# Is State issued temporary Photo ID acceptable to board?



## Shhh (Feb 26, 2019)

Hello, I am wondering if the temporary I.D. paper cards that are issued that include: A bar code, picture, watermark, signature, birth date, and the date of expiry (while still valid,) is acceptable for boarding an Amtrak train?

 Also, just out of curiosity, on longer routes i heard that there are designated smoking cars for consumption of cigarettes?

 Thank you for your response.   

EDIT BY MODERATOR:  removed personal email address for privacy issues


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## jis (Feb 26, 2019)

No smoking anywhere on any Amtrak trains anymore. You can smoke only at the designated smoking stops.


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## cpotisch (Feb 26, 2019)

Guest Shhh said:


> Hello, I am wondering if the temporary I.D. paper cards that are issued that include: A bar code, picture, watermark, signature, birth date, and the date of expiry (while still valid,) is acceptable for boarding an Amtrak train?


They hardly ever check for an ID of any kind when boarding, so I'm sure any official ID (temporary or permanent) will be more than sufficient.



Guest Shhh said:


> Also, just out of curiosity, on longer routes i heard that there are designated smoking cars for consumption of cigarettes?


It's been decades since they last offered that. If you need to smoke during your trip, ask a crew member when the next smoke stop is (there should be one every handful of hours, depending on the train).


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## CaptainOzone (Feb 26, 2019)

The smoke stops are about 4 hours apart but you might get more if the train is ahead of schedule.


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## Ryan (Feb 26, 2019)

cpotisch said:


> They hardly ever check for an ID of any kind when boarding, so I'm sure any official ID (temporary or permanent) will be more than sufficient.


Terrible advice if you're one of the people that do get their ID checked.

The policy:



> To be valid, your identification must be current and in-force. The following forms of identification are acceptable for persons 18 and older:
> 
> *One piece of photo identification issued by a government authority, or*
> 
> ...


I've bolded the part that appears to apply.  Since your government ID doesn't have a photo, you'll ned something else.


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## cpotisch (Feb 26, 2019)

Ryan said:


> I've bolded the part that appears to apply.  Since your government ID doesn't have a photo, you'll ned something else.﻿


He said it has a "picture".


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## caravanman (Feb 26, 2019)

I am always stunned by the amount of I.D. one needs in the "Land of the Free"...

I can purchase a ticket with cash here and travel from one end of the UK to the other without "Let or Hindrance". (And without ID...  )

Ed


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## Ryan (Feb 26, 2019)

I see that now.  Sounds like he meets the requirements.


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## JRR (Feb 26, 2019)

Ryan said:


> I've bolded the part that appears to apply.  Since your government ID doesn't have a photo, you'll ned something else.


Once in Winter Park, I was asked for an ID" when boarding, my wife wasn't. Being on a senior fare, do you think I looked too young?? (Don't tell my wife I said that!).


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## pennyk (Feb 26, 2019)

JRR said:


> Once in Winter Park, I was asked for an ID" when boarding, my wife wasn't. Being on a senior fare, do you think I looked too young?? (Don't tell my wife I said that!).


I believe it is random.  I have asked for ID when boarding sometime last year (I do not remember where or when since I am a senior also); Several times, when on the train, the conductor has asked me for ID.


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## BCL (Feb 26, 2019)

Amtrak says nothing about temporary photo ID not being acceptable.  This isn't the TSA requirement for ID, and I understand that some states issue temporary driver licenses on paper with a printout of the photo that will go on the plastic ID card.

I have heard that some businesses won't accept temporary ID for proof of age when purchasing alcoholic beverages.  However, it wouldn't seem to violate any state requirements, but is just a private corporate policy.


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## BCL (Feb 27, 2019)

Just wondering, but what is any Amtrak personnel going to do if they see a temporary photo ID?  Is there any likelihood that if they ask for it and see an official but unfamiliar ID they balk at it?  Some of the ID that are on the list include student ID where there are probably tens (hundreds?) of thousands of possibilities if high high and every single college ID is possible.


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## caravanman (Feb 27, 2019)

I always find the need for a photo ID to be "not expired" strange. If my driving licence was acceptable last week, why not accept it as ID next week?


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## seat38a (Feb 27, 2019)

caravanman said:


> I am always stunned by the amount of I.D. one needs in the "Land of the Free"...
> 
> I can purchase a ticket with cash here and travel from one end of the UK to the other without "Let or Hindrance". (And without ID...  )
> 
> Ed


https://www.amtrak.com/planning-booking/tickets-id-safety-security/passenger-identification.html

Random ID check's are a TSA recommended thing per the link above. Remember those god awful incidents in New York, DC and Penn 17 years ago?


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## jis (Feb 27, 2019)

Last time I boarded the Sunset at New Orleans they meticulously checked everyone’s ID. Happens occasionally.


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## pennyk (Feb 27, 2019)

jis said:


> Last time I boarded the Sunset at New Orleans they meticulously checked everyone’s ID. Happens occasionally.


Thinks Jis for "jogging" my memory.  I believe that is where and when (July 2018) when ID was checked upon boarding.


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## Bob Dylan (Feb 27, 2019)

I've had my ID Checked Everyime I've boarded in NOL.(Sunset,CONO,Crescent)


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## JRR (Feb 27, 2019)

When we boarded the CONO last summer, neither my wife nor I had our IDs checked.


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## Devil's Advocate (Feb 27, 2019)

BCL said:


> Is there any likelihood that if they ask for [identification] and see an official but unfamiliar ID they balk at it?


Yes.



caravanman said:


> I always find the need for a photo ID to be "not expired" strange. If my driving licence was acceptable last week, why not accept it as ID next week?


In a rational world your primary identification would only need to be updated when you had aged beyond easy recognition while your driver's license would expire every few years and you'd be forced to pass a new test covering important changes in laws and infrastructure that had occurred after the last license approval.  Since driving licenses have become the primary means of identification and renewing them has become little more than a rubber stamp fee I guess you're right to be confused.



seat38a said:


> Random ID check's are a TSA recommended thing per the link above. Remember those god awful incidents in New York, DC and Penn 17 years ago?


What I mainly remember about that is how no meaningful security rules were actually violated and the people who tried to speak up were ignored until it was too late.  Dumping the TSA into pre-9/11 America is unlikely to have changed anything.  Actually listening to the flight instructors and lower level authorities who were trying to warn the top brass of imminent danger could have changed everything.  The evidence was there, the people in charge of protecting us simply chose to ignore it.


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## jis (Feb 27, 2019)

pennyk said:


> Thinks Jis for "jogging" my memory.  I believe that is where and when (July 2018) when ID was checked upon boarding.


It unfortunately was somewhat of a memorable trip in an undesirable way.


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## cpotisch (Feb 27, 2019)

Devil's Advocate said:


> seat38a said:
> 
> 
> > Random ID check's are a TSA recommended thing per the link above. Remember those god awful incidents in New York, DC and Penn 17 years ago?
> ...


Indeed. Evidence shows that out of all the security measures the U.S. put in place post-9/11, there are only two that have had a positive effect. Those are that cockpit doors are locked during the flight, and passengers are encouraged to fight back. Pretty much everything else is easy to get around and generally absurdly expensive.


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## I.D. questions (Feb 27, 2019)

I thank everyone for there advice. that was really helpful!


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## cpotisch (Feb 27, 2019)

Guest I.D. questions said:


> I thank everyone for there advice. that was really helpful!


Glad to be of service (and I'm sure the others are as well). 

BTW, you know that you can post here with your actual member account, right?


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