# Luggage: To check or not to check



## JC (Aug 28, 2018)

My wife and I are taking 763 from Anaheim to LAX, and then taking 14 to Seattle in a sleeper car. We will each have a backpack, and a suitcase. Would it be best to check the bags at Anaheim for Seattle? Or do it at LAX? I've read that there is some luggage space on the Superliner coming out of LAX, but I am wondering how available it is. Also, what about security if we don't check our bags? Thanks in advance.


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## ehbowen (Aug 28, 2018)

If your origin and destination stations (and your train!) both offer checked baggage service, and if you're not going to need the items en route even if there's an emergency and a substantial (~12 hour) delay (medications, etc.), then I say check it through from origin to destination. Amtrak is pretty good with checked luggage (better than the airlines) and it's one less thing to concern yourself with on board.

Checking luggage en route is only feasible if there is a substantial layover at your connection point as the luggage has to be _in the agent's hand_ (not just you in line) 45 minutes prior to scheduled departure. Not all station agents enforce this strictly, but many do. And don't worry about "security" on the train...if the TSA sets up anything more substantial than a cursory sniff from a drug dog from the local constabulary, you might as well invest in lottery tickets...you're lucky!

The Superliners do have a good-sized communal luggage rack available on the lower level. That said, your items will be more secure in the baggage car; you don't have to bother with transferring them at LAX; and checking them will free up space for your fellow passengers (many stations along the way do NOT offer checked baggage). Check your luggage!

Edit To Add: About that 45 minute cut-off time for luggage...Amtrak will allow you to check bags up to 48 hours early. So, if you don't want to spend excess time at the station the day of departure, it's quite possible to check your luggage in the night before. Then, you just have to be at the station before the train gets there; with rare exceptions [seattle is one!], there is no check-in needed before boarding Amtrak.


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## cpotisch (Aug 28, 2018)

Amtrak does not have any security screening procedure of pretty much any kind. Sometimes there will be police with drug/bomb-sniffing dogs in the larger stations, but there's no screening or any real restrictions on what you can bring, regardless of if it's a carry-on or a checked bag. Each Superliner sleeping car has a pretty large luggage area on the lower level where you can put your suitcases. Regardless of whether you check your bags bring them onboard with you, I would recommend you keep everything you'll be using onboard with you in a smaller bag that you'll keep in your room. Might I ask what kind of room you'll be in? If you're going to be in a Bedroom or Family Bedroom, you should have plenty of space in the room to keep all your bags. In a roomette, you'd almost certainly have to keep your large bags in the luggage area (or check them).


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## JC (Aug 28, 2018)

So, I guess there would be enough time to get our luggage from the 763 train to the 14 at LAX? On paper the 763 stops for 20 minutes at LAX, and the 14 doesn't leave until 40 minutes later. I appreciate your input. This is the first overnight train we've taken.


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## JC (Aug 28, 2018)

We are getting a roomette, and I understand that they're pretty small.



cpotisch said:


> Amtrak does not have any security screening procedure of pretty much any kind. Sometimes there will be police with drug/bomb-sniffing dogs in the larger stations, but there's no screening or any real restrictions on what you can bring, regardless of if it's a carry-on or a checked bag. Each Superliner sleeping car has a pretty large luggage area on the lower level where you can put your suitcases. Regardless of whether you check your bags bring them onboard with you, I would recommend you keep everything you'll be using onboard with you in a smaller bag that you'll keep in your room. Might I ask what kind of room you'll be in? If you're going to be in a Bedroom or Family Bedroom, you should have plenty of space in the room to keep all your bags. In a roomette, you'd almost certainly have to keep your large bags in the luggage area (or check them).


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## jebr (Aug 28, 2018)

The roomettes on train 14 don't have much space for luggage; I'll typically only keep two backpacks (one for each person) along with any snacks/drinks in the roomette itself. The rest of my luggage generally sits in the luggage rack on the lower level.

That said, checking a bag isn't a bad idea, and if Amtrak guarantees the connection there should be enough time to transfer bags as well. If you check it the night before they may send it up on a train that evening or earlier in the morning as well.


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## cpotisch (Aug 28, 2018)

JC said:


> So, I guess there would be enough time to get our luggage from the 763 train to the 14 at LAX? On paper the 763 stops for 20 minutes at LAX, and the 14 doesn't leave until 40 minutes later. I appreciate your input. This is the first overnight train we've taken.


Basically, if you make the connection, they will make sure your bags do too.


