SWC #3 Arrivals and Departures

[brazzman]

According to the SWC #3 timetable I've downloaded and printed, the scheduled Ar & Dp cities are Kansas City, La Junta, Albuquerque and Flagstaff. Does the SWC #3 actually stop at any of the other 27 cities it goes through or does it just blow through them? I'm thinking it does stop at some for a quick minute to drop off/pick up passengers. Maybe I just answered my own question

 

[JayPea]

It does stop at all the cities listed. Those that have separate arrival and departure times are service stops where the train lingers for longer times.

 

[rusty spike]

Basically, you did answer your own question...it stops at those stations but the timetable list the departure times only. Usually there is a limtied amount of passenger boarding or detraining at these stations. The stations displaying AR and DP times are longer stops usually where there is a crew change involved.

 

[brazzman]

Thanks JayPea and rusty spike.

 

[Joeker]

The longer stops at these cities also provide the passengers to have a smoke break if so desired and to exit the car and stretch their legs during the time permitted.

The stop at Albuquerque also offers the opportunity to browse and shop the Native American souvenirs at the station platform.

 

[NorthCoastHiawatha]

Some of the longer stops probably having a little bit of padding built as well.

 

[JayPea]

Some of the shorter stops can be opportunities for smoke breaks/stretching legs as well. On my SWC trip last year, Raton was one such stop. There may have been others as well that I don't recall right off.

 

[gn2276]

Most station stops that are not crew change, or fueling/watering are only 3 mins.

 

[D.P. Roberts]

On my trip on #3, many of the non-service stops varied in length quite considerably. I assume this is due to the number of passengers detraining or entraining. On the CS, we were allowed to get off and stretch our legs at almost every stop, but there were hundreds of people milling about. On the SWC, we were prevented from detraining at most stops. They usually made an announcement about which type of stop it was going to be, but not until right before the stop. It was kind of frustrating not knowing which kind of stop it was going to be.

They certainly had an "idiot rule" going on; if the door is open and I'm standing right there in the vestibule, I think I should be allowed to detrain for a few minutes, as I'm capable of listening for the whistle and getting back onboard before the train departs. Many times I simply wanted to stand 5 feet from the train to get some air. I don't see why that was prohibited - it's my own fault if I get left behind. However, I work with the general public myself, and I know many idiots would be left behind if they let people get off at service stops, so I get the point, sort of. It's just frustrating.

 

[printman2000]

On my trip on #3, many of the non-service stops varied in length quite considerably. I assume this is due to the number of passengers detraining or entraining. On the CS, we were allowed to get off and stretch our legs at almost every stop, but there were hundreds of people milling about. On the SWC, we were prevented from detraining at most stops. They usually made an announcement about which type of stop it was going to be, but not until right before the stop. It was kind of frustrating not knowing which kind of stop it was going to be.

They certainly had an "idiot rule" going on; if the door is open and I'm standing right there in the vestibule, I think I should be allowed to detrain for a few minutes, as I'm capable of listening for the whistle and getting back onboard before the train departs. Many times I simply wanted to stand 5 feet from the train to get some air. I don't see why that was prohibited - it's my own fault if I get left behind. However, I work with the general public myself, and I know many idiots would be left behind if they let people get off at service stops, so I get the point, sort of. It's just frustrating.

Probably because if they allowed you to get off then they would have to allow everyone to get off. Then it takes extra time to get everyone back on and now the train is running late.

The CS is run just like the other long distance trains, there are only certain stops you are allowed to step off. If you were allowed to get off at every stop, I suspect that your car attendant just allowed it. But that is not normal.

 

[Eric S]

On my trip on #3, many of the non-service stops varied in length quite considerably. I assume this is due to the number of passengers detraining or entraining. On the CS, we were allowed to get off and stretch our legs at almost every stop, but there were hundreds of people milling about. On the SWC, we were prevented from detraining at most stops. They usually made an announcement about which type of stop it was going to be, but not until right before the stop. It was kind of frustrating not knowing which kind of stop it was going to be.

They certainly had an "idiot rule" going on; if the door is open and I'm standing right there in the vestibule, I think I should be allowed to detrain for a few minutes, as I'm capable of listening for the whistle and getting back onboard before the train departs. Many times I simply wanted to stand 5 feet from the train to get some air. I don't see why that was prohibited - it's my own fault if I get left behind. However, I work with the general public myself, and I know many idiots would be left behind if they let people get off at service stops, so I get the point, sort of. It's just frustrating.

Probably because if they allowed you to get off then they would have to allow everyone to get off. Then it takes extra time to get everyone back on and now the train is running late.

The CS is run just like the other long distance trains, there are only certain stops you are allowed to step off. If you were allowed to get off at every stop, I suspect that your car attendant just allowed it. But that is not normal.

Agreed. Frankly I am very surprised that you were permitted to get off at almost every stop. I've only ridden the CS a few times, but I've ridden other LD trains (CZ, CL, EB, LSL, SwC, etc) many times, and other than the longer service stops and a few announced smoking stops, cannot recall being permitted to get off very often at all.

Out of curiosity, how far did you ride the CS? (I'm just curious if it was virtually every stop SEA-LAX. I suppose if it was running on-time/early the entire way, perhaps it arrived a little early at pretty much every station.)

 

[zephyr17]

On my trip on #3, many of the non-service stops varied in length quite considerably. I assume this is due to the number of passengers detraining or entraining. On the CS, we were allowed to get off and stretch our legs at almost every stop, but there were hundreds of people milling about. On the SWC, we were prevented from detraining at most stops. They usually made an announcement about which type of stop it was going to be, but not until right before the stop. It was kind of frustrating not knowing which kind of stop it was going to be.

They certainly had an "idiot rule" going on; if the door is open and I'm standing right there in the vestibule, I think I should be allowed to detrain for a few minutes, as I'm capable of listening for the whistle and getting back onboard before the train departs. Many times I simply wanted to stand 5 feet from the train to get some air. I don't see why that was prohibited - it's my own fault if I get left behind. However, I work with the general public myself, and I know many idiots would be left behind if they let people get off at service stops, so I get the point, sort of. It's just frustrating.

Probably because if they allowed you to get off then they would have to allow everyone to get off. Then it takes extra time to get everyone back on and now the train is running late.

The CS is run just like the other long distance trains, there are only certain stops you are allowed to step off. If you were allowed to get off at every stop, I suspect that your car attendant just allowed it. But that is not normal.

Agreed. Frankly I am very surprised that you were permitted to get off at almost every stop. I've only ridden the CS a few times, but I've ridden other LD trains (CZ, CL, EB, LSL, SwC, etc) many times, and other than the longer service stops and a few announced smoking stops, cannot recall being permitted to get off very often at all.

Out of curiosity, how far did you ride the CS? (I'm just curious if it was virtually every stop SEA-LAX. I suppose if it was running on-time/early the entire way, perhaps it arrived a little early at pretty much every station.)

If they are early and have to hold for time, it frequently becomes an impromptu smoking/fresh air stop. I recall once on the southbound Starlight we were wayyyyyy early into Salinas and were there for about 20 minutes. They let folks off. Normally, they don't do that at Salinas.

 

[Eric S]

If they are early and have to hold for time, it frequently becomes an impromptu smoking/fresh air stop. I recall once on the southbound Starlight we were wayyyyyy early into Salinas and were there for about 20 minutes. They let folks off. Normally, they don't do that at Salinas.

Yep, I've had that too. I remember on the Missouri River Runner (might have been Ann Rutledge at the time, though) being early into JEF and being told we would have 10-15 minutes to step off if we wanted.