Especially since, unlike the Superliner sleepers, the Viewliners have no designated baggage storage area. Usually on 448/449 there is a spare roomette used by the SCA to put any baggage to big to fit in one's compartment.
Baggage checking
- Thread starter moosejunky99
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Do you see the eventual elimination of checked baggage by Amtrak? Or, at minimum, free checked baggage? It seems those gleaming new baggage cars are being removed from more and more trains of late. It would not be surprising if Amtrak salivates about the revenue airlines take from checked (and even carry on) baggage fees and recoils at the "cost" of providing a free service. I admit that the few times I have been able to take a glimpse into a baggage car there seems to be little baggage. I hope I am wrong but I am not sure the future looks good here.
Which trains have had their baggage cars removed?
The Carolinian lost its baggage car for a year or so during the pandemic, but it has one now.
jb
Pennsylvanian added one, but the Boston leg of the LSL lost theirs...
jis
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There are a few Superliner trains in which baggage service is being provided in Coach-Baggage cars instead of a separate Baggage Car. Only Superliner trains carrying Baggage Cars at present appear to be the California Zephyr and the Empire Builder. Rumor has it that the Southwest Chief will get its Baggage Car back starting 5/23/22.
All Single Level trains have Baggage or Bag-Dorm cars, except the Boston section of the LSL, and of course, currently the non-operating Meteor and 65/66/67 too. But the non operating ones will return.
As for why Amtrak thinks that 12 to 14 Baggage Cars must be kept in Mothballs for ever is explainable only by the people who can also explain why upto 7 Viewliner Diners must be kept in Mothballs perpetually. The other mystery is why a significant number of Viewliner-I Sleepers need to be maintained in Mothballs (there are no Viewliner-II Sleepers in mothballs at present). Nobody can ever claim that what Amtrak Management does always makes a great deal of sense. One would imagine if and when they emerge from their staff shortage some of these will emerge from Mothballs, if the explanation is that there are not enough people to keep them mechanically fit for operation. Same is possibly true of Trans-Dorms too.
All Single Level trains have Baggage or Bag-Dorm cars, except the Boston section of the LSL, and of course, currently the non-operating Meteor and 65/66/67 too. But the non operating ones will return.
As for why Amtrak thinks that 12 to 14 Baggage Cars must be kept in Mothballs for ever is explainable only by the people who can also explain why upto 7 Viewliner Diners must be kept in Mothballs perpetually. The other mystery is why a significant number of Viewliner-I Sleepers need to be maintained in Mothballs (there are no Viewliner-II Sleepers in mothballs at present). Nobody can ever claim that what Amtrak Management does always makes a great deal of sense. One would imagine if and when they emerge from their staff shortage some of these will emerge from Mothballs, if the explanation is that there are not enough people to keep them mechanically fit for operation. Same is possibly true of Trans-Dorms too.
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Clearly it has been proved that Amtrak can even be creative enough to use a Superliner Trans/Dorm Sleeper as a make-shift baggage car (as seen with the Portland section of the Empire Builder this past winter). The future of baggage service and the baggage cars remain utmost mystery. There’s too many of the cars.
If CAF was reliable and a good manufacturer, I’d say send the baggage cars back (Viewliner shells) and make them into sleepers and a LD cafe/lounge (to replace the Amfleet II Diner Lite cars). This presumes the labor market will improve and capacity on trains returns to pre-pandemic levels. Demand has returned, but Amtrak can’t keep up with capacity across its LD system.
Boardman’s intentions were good at the time of ordering (to bolster M&E and try to make money off of checked baggage). But there’s better revenue channels that have since emerged it seems.
I still can’t figure out why Amtrak didn’t fully deploy all Viewliner II Sleepers. If anything were to be mothballed on the single level sleeper fleet - mothball the worst of the Viewliner I’s. VIewliner I’s and II’s should be treated the same as Superliner Sleeper I’s and II’s. The Viewliner I’s could be the shop reserve, bad-order reserve, and any other reserve for the Viewliner II’s. Overall the Viewliner II’s have one less roomette than the Viewliner I’s. Not that hard to block out as needed, or substitute in if needed since they hold the greater capacity.
Likewise, could there have been better options to deploy the Viewliner II Diners rather than mothballing some of those too. Amtrak’s been trying to get a combined diner/lounge out of them - especially for the Cardinal. I think they could have found a way with these cars, or at least done something with them (viewing/lounge car) to keep the fleet active or offer an added amenity that didn’t necessarily mean providing “staff” directly to the car if not providing food service. No reason why the Cardinal and Crescent couldn’t have had a Viewliner II Diner. If short on staff, treat it like the upper level of a Superliner Sightseer Lounge with the galley locked off (yes it can lock).