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## mitako (Aug 28, 2018)

Hubby and I recently took the CS 14 from Los Angeles up to Portland for two nights, stopping for a night in San Luis Obispo on the way. Coming back home on the CS 11, we got off in San Francisco for three nights, then a night in Monterey. We each brought a small bag with necessities into the roomette, and stored our larger cases on the luggage rack on the lower level of the sleeper car. It was very easy and convenient this way, and made it quicker for our many on/off the train in the various cities we visited.

There was no security checks for baggage at any of our stops, nor did we have any problem with our bags being messed with by other passengers.

Enjoy your trip! Beautiful scenery along most of the CS's route.


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## the_traveler (Aug 28, 2018)

In a sleeping car, the only ones using that luggage rack in the car will be the occupants in that specific car. (Each car, both sleepers and coach, have a luggage rack.) So there should be enough space for your bags.

Another thing to consider is that if you check your bags, you will not have ANY access to the them until you retrieve them at your destination. (They will be transferred between trains for you.) If you keep them with you in the luggage rack, you WILL have access to them. You can grab that shirt, shampoo or medication you forgot to put in your carry-on bag.


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## bmjhagen9426 (Aug 28, 2018)

Sometimes, in rare cases, the checked bags will not be on the same train as you. When I took the train from Chicago(IL) to K-Falls(OR) early this year, I took the California Zephyr #5 then the Coast Starlight #14 via transfer at Sacramento(CA), but my checked bags were loaded on the Empire Builder #8/28 then the Coast Starlight #11 via Portland(OR). My checked bags arrived at KFS the night on #11 before I arrived in the morning, and was stored until #14 that I was on arrived.


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## BCL (Aug 28, 2018)

cpotisch said:


> JC said:
> 
> 
> > So, I guess there would be enough time to get our luggage from the 763 train to the 14 at LAX? On paper the 763 stops for 20 minutes at LAX, and the 14 doesn't leave until 40 minutes later. I appreciate your input. This is the first overnight train we've taken.
> ...


The bags will probably make the connection, but there may be no guarantee that the bags arrive at the same time. I like the suggestion to check in early. It will probably go on an earlier Surfliner.


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## cpotisch (Aug 28, 2018)

bmjhagen9426 said:


> Sometimes, in rare cases, the checked bags will not be on the same train as you. When I took the train from Chicago(IL) to K-Falls(OR) early this year, I took the California Zephyr #5 then the Coast Starlight #14 via transfer at Sacramento(CA), but my checked bags were loaded on the Empire Builder #8/28 then the Coast Starlight #11 via Portland(OR). My checked bags arrived at KFS the night on #11 before I arrived in the morning, and was stored until #14 that I was on arrived.


Maybe they try to put them on the fastest route or something.


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## Maglev (Aug 28, 2018)

cpotisch said:


> bmjhagen9426 said:
> 
> 
> > Sometimes, in rare cases, the checked bags will not be on the same train as you. When I took the train from Chicago(IL) to K-Falls(OR) early this year, I took the California Zephyr #5 then the Coast Starlight #14 via transfer at Sacramento(CA), but my checked bags were loaded on the Empire Builder #8/28 then the Coast Starlight #11 via Portland(OR). My checked bags arrived at KFS the night on #11 before I arrived in the morning, and was stored until #14 that I was on arrived.
> ...


I think baggage agents just want to get rid of outbound stuff as quickly as possible. Likely it's harder to remember onto which future train to load luggage than it is to hold onto luggage until somebody claims it.


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## jcallicotte (Aug 28, 2018)

I'm OK with our bags getting there before we do. Just not the other way around.

Thanks for all the replies. You guys are very helpful!


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## cpotisch (Aug 28, 2018)

jcallicotte said:


> I'm OK with our bags getting there before we do. Just not the other way around.
> 
> Thanks for all the replies. You guys are very helpful!


You're welcome. LOL, I only just connected the (very obvious) dots that you're Guest_JC. Glad we could help.


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## jcallicotte (Aug 28, 2018)

Oh, I guess the page I'm on still says that. I should probably log off and back on.


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## cpotisch (Aug 28, 2018)

jcallicotte said:


> Oh, I guess the page I'm on still says that. I should probably log off and back on.


That won't make any difference. All those previous posts will always be by "Guest_JC", and it doesn't even really matter either way.


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## BCL (Aug 28, 2018)

jcallicotte said:


> Oh, I guess the page I'm on still says that. I should probably log off and back on.


