# Birds on the Train



## rogers55 (Jan 8, 2009)

A friend of mine is a parrot breeder and wants to take the train from LA to San Diego to deliver a bird. The bird is valuable and he doesn't want to ship it by normal means. I know you can't carry dogs and cats on the train but how about birds.

I suggested putting the bird in a box but there is no guarantee that the bird will keep his mouth shut.


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## WhoozOn1st (Jan 8, 2009)

rogers55 said:


> no guarantee that the bird will keep his mouth shut.


So the parrot talks? No clue about Amtrak rules regarding our avian friends, but offhand would think that a talking parrot would be a popular addition to the passenger load. Kids would love it if the owner walked the train with the parrot, introducing it around.

You can't miss with a colorful talking bird.

Somewhere I have a pic of me in Las Vegas with a parrot on my head. Hauled out of the audience by the girl performing, and a parrot parked on my shoulder for all to see. Well-trained parrot immediately jumped on my head, looked down and said "Who the hell are you?" What could I do?

Danced and sang with the girl with a parrot sitting on my head - heavy audience hilarity - and was later asked out. By the girl, not the parrot.

I would hope, rogers55, that Amtrak could be kinda flexible on the bird front.


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## sky12065 (Jan 8, 2009)

WhoozOn1st said:


> Well-trained parrot immediately jumped on my head, looked down and said "Who the hell are you?"


Don't feel bad! When a parrot jumped on my head, he started asking for a doctor who could remove the wart from the bottom of his foot! :unsure: :lol:


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## Dutchrailnut (Jan 8, 2009)

rogers55 said:


> A friend of mine is a parrot breeder and wants to take the train from LA to San Diego to deliver a bird. The bird is valuable and he doesn't want to ship it by normal means. I know you can't carry dogs and cats on the train but how about birds. I suggested putting the bird in a box but there is no guarantee that the bird will keep his mouth shut.


From Amtrak.com

Animals Onboard

We allow trained service animals accompanying passengers with disabilities in all customer areas in our stations, trains and Amtrak Thruway motorcoaches.

Trained service animals must be kept under the control of their owners or trainers at all times.

We permit no other animals onboard at any time.


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## TVRM610 (Jan 8, 2009)

I suggest that you put the parrot inside a box made to look like ___________( insert chosen celbrity/politician of choice here) and then if he talks your covered.

In all honesty I would not reccomend bringing a bird on the train. While if it was inside a box no one may ever know if the conductor found the bird there could be some pretty serious consequences depending on the mood of the conductor and how the whole situation was handled.


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## Rail Freak (Jan 8, 2009)

TVRM610 said:


> I suggest that you put the parrot inside a box made to look like ___________( insert chosen celbrity/politician of choice here) and then if he talks your covered.
> In all honesty I would not reccomend bringing a bird on the train. While if it was inside a box no one may ever know if the conductor found the bird there could be some pretty serious consequences depending on the mood of the conductor and how the whole situation was handled.



On my September Coast Starlight #11 trip, somehow a fellow got a cat on in Seattle & in Sacramento they would'nt let the the guy bring the cat to his connecting train. He found a lady to take it to the Sacramento Humane Society & he continued on his way!!! To me that is a little strange & sad!


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## Amtrak OBS Gone Freight (Jan 10, 2009)

Rail Freak said:


> TVRM610 said:
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> > I suggest that you put the parrot inside a box made to look like ___________( insert chosen celbrity/politician of choice here) and then if he talks your covered.
> ...



That is one of the problems with attempting a move like that. He obviously got away with it on the one train, but either the station or the next train's crew took issue with it or merely found out about him the pulling that on the first go around.

Leave pets at home when traveling, or have them boarded somewhere, ship them or drive if you need them at your destination, or maybe just not have pets if you must travel a lot with no one to take care of them while you're gone.

The guy probably could have gotten away with it if he had simple informed Amtrak he had a service animal at the time of making the reservation. He obviously didn't have a reason to have a service animal.

OBS gone freight...


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## had8ley (Jan 10, 2009)

You can't even ship animals as baggage anymore. I'm not sure if the Feds or Humane Society, or maybe both, ganged up on Amtrak and made them cease carrying animals. On today's trains it would probably be almost impossible with the lack of baggage cars. I wouldn't want my animal suffocating in a coach baggage compartment. Like OBS Gone Freight says, If you love the animal that much put him/her in the doggie wagon and drive on.