In general, Amtrak has the demand right now, but is lacking capacity to handle it. The leisure and travel industry has been trying to bolster up and be prepared for the summer. Amtrak is trailing behind. Yes, I realize a lot has to do with Amtrak lack of labor. But they’ve not advanced that far in trying to add capacity since it was initially taken away. They got some re-arranging of the deck chairs coming it seems, but no influx of capacity addItion.
If CAF was reliable and a good manufacturer, I’d say send the baggage cars back (Viewliner shells) and make them into sleepers and a LD cafe/lounge (to replace the Amfleet II Diner Lite cars). This presumes the labor market will improve and capacity on trains returns to pre-pandemic levels. Demand has returned, but Amtrak can’t keep up with capacity across its LD system.
Boardman’s intentions were good at the time of ordering (to bolster M&E and try to make money off of checked baggage). But there’s better revenue channels that have since emerged it seems.
I still can’t figure out why Amtrak didn’t fully deploy all Viewliner II Sleepers. If anything were to be mothballed on the single level sleeper fleet - mothball the worst of the Viewliner I’s. VIewliner I’s and II’s should be treated the same as Superliner Sleeper I’s and II’s. The Viewliner I’s could be the shop reserve, bad-order reserve, and any other reserve for the Viewliner II’s. Overall the Viewliner II’s have one less roomette than the Viewliner I’s. Not that hard to block out as needed, or substitute in if needed since they hold the greater capacity.
Likewise, could there have been better options to deploy the Viewliner II Diners rather than mothballing some of those too. Amtrak’s been trying to get a combined diner/lounge out of them - especially for the Cardinal. I think they could have found a way with these cars, or at least done something with them (viewing/lounge car) to keep the fleet active or offer an added amenity that didn’t necessarily mean providing “staff” directly to the car if not providing food service. No reason why the Cardinal and Crescent couldn’t have had a Viewliner II Diner. If short on staff, treat it like the upper level of a Superliner Sightseer Lounge with the galley locked off (yes it can lock).
In general, Amtrak has the demand right now, but is lacking capacity to handle it. The leisure and travel industry has been trying to bolster up and be prepared for the summer. Amtrak is trailing behind. Yes, I realize a lot has to do with Amtrak lack of labor. But they’ve not advanced that far in trying to add capacity since it was initially taken away. They got some re-arranging of the deck chairs coming it seems, but no influx of capacity addItion.
I'm a skeptic by nature, but Amtrak baggage service is a great deal. Generous for carry-ons, and two free checked bags plus two additional at $20 each. It's the only way I can transport a 12' x 12', 1.5-inch thick wrestling mat in pieces, cost-effectively between Northern and Southern California....
tricia
Conductor
In recent years, Amtrak has eliminated checked baggage service at many stations. Which might have something to do with the under-utilized baggage car OP noticed.
Sounds like a self-reinforcing death spiral to me: Reduce the number of passengers who can exercise the checked-baggage option (which needs to be available at BOTH ends of the trip). Fewer people use the baggage cars. Management sees that the baggage cars are less full. Decision made to eliminate under-utilized baggage car, making checked baggage available to even fewer passengers....
Sounds like a self-reinforcing death spiral to me: Reduce the number of passengers who can exercise the checked-baggage option (which needs to be available at BOTH ends of the trip). Fewer people use the baggage cars. Management sees that the baggage cars are less full. Decision made to eliminate under-utilized baggage car, making checked baggage available to even fewer passengers....
OK - so if checked baggage use is reduced - either due to the passenger’s option/trend OR Amtrak eliminates “checked baggage” at a particular station stop - then WHY order 70+ baggage cars??? It’s not like these cars are old! Amtrak just retired the Heritage Baggage cars a few years ago to put these NEW cars in place. I understand that Boardman ordered them, and he had a different vision, but that came at a BIG cost.
The big question is what level of baggage service is part of Amtrak's passenger service mandate that the taxpayers are funding? Of course that answer is at best murky due to the poor definition of Amtrak's mission by Congress.
1. Should full baggage service be provided at all stations for all trains? (Staffing$ and Station infrastructure$)
2. Should full baggage service only be provided at major stations and strategic intermediate points?
3. Should "gate check" baggage service be provided at unstaffed stations?
4. Should checked baggage service be abandoned, and extra storage space allotted in coach/sleeper cars for the excess baggage that is checked now. Excess baggage space might have to be reserved similar to how bicycles are reserved on some trains.
The level of service defined will predict the need for specialized cars based on the number of passengers.
1. Should full baggage service be provided at all stations for all trains? (Staffing$ and Station infrastructure$)
2. Should full baggage service only be provided at major stations and strategic intermediate points?
3. Should "gate check" baggage service be provided at unstaffed stations?
4. Should checked baggage service be abandoned, and extra storage space allotted in coach/sleeper cars for the excess baggage that is checked now. Excess baggage space might have to be reserved similar to how bicycles are reserved on some trains.
