bay when the 178 train to DC was a few minutes early.

i was comming from the boston orange line train and rushed to the track and literally saw the doors closing before i could baord, i was waiving my hands and ran to the one open door where a conductor was standing and he said "sorry you cant get on take the next train".

needless to say the train only started moving after he said that and was moving real slow still after that.... what a bummer i thought to myself... but i know i need to be early and so on, but why dident he let me on???

ThayerATM said:

MattW said:

It contributed less to dirtying up the train toilets? Less use of the valuable train water/water water storage space? He didn't want to try balancing himself while aiming?

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How difficult is it to balance yourself while "aiming" on a train that isn't moving? :lol:

I have to admit that not using up the train's holding tank "resources" is a good idea, but not to the extent of being left behind.

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That reminds me of our first train trip, we were on the Silver Meteor to Miami, and my wife wanted to take a shower. I told "why not wait until the train stops, so you won't have to balance while you scrub" How was I to know it was a service stop and they would shut the water off while they filled the holding tank up, right after she lathered up of course :giggle: Needless to say she only showers on the train while it is in motion now.

ScottC4746 said:

This past summer I rode SS Ltd and every stop we could get off (even though I do not smoke, it was nice to stretch the legs) I stood right next to the train and kept an eye on the stool. When they started to left the stool, I got right back on.

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That's me too. I get off just to stretch my legs and look around the platform area. Sometimes there is an old engine on display.

However, I am always in sight of my attendant, and possibly I have been lucky, but he gives out a reminder call when it is time to re-board.

If I was ever unlucky enough to still be on the platform when the double toot happened, I would probably panic and freeze dead in my tracks (a pun?).

After reading some of these posts, I'm wondering who has functional brains among train passengers anymore.

Neil_M said:

October 2007 on the EB EB, stopped at Havre and some muppet thought it looked attractive enough a place to spend 24 hours minus his ticket, wallet, jacket, cash, credit cards, luggage and wife, all of which stayed on the train!

Oh how I laughed...... :lol:

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I'm sort of missing something and wondering why you thought it was so funny that someone missed his train?

When I was single and many years ago,

I took the Desert Wind (remember that train) to LA and back. On the way out, we made the station stop in Las Vegas NV. I don't remember the name of the hotel/station we stopped at, but we were immediately warned that we would be there 15 minutes and if you got off to play the slots and didn't pay attention, you'd get left behind. The Lady in the Sleeper across from me couldn't resist and dashed off as soon as we stopped with a handful of change. 15 minutes later we left and as we pulled out, I could still see her in the hotel/station lobby pulling on the one armed bandit. I informed our attendant, who sighed, said this happened a lot, and then gathered all her things together and stored them away. I wonder how much money the one armed bandit stole from her as well as stealing the rest of her trip. :giggle:

Am I the only person who's been spooked by this thread? The trains I ride sometimes only come by once every few days. I wonder if I'll ever get off at another station stop again. :unsure:

Last year I was at the Albany NY station, where they lock the doors to the platforms five minutes ahead of departure, and this guy who was late managed, I don't know how, to break the lock on the door to get down to the platform. I expect the station people had a fun time fixing that one...

eagle628 said:

Last year I was at the Albany NY station, where they lock the doors to the platforms five minutes ahead of departure, and this guy who was late managed, I don't know how, to break the lock on the door to get down to the platform. I expect the station people had a fun time fixing that one...

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Seems like a self-inflicted wound by that account. Why don't they simply wait until the train actually leaves? Maybe if enough people break the locks they'll stop locking the doors ahead of time. Thankfully there's no way for SAS agents to intentionally block people from reaching their trains.

daxomni said:

eagle628 said:

Last year I was at the Albany NY station, where they lock the doors to the platforms five minutes ahead of departure, and this guy who was late managed, I don't know how, to break the lock on the door to get down to the platform. I expect the station people had a fun time fixing that one...

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Seems like a self-inflicted wound by that account. Why don't they simply wait until the train actually leaves? Maybe if enough people break the locks they'll stop locking the doors ahead of time. Thankfully there's no way for SAS agents to intentionally block people from reaching their trains.