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## trainfan (Jan 10, 2009)

had8ley said:


> You can't even ship animals as baggage anymore. I'm not sure if the Feds or Humane Society, or maybe both, ganged up on Amtrak and made them cease carrying animals. On today's trains it would probably be almost impossible with the lack of baggage cars. I wouldn't want my animal suffocating in a coach baggage compartment. Like OBS Gone Freight says, If you love the animal that much put him/her in the doggie wagon and drive on.


But Mr Conductor its a BIRD not an ANIMAL!!! :blink:

Trinfan


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## had8ley (Jan 10, 2009)

trainfan said:


> had8ley said:
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> > You can't even ship animals as baggage anymore. I'm not sure if the Feds or Humane Society, or maybe both, ganged up on Amtrak and made them cease carrying animals. On today's trains it would probably be almost impossible with the lack of baggage cars. I wouldn't want my animal suffocating in a coach baggage compartment. Like OBS Gone Freight says, If you love the animal that much put him/her in the doggie wagon and drive on.
> ...


Well you've completely lost me on this one. IF it's not an animal just what is a bird? (and please don't say it's "just" a bird)


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## WhoozOn1st (Jan 10, 2009)

Amtrak OBS Gone Freight said:


> Leave pets at home when traveling, or have them boarded somewhere
> OBS gone freight...


Fully agree with OBS (Orange Blossom Special?). Pets belong at home, not on trains or planes. My cat, Intruder, becomes agitated when he sees me packing for a trip. Tough. He gets farmed out, and so far is always alive when I get back. He'd only be a hindrance when traveling.


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## MrFSS (Jan 10, 2009)

WhoozOn1st said:


> Amtrak OBS Gone Freight said:
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> > Leave pets at home when traveling, or have them boarded somewhere
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If you like cats - bookmark *THIS* page and look at it everyday!


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## Shanghai (Jan 10, 2009)

We have a Bichon dog. She is well trained and well behaved. We have taken her on many trips, including trains in Europe and NJ Transit & LIRR trains. She has flown across the Atlantic eight times without incident. I do understand why animals cannot be taken on long distance trains as there are not proper facilities for them. There have been several times that we have driven on a trip rather than taking the train because we could not take the dog. We have boarded her on a couple of occasions with our vet but I don't like cageing her except when absolutely required. I support Amtrak's position on pets.


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## Long Train Runnin' (Jan 10, 2009)

> Fully agree with OBS (Orange Blossom Special?). Pets belong at home, not on trains or planes. My cat, Intruder, becomes agitated when he sees me packing for a trip. Tough. He gets farmed out, and so far is always alive when I get back. He'd only be a hindrance when traveling.



I believe that in OBS chief gone freight IIRC he was an On Board Services Chief on the Silver Service who know works for a freight railroad.


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## GG-1 (Jan 10, 2009)

had8ley said:


> trainfan said:
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Oh you have seen "Dana, The Magician"'s act :lol:

Aloha


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## had8ley (Jan 10, 2009)

GG-1 said:


> had8ley said:
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No...where can I catch it at Eric? My wife has been wanting to go to the islands. Last time I was there was '68~ many moons ago. Co-incidentally I found where Amtrak is requesting 25 baggage dormitory cars for new rolling stock.Don't have the foggiest who would even bid on them. I don't think they'll ever go back to handling pets as baggage even with new cars. In the pre-Amtrak days, and a couple of years into them, each train had a baggage man who tended to the car and its contents. With UPS and Fedex the baggage car dwindled down to just a small pile of bags mostly for the pax on the same train. Railway Express even had their own fleet of express and milk cars with their own messengers at one time. Sometimes it's nice to think about the old days. I feel for those who are having to fight today's unemployment and foreclosures.


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## MrFSS (Jan 10, 2009)

had8ley said:


> No...where can I catch it at Eric? My wife has been wanting to go to the islands. Last time I was there was '68~ many moons ago. Co-incidentally I found where Amtrak is requesting 25 baggage dormitory cars for new rolling stock.Don't have the foggiest who would even bid on them. I don't think they'll ever go back to handling pets as baggage even with new cars. In the pre-Amtrak days, and a couple of years into them, each train had a baggage man who tended to the car and its contents. With UPS and Fedex the baggage car dwindled down to just a small pile of bags mostly for the pax on the same train. Railway Express even had their own fleet of express and milk cars with their own messengers at one time. Sometimes it's nice to think about the old days. I feel for those who are having to fight today's unemployment and foreclosures.


