Baggage checking

[zephyr17]

New checked baggage question not covered in the eight pages of posts so far as I can tell.

Suppose one is leaving from a non-checked baggage station on a LD (CZ westbound). One layover in SAC +9Hrs and then on CS to SEA, a checked bag station. Roomette or bedroom, no coach. All Superliner so there is available carry on luggage rack downstairs. Boarding station attendant has a history of being friendly but could be picky about rules.

Goal is to get as many luggage bags of max weight from boarding to destination. There is no concern about carrying all my own bags on and off as long as I can make multiple trips.

I should be able to have carry on "2 Personal Items Up to 25 lbs. and 14 x 11 x 7 inches each 2 Carry-On Bags Up to 50 lbs. and 28 x 22 x 14 inches each." Also, I can pay $20 extra each for "A maximum of two excess bags are permitted per passenger". So that gets a person 2 small bags, 2 medium size bags, and 2 more bags of unknown size = 6 bags.

1). Since the boarding station is non-checked bag, am I still allowed to carry on 2 more 'checked' size type bags "Up to 50 lbs. and 75 linear inches*" that every other Amtrak passenger who boards at a checked station gets to bring too (so I can be dragging 8 bags total on), or, will I likely be stopped at 6?

2). Would I be able to get on with 8 bags, and then at the next longest stop be able to check 2-4 of those bags to destination?

3). The extra two bags I would pay $20 each for, could they be sized up "Oversized Baggage (76-100 linear inches*) or would sizing up and extra likely be $40 per bag? How about sizing up the other two checked bags for $20 each, so total 4 100" linear inch bags plus the 4 carry on size?

The actual rule of thumb in the field is you can have all you carry in one trip.

There likely isn't an agent at your originating station if there is no checked baggage (though that is not a 1:1 correspondence) and I have never, ever seen Amtrak personnel measuring luggage. Agents generally don't concern themselves with carry on baggage in any case.

Station "attendants" at unstaffed stations without agents generally are not Amtrak employees and generally have no actual authority. They cannot deny you boarding or charge you fees.

The judge of your luggage will be the SCA and/or the conductor. I can tell you they will probably be quite unhappy with multiple trips to load your luggage pile. Although I doubt they'd deny boarding (possibile, though), and the conductor might not want to handle the paperwork for the fee, although he might because you probably will have delayed the train.

As to checking bags at a station down the line, that is likely impractical as the baggage cutoff is 45 minutes before departure and even long station stops mostly don't have a dwell over 45 minutes. Also the at many stations, the agents close up the counter at train time because they are busy working the train.

Finally, you will not be popular with your fellow passengers taking up the limited rack space with 8 bags. It is very possible, verging on likely, since you are boarding at an intermediate point and most sleeper passengers travel long-ish distances, there will not be room in the rack for that much. Mid-journey the racks are generally pretty full if the sleeper has much of a load at all. Any excess will probably have to go in your room, irrespective of whether or not there remains space in there for you. The SCA may put some in externally accessible compartments that are not designed for luggage, but that rumor has are sometimes used for skis. If the SCA does that, they should be very generously tipped.

In short, taking 8 bags with you is a pretty bad idea. You should consider how much you actually need and try to reduce it. You are inviting the ire of the conductor, the SCA, and your fellow passengers. You are also running a small but measurable risk of being denied boarding.

 

[Barb Stout]

New checked baggage question not covered in the eight pages of posts so far as I can tell.

Suppose one is leaving from a non-checked baggage station on a LD (CZ westbound). One layover in SAC +9Hrs and then on CS to SEA, a checked bag station. Roomette or bedroom, no coach. All Superliner so there is available carry on luggage rack downstairs. Boarding station attendant has a history of being friendly but could be picky about rules.

Goal is to get as many luggage bags of max weight from boarding to destination. There is no concern about carrying all my own bags on and off as long as I can make multiple trips.

I should be able to have carry on "2 Personal Items Up to 25 lbs. and 14 x 11 x 7 inches each 2 Carry-On Bags Up to 50 lbs. and 28 x 22 x 14 inches each." Also, I can pay $20 extra each for "A maximum of two excess bags are permitted per passenger". So that gets a person 2 small bags, 2 medium size bags, and 2 more bags of unknown size = 6 bags.