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*shrug* I don't have a clue why, but I don't think it's uncommon; IIRC, Chicago Union does the same thing.

daxomni said:

Am I the only person who's been spooked by this thread? The trains I ride sometimes only come by once every few days. I wonder if I'll ever get off at another station stop again. :unsure:

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I usually get off at most stops that are more than flag stops. I've never come close to getting left because I always stay in sight of my car door or make sure of the time of the stop with the attendant or conductor. That's all you really need to do.

I almost got left in Emeryville when trying to board the San Joaquin. I had my bike with me, and I boarded a car where the luggage racks were still down. I'd thought I'd simply boarded the wrong car, and needed to go elsewhere to stow my bicycle. I left the train, the door-close chime sounded and I was standing on the platform. My enterprising wife had shoved her foot in the door of the car I got on the first time, though, and with a little running I managed to get aboard.

Turns out the luggage racks on the California cars simply flip up, exposing the bicycle racks. (A slightly irritated AC showed me when he came to take our tickets.) I'll remember that next time.

Apparently this happens more than I previously thought. Here are a couple of related stories, I thought I would share.

1) A few months ago I decided to watch #5 arrive and depart from town. I brought my handheld scanner along, as it's always fun to listen to the conversation between the crew. Anyway, the Conductor cleared the Zephyr for departure. Shortly after #5 began rolling, the Conductor came over the radio saying a lady was running down the platform waving her arms. He mentioned nothing to the head-end about stopping the train, however the Engineer responded by bringing the train to a stop. Come to find out (via my trusty scanner), it was simply someone waving goodbye to her family/friends. The Engineer chuckled and said, "Alright, here we go!" and the Zephyr once again was on her way.

2) This one isn't about missing the train, it's about missing your stop. On board the Capitol Limited, several messages come across the intercom looking for a specific person. It's the very early morning hours, I might add. Apparently, without any success of finding the person (even during the 10 minute layover) our train begins to roll out of the station. Seconds later two more messages come across the intercom stating the passenger had been found and the Conductor needed to get the train stopped so they could detrain.

I remember riding the Desert Wind from Denver to Los Angeles years ago. We were warned at Las Vegas, Nv. to stay on board, as we were only stopping to let off and board passengers. That didn't stop a herd of thru passengers from charging into the Union Plaza Hotel lobby, (where the station was located), to take a shot at the "one-armed bandits".

Sure enough, several passengers got caught up in the frenzy and missed the train. "Happens just about every trip", said the train attendant.

While the Desert Wind is history, I wonder if the same thing happens at Reno on the CZ?

railiner said:

While the Desert Wind is history, I wonder if the same thing happens at Reno on the CZ?

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Probably not enough time by running upstairs and then no energy to lift the arm to push the slot machine, esp. at high altitude. :wacko:

gswager said:

railiner said:

While the Desert Wind is history, I wonder if the same thing happens at Reno on the CZ?

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Probably not enough time by running upstairs and then no energy to lift the arm to push the slot machine, esp. at high altitude. :wacko:

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Casino isn't quite as obviously handy in Reno as the in the station in the Union Plaza in Las Vegas. It probably happens, but not as much. At Vegas on 35/36 it used to happen all the time.

I was traveling to Florence SC from Washington and at Fayetteville NC there was a ten minute rest stop. I was quite groggy and fell asleep until we arrived at Fayetteville. I saw a line of passengers dis embarking,so I joined them,thinking we just arrived. I went inside the station to take a look and when I went outside the train was already moving. The next train was 12 hours away and all my stuff was on the train. I called Amtrak,they connected me with the Florence station and they said they would take everything off the train and leave it at the ticket counter.

I walked to the Greyhound station and took the bus to Florence. A $35 cab ride connected me with the train station to pick up my luggage and the hotel I was staying at that night. It was only a weekend trip,so I didn't want to spend twelve hours at the train station. Needless to say, I've always been very much aware of "smoke" stops since I was left behind,and I'll always have the train in sight when I step off the train.