*Dana The Magician*


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## amtrakwolverine (Jan 10, 2009)

Via rail in Canada you can take pets but they must ride in the baggage car.


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## Amtrak OBS Gone Freight (Jan 10, 2009)

WhoozOn1st said:


> Amtrak OBS Gone Freight said:
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> > Leave pets at home when traveling, or have them boarded somewhere
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Long Train Runnin said:


> > Fully agree with OBS (Orange Blossom Special?). Pets belong at home, not on trains or planes. My cat, Intruder, becomes agitated when he sees me packing for a trip. Tough. He gets farmed out, and so far is always alive when I get back. He'd only be a hindrance when traveling.
> 
> 
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> I believe that in OBS chief gone freight IIRC he was an On Board Services Chief on the Silver Service who know works for a freight railroad.



Nope not as a chief, but as a service/train attendant in Amtrak's "On Board Services" Dept. It is separate from the operating crew which would be under the Train & Engine (T&E) dept. There were still some chief of OBS, but they cut those jobs about a year after I started at Amtrak and created Operation Supervisors positions for some of those old chiefs, however, the rest had to fall back on their other crafts on board.

OBS gone freight...


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## GG-1 (Jan 10, 2009)

Aloha

I have known of Dana for years, Was a regular act in the Golden Horseshoe Review for many years. He left after last summer. He did a mind reading routine with a bird. The punch line was "It's a bird" I may have a piece of video of this routine.

Thanks MrFSS never even thought to use the internet to see what Dana was up too.

A Big Mahalo for the link

Eric


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## trainfan (Jan 11, 2009)

had8ley said:


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<_< I think you missed the humorous sarcasm in that statement 

Trainfan


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## wayman (Jan 11, 2009)

trainfan said:


> had8ley said:
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Maybe you can get away with it if you can train the parrot to sit very, _very_ still, and can get the conductor to believe it's a dead parrot? "Oh, no, Mr. Conductor. He's not a parrot, he's an _ex-parrot_! 'e's a stiff! Bereft of life, 'e rests in peace! If 'e weren't nailed to his perch, 'e'd be pushing up the daisies!"

Of course, at this point you're in big trouble if the parrot suddenly wakes up and says "Oh, no, I'm just pinin' for the fjords..."


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## PetalumaLoco (Jan 11, 2009)

wayman said:


> trainfan said:
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And then there's the penguins...


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## rogers55 (Jan 12, 2009)

When I started this topic I had no idea it generate so many posts.

I told my friend the bird man that the rule was no pets.

He came up with the idea of putting a towel over the cage so the conductor wouldn't know it was a bird.

I discouraged that, seemed to be too obvious.

Bird man says that the dead bird idea has been tried, smugglers use Tequila to anesthetize birds and hide them in a vehicle when crossing the border.


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## the Other Mike (Jan 12, 2009)

rogers55 said:


> A friend of mine is a parrot breeder and wants to take the train from LA to San Diego to deliver a bird. The bird is valuable and he doesn't want to ship it by normal means. I know you can't carry dogs and cats on the train but how about birds. I suggested putting the bird in a box but there is no guarantee that the bird will keep his mouth shut.



No doubt the bird would behave better than many riding in coach.


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## sky12065 (Jan 13, 2009)

the Other Mike said:


> rogers55 said:
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> > A friend of mine is a parrot breeder and wants to take the train from LA to San Diego to deliver a bird. The bird is valuable and he doesn't want to ship it by normal means. I know you can't carry dogs and cats on the train but how about birds. I suggested putting the bird in a box but there is no guarantee that the bird will keep his mouth shut.
> ...


Are you trying to tell us that you've run into birdbrains in coach? :unsure:


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## oldtimer (Jan 13, 2009)

I think this post is getting out of control!

It is untweetable :lol:


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## WhoozOn1st (Jan 13, 2009)

wayman said:


> "Oh, no, I'm just pinin' for the fjords..."


Pinin' for the fjords!? It's not pinin' for the fjords. It's stone dead! It's run down the curtain and joined the choir invisibule!

I agree that this topic is out of control, and I'm proud to contribute to its derailment.

Next thing you know we'll have the Spanish Inquisition in here.


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## sky12065 (Jan 13, 2009)

WhoozOn1st said:


> wayman said:
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Invisbule? :unsure:

!!!