Can't turn an old guest post into a registered post. But you've of course given enough to connect the dots.


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## me_little_me (Aug 31, 2018)

the_traveler said:


> In a sleeping car, the only ones using that luggage rack in the car will be the occupants in that specific car. (Each car, both sleepers and coach, have a luggage rack.) So there should be enough space for your bags.
> 
> Another thing to consider is that if you check your bags, you will not have ANY access to the them until you retrieve them at your destination. (They will be transferred between trains for you.) If you keep them with you in the luggage rack, you WILL have access to them. You can grab that shirt, shampoo or medication you forgot to put in your carry-on bag.


On the other hand, we took the Crescent to NOL and then the Sunset Limited to El Paso. While on the Crescent, I realized I had put an item in the checked bag instead of the carry-on. Upon arrival, I saw the bags being unloaded off the Crescent so I stopped the baggage cart driver and politely told him my problem. He pulled my bag off the cart and waited patiently while I opened it and retrieved what I needed. Then he put it back on and took off.

Never able to do that in all my years of flying even in the old days.


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## the_traveler (Aug 31, 2018)

Nor could you probably do that at NYP, WAS, CHI, LAX, etc...!


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## bratkinson (Sep 1, 2018)

40 years ago, when I was traveling regularly on business, usually flying, initially, I'd check my larger bag and have only my brief case full of 'business stuff' which included a reel of computer tape to match the one in my checked baggage. I always had a spare as I was installing software I had written on clients computers. On a trip to LA, my suitcase arrived the next day. That was it. Whenever I had to travel with a larger-than-carry-on suitcase, I'd ship the business stuff a day or two earlier via UPS. After a while, I found a huge garment bag with wheels on it! I learned to pack it all in that plus my briefcase. I could pack 3 suits & 5 white shirts along with underwear, etc in that garment bag! That was in the days before 20-30 seater turbo prop puddle jumpers, and I usually flew into major cities. So the size of the garment bag was never challenged.

These days, I can put a weeks' worth of casual (vacation) clothing, underwear and a bit more in an airline-size 4-wheel rolling carry on case. Everything else goes in a big gym bag I put on top. The advantage of the carry-on-size bag is that it fits perfectly under the seats in all Viewliner and Superliner sleepers, once I've taken out the hanging stuff and it 'deflates' to its minimum thickness.

As far as using the downstairs luggage racks, I've used them when I had to change roomettes enroute due to a late booking, and that way the SCA could make my old room ready for the next passenger and then flip my 'new' room for me shortly after leaving ALP...and repeated the process at DAL. I think the luggage is generally quite safe. However...I'd definitely not only put a well-secured baggage tag on anything there, I'd also add a TSA-approved lock, too. Putting a wrap or two of colored tape on the handle will also clearly identify it as your bag vs someone else with an identical bag.

Also, I would definitely avoid the 'super giant' size rolling bags. First and foremost, they often end up being too heavy to lift to the luggage rack about 4' off the floor. That limits it to being on the floor area of the bag storage area with other too-big bags. Riding coach, there would likely be quite a few 'too big' bags on the floor, too. I saw one lady bring a collapsible kiddie play pen and 'hog' about 50% of the total storage area floor space! Being in a sleeper, it didn't cause too many problems, but I did see a couple of 'monster' bags in the vestibule that the SCA had to move to the opposite side whenever the platform would be on the 'wrong' side. I think that was on the Coast Starlight, as I recall.

So whether you check your bag or not, do whatever works best for you. As mentioned by one of the prior respondents in this thread, if you check 'em, make sure you have at least your medications and other things you'll need enroute...or for the first day at your destination, too!

As a note for those reading that plan to travel in a Viewliner roomette sometime. There is NO auxiliary baggage storage area in a Viewliner. This past week, on a trip to New Orleans on the Crescent, across the hall from me were two 'newbies'...a 300 pound 'father', I think, and a 275 pound 'son'. Between them, they had a one-size-smaller-than-super-giant rolling case, a 'medium' rolling case, an airline carry on size rolling case, and an over the shoulder gym bag. I think they managed to get the carry on size and the gym bag in the cubby above the hallway accessible only in their roomette. The medium case apparently went on the 'shelf' alongside the bed where the hanging items would be placed. A few minutes after departure, I happened to observe them closing the door for privacy, and the big roll on case filled all or very close to all available floor space between the toilet, door, trash receptacle and bed. Once the lower bed was made up, there would be ZERO floor space!


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