Greeting someone briefly at EB stop?

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Andy

Andy

Train Attendant
Joined
Feb 20, 2009
Messages
93
Location
Atlanta, GA
This may sound a bit odd but one of my girlfriend's cousins lives in rural Montana (that's not the odd part). We'll be passing through in June on the Empire Builder going west and cannot stop to see her cousin, but apparently she is willing to drive an hour to the Wolf Point station to say hi to us and give us a hug when the train stops there.

I told my girlfriend that this will likely be a super quick hi-bye, that we'd probably be only stopped for two minutes and that her cousin would literally have to be right at the train as it pulled in. Thoughts? Think this meeting is realistic? Should I mention it to the conductor so they don't leave without us? I figure we can't really step away from the train more than a step or two.

Thanks,

Andy
 
You could probably pull it off, but the cousin would have to be right by the train. You shouldn't move more than a step or two from the train. Like you said the whole thing would be over in two to three minutes. Doesn't seem worth the hour drive, but, hey, if she wants to do it.
 
Unless the EB is ahead of time, WPT is usually a really quick stop. Unless there are a number of passengers boarding or detaining (very unlikely), expect a total stop time of 30-60 seconds. They even "warn" passengers "if it is not your top, do not come downstairs!

I personally would not want to drive 1 hour for a 30 second non-meeting. And even if you ask the conductor and (s)he says yes, do you think the other 300-400 passengers will be quite as understanding? I know it's a long way, but can she drive to Havre? :blush: That is a longer stop - usually 20-40 minutes! :excl:
 
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I asked for the same privilege this last fall on the CZ at the Truckee stop. I had to ask the conductor for permission to get off, as it was another of those quick stops where you are warned not to get off, if it's not your stop. It was my brother who wanted to see me, and he lives right there (5-minute drive). The conductor was agreeable, and he said I'd get a 30-second bonus, as it was a short platform and they would be spotting the train for passengers alighting from two different cars.

The conductor told me ahead of time which car to be at in order to get off with him. I had to stay right by his side and get back on with him, or it would be bye-bye. My brother asked if I could come and say "hi" to his 90-year old mother-in-law, who'd stayed in the car, and I just said no. I stayed with the conductor, 'cause I really wanted back on that train!! :giggle: Still it was nice to have a quick hug with bro, and make arrangements to talk later.
 
Living in rural Montana is so dull that even a few seconds of socializing is worth hours of driving? Yeah, I'd say that's a bit odd. On the other hand you seem to have made it clear that you can't promise anything and that the visit is likely to be extremely brief if it's possible at all. As a result I don't see the harm in letting the conductor know your plans and then calling ahead to relay the situation to her cousin. After that it's up to her.
 
Just be aware that at short stops with very few people, most likely not every door would open so it is important to be by the car which will be serving that stop. If you are by the door the person opening and closing the door should be there as to not close it on you as long as you are right there and don't deay the train.
 
What about inviting the cousin to ride along for a couple of stops? If it is on time, the westbound train is earlier than the eastbound train in that area, so she'd have a way back to her car.
 
Alice has a fabulous suggestion -

Cousin could board the train at Wolf Point and ride with you 45 minutes to Glasgow or an hour and forty-five minutes to Malta, get off, and catch the westbound EB back to Wolf Point.

You'd just want to check on the timekeeping of both trains since the cousin would only have an hour and twenty minutes laying over in Malta before #8 comes back.

Otherwise the best bet would be if cousin is willing to drive another 200 miles or so to Havre for a 20-30 minute meet and greet at the servicing stop.
 
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Thank you all for your input! Since we're taking the trip from CHI to PDX on AGR points it would cost several hundred dollars to split the trip and take an overnight stop to see her cousin. I suppose it is right to let the conductor know. Rural Montana means that my girlfriend's cousin rarely gets to see her family in more populated parts of the country - it's just so hard to get to and so far removed from easy travel. So travelling a distance even for just a minute greeting probably is worth it to them.

I do like the idea of her going a couple stops with us and then taking the EB train back. She could even join us for lunch.
 
Is there ever a chance that the east-bound train would leave a stop like Malta earlier than its scheduled time?
 
I would definitely have my iPhone Amtrak app going to keep track of both trains on time performance if my friend/relative rode all the way to Malta. It would be cool to visit that way. When I take the EB through my hometown, Glasgow, I don't tell any of my friends I am coming through because the visit would be so short it would be completely pointless. Sharing a ride on the EB would be a cool way to catch up.

Andy, I would ask you girlfriend to ask her cousin if she has any friends in Glasgow or Malta. If she has a friend in either of them to grab a bite or to hang out with, I think it would be a win-win. Glasgow's best food is at Eugene's and it doesn't open until 4 pm which is way too late so stopping in Glasgow for lunch is kind of pointless now that Johnny Cafe is closed, and it wasn't all that good for the last few years it was open anyway, other than the cinammon rolls... I wish I could help with cafes in Malta, but your girlfriend's cousin probably has friends who can tell her more up to date info.

Leave WP at 11:40'ish and back by 4:33pm, not a bad day trip! I think it would cost $37*2 or $74 but it would be cool.

I don't think the eastbound EB would leave Malta early very frequently or by much, but I would defer to more experienced travelers on that. I don't remember getting more than a minute or two ahead of schedule, and again, your iPhone can tell you exactly how close to schedule the eastbound EB is when your GF's cousin boards with you all on the westbound EB.
 