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## wayman (Jan 13, 2009)

sky12065 said:


> WhoozOn1st said:
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"Invisbule"? Maybe Patrick was trying to say the parrot could ride _in the vestibule_! Brilliant idea!


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## rogers55 (Jan 13, 2009)

I forgot about Special Agent Pat in San Diego.

He probably monitors all the RailFan sites. My friend and his bird would have walked into a trap.

And if he tried to take a picture of the bird at the station they would have both been caged.


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## WhoozOn1st (Jan 13, 2009)

Dead body in the room, but all they do is talk about rail timetables.


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## trainfan (Jan 13, 2009)

I bet that bird would fit in Wooz ,s Fez !!!!! :lol:

trainfan


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## had8ley (Jan 13, 2009)

trainfan said:


> I bet that bird would fit in Wooz ,s Fez !!!!! :lol:
> trainfan


Give that man a box of Fidel's finest cigars  I just wish we could teach the parrot to sing, "Conductor want my ticket?" when they lift Patrick's ticket.


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## WhoozOn1st (Jan 14, 2009)

WhoozOn1st said:


>


A wild guess that "stopping train" would be known as a local by Americans.


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## Long Train Runnin' (Jan 14, 2009)

WhoozOn1st said:


>




Did you just quote yourself....This thread is mind bending right now :lol:


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## WhoozOn1st (Jan 14, 2009)

Long Train Runnin said:


> This thread is mind bending right now


Bending minds is what we do here, little matey. Seems to be workin', eh?


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## AmtrakWPK (Jan 14, 2009)

So somebody thinks that Coach is for the birds, huh?

And every time the OP calls Amtrak to see if he can find somebody who will say it's ok, they all just keep parroting the same answer.......


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## Long Train Runnin' (Jan 14, 2009)

WhoozOn1st said:


> Long Train Runnin said:
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For sure, this forum has showed me that there is no reason to hide my foaming. before I used to just jokingly bring up taking all these rides to my folks. Now I'm on some kind of rails every weekend. I am happy to engage in a converstation with my friends about how being able to drive isn't that exciting to me. Since Id rather take the train


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## mercedeslove (Jan 17, 2009)

It would be to much of a risk not to mention bad for Polly. My parrot died last month, it was the second on in less than a year. I would hate to see anyone go through that kind of pain.


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## Neil_M (Jan 17, 2009)

Where does this leave the 'Texas Eagle' then?


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## the Other Mike (Jan 17, 2009)

sky12065 said:


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They don't call the CONO the "chicken bone express" for nothing.


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## GG-1 (Jan 17, 2009)

the Other Mike said:


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So I think what you are telling us, is don't use a guide chicken on the CONO. :blink: :unsure:

Aloha


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## Joel N. Weber II (Jan 18, 2009)

Long Train Runnin said:


> For sure, this forum has showed me that there is no reason to hide my foaming. before I used to just jokingly bring up taking all these rides to my folks. Now I'm on some kind of rails every weekend. I am happy to engage in a converstation with my friends about how being able to drive isn't that exciting to me. Since Id rather take the train


The right approach to dealing with this is to make the subway a part of your daily commute.


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## rogers55 (Jan 20, 2009)

I am just afraid someone will blame me for starting this post.

It was a bird brained idea but done with good intentions.


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## Amtrak OBS Gone Freight (Jan 21, 2009)

the Other Mike said:


> sky12065 said:
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Yeah, but we here on the East Coast have been calling the "Palmetto" (trains #89 and #90 SAV-NYP) the "Chicken Bone Express" for a lot longer than those guys on the CONO! Even when it was a Florida train! :lol:

OBS gone freight...


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## Amtrak OBS Gone Freight (Jan 21, 2009)

rogers55 said:


> I am just afraid someone will blame me for starting this post.It was a bird brained idea but done with good intentions.


Yeah, but this has been a fun thread! A little bit of serious topic and a little bit of everything else!

OBS gone freight...


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## RRrich (Jan 21, 2009)

Amtrak OBS Gone Freight said:


> Yeah, but this has been a fun thread! A little bit of serious topic and a little bit of everything else!
> OBS gone freight...


And that is a great deal of the charm of this forum


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## sky12065 (Jan 21, 2009)

Amtrak OBS Gone Freight said:


> rogers55 said:
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> > I am just afraid someone will blame me for starting this post.It was a bird brained idea but done with good intentions.
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*Fun* is a key word here, and oh... how tweet it's been! :unsure: {Did I say that?}


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