1). Since the boarding station is non-checked bag, am I still allowed to carry on 2 more 'checked' size type bags "Up to 50 lbs. and 75 linear inches*" that every other Amtrak passenger who boards at a checked station gets to bring too (so I can be dragging 8 bags total on), or, will I likely be stopped at 6?

2). Would I be able to get on with 8 bags, and then at the next longest stop be able to check 2-4 of those bags to destination?

3). The extra two bags I would pay $20 each for, could they be sized up "Oversized Baggage (76-100 linear inches*) or would sizing up and extra likely be $40 per bag? How about sizing up the other two checked bags for $20 each, so total 4 100" linear inch bags plus the 4 carry on size?

When we disembarked in January 2023 from the Sunset Limited in Deming, NM which is definitely a no-checked baggage stop (as well as a no-platform stop and a ripped-up parking lot stop), there was a lady who also disembarked from our sleeper car there who had at least 6 pieces of luggage. Some of them were a size that I could use as living quarters, it seemed like. She was older and so the SCA helped her with the luggage and she was met by a contingent of young relatives who rounded up her luggage and put it in their various automobiles.

 

[Maglev]

I've seen people bring all kinds of stuff on trains--a large dog on an overnight trip, mountains of luggage... No wonder Amtrak crews are sometimes surly!

The only person who has ever given me trouble with luggage is the lounge dragon in Los Angeles. We were within our limits on number of pieces, although our suitcase with two pillows and and two blankets stretched the size limits. "You know you're going to have to put ALL that in your room!" I sheepishly agreed, while knowing most of it would go on the luggage rack.

But about that suitcase with two pillows--we didn't need that in Hawaii before our train trip, so I sent it via UPS from our home to the hotel where we stayed in Los Angeles. That's the way to go if one has excess luggage.

 

[UserNameRequired]

The idea for the trip was to find a way to avoid shipping it across the country with UPS/USPS/Fedex/whatever, and get a fun train ride in at the same time. I see the consensus is this is not that great of an idea and will annoy fellow passengers and SCAs and risk being denied boarding. Thanks All!

 

[ja5151]

Another baggage question:

Can I check baggage from Alton to East Glacier, even if I'm taking the Lincoln Service from ALN-CHI? What if I checked it 24 hours beforehand - would it get put on the previous day's Texas Eagle?

(Don't know if I trust the same-day Texas Eagle to make the connection, knowing how often it's late.)

Here's what it looks like:

ALN-CHI
7:25a-12:05p (Lincoln Service)
8:43a-1:44p (Texas Eagle)

CHI-GPK
3:05p-7:48p (Empire Builder)

 

[zephyr17]

Well, under the rules when I checked baggage, the last time was several years ago, it would be fine. Although if you checked your bag the day before and the Eagle made the connection your bag would probably arrive the day before you do. Which would be okay, as GPK has checked baggage storage.

However, there have been reports that some agents have been refusing to check bags when you and your bag are not traveling on the same train. I don't know if they're true. If true, I don't know whether it's Amtrak policy now or those agents just doing their thing under Amtrak's approach of "In all things, be inconsistent".

My take it is likely, but not a lock. Can you get to Alton and ask easily? Or somehow dig up the station's highly classified local phone number?

 

[ja5151]

Yeah, if need be I could drive to Alton or St. Louis and ask in person. I assume that the Lincoln Service wouldn't allow checked baggage, even if it's checking through to the Empire Builder? I'd be nice to avoid lugging it all on the train and having to stand in line to check in Chicago, but I guess that could always be Plan B.

 

[zephyr17]

Lincoln Service trains don't handle checked baggage, period. It's the Eagle or carrying it on as far as Chicago. Since you are talking about checking it the day before, you could just try it that day and if they won't take it, carry it on the next morning. It'd at least save you a trip, and you'd just be back at Plan B where you would have been anyway.

 

[west point]

Back in the legacy RR days by 1955 it was actually encouraged for passengers to check bags earlier than the trip they were on. Especially true for riding the PRR which did not carry bag cars on all connections from other RRs.