Amtrak lost my luggage

[Yusef Aziz]

Hi my name is Yusef Aziz, I was traveling from Van Nuys California to Rensselear Worcester. Everything was perfect until I was in Chicago. I asked If I could check my luggage from Chicago to Worcester and the girl from the desk said yes no problem, I had a baggage and an electric guitar ( I had to pay $10 extra for checking my guitar) It was on Aug 14 (Friday). When I was in Albany I asked a man that I was checking my luggage and he says no problem it will be at Rensselaer Worcester, so I took my last train to Worcester. So I went to baggage claim and it was closed, somebody told me that they open from Monday to Friday ( it was at 11 pm). So I went back to the station next Monday and guess what? My luggage wasn't there.... I went 3 times and nothing, I called Amtrak several times and nothing. They just lost it and don't care. I'm very disappointed because I have a treatment machine that is very important to me. I don' t know what to do now? Pleas help me I really need my stuff.

 

[the_traveler]

Hi Yusef! I'm a little confused. Did you check it to Rensselaer, NY or Worcester, MA? (You said you asked about it in Rensselaer, and I don't think Worcester checked baggage would not be open at train time.)

 

[Kat314159]

There is nothing we can do to solve this for you. You need to file a claim with Amtrak either at the station or via 1-800-usa-rail. It hopefully just got unloaded at the wrong station along the line and Amtrak will locate it for you.

 

[Guest]

My final destination was Worcester MA, but before that I took a train from Chicago to Albany-Rensselaer. Sorry about that. I did a claim already, but the thing is, how long is it going to take? ( I know you guys don't have the answer, but understand me.....) I really desperate because It was 2 weeks ago and I'm just visiting my sister for short time.

Thank you guys for answer.

 

[Kat314159]

I've not had to deal with Amtrak on lost luggage before only airlines. So your Lake Shore Limited train was early enough that they let you wander a bit at Albany while they split the train for Boston and New York? I'd start with talking to the folks at the ticket/baggage counter at Worcester MA. There may be a common misrouting that occurs (ie when we fly to see my relatives in Islip NY (ISP) it is not uncommon for our luggage to detour to Istanbul (ISB)). I'd also try calling the station in Chicago, Boston, and New York to see if perhaps it's sitting in thier unclaimed baggage and took a ride to the end of the line by mistake. I don't remember if the claim ticket that you keep had the destination written on it or not but if it does check and see what station it says your bag got checked to.

 

[Dovecote]

Assuming you have baggage stub receipts the ticket agent in Worcester should have completed a Baggage Tracing/Claim form and provided you a copy. This starts the process of locating the missing items at stations along the route. Regardless of whether this was done your missing luggage should have surfaced by now. My suggestion at this point is to call Amtrak per post 3. Ask to be connected to Customer Relations. Tell them your story. They will provide you a case number to your inquiry. This will notify the stations of the missing items. The loss of luggage is reimbursable assuming you have baggage stub receipts and have completed the necessary paperwork.

 

[Guest]

The guy from the ticket/baggage counter was a jerk, I told my story and he just asked me for my phone number and he told me "I will call you when I get your luggage here" so he didn't call me and I went again next day and he said the same thing. I also called To Amtrak and I made the claim. So I guess I never going to get my luggage back. Amtrak has the worst service ever, people are nasty and service is awful, I won't take an Amtrak train again in my life, that really sucks....

Thank you guys for trying to help me, I really appreciate it.

 

[neroden]

Do *exactly* what Dovecote said. It's very rare for Amtrak to permanently lose luggage and the odds are that it's sitting at some station baggage claim somewhere. If they did, they will pay.

 

[Dovecote]

The guy from the ticket/baggage counter was a jerk, I told my story and he just asked me for my phone number and he told me "I will call you when I get your luggage here" so he didn't call me and I went again next day and he said the same thing. I also called To Amtrak and I made the claim. So I guess I never going to get my luggage back. Amtrak has the worst service ever, people are nasty and service is awful, I won't take an Amtrak train again in my life, that really sucks....

Thank you guys for trying to help me, I really appreciate it.

Don't give up! Granted the Worcester agent doesn't appear to be very helpful but getting Customer Relations involved will surely help. I had my luggage lost last spring and it was found & returned to me.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

The guy from the ticket/baggage counter was a jerk, I told my story and he just asked me for my phone number and he told me "I will call you when I get your luggage here" so he didn't call me and I went again next day and he said the same thing. I also called To Amtrak and I made the claim. So I guess I never going to get my luggage back. Amtrak has the worst service ever, people are nasty and service is awful, I won't take an Amtrak train again in my life, that really sucks...Thank you guys for trying to help me, I really appreciate it.

These days I almost never check any luggage. Mainly because I don't trust anyone involved not to lose it, screw with it, or steal something. Even the supposedly professional TSA has been caught getting in on the action. On those rare occasions when I have checked luggage I've always regretted it. Last time I had a laptop stolen. Next time who knows.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Chris! Chris! An expierenced traveler like you had a lap top in checked luggage? Really!!!!

Some of the places I used to fly to, you didn't check luggage 'cause they'd steal the whole bag, not just what was in it!

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Chris! Chris! An expierenced traveler like you had a lap top in checked luggage? Really!!!! Some of the places I used to fly to, you didn't check luggage 'cause they'd steal the whole bag, not just what was in it!

It was a cheap travel laptop that wasn't even worth reporting, but yeah I let it get away from me. Everyone else in my party was checking their bags and it sounded nice to have nothing to drag or carry around with me as we made our way back home. Plus the honest truth is that my formerly approved carry-on was eventually squeezed out as the airline rules on acceptable luggage continued to shrink. Serves me right for trying to follow the rules rather than following my own advice.

 

[Seaboard92]

Isn't the Lake Shore not splitting I. Albany but a stub train being used for Worcester currently. If that's the case there would be a strong chance it continued on to New York Penn. I would try to get them on the line.

 

[Cho Cho Charlie]

... so I took my last train to Worcester. So I went to baggage claim and it was closed, somebody told me that they open from Monday to Friday ( it was at 11 pm).

I never had experience with the Worcester Station, but at other stations, they unload the luggage from an incoming train, and make it available to de-training passengers, regardless of the posted hours of the Baggage Counter.

Does anyone know if Worcester works different? Do they really not give passengers their luggage, if their train arrives outside of their Noon to 8:00 pm Baggage hours?