Pay Attention Amtrak Passengers
As you may or may not know—because who am I to assume anything—rail travel in the good ol’ USA is surprisingly casual, laid-back, and, dare I say, easy, even if you're like me: visually impaired, mildly forgetful, and frequently dragging around bags, family members, and whatever chaos the day decides to hand me.
Most of the time, you’ll be chilling in your coach seat or private room, sipping something tasty, admiring views from both sides of the train like you're in a nature documentary narrated by Morgan Freeman. If you’ve splurged on a sleeper room, you can even eat in bed like royalty—or hit the dining car for a meal and pretend you're in a Wes Anderson movie.
You can work on your laptop, read, zone out to your favorite playlist (headphones on, please), or just stare dramatically out the window thinking about life. But—and here comes the big “but”—with all that comfort, it's easy to forget that you are still responsible for knowing what the heck is going on. Like... where you are. And when to get off the train. You know, minor details.
I’ve been a train regular for nearly three years, mostly rolling back and forth between Truckee and Emeryville/San Francisco for reasons that range from “absolutely necessary” to “I just like train snacks.”
Which brings us to today’s tale: an episode I call “PAY ATTENTION!”
The Calm Before the Chaos
It was a crisp spring morning in Truckee—big puffy Tahoe clouds overhead, sunshine peeking through, birds singing, the works. My friend dropped me off at the station a good 30 minutes early, which gave me enough time to grab a world-famous breakfast burrito at The Squeeze In. (10/10 would recommend. Burrito = glorious.)
I waddled across the street, burrito blissed and ready for boarding. A quick check at the station showed the California Zephyr was only running a few minutes behind. Not bad considering it came all the way from Chicago. So far, so good!
I joined a small crowd on the platform, bags in hand, making polite “train buddies” conversation. As the bright headlights of the train appeared in the distance, you could feel that classic Amtrak excitement—like, “Yes! It’s here! It didn’t forget us!”
All Aboard (Sort Of…)
The conductor opened the door, began calling names, and—because I’m a seasoned pro and possibly a teacher’s pet—I was first on board. I climbed aboard with my two bags (and a dramatic grunt), strolled to the very back where my favorite sleeper room awaited, and plopped down with the satisfaction of a man who was winning at travel.
…And then, chaos.
From down the hallway, I heard shouting: “Wait! WAIT!! HELP!”
Which are never things you want to hear in enclosed transportation situations. An attendant ran past my door like they were chasing a toddler with a jetpack. A small crowd gathered, buzzing with confusion. And then—cue dramatic music—a woman’s voice rose above the rest:
“WE’RE ON THE WRONG TRAIN!!!”
(Reader, I blinked.)
Wait—What?
Turns out, an entire family—mom, dad, several children, and enough luggage to relocate to Europe—had been traveling across the country on that train for several days. It was their stop. Truckee. But when the train paused, they must’ve assumed it was just another scenic smoke break or a brief time warp. Instead of disembarking, they got back on the very train they were supposed to leave. They literally missed their stop... by staying put.
Thankfully, our heroic train attendant leapt into action, grabbed the P.A. mic like it was an Avengers emergency, and shouted:
“STOP THE TRAIN! STOP THE TRAIN!”
It was part comedy, part action movie, and all very real.
By some miracle, the conductor did stop the train just in time, and the wayward family was safely ejected (lovingly) before they ended up in Sacramento, wondering where the mountains went.
The Moral of the Story?
Train travel is magical. The views? Stunning. The food? Underrated. The people? Surprisingly friendly (even before coffee). But don’t let the cozy vibes lull you into a false sense of travel security. You do need to pay attention. Especially if, say, you have one job: get off at Truckee.
Because otherwise, you’ll end up in a stranger’s blog post and owe Amtrak a small fortune in reverse cab fare.
Thanks for hopping aboard this episode of Rail Tales! If you liked this little travel misadventure, come find me on Instagram @EricTBrandt or check out my music and musings on my website. I’d love to hear your own stories, travel tips, or even your favorite train snacks.
Until next time—happy rails, and don’t forget to LOOK UP WHEN THE TRAIN STOPS.