The level of service defined will predict the need for specialized cars based on the number of passengers.
These baggage cars were ordered many years ago under a much different Amtrak management.
Yes, this was part of my thinking but not articuated as you have done.
tricia
Conductor
Travelers are going to carry baggage regardless of how you define "level of service." The question is whether all the bags take up space in the passenger cars, or at least some of the baggage goes into baggage cars.
amtrakpass
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A simple question of would you like to check your bags? either in person, station or app and then having the question answered would probably increase usage of the baggage car quite a bit in my view. I have seen many people bring large bags on that were unaware checking it was an option. And it is too bad it is not available at more stations. You could even have a baggage man ride the train and offer it at most every station in the system if you really wanted too. But I would settle for getting some common sense actions like baggage service back on the Lake shore to Boston for the time being.
I think part of the issue as well is the 45-minute hard cutoff for checking in luggage. I don't see a need to arrive at most stations an hour ahead of time (if not more) to ensure that I have it checked in 45 minutes before departure. At MSP, my home station, there's little need to arrive more than 15 minutes before departure unless you're checking a bag, and there's not really a good way to productively use that time, even to grab breakfast or something. I rarely check a bag leaving MSP because of this - I'd rather have the extra half-hour and just throw it on the luggage rack downstairs.
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Exactly the 45 minute rule needs some flexibility and common sense from employees. Case in point we checked bags on our last SWC trip from Fullerton to Galesburg. Walk into Fullerton depot 50 mins prior to departure. As we’re walking in both agents put up signs back in 15 mins and walk out to service a Surfliner train. When they return 15 minutes later us and everyone else in line gets chastised for not having our bags checked in 45 prior. They of course check them in but tell us don’t expect this exception next time. The train was 30 mins late as it turned out so everyone including the agents sat around another hour… 
You have to have flexibility. Common sense would dictate if the trains 2 hours late your not going to arrive 2:45 early to check a bag. Unfortunately most but not all agents see that logic.
You have to have flexibility. Common sense would dictate if the trains 2 hours late your not going to arrive 2:45 early to check a bag. Unfortunately most but not all agents see that logic.
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Dakota 400
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Yes, within reason. At small "stations", i.e. Cumberland, MD, there aren't the facilities to or personnel to provide that service.
There would be no debate about what a "major" station was, but, a "strategic station"? I suspect that would cause a debate.
Amtrak's management would be more foolish than they sometimes are if baggage service was eliminated. Their baggage service may attract ridership as compared to flying.
The amount of luggage that I have seen on the luggage carts in stations like Chicago tells me that lots of luggage gets checked.
On VIA's Canadian they can handle baggage at every stop. It is handled by onboard personnel, since there are very, very few staffed stations, Vancouver, Jasper, Edmonton, Winnipeg and Toronto are all. But you can check bags at Ottermere, ON.
Why can't the conductor just hand out bags to detraining passengers and accept and tag bags for boarding customers at the baggage car door?
They were mandated to restaff all stations that had been staffed in like 2016 (I am unsure of the base year) by Congress in response to Anderson's massive cutbacks in station staffing. They still have not gotten there.
Anderson + COVID was an absolutely lethal one two punch for Amtrak.
My local Amtrak station allows checked bags to be dropped off up to 24 hours before train departure time, and picked up to 24 hours after train arrival without a storage fee. This is very convenient if you have bulky items that require a special trip to or from the station.
Is this Amtrak’s policy nationally? If other stations have more restrictive policies, what do they tend to be?
Is this Amtrak’s policy nationally? If other stations have more restrictive policies, what do they tend to be?
toddinde
OBS Chief
As part of the effort to kill the national network, Amtrak got rid of many station agents which of course reduced the use of checked baggage service. They also got rid of Amtrak Express which was a well used service that served communities with economical express shipping by train and literally did nothing but bring in revenue at zero cost to Amtrak. It was just misguided economy by a company seeking to get rid of long distance trains in favor of stub corridors connected by busses. So dumb.
I've checked bags 48 hours before departure, but that was a few years ago, and I was taking an Acela and needed to send my bags to Boston on the overnight train. That was back right before they got the new baggage cars, and sometimes the old baggage cars were bad-ordered, and there was no baggage service. I also checked early for a trip from Baltimore to Havre, including an overnight layover in Chicago, and the bags were in Havre waiting for me. Then I checked early for a trip from Baltimore to Lamy, and there was an issue with a snowstorm messing up the Cap Limited that evening, but they sent it on the Cardinal the next day, but I had to pick up the bags in Chicago and re-check them to Lamy. They came into Chicago a day early, so they moved them to storage, and I got a tour of the baggage room in the underground level of Union Station. But there was no charge for the storage. Again, I did an overnight layover in Chicago, and the bags were waiting for me in Lamy.