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Andy said:
Is there ever a chance that the east-bound train would leave a stop like Malta earlier than its scheduled time?
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No, never.

An Amtrak train can not depart from a stop before it's scheduled departure stop. (That's how I got a 1 hour stop in Alpine, TX because the SL was 1 hour early.) However, if the train is behind schedule and arrives at a stop that has a scheduled stop time of say 30 minutes, it may depart after like 10 minutes to make up time (as soon as the necessary work is completed)! :excl:
 
Two points to offer here:

  1. You need permission from the conductor that will be on the train at the stop where you want to get off. Asking the conductor when you board in Chicago does no good at all. My conductor into Reno said it was fine with him, but the crew would change at Reno and I'd have to ask again. So this gave me 30 minutes to ask, phone my brother to confirm it would happen, and for him to drive to the station. Where is the last crew change point before WPT, or is it at WPT? This makes me really like Alice's suggestion of riding along for awhile.
  2. The only time a train can leave earlier than at the scheduled time is at a flagstop (where it will not even stop at all unless there is a scheduled passenger). I think even in that case, it will not leave early if there is a scheduled pickup (FYI, my pickup stop is a flagstop, but I take an Amtrak shuttle bus, and the driver is in phone contact with the conductor on the train, so s/he always has us on the platform at the correct time). But I wouldn't take any chances if I were getting myself to the train, ha, ha! I'd be early.
 
Trains can not leave a flag stop early. If they arrive at the stop before the scheduled time, they are still required to wait.

Trains can only leave early if the stop is designated on the time table with a "D" (discharge only) or "L" (train may leave early.
 
Only problem is that if the 7 is running late she may miss the 8 on its stop in Malta...
 
Where exactly does the cousin live? She might be willing to board before Wolf Point. Also, if you book her into your sleeper for the day trip, she'll get low bucket. Someone here will tell you exactly what to say to take care of her reservation.

For that matter, maybe she is ready for a vacation and you can help out with one AGR zone of sleeper to the coast (and down it if you are connecting). Think about how many bf points you'd get with your girlfriend for that!
 
She lives in Scobey, MT which is hour from Wolf Point and 2:20 away from Williston, ND, the previous stop. Can I book a third adult into our bedroom or can we just invite her in there?

What do you mean about her helping out with one zone of AGR points? I'm not following. This anyway is a kind of engagement celebration trip for me and my gf.
 
I think it would be easier for her to just buy a coach ticket and y'all enjoy time with each other in the Sight Seeing Lounge. You can also explain to your Sleeper Attendant and see if he minds if she joins you for those stops. I think AGR would complicate things just a wee too much.
 
Andy said:
This may sound a bit odd but one of my girlfriend's cousins lives in rural Montana (that's not the odd part). We'll be passing through in June on the Empire Builder going west and cannot stop to see her cousin, but apparently she is willing to drive an hour to the Wolf Point station to say hi to us and give us a hug when the train stops there.
I told my girlfriend that this will likely be a super quick hi-bye, that we'd probably be only stopped for two minutes and that her cousin would literally have to be right at the train as it pulled in. Thoughts? Think this meeting is realistic? Should I mention it to the conductor so they don't leave without us? I figure we can't really step away from the train more than a step or two.

Thanks,

Andy
Click to expand...
I had a friend of mine do that in Houston. Stay by the door to the train and as long as the general public has access to the tracks like most rural stations, it shouldn't be a problem. In fact my SLC let me bring my friend aboard so he could see a roomette.
 
Andy said:
Is there ever a chance that the east-bound train would leave a stop like Malta earlier than its scheduled time?
Click to expand...
Trains can leave any stop before the publshed time if all passangers have boarded or alighted and all paperwork is in order. This is why they say to stay next to the train else you could find yourself out in the boonies watching the red light get smaller and smaller and smaller.
 
ScottC4746 said:
I had a friend of mine do that in Houston. Stay by the door to the train and as long as the general public has access to the tracks like most rural stations, it shouldn't be a problem. In fact my SLC let me bring my friend aboard so he could see a roomette.
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The difference is that Houston has a scheduled dwell time of 37 minutes westbound and a full hour eastbound. Even if the train got to Houston late, there would still be ample time for a platform "hello." There is no such dwell time scheduled in Wolf Point. A stop there could be as little as 10 seconds long. I've been on the EB many times and some of those "high line" stations have no one scheduled to get on or off, so the train comes to a halt at the station and starts moving again almost immediately.

ScottC4746 said:
Trains can leave any stop before the publshed time if all passangers have boarded or alighted and all paperwork is in order. This is why they say to stay next to the train else you could find yourself out in the boonies watching the red light get smaller and smaller and smaller.
Click to expand...
As has been pointed out earlier in this thread, this is simply not true. Yes, it's a good idea to stay next to the train during brief "smoke stops" but the train will never leave early unless it's a "D" or an "L" stop, which Wolf Point is not.
 
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I was riding the Texas Eagle with another AU member to Dallas, where we met a third AU member on the platform. I was continuing on, the 2nd person was staying in Dallas. The TE was running late, so it did not stay the full amount of the dwell time.

I had stepped out to say hi. Almost as soon as I stepped out, the car attendant slammed the door shut! There was no "All Aboard" call from the conductor! :angry: Luckily, another attendant from another car saw me heading down the platform towards him, and let me on!

So if you do decide to do the short stop hello, be mindful of the above.
